Carrie L. Birkhofer
President and Chief Executive Officer
Carrie L. Birkhofer has served as President and CEO of Bay Federal Credit Union since 1995. Her passion lies in helping the community thrive and expanding economic opportunities through access to locally-owned financial products and services. Under Carrie’s leadership, Bay Federal Credit Union has grown from $70 million to over $1.6 billion in assets. Carrie collaborates with the Senior Leadership Team and the volunteer Board of Directors to define and implement the Credit Union’s vision and mission, ensuring that strategy is executed while prioritizing the member and employee experience. Since 2015, Bay Federal has been recognized for its award-winning culture and service, earning distinctions as one of the Best Places to Work and the Best Places to Bank.
Carrie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is a Certified Public Accountant. She is a dedicated community leader, recognized as Woman of the Year in 2018 by the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce and inducted into the Monterey Bay Hall of Fame in 2023 by Junior Achievement. Carrie has served in numerous leadership roles, including Past President and Scholarship Chair of the Scotts Valley Rotary Club, CAP Committee Chair for the Cabrillo College Foundation, Secretary for the Salinas Valley Health Foundation, and a Board member for the California Nevada Credit Union League.
In her free time, Carrie enjoys exercising, reading novels, traveling, and learning to play guitar.