Kelly Lay is the NCUA’s Director of the Office of Examination and Insurance. In this role, Ms. Lay oversees the NCUA’s examination and supervision program, which ensures the safety and soundness of the credit unions system and manages risk to the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund.

Before becoming the Director of the Office of Examination and Insurance, Ms. Lay served as the Director of the Office of Business Innovation and the NCUA’s Chief Data Officer. She was also instrumental in guiding the development of the NCUA’s new examination system, the Modern Examination & Risk Identification Tool or MERIT.

Ms. Lay previously served as the Associate Regional Director of Programs in the former-Region II office from 2010–2016. She has also worked in the former-Region V office as the Director of Supervision from 2006–2009 and as the Director of Insurance when the office first opened in 2004. Additionally, she held various positions in the former-Chicago region, including examiner, Supervision Analyst, and Director of Supervision.

Ms. Lay began her career with NCUA in 1996 after graduating from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. She earned her Certified Public Accountant certificate in Illinois in 2002.