Redwood Credit Union Welcomes New Community Programs Manager Penny Cleary

Penny Cleary joins RCU to lead community and financial wellness programs

Santa Rosa, Calif. – Redwood Credit Union (RCU) has hired Penny Cleary as community programs manager.

In her new role, Cleary will lead the team that brings RCU’s comprehensive community programs to the counties it serves, including Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Lake, Mendocino, and San Francisco. Those programs support nonprofit partners through strategic grantmaking, sponsoring, and providing volunteers for local events. The team also educates the community about financial wellness through programs like the Bite of Reality teen financial fair, and supports economic vitality through access to affordable financial products and services.

Cleary will also oversee the RCU Community Fund (RCUCF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit fund that supports community financial literacy and wellness programs, as well as local disaster relief efforts.

“Our footprint is growing larger, as is the need to support local nonprofits and the important work they’re doing,” said Matt Martin, vice president of community and government relations. “I’m very excited to have Penny here, helping RCU deliver even greater levels of impact and support for our communities.”

Cleary came to RCU from Sutter Health in Sonoma County, where she worked for 24 years leading its fundraising and corporate philanthropy efforts. She was responsible for overseeing event sponsorship and strategic grant-making based on identified community needs and worked with key community partners to support charitable giving.

She has a Bachelor of Science degree in human services from California State University (CSU) Fullerton and a Master of Social Work degree from CSU Long Beach. Cleary is a former Foundation board member for Elsie Allen High School and steering committee member for Latino Health Forum, and current steering committee member of Leadership Santa Rosa and a volunteer for Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.

About Redwood Credit Union

Founded in 1950, Redwood Credit Union is a full-service financial institution providing personal and business banking to consumers and businesses in the North Bay and San Francisco. Services include checking and savings accounts, auto and home loans, credit cards, online and mobile banking, business services, commercial and SBA lending, investment and wealth management services, and more. The Credit Union also offers insurance and discount auto sales through their wholly-owned subsidiary. RCU has over $4.4 billion in assets and serves over 322,000 Members with full-service branches from San Francisco to Ukiah, more than 30,000 fee-free network ATMs nationwide and convenient, free online and mobile banking. For more information, call 1 (800) 479-7928, visit www.redwoodcu.org, or follow RCU on Facebook at facebook.com/redwoodcu and Twitter at @Redwoodcu for news and updates.