10 USAA leaders in new roles in 2026
These ten USAA leaders in new roles in 2026 each started their current role at USAA this year, from a life company CFO and finance directors to operations vice presidents and a legal executive director. A reader can learn how USAA leaders approach a role they started in 2026 from people who hold one now.
Professionals to explore
Akin Ayemobola, CPA, MBA, CTBME®
LinkedInExperience: AVP, Financial Systems · USAA
Akin Ayemobola has been AVP, Financial Systems at USAA since February 2026, based in the San Antonio, Texas Metropolitan Area. Akin Ayemobola was also Executive Director, Senior Financial Officer at USAA from 2019 to 2026, Director, FP&A, IT Finance at Cardinal Health from 2015 to 2019 and Sales Controller at Cardinal Health from 2013 to 2015.
Debra L. Placette
LinkedInExperience: Executive Director, Technology, Corporate Counsel · USAA
Debra L. Placette has been Executive Director, Technology, Corporate Counsel at USAA since February 2026, based in San Antonio, Texas. Debra L. Placette also lists Associate General Counsel, Technology & Transactions at USAA from February 2021, and was Technology Attorney, Chief Legal Office at USAA from 2019 to 2021 and Partner at Innocenti Jones PLLC from 2016 to 2019.
Fernando Neal (Reyes)
LinkedInExperience: Director of Finance And Operations · USAA
Fernando Neal (Reyes) has been Director of Finance And Operations at USAA since May 2026, based in Seattle, Washington, with a profile that lists FP&A, claims and distribution. Fernando Neal was also Finance Lead at USAA from 2021 to 2026, Finance Leader at Allstate from 2014 to 2020 and Senior Finance Manager at Allstate from 2010 to 2013.
Gina Hirner
LinkedInExperience: VP Contact Center Optimization and Support · USAA
Gina Hirner has been VP Contact Center Optimization and Support at USAA since May 2026, based in San Antonio, Texas. At USAA, Gina Hirner was also Head of Data Management and Data Governance from 2025 to 2026, Chief Data and Analytics Officer (Vice President) for USAA Life Insurance Co from 2020 to 2025 and AVP Planning and Operations - USAA P&C Claims from 2018 to 2020.
Grant Goldenberg
LinkedInExperience: Senior Vice President, Legal & Staff Counsel Operations · USAA
Grant Goldenberg has been Senior Vice President, Legal & Staff Counsel Operations at USAA since February 2026, based in the Charlotte area. Grant Goldenberg was also Vice President, Strategy and Planning at USAA from 2021 to 2026, Deputy General Counsel Legal Operations at Truist from 2019 to 2021 and Chief Legal Operations Officer at BB&T in 2019.
Jennifer Reilly, CPA, CGMA
LinkedInExperience: CFO - Life Company · USAA
Jennifer Reilly has been CFO - Life Company at USAA since May 2026, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jennifer Reilly was also Head of Strategic Finance Business Partners at MassMutual from 2024 to 2026, Chief Financial Officer - Technology & Digital Organization at Honeywell Technologies from 2022 to 2024 and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) - Enterprise Client Services and Technology at TIAA from 2021 to 2022.
Jessica Clemons, MBA, CRVPM III
LinkedInExperience: AVP Claims Operations · USAA
Jessica Clemons has been AVP Claims Operations at USAA since February 2026, based in San Antonio, Texas, and the profile describes responsibility for the operational performance of the Claims Contact Center. Jessica Clemons was also VP Customer Experience at KBR, Inc. from 2022 to 2025 and Director, Third Party Risk Management at USAA from 2017 to 2022.
Michael Dimuzio
LinkedInExperience: VP Bank Operations · USAA
Michael Dimuzio has been VP Bank Operations at USAA since February 2026, based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Michael Dimuzio also lists Consumer Lending Operations and Underwriting Executive at USAA from July 2021, and was Operations Group Manager at PNC from 2014 to 2021 and Senior Operations Manager at PNC from 2008 to 2014.
Neelima Sajja
LinkedInExperience: Executive Director, Application Development · USAA
Neelima Sajja has been Executive Director, Application Development at USAA since February 2026, based in Plano, Texas, with a profile that lists core platform transformation, Guidewire and cloud solutions. At USAA, Neelima Sajja was also Director Of Information Technology from 2022 to 2026, Senior Information Technology Manager from 2019 to 2022 and Senior Software Engineer from 2014 to 2019.
Tania Trevino
LinkedInExperience: Director Finance · USAA
Tania Trevino has been Director Finance at USAA since July 2026, based in Miami, Florida, and the profile describes leading technology finance and affiliate billing. At USAA, Tania Trevino was also Lead Financial Analyst from 2021 to 2026 and Senior Financial Analyst from 2019 to 2021, and was a Financial Analyst at Marathon Petroleum Corporation from 2018 to 2019.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's function and line of business to your question, since a bank operations vice president and a technology finance director see different parts of the company. People whose role started earliest in the year have had the most time in it.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on in your first months in your current role?
- 02Which parts of your past roles have been most useful in the role you hold now?
- 03How do you decide which priorities to take on first when you start a new role at a large company?
Reaching USAA leaders in new roles in 2026
How can I contact one of these USAA leaders in new roles in 2026?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: USAA, based on profile data retrieved on October 24, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach USAA leaders in new roles in 2026?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these USAA leaders in new roles in 2026 a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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