Our Instructors

Ben Chilanga joined ALM First in December 2024. As an Associate, Ben is responsible for asset/liability analysis for financial institutions, various ‘what-if’ analyses, budget forecasting, liquidity forecasting, as well as any other modeling requirements to fit client needs. Prior to joining the firm, Ben served as a senior financial analyst for First Citizens Bank. He brings over a decade of experience to his role at ALM First. In addition to his role as senior financial analyst at First Citizens Bank, Chilanga honed his subject matter expertise by serving as a financial analyst for Albertsons Companies, Ada County, Idaho, and Clearwater Analytics, LLC. Ben earned his Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Saint Mary’s University, Canada, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Financial Risk Manager (FRM). He is currently pursuing the Bank Treasury Risk Management (BTRM) certification and is an active member of the CFA Society of Idaho, mentoring young college students in finance.

Savanah Hall joined ALM First in 2020. In her role as Director, Balance Sheet Strategy. Savanah focuses on how clients leverage their capital across the balance sheet with the goal of enhancing institutional risk-adjusted returns. This includes evaluating opportunities across the depository landscape and assisting clients in effectively allocating capital, optimizing loan pricing, opining on various funding strategies, analyzing alternative sources of funds and developing educational content for clients. Previously, Savanah was responsible for partnering with clients and managing a team that produced asset/liability analysis for financial institutions, various ‘what-if’ analyses, budget forecasting, liquidity forecasting, as well as any other modeling requirements to fit client needs. The insights she gained while serving in the firms’ Strategic Solutions Modeling Group will inform her work as a balance sheet strategist. Prior to joining ALM First, Savanah served as an institutional investment consultant for Fidelity Investments. Savanah received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baylor University.

Katie Hopkins joined ALM First in January 2024. As a Director for the firm, she specializes in customizing and implementing actionable and effective ALM and investment strategies to maximize client performance. Additionally, Katie proactively designs sensitivity analyses and scenarios to test client balance sheet exposure to various factors and formulates action plans to optimize client performance within policy and risk tolerances. As a trusted advisor, she helps financial institutions build high performing investment portfolios and efficient balance sheets. Prior to joining ALM First, Katie served as Director, Fixed Income Strategies at UBS. She also spent nearly a decade at Vining Sparks as a Mortgage Strategist and in Institutional Fixed Income Sales. Overall, Katie brings more than 15 years of professional experience to her position at ALM First. Katie earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and received her Series 7 and Series 63 licenses through FINRA.

Samantha is the Senior Vice President of Lending & Risk at Granite State Credit Union and has been with the organization for nearly 20 years. Her commitment to learning has been a hallmark of her career as she actively seeks opportunities to expand her knowledge within the organization. Through this endeavor, she has held a variety of positions throughout the organization including leadership positions in the branches, accounting, risk, and lending. She also has over a decade of prior experience as a licensed real estate agent, representing both buyers and sellers in an everchanging housing market. Samantha received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and her MBA with a concentration in Finance, from Southern New Hampshire University. In her current role, Samantha has oversight of lending, collections, and compliance. She has a robust background in financial management and currently serves on the credit union’s Asset Liability Committee. Samantha also serves as Treasurer for the Polaris Educational Foundation.

Kevin Peters is responsible for managing EasCorp’s fixed income investment portfolios and balance sheet. He also analyzes securities for purchase and creates new products, while ensuring adequate liquidity for EasCorp and its members. Peters leads EasCorp’s professional services team, developing ALM modeling and validation, portfolio analysis, and core deposit analysis services. He provides credit unions with security brokerage services as a registered investment representative with CU Investment Solutions, LLC, and sits on EasCorp’s Asset Liability Management Committee. Peters rejoined EasCorp in 2001 as Portfolio Manager. He assumed the role of Assistant Vice President, Investments, in 2006, and his new role as Vice President in 2021. He previously served as an investment analyst from 1998 to 2000. Prior to joining EasCorp, Peters was an ALCO Specialist, assisting small banks in projections and strategies, and served as a portfolio accountant for a mutual fund custodian.

Robert Spinello is the Assistant Vice President, Financial Risk & Compliance at EasCorp. Spinello is responsible for monitoring the corporate’s interest rate risk by performing net economic value (NEV) analysis and net interest income (NII) simulations, performing analyses on investment and lending credit exposures, and monitoring the corporate’s regulatory compliance activities as a participant in EasCorp’s Credit Risk Management Committee. Spinello participates in EasCorp’s professional services team, developing and producing ALM modeling and validation, portfolio analysis, and core deposit analysis services. Spinello is a member of EasCorp’s Asset Liability Management Committee. Spinello joined EasCorp in 1989 and worked in the corporate’s Item Processing Center until June 1997. At that time, Mr. Spinello moved into the Accounting Department as a staff accountant. In November 1998, he assumed the role of Credit and Compliance Analyst, and was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Financial Risk & Compliance in 2018. Spinello received a BA from Bridgewater State College and an MBA from Northeastern University. Spinello continues his professional development at numerous credit and investment seminars conducted by BAI, Financial Managers Society, and Fabozzi Associates.

Tavish Taylor joined ALM First in December 2024. As a Director for the firm, he specializes in customizing and implementing actionable and effective ALM and investment strategies to maximize client performance. Additionally, Tavish proactively designs sensitivity analyses and scenarios to test client balance sheet exposure to various factors and formulates action plans to optimize client performance within policy and risk tolerances. As a trusted advisor, he helps financial institutions build high performing investment portfolios and efficient balance sheets. Prior to joining ALM First, Tavish served as Chief Financial Officer for Intrepid Credit Union. He also served in various roles for Credit Union 1 in Alaska, including leading internal teams as Vice President, Data & Strategy. Overall, he brings a wealth of industry experience to his role at the firm. Tavish is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration – Finance from Seattle Pacific University. After working in data analytics, he decided to become a CPA and began consulting with credit unions and banks throughout the northwestern United States.