SANTA ROSA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 25, 2026--
Newsweek has awarded Redwood Credit Union its highest five-star rating as one of America’s Greatest Midsize Workplaces for Women, an honor recognizing organizations actively reducing gender barriers through equitable policies, inclusive leadership, and supportive workplace cultures.
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As part of its longstanding commitment to expanding opportunities for all, Redwood Credit Union stands out among midsize employers for creating meaningful pathways for women to grow, lead, and advance throughout the organization. Companies recognized by Newsweek offer the comprehensive benefits and resources of larger corporations while maintaining the personalized, people-first culture typical of smaller companies. Women represent about 60% of RCU’s workforce, including key roles such as Chief Operating & Risk Officer and Chief Financial Officer.
“Women play a vital role in shaping strong, resilient workplaces, and the strength of RCU is directly tied to the strength of the women across our organization,” said Brett Martinez, President and CEO of Redwood Credit Union. “The best workplaces are built by hiring and empowering the best people for the job—based on talent, character, and capability, not labels. When opportunity is based on merit and everyone is empowered to contribute and lead, organizations become more innovative, more inclusive, and better positioned for long‑term success.”
The study conducted in partnership with by Plant-A Insights Group recognized companies based on a nationwide survey of over 2.6 million online employee reviews spanning 4,700 midsize companies that operate in the U.S., evaluating them across 120 key performance indicators, with added weight given to drivers of workplace happiness such as culture & belonging and work-life balance.
“This recognition reflects the strength of our culture where women are supported, valued, and encouraged to lead authentically,” said Mishel Kaufman, RCU Chief Operating & Risk Officer. “I’m proud to be part of an organization where people consistently show up for one another and where women are empowered to contribute in ways that make a meaningful difference for our members and our community.”
“While gender equality has made meaningful strides in the workplace, women still face daunting systemic hurdles—from unconscious bias in hiring and promotions to gender stereotypes that limit career advancement,” said Jennifer H. Cunningham, Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek. “We hope this ranking highlights the organizations setting new standards for women in the workplace and serves as a valuable resource for those seeking employers aligned with their professional goals and values.”
RCU has also been recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions for three years in a row, and one of America’s Greatest Midsize Workplaces in 2025.
About Redwood Credit Union
Women represent about 60% of Redwood Credit Union’s workforce, including key roles such as Chief Operating & Risk Officer Mishel Kaufman, left, and Chief Financial Officer Kristen Mahlmann.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The FBI served search warrants Wednesday at the Los Angeles Unified School District’s headquarters and the home of its superintendent, a nationally recognized school administrator.
The nature of the federal investigation involving the nation’s second-largest school district and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s home was not immediately clear. The district said in a statement Wednesday that it “is cooperating with the investigation and we do not have further information at this time.” A third location near Miami, where Carvalho previously led the public schools, was also searched.
TV news footage showed agents in FBI shirts and jackets outside Carvalho’s home in the San Pedro neighborhood about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of downtown LA. There was no visible sign of agents outside the LA district's headquarters as of mid-morning.
Rukelt Dalberis, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, confirmed that agents were at the properties to serve warrants but declined to comment further because affidavits laying out details for the basis for the searches were under seal.
Before taking the helm of the Los Angeles district in 2022, Carvalho oversaw Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Florida’s largest school district, from 2008 to 2021. During his tenure, he was credited with improving graduation rates and academic performance. He was named Superintendent of the Year in 2014. The Portugal-born administrator was knighted by Spain in 2021 for his work in expanding Spanish-language programs for Miami-Dade County schools.
In California, Carvalho has stood out as a harsh critic of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, especially following raids in Los Angeles last year. When its 500,000 students returned to classes in the fall, Carvalho urged immigration authorities not to conduct enforcement activity within a two-block radius of schools.
James Marshall, an FBI spokesman in Miami, told the AP that agents searched a residence in Southwest Ranches, which is in Broward County west of Fort Lauderdale, on Wednesday morning and “have since cleared the scene.” He said no further information was available.
Officials with the Miami-Dade school system did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on whether the FBI or other federal agencies have contacted them regarding Carvalho.
Wednesday's search is the second time in a week the Justice Department has taken action against the LA school district. On Feb. 19, the Trump administration joined a lawsuit alleging that the district discriminates against white students under its decades-old desegregation policy.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s office said it had no information about the search, noting the public school system operates independently of city government.
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Tucker reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Freida Frisaro in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Julie Watson in San Diego also contributed to this report.
outside the home of Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in San Pedro, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Photos of board members decorate the walls inside LAUSD headquarters Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
The exterior of LAUSD headquarters is shown Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
The exterior of LAUSD headquarters is shown Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
People stand in the lobby of the LAUSD headquarters Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Media stages outside LAUSD headquarters Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
FILE - Los Angeles District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, at podium, holds a news conference as SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias, left, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, right, listen, in Los Angeles City Hall, Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
