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Dayatra (“Day”) Matthews is Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel for the Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU). Prior to joining LGFCU in 2012, Day was partner in a Raleigh, North Carolina law firm focused primarily on the civil defense of businesses, including credit unions. A practicing attorney for 25 years, Day has devoted more than half of her career to zealously advocating for credit unions and the cooperative principles they represent.

As CLO and GC at LGFCU, Day oversees all legal, compliance and risk functions at the Credit Union. Part of that oversight included successfully leading the chartering process for LGFCU’s affiliated digital-first credit union, Civic FCU. Today, Civic FCU is considered the fastest growing de novo credit union in the country.

A fierce industry advocate, Day served on the CFPB’s Credit Union Advisory Council from 2015-2017 and then, most recently, as a member of CUNA’s Credit Union Powers Subcommittee. She volunteers her time today as a member of NCUF’s Grants Committee and as one of the leaders of North Carolina’s Global Women’s Leadership Network (GWLN) Sister Society. At this year’s GAC, Day was awarded the GWLN Emerging Leader Award for promoting women in leadership and DEI across the industry.

In addition to her work within the credit union industry, Day has proven to be an influential and transformative leader within North Carolina’s legal and non-profit communities as well. Having just completed her tenure as President of North Carolina’s 10th Judicial District Bar, the bar governing all attorneys in Wake County, North Carolina, Day holds the distinction of being the first woman of color elected to this role in that Bar’s 100-year history. She holds a similar distinction as Past President of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys. For her work in these roles and in recognition of her continued commitment to providing unfettered legal counsel to all, Day received the Corporate Counsel of the Year Award from Triangle Business Journal in 2016, the Leader in the Law Award from North Carolina Lawyers’ Magazine in 2018, and was inducted into the National Top 100 Black Lawyers in 2020.

Lastly, as a leader in the charitable world, Day has served as Board Chair of EarthShare North Carolina, member of the Board of Directors of Hospice of Wake County, and member of the Executive Board of Movement of Youth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mentoring diverse and underserved youth across North Carolina.

Day graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.A. in political science and obtained her J.D. from Duke School of Law. She enjoys spending time with her husband and 12-year-old son, playing tennis, and watching her beloved Tar Heels play basketball.