New NCUA Acting Chairman J. Mark McWatters has named agency veteran Sarah Vega as his chief of staff.

Vega has served as McWatters's senior policy advisor since he joined the NCUA board in August 2014.

Prior to that, she served as chief of staff to former NCUA Chairman Michael Fryzel when he was chairman and as his senior policy advisor before he was chairman.

“Sarah has served NCUA and credit unions very well during her time at NCUA, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role,” McWatters said. “Having served as my Senior Policy Advisor for the last two and a half years, I am confident that she will remain an asset to my efforts as NCUA's Acting Chairman. I continue to value her advice and perspective as we tackle the challenges ahead.”

Vega is the former director of the Illinois Department of Financial Institutions and served as the administrator of the department's Credit Union Division. She has served on the board of directors for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago and as a member of the NASCUS board. She served as NASCUS chair from 1999 to 2000.

Before she joined NCUA in 2008, Vega was in private practice as an attorney in Chicago.

Vega earned a bachelor's degree in political science and a Juris Doctorate from DePaul University.

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NCUA's McWatters Appoints Vega as Chief of Staff

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