Synergent’s mission is to “help credit unions succeed and improve the financial lives of their members.” In our monthly Employee Spotlight series, we feature one of our dedicated staff members to help you get to know the people who are working as an extension of your credit union team.
Leah Betters
For 26 years and counting, Leah Betters has built her career at Synergent around something simple but powerful: relationships. As a Client Success Manager, she serves as a steady point of connection for the credit unions she supports, helping carry their concerns, celebrate their wins, and make sure they know they have someone in their corner. It is a role that fits her naturally now, but the confidence and ease she brings to it today were built over time through years of learning, growing, and saying yes to new opportunities.
That sense of connection shows up in the rhythm of her work. No two days are quite the same, and that unpredictability is part of what keeps her engaged. Her role can shift quickly from routine conversations to urgent problem-solving, with each interaction bringing a different question, challenge, or perspective. Rather than seeing that variety as stressful, Betters sees it as part of what keeps her sharp and invested.
“It can go from cool, calm and collected to complete chaos at any given time,” Betters said with a laugh. “Questions are usually never the same. Situations are usually different, so I always feel like I’m learning something new daily.”
That mindset has served Betters well throughout her career at Synergent, taking shape early as she began her professional journey. Her early work gave her an up-close view of the detailed, behind-the-scenes effort required to support credit unions effectively. Over the years, she moved through many roles within the Check Processing area, gaining hands-on experience and learning the business from the ground up.
“I have touched every area in checks,” Betters recalled, reflecting on her path. “I started in Check Processing in 1999, working through many different positions within the checks role from pulling check copies on microfiche machines, to answering phone calls, to performing adjustments.”
Looking back, that foundation did more than build technical knowledge. It gave her perspective. By touching every part of the checks function, Betters developed a deeper understanding of how service is delivered, where issues can arise, and why follow-through matters. Those lessons continue to shape how she approaches her work today, especially in a role that depends on listening well and responding to credit unions with care.
Her move into partner-facing work came when she saw an opportunity that felt like a true fit. When a role in Account Relationship Management opened, Betters recognized that it aligned with both her strengths and the kind of work she wanted to do more of.
“I saw the Account Relationship Manager position open and thought to myself, ‘I can do this, I’m a people person!’” reflected Betters. “I headed over to ask my mentor Christal Sullivan for her guidance. We went through pros and cons, and I decided to apply. This job was made for me! I love interacting with all our credit unions and gaining those long-lasting relationships, whether it be personal or professional, and just making sure they know they are cared for and they can come to me no matter how big or small the problem may seem.”
That statement captures what stands out most about Betters’ approach. She is not talking only about resolving questions and cases, but also about making people feel supported. In a role like hers, that distinction matters. Credit unions need answers, of course, but they also need trusted partners who understand their frustrations, communicate clearly, and help move things forward. Betters sees herself as both advocate and connector, someone who can bring concerns to the right people internally while making sure the credit unions she serves feel heard throughout the process.
“I am each credit union’s advocate,” Betters explained. “Credit unions depend on me to share their frustrations and accomplishments with the greater group and work to repair what may be broken.”
That advocacy has taken on even more dimension in recent years. When Betters first stepped into this role in 2021, the effects of the pandemic were still shaping how people worked and connected. Travel was limited, and opportunities to collaborate had to happen from a distance. As those restrictions eased, one of the biggest changes in her work was the return of face-to-face time with credit unions. For someone who values personal connection, that shift has been especially meaningful.
“When I first started, COVID was present, so we couldn’t travel,” Betters said. “Now that the pandemic has passed, we are out traveling and volunteering now more than ever and really strengthening our relationships with our credit unions.”
That return to onsite visits gives Betters the chance to connect with each credit union in its own space, understand how teams operate, and build familiarity that simply cannot be replicated from afar.
“One of my favorite parts of my job is going on site visits to each of our credit unions and getting to know them better,” Betters shared enthusiastically. “I enjoy seeing how each one operates differently while still sharing the common goal of People Helping People.”
That phrase, People Helping People, is not just a nice sentiment to Betters. It is one of the reasons she has stayed so connected to this work and to the team around her. When asked what keeps her grounded in her department after so many years, Betters does not point first to a task or a title. She points to the people she works with every day.
“It’s the people,” Betters said simply. “I love my team. I have spent most of my life with the same people who still continue to help guide me and offer words of encouragement when things get a little too heavy.”
There is a quiet honesty in that answer that says a great deal. Long careers are rarely built on job duties alone. They are built on shared trust, steady encouragement, and the feeling that you are part of something bigger than yourself. Betters’ reflections make clear that the support she has received from her colleagues has not only helped her succeed but also helped her grow significantly since she first walked through Synergent’s doors.
“I have gained confidence with this job,” Betters reflected, “from being a shy 19-year-old girl who didn’t think she could ever answer a phone call to being able to host meetings, go on site visits, volunteer at member appreciation days, and everything in between.”
That growth in confidence may be one of the clearest through lines in Betters’ career. It is easy to see the difference between the uncertain new employee she once was and the confident Client Success Manager she is today. Her development has shown up in practical, visible ways, and it has strengthened the level of trust she has built with the people she serves.
For Betters, the highlight of her career at Synergent comes down to the trust and respect she has earned from the credit unions she serves. Rather than pointing to a single title or milestone, she measures success through the relationships she has built over time. In a role centered on partnership, that speaks volumes.
“Since I started in this role in 2021, I have baked hundreds of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for every credit union I visit,” Betters said warmly. “It’s a token of my appreciation for the staff and upper management. Growing up in a Greek family, our love language is food, so we always feed the people even if they aren’t hungry.”
That kind of thoughtfulness feels especially fitting for someone whose job centers on making sure people feel supported. It is also a reminder that strong business relationships are built through very human moments: a conversation during a visit, a gesture of gratitude, a sense that the person across from you genuinely cares.
Outside of work, Betters stays close to the people and places that matter most to her. Her time away from the office reflects what matters most to her, and she describes it with a lightheartedness that still carries clear pride and affection.
“Being with my family in the woods, snowmobiling, off-roading on side-by-sides, and watching my son ride his dirt bike,” Betters added with a smile, “even though it makes me nervous!”
