Women in Technology: Coastal Credit Union’s Shanna Flynn

In what is a recurring feature, Finopotamus spotlights innovative women who are positively impacting technology applications in the credit union industry, and beyond.

In the latest installment in our “Women in Technology” series, we visited with Coastal Credit Union’s Vice President of IT Core and Business Applications Shanna Flynn. The $5.9 billion Raleigh, North Carolina-based credit union supports more than 342,600 members at 17 branch locations.

By W.B. King

While earning her Bachelor of Science in accounting at the University of Delaware, Shanna Flynn wasn’t yet introduced to Moore’s law, the observation that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years, a trend that leads to exponential growth in computing power and efficiency, while lowering costs. This all-important tech lesson came later.

“After graduating with a finance degree, I was destined to work in accounting. However, after a couple years of crunching numbers, I needed a more challenging career. That’s when I saw a business analyst job post at my credit union,” Flynn told Finopotamus, regarding her professional journey at Coastal Credit Union that began in 2010. “The position talked about making business decisions based on data, configuring systems, supporting projects and working directly with leadership to implement solutions and solving key business needs.”

Shanna Flynn

Three years later, she was named senior business systems analyst at Coastal. It was at this juncture that she became an expert in platforms, including Episys (now Symitar), ServiceNow, Prologue, Harbor Master, and FICS.

“This pivotal opportunity to transition into a business analyst role introduced me to the dynamic world of technology. This role not only reignited my professional passion but also marked the beginning of a rewarding journey in the tech industry. The role challenged me to expand my knowledge of our credit union and the credit union industry,” she noted.

Her next position was senior project manager. A standout initiative was managing the implementation of Cisco Finesse and Calabrio, which allowed call centers to utilize customized desktops, plan staffing, track performance, and evaluating member interactions to optimize performance. After continued success in these roles and others, she was named vice president of IT core and business applications in 2023.

“Since joining IT in 2013, I continue to feel the same energy as my first day in that role,” she said. “While my responsibility continued to grow, the dedication and intrigue in technology only grew stronger.”

‘Coastalization’

When Finopotamus asked what changes she has seen over the last 10-plus years in the tech space, Flynn expounded upon Moore’s Law, which she learned while entering the IT space.

“Exponential advances in hardware have historically enabled software to evolve at an accelerated pace, unlocking new levels of complexity, richer functionality and greater performance,” she shared.

“When I first transitioned into the IT department, many of our systems were still hosted on-premise. For example, our core system ran on servers right on our fifth floor. With roots as an IBM-founded credit union, innovation has always been part of our DNA,” she continued. “That spirit empowered us to design creatively, customize boldly, and even help shape early ITM technology. Our commitment to building uniquely tailored solutions became so embedded in our culture that we proudly coined the term ‘Coastalization.’”

An integral aspect of Coastalization, she noted, is the ability to evolve with the industry, such as the proliferation of cloud computing. To this end, she said the credit union recognized that “deep customization,” while once a competitive edge, “limited scalability and slowed its ability to innovate.” One hurdle was “complex upgrade paths,” she noted. “Today, we are embracing modern platforms and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven capabilities, enabling us to deliver more efficient services and enhanced self-service experiences for our members.”

Battling Imposter Syndrome

While Flynn doesn’t believe tech is a “male-dominated field,” she conceded that this reality wasn’t always the case—similar to the evolution of IT in the credit union space. 

“When I joined Coastal’s IT department, we had only five women across the entire team, primarily in help desk and business analyst roles. Ten years later, I now lead our core and business applications organization as VP, alongside three female managers and an increasingly diverse team,” she explained. “I also see more influential women across our partner ecosystem. The transformation, in technology and talent, reinforces how progress, adaptability, and inclusion continue to shape our future.”

The industry overall, she further explained, has made significant strides in diversity across both gender and race, which is reflected at Coastal Credit Union. “More than half of my team consists of women from diverse backgrounds, and across our broader IT department there are female leaders and talented female technologists contributing at every level,” she said. “Ultimately, what determines success in IT isn’t gender, it’s curiosity, discipline, and a genuine desire to solve problems and build better systems.”

What drew Flynn to IT is that this professional pursuit rewards people who are detail-oriented, eager to learn, and passionate about understanding how things work. “IT remains both deeply fulfilling and intellectually challenging, offering opportunities to grow, specialize, and lead. For those with the drive and interest, there is no limit to how far you can go.”

Among mentors who instilled that there are indeed no limits was David Jamshid. At the time, he served as vice president of IT operations at Coastal Credit Union (essentially the same job Flynn holds today).

“He was more than a leader; he consistently pushed me beyond my comfort zone and encouraged me to pursue opportunities even when I didn’t feel fully qualified. Coming into IT with a finance degree, I often battled imposter syndrome,” she said. “I was learning a new discipline, surrounded by technical experts, and at times unsure if I belonged. But David believed in my potential. He gave me space to learn, take risks and develop my own leadership style.”

By entrusting Flynn with high-visibility initiatives and including her in executive-level conversations, she said that Jamshid, who currently serves as vice president of fintech partnerships, ensured she had exposure to strategic decision-making. This, in turn, taught her the importance of confidence, resilience and relationship-building, both within the organization and across the credit union ecosystem.

“That experience shaped how I lead today. I firmly believe that people want to grow, evolve, and achieve their personal and professional goals. Just as my mentor invested in me, I am committed to paying it forward; creating opportunities for my team, challenging them to stretch beyond what they think they are ready for, and encouraging them to embrace moments of discomfort as catalysts for growth,” she continued. “My goal is to empower them the same way I was empowered: with trust, support and a belief in their potential.”

Invest in Capability Building

Among recent tech accomplishments, Flynn noted, was migrating the credit union’s enterprise automation scheduler to the cloud, which not only strengthened its scalability and resilience, but also reduced maintenance demands and allowed for a more efficient overall operation.

“Alongside this work, we are investing heavily in automation through enterprise workflow, which is helping us streamline internal processes, reduce manual tasks, and enhance the service experience for our members. We’re also expanding our use of RPA (robotic process automation) where it creates clear value and complements our broader automation efforts,” she said. “I believe Coastal needs to take an AI-first approach. AI opens a whole new world and we’re going to see all of our vendors make changes to their systems that capitalize on the technology surrounding artificial intelligence.”

Tech buzzwords—from journey mapping to RPA to low-code/no-code platforms—emerge every year, often creating meaningful change, Flynn said. AI and stablecoin, she added, will be "fundamental" game changers. “Both technologies are not simply trends; they are the foundation of the next era of financial services. The institutions that prepare now, invest in capability building, and lean into innovation will be positioned to lead.”

Collaboration is a Credit Union Superpower

Conceding that she never imagined working at a credit union growing up, let alone one that she banked at, Flynn couldn’t be happier with the career path she chose (or maybe it chose her?).

“Historically, our purpose was rooted in service, in the idea of ‘people helping people’ and in a deep commitment to putting members first. We differentiated ourselves not through scale or deep pockets, but through trust, local connection and a shared-value mission. Collaboration became our superpower,” she said, noting that partnering with like-minded fintechs is essential to staying innovative, agile, and deeply member focused.

“Going forward, credit unions must invest in technology strategically, but we also need to double down on what makes us special. That means offering seamless end-to-end experiences, while maintaining the personal relationships that build loyalty. It means partnering to innovate faster, adopting emerging technologies responsibly, and preparing our teams to support members in a rapidly evolving financial landscape,” she told Finopotamus. “Most importantly, it means continuing to deliver on our mission in ways that reflect the needs and expectations of the next generation.”