Description
As communities continue to navigate economic pressures, workforce challenges, and widening disparities in household stability, leaders need clear, actionable data to understand what families are experiencing today. This session provides a guided walkthrough of the newest ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) data release paired with the latest Indicators of Well-Being, giving participants an integrated view of financial hardship, stability, and community resilience.
Discover the latest ALICE data and Indicators of Well-Being that reveal the real economic conditions facing working households today. This session highlights emerging trends in financial hardship, cost-of-living pressures, and community well-being, offering practical insights for organizations and leaders. Participants will gain clear guidance on how to interpret and apply these findings to inform strategy, policy, and impactful community action.
Agenda
Join us for a practical, outcome-focused virtual session that will help your credit union interpret the data, communicate its implications, and apply it to strategic planning, program design, and community partnerships.
Participants will learn how to:
- Understand the updated ALICE methodology
- Navigate key data sets, dashboards, and geographic breakdowns.
- Identify emerging trends in household survival budgets, cost pressures, and workforce participation.
- Connect ALICE data to broader indicators of well-being such as health, housing, education, childcare, and economic mobility.
- Use the data to deepen member, community, or stakeholder engagement.
- Translate insights into strategic action for policy, investment, and program design.
Who Should Attend:
Credit Union Executives and anyone seeking to better understand the lived realities of households on the edge of financial stability.
Speakers
Catherine Connelly
Director of Research Engagement | United for ALICE
Catherine Connelly is the Director of Research Engagement, United for ALICE, at United Way of Northern New Jersey, where she researches, writes, and develops reports and resources on financial hardship. Catherine is interested in the complex interplay between social and economic factors and their impact on overall health and well-being. She has a doctorate in Medical Humanities from Drew University and a master’s degree in Health Administration from Hofstra University.
Stephanie Hoopes
Chief Research and Impact Officer| United for ALICE
Stephanie Hoopes, PhD, is the National Director of United For ALICE and Chief Research and Impact Officer at United Way of Northern New Jersey. She has a doctorate degree from the London School of Economics and is the creator of the ALICE (Asset, Limited, Income, Constrained, Employed) measures. Growing from a pilot in New Jersey, these measures are now viewed as one of the most accurate measures of financial hardship across the country. The research and partnerships have continued to grow across the country and her research has garnered the attention of local, state, and national media.
Josh Roberts
Vice President of System Collaboration & Development | The League
Josh is responsible for promoting credit union service and outreach and fostering opportunities for credit union growth. You can also find Josh helping Wisconsin's small credit unions with operational consulting, provides strategy assistance by facilitating Strategic Planning Sessions, and providing various training for credit union leaders, staff, and boards. Additionally, Josh spearheads diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for The League and its member credit unions and is also the League Liaison for the Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation and oversees its operations.
Josh has nearly 20 years of experience in the financial industry, having served credit unions as a vice president, controller, and compliance officer. He is a graduate of CUNA Management School, where he served as Class President, and a 2016 graduate of the Credit Union Development Educators (CUDE) program.
Josh currently serves on the Executive Committee of the CUNA Lending Council and is Vice-Chair of CUNA Lending Council’s Member Resources Committee and Vice-Chair of the Engagement Committee. In addition, he is engaged in the community, serving as Board Chair for the Milwaukee Area Technical College Accounting Advisory Board, and as a member of the Milwaukee Area Technical College Banking and Finance Advisory Board. He has previously held positions and volunteered with local neighborhood associations, the American Red Cross, and local environmental organizations.