Board Spotlight: Kayla Caikauskas, Lighthouse CU
From Teller to Leader: How CFTEA Helped Me Find My Path
Like many in the financial industry, I didn’t plan to be here…I stumbled into it. I needed a full-time job and landed at a bank. What I didn’t expect was to fall in love with the work, the people, and the purpose. I spent several years as a teller, but I found myself yearning for more.
That “more” came when I joined the Learning and Development team as a facilitator: my dream job. In that role, I often recommended CFTEA courses to employees as a way to grow professionally. But it wasn’t until 2022 that I personally turned to CFTEA for support.
I was ready to step into a leadership role, but my organization wasn’t offering management classes within a timeline that met my career needs. That’s when CFTEA stepped in and truly changed the game for me. I enrolled in the Effective Manager’s Toolbox bundle and completed it at my own pace. The skills I gained opened doors to the leadership opportunities I had been striving for.
CFTEA didn’t just help me move forward – it empowered me at a time when I needed it most. Since then, I’ve used what I learned to build a phenomenal team of L&D professionals, design and teach management courses within my organization, and consult with fellow leaders across the industry.
CFTEA is more than a resource – it is a catalyst. And I’m grateful for the role it played in helping me become the leader I am today.