Julieann M. Thurlow is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Reading Cooperative Bank. She is responsible for the bank's strategic direction and management. She also serves as President of the RCB Charitable Foundation.

Julieann was formerly Chairman of the ABA and the ABA Core Platforms Council and its Membership Council. She currently serves as a member of the Government Relations Administrative Committee and Membership Council. She is a founding member of Alloy Labs, a consortium of banks nationally formed to innovate in the banking space and is a Director of Atlantic Community Bankers Bank (ACBB). 

Locally, Julieann serves as the Co-Chair of the MA Fintech Hub and is on the Board and Executive Committee for the Lawrence Partnership and the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation, and LEADS, Inc., she is a board member of Greater Lawrence Community Health Center and a Trustee of Winchester Hospital. In 2022, Julieann was appointed to the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency. She is past Chair of the Cooperative Central Bank and was a member of the Federal Reserve’s CDIAC Council.

In 2025, Julieann was named one of the Most Powerful Women in Banking by American Banker Magazine and, over the years, has repeatedly been among its Top 25 Women to Watch in Banking. The Women’s Edge (formerly the Commonwealth Institute) has named Reading Cooperative Bank a Top 100 Women-Led Business for the past seven years running.

In addition to an MBA from the Charles F. Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University, Julieann has completed advanced studies at the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, the Massachusetts School for Financial Studies, Harvard Business School’s Division of Continuing Education, and the CEO Leadership Lab at Wharton’s Aresty Institute for Executive Education. She is a proud member of the first cohort of Lawrence Leads, a cross-sectoral leadership program focused on civic engagement and social responsibility.

Carol Houle is Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (CFO). She comes to RCB with over 30 years of experience in banking. 

Carol started her career in auditing, working for a firm, Shatswell MacLeod, that specialized in banking. During her time at the firm, she was elevated to firm partner. In 2013, she joined BankProv as their Chief Financial Officer. During her tenure at the bank, she assisted in a successful growth strategy that tripled the size of the bank in 10 years.

Carol also serves on the board of Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire and Granite Edvance in Concord, New Hampshire. 

Carol lives in Salem, New Hampshire and has resided there for over 30 years. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Accounting from Franklin Pierce University and is currently a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). 

Phil Bryan is Executive Vice President, Chief Banking Officer. Prior to joining RCB, he spent five years as the President/CEO of The Cooperative Bank and was the EVP/Chief Operating Officer at Georgetown Bank. Over the course of his extensive lending career, Phil served as SVP of Retail & Lending at Metro Credit Union, SVP & Small Business State Manager at TD Bank, VP, Retail Banking at MetroWest Bank, and VP, Business Development Officer at Citizens Bank.

Phil has a BS in Human Resource Management from Southeastern Massachusetts University. In addition, he is certified in Talent Optimization from the Predictive Index. Phil is currently a member of The Central Parkway YMCA’s Board of Advisors. In the past, Phil has served on the American Bankers Association’s Mutual Institutions Council and the Asian Center for Merrimack Valley’s Board of Directors as Treasurer. Phil lives in Dedham, MA with his wife, Wendy, and three sons.

Marianela Vazquez is Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer. Marianela is accountable for ensuring quality and security in all the bank’s operating functions.

Prior to joining RCB, Marianela spent two decades delivering SaaS solutions in the financial services space. The last five years were dedicated to the delivery and service of Numerated Growth Technologies’ Digital Loan Origination system to community banks and credit unions. Before joining Numerated, Marianela spent time with Fidelity, State Street Wealth, and SunGard Wealth Management (prior to its acquisition by FIS), where she leveraged a combination of her strategic leadership skills and passion for driving cross functional execution to build relationships, processes, teams, and organizations.

Marianela is an avid fan of operational excellence, focused on ensuring outcomes are measured, and believes in constantly evaluating processes based on those outcomes.

Marianela graduated from Lasell University with a MS in Management and Bentley University with a BS in Managerial Economics. She was recognized by the Women We Admire publication as one of MA Top 50 Women Leaders. Marianela lives in Billerica, MA with her two daughters and is an active Cheer and Gymnastics Mom as well as a Religious Ed Teacher at Immaculate Conception Church in Lowell, MA. Most recently Marianela was appointed to the Board of Directors of the United Teen Equality Center, serving Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill communities.

Charlene is Chief Human Resources Officer. She brings over 20 years of progressive Human Resources experience. Prior to joining RCB, Charlene was the Talent Management Director, Senior Vice President with Enterprise Bank in Lowell, MA.

Charlene earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Framingham State University and a Professional Certificate in Human Resources Management from Bentley University. She also holds a Society of Human Resources Management - Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certification.

Charlene is currently a Director for Girls, Inc. of Greater Lowell and is a former Director of the Greater Lowell Workforce Development Board, where she served for over a decade until 2024.

Charlene is an avid animal lover and enjoys crafting in her free time.  She lives in Wakefield with her husband, Bob, and has two children.

Shanna Cahalane is SVP, Chief Communications & Community Strategy Officer at RCB, where she oversees the bank's marketing communications, public relations, and community relations activities. Shanna has received the inaugural Emerging Leader Award from the American Bankers Association for her commitment to excellence in the banking industry and community service, emphasizing the need for future leaders to drive industry success.

In addition to her role at RCB, Shanna serves as President of the Board of Trustees of the Greater Boston Stage Company, is an Advisory Board Member of the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence and is the Past President of the Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce. She holds a master’s degree in communications management from the Simmons University School of Management, is a graduate of the American Bankers Association’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking and has completed the Wharton Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Shanna is also a proud member of Leads, a cross-sectoral leadership program focused on civic engagement and social responsibility. She lives in Belmont, Massachusetts with her husband, Michael, and their twin girls.

Jose Cruz is Senior Vice President, Commercial Team Leader. Jose specializes in CRE (commercial real estate), C&I (business) loans, and numerous bank products, including cash management and deposit accounts. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial and banking fields. He is involved with various community organizations and boards, including The Professional Center for Child Development in Andover, the NECC Foundation Board at Northern Essex Community College, a member of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce, and a volunteer with the Town of Salem, NH Ski Club. Jose is also a member of the ABA Commercial Real Estate Lending Committee.

Jose holds a BA in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. He has also obtained a diploma from the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking and a leadership certificate from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. In his free time, Jose enjoys golfing, skiing, coaching girls' volleyball, and spending time with his family.

Christopher “Chris" Kuchar is Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer. Chris came to RCB after teaching Accounting and Financial Literacy for the 2020-2021 school year at Malden Catholic High School. Chris has over 25 years of experience in the retail and commercial banking industry. He began his lending career at Banknorth and later became a commercial lender at Lawrence Savings Bank (a.k.a RiverBank). Chris then moved to Beverly Bank, where he became Team Leader of its lending department, overseeing the lending process for its lending team and senior management. Chris graduated from Salem State College with a BS in English and a Minor in Sports Management. Chris resides in Plaistow, NH with his wife and two children. In his free time, he coaches youth sports and enjoys golfing and cooking. Chris has been a high school hockey coach for over 20 years, coaching in Haverhill, North Andover, Amesbury, and Andover. He is currently the Head Coach at Malden Catholic High School.

Eric Landers is SVP, Chief Credit Officer, ensuring strong credit quality while supporting sustainable growth. Eric came to RCB from River Run MHC, the holding company for Newburyport Bank, Pentucket Bank, and Rollstone Bank & Trust, where he served as SVP, Senior Credit Administration Officer. During an eight-year tenure, he aided the growth of the credit department as the organization tripled in size. 

Eric has a great deal of experience with both non-profit and mutual banks. He holds a B.S. in Management from Boston College and an M.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. He serves on the Board of Directors for Lazarus House Ministries in Lawrence, MA and is an active member of St. Augustine Parish in Andover.

Eric lives in Andover with his wife and three children. He enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, and playing music.

Mathew Meninger is Vice President, IT Manager, and is responsible for overseeing, maintaining, and improving the information technology infrastructure of the bank as well as managing the help desk and its employees. Mat possesses a strong background in computer programming and a lifetime of computer experience. He has worked in the banking industry since 2007.

Mathew resides in Littleton, MA with his wife, daughter and dog. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family.

Christopher Sylvestre is SVP, Head of Retail Banking. Christopher has many years of retail banking experience. Before joining RCB, he was SVP, Retail Market Manager at TD Bank. Prior to that, he was VP, Customer Sales and Service Coach at Webster Bank and AVP, Small Business Relationship Manager at Santander Bank.

Outside of the office, Christopher sits on the Board of the Watch City Program, a non-profit based out of Waltham, MA that focuses on youth development, fostering academic and athletic excellence as well as teaching essential life skills. Through mentorship, educational support, and community engagement, they prepare future leaders to thrive and make a lasting impact in their communities.

In his spare time, Christopher enjoys cooking, gaming, and serving as Head Coach of the Waltham Junior Varsity Football Team. Christopher graduated from Suffolk University with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. He’s currently attending the Consumer Bankers Association Executive Banking School Business Administration and Management program in Greensville, South Carolina. Christopher resides in Maynard, Ma and is very active in the Waltham community.

Kirsy Alvarado is Vice President, Human Resources, and is responsible for overseeing HR operations and initiatives. She has nine years of HR experience and over 20 years of retail banking experience. Kirsy graduated from SNHU with a BS in Business Management and is completing her Masters in Human Resource Management at Northeastern University.

Kirsy resides in Woburn, MA with her husband, three children and two dogs. She is passionate about helping the youth and volunteers at Iglesia Cristiana Renacer as a youth leader. Outside of the office, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Mohammed Bezzat is VP, Branch Administrator. With over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, he brings a well-rounded background that spans six years in investment banking and two decades in retail banking. Mohammed's career has been centered on sales, business development, and building long-term, meaningful business relationships. He was actively involved with local organizations such as the Woburn Chamber of Commerce and the Woburn Business Association. Mohammed is a strong believer in the value of community.

Mohammed holds a degree in Business Marketing with honors from UMass Boston and has earned a professional certificate from the Massachusetts Bankers Association. Outside of work, he enjoys spending quality time with his family, traveling, and playing soccer. Mohammed lives in Woburn with his wife and their two daughters.

Ryan Conlon is VP, Operations and Branch Application Manager. Before joining RCB, he was Chief Technology Officer at Wakefield Cooperative Bank for two years.  Ryan has 24 years of experience in banking with an emphasis in Retail, Deposit Operations, Cash Management Servicing, Product Management, and Information Technology from other community banks around the North Shore area.  

In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing guitar, seeing live music, cooking, traveling, and volunteering.  Ryan resides in Ipswich with his wife and three children. 

Christopher Dias serves as Vice President, Treasury Management Officer, at Reading Cooperative Bank, where he brings over a decade of banking and financial services experience. Most recently, Christopher comes from Enterprise Bank where he spent twelve years as a Branch Manager and SVP, Cash Management Advisor. With a strong passion for helping clients improve operational efficiency, Christopher oversees a portfolio of treasury management clients and develops new business relationships. He works closely with businesses to streamline their treasury operations, delivering tailored solutions that support growth and financial success.

Chris holds a bachelor’s in Accounting and Finance and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Southern New Hampshire University. He is also a Certified Treasury Professional (CTP), accredited by the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP). In addition, he is an active member of the New England Association for Financial Professionals.

A dedicated community member, Christopher currently serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association. He also spent many years as a member/President of the Rotary Club of Tyngsboro/Dunstable and dedicated five years as a youth travel basketball coach in Tyngsboro.

Originally from Lawrence, MA, and raised in Derry, NH, Christopher now resides in Pelham, NH, with his supportive and loving wife Ashley, their amazing daughter, and their sidekick dog.

Lisa DiGregorio is Vice President, Loan Servicing Manager, managing all aspects of residential and commercial loan servicing. Before joining RCB, Lisa spent over four years at Wakefield Cooperative Bank as AVP, Loan Servicing. Prior to that, she worked at East Boston Savings Bank as a Loan Servicing Officer. Lisa has more than 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry with a concentration in loan servicing. Lisa lives on the North Shore. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Jessica Glezellis is Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer. Jessica came to RCB from Direct Federal Credit Union, where she served as their Business Development Officer. Jessica has 15 years of experience working in the financial industry in various areas including retail, marketing, and business development. Jessica graduated from UMass Boston with a BS in Marketing and Business Management. In 2022, Jessica became a member of the Reading Rotary. Jessica resides in Stoneham with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Bianca Hanson is Vice President, Marketing Director at Reading Cooperative Bank. Bianca collaborates with the marketing team on brand strategy, integrated marketing campaigns, and creative development. She is focused on developing impactful content, strengthening brand presence, and translating complex financial services into clear, comprehensible messages.

Bianca is passionate about thoughtful storytelling, strong brands, and the role marketing plays in shaping how organizations show up in people’s lives. With a foundation in digital strategy and creative campaign development, she brings together creative, messaging, and data to drive measurable impact. Throughout her career, she has covered many sectors—from state organizations to real estate and large regional healthcare systems—helping organizations clarify their message and strengthen community engagement. 

Bianca earned her bachelor's degree in business from Endicott College, where she founded the Endicott Women in Leadership Organization and earned awards as part of the schools DECA program. She now serves on the Alumni Council, staying actively engaged in supporting current and prospective students and strengthening the college’s alumni network.

Outside of work, you will find her reading, baking, gardening, or training for her next race. She resides on the Northshore with her husband, Paul, daughters, Isla and Marina, and their furry & feathery friends.

Larry Keenan is Vice President, Deposit Operations and Cash Management, and responsible for overseeing the administration of all personal deposit accounts and business cash management products at RCB. He has 25 years of similar banking experience, including 17 years at First Federal Savings Bank of Boston and eight years at Saugusbank as Vice President of Retail Banking. Larry holds a BS in accounting from Boston College and an MS in finance from Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Business Administration. He lives in Ayer with his wife, Marianne, and enjoys golf, music, and cooking.

Herbert Mason serves as the Vice President, Talent Development & Training Manager at RCB, where he spearheads the institution’s learning & development and talent strategies. With a career spanning over 25 years in retail banking, Herbert has honed his expertise through significant tenures at Bank of America (12 years) and Middlesex Savings Bank (10 years).

A lifelong learner, Herbert holds multiple certifications from the Association of Talent Development in Learning Program Management and Integrated Talent Management and is also a Certified Emotional Intelligence Instructor.  Herbert is an alum of The New England School of Financial Studies at Babson. He also holds an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Science in Business, complemented by a Human Resource Management Certificate.

In addition to his professional achievements, Herbert is a dedicated member of the community, serving on the Board of Directors for the Discovery Museum in Acton. There, he contributes to the HR task force, supporting the museum’s staff and leadership.

Outside of his professional life, Herbert enjoys painting, gardening, and spending quality time outdoors with his family. He resides in Pepperell with his wife, Jennifer, and their two daughters, Noah and Finley.

Tina Ngo is the VP of Retail Banking Operations Manager. Tina brings over a decade of retail banking experience to Reading Cooperative Bank, with a strong track record of operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and team development. Prior to joining RCB, she served as Vice President, Store Manager II at TD Bank, and previously held leadership roles at Webster Bank and Citizens Bank, progressing from Senior Teller to Director of Banking Center Manager.

Tina’s operational expertise was further strengthened through two high-impact development programs: the Market Operations Coordinator (MOC) program at Webster Bank and the Regional Operations Shadow Program at TD Bank. These experiences provided extensive cross-functional exposure across high-performing environments, enhancing her capabilities in branch administration, compliance oversight, workflow optimization, audit readiness, and operational risk management.

Beyond her professional contributions, Tina is deeply committed to community engagement. She has supported the Boston, Quincy, and Vietnamese communities through financial literacy initiatives, small business outreach, and volunteer work with Veterans organizations and United Way since 2018.

Originally from Vietnam, Tina immigrated to the United States at age 14—an experience that shaped her resilience, adaptability, and strong work ethic. She is a proud parent to her 10-year-old son, Henrik. Outside of work, Tina enjoys chess, karaoke, and traveling, with a personal goal of visiting all 195 countries by the age of 60.

Veronica Russo is Vice President, Residential and Consumer Lending, and has been with RCB for over 23 years, having first started as a teller and customer service representative. Veronica moved from retail into lending, where she became AVP and Senior Underwriter of the Residential Lending team. From there, she graduated to VP of Residential and Consumer Lending. Veronica has spent her entire adult career in the banking and finance industry. Veronica resides in Peabody, MA. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, ice skating, four-wheeling, and visiting her children and grandchildren in New York.

Trevor Soucy is Vice President, Project Manager, and is responsible for managing key RCB initiatives. He has 23 years of experience in the financial industry in various areas including client services, business analysis, and project management. Trevor holds a BA in Biochemistry from Clark University. He lives in Revere with his wife, Jane, and enjoys photography, flying, diving, and traveling.

Derric Souza is Assistant Vice President, Controller. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth with a degree in Finance. He is a lifelong resident of Gloucester, where he lives with his wife and three children. Derric enjoys spending time on his boat in the summer and playing hockey on his backyard rink in the winter.

Karen Tavernese is Vice President, Compliance Officer, responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable banking laws and regulations and for assisting in the development, coordination, and oversight of the bank-wide compliance program. Karen works closely with bank management and staff to identify potential risks, implementing policies and procedures to uphold laws and regulations and monitoring the bank’s adherence to those policies and procedures. Karen joined RCB in 2001, as a Branch Manager charged with opening our North Reading Office before being promoted as Compliance Officer in 2014, she has also served as the bank’s BSA Officer. Karen has more than 25 years banking experience and is a member of the Eastern Massachusetts Compliance Network. Karen lives on the North Shore with her husband, Salvatore, and their two children.