Honorees include compliance and legal professionals, as well as members of ACA International’s Board of Directors and state units.
8/29/2018 9:00
Collection Advisor magazine recently named the 20 Most Powerful Women in Collections, including Leah Dempsey, ACA International’s Vice President and Senior Counsel of Federal Advocacy, and several members from across the U.S.
Of the 140,000 professionals in collections, nearly 70 percent are women, Collection Advisor reports. The professional recognized by the magazine “have found success in their organizations and used that influence to create positive waves of change that ripple through the industry,” according to the article.
Dempsey joined ACA International in May and since then has played a key role in advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and with regulators including the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission.
Dempsey previously served as the senior director of advocacy and counsel for the Credit Union National Association, where she led their Consumer Protection Advocacy Team. In this role, she advocated on behalf of the association before Congress and federal agencies that included BCFP and the FCC. She started her career at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, served as counsel to Mitt Romney’s Presidential campaign, and previously worked as ACA International’s legislative counsel during the creation of the BCFP. In this position, and in previous roles at other financial services trade associations, Dempsey successfully led advocacy efforts surrounding numerous BCFP rules and related Congressional initiatives.
Other honorees in Collection Advisor include:
- Anita M. Manghisi, IFCCE, president of Independent Recovery Resources, ACA International board member
- Anne Thomas, chief compliance officer, Cavalry Portfolio Services LLC
- Caren D. Enloe, partner and group leader of consumer financial services litigation and compliance, Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers LLP
- Courtney Reynaud, president/CEO, Creditors Bureau USA, CFO, California Association of Collectors
- Debra J. Ciskey, chief compliance officer, Wakefield and Associates Inc.
- Donna Nicholson Stief, executive director and chief compliance officer, Credit Bureau of Lancaster County Inc., president of Mid-Atlantic Collectors Association Board of Directors.
- Irene Hoheusle, IFCCE, CCCO, vice president of collections and education, Account Recovery Specialists Inc., president of Kansas Collectors Association
- Judy La Spada, chief executive officer/founder, Virtuoso Sourcing Group LLC
- Julie Simes, president, Zealandia Capital Inc.
- Kelly Knepper-Stephens, general counsel and CCO, Stoneleigh Recovery Associates LLC
- Kelsi Hamilton, compliance and legislative affairs, Dynamic Collectors Inc., legislative chair, Washington Collectors Association
- Leslie Bender, CIPP/US, CCCO, CCCA, IFCCE, chief strategy officer and general counsel, BCA Financial Services
- Lisa Im, board chair and CEO, Performant Financial Corporation
- Nicole M. Strickler, shareholder, Messer Strickler Ltd.
- Pam Kirchner, CEO, BCA Financial Services Inc., ACA International board member
- Robbie Malone, member/attorney at law, Malone Akerly Martin PLLC
- Shannon Dauchot, CEO, Parallon Revenue Cycle Point Solutions Division
Read more about each recipient’s work in the accounts receivable management industry in Collection Advisor magazine.