Keynote Speakers | Washington Summit

2023 Speakers

Nicole Almeida, CFMP, Vice President and Chief of Staff, Massachusetts Bankers Association

Nicole is Vice President and Chief of Staff for the Massachusetts Bankers Association (MBA). She is working directly on all Executive and Board matters, leading the Charitable and Scholarship Foundations and supports the entire MBA team on key initiatives including the DEI Council, strategic planning, special projects, and more. 

Prior to joining the MBA, she was the Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity officer for BayCoast Bank. In this executive role she was responsible for shaping the company’s internal diversity, equity and inclusion strategy, as well as, building relationships with key leaders, communities and organizations to create awareness and advocacy in a manner that was authentic to BayCoast Bank. 

Michael Brickman, Deputy Comptroller for Specialty Supervision, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

In his role, Mr. Brickman oversees Novel Bank Supervision, Technology Service Provider Supervision, Thrift Supervision, and Special Supervision. He reports to the Senior Deputy Comptroller for Midsize and Community Bank Supervision.

Mr. Brickman began his career with the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) as an examiner in Kansas City, Mo., in 1998. At the OTS, he held numerous positions, including Conglomerate Examiner—Complex and International Organizations, Senior Advisor to the Managing Director of Supervision, and Director for Regional Activities.

Mark Bowden, Founder and President, TRUTHPLANE; Bestselling Author of Winning Body Language 

Mark Bowden is a world-renowned body language expert, keynote speaker, and bestselling author. Voted multiple times Global Gurus’ #1 Body Language Professional in the world, Mark’s unique GesturePlane system of nonverbal communication helps audiences maximize the power of using their own body language to stand out, win trust, and gain credibility every time they communicate.

Mark has years of experience training business and political leaders across the globe on how to use their body language both live and over digital media most effectively for superior communication.

Diane Brown, CAO, Penn Community Bank

Diane Brown has 40 years of experience in banking. As Penn Community Bank’s Chief Administrative Officer, she has oversight for Penn Community Bank’s retail and business banking divisions; including deposit and loan operations. In addition, she oversees compliance, facilities and marketing. In the community, Brown serves as Treasurer of the Grand View Health Foundation. She is also a member of the American Banker Association Mutual Institutions Council Administrative Committee.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH); Chairman, Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

A lifelong Ohioan, Senator Sherrod Brown has spent his career fighting for the Dignity of Work – the idea that hard work should pay off for everyone, no matter who you are, where you live, or what kind of work you do.

He has held nearly 500 roundtables across Ohio, because he believes the best ideas don’t come out of Washington – they come from conversations with Ohioans. Senator Brown serves as Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Finance Committee, the Agriculture Committee, and is the longest serving Ohioan on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Naomi Camper, Chief Policy Officer, American Bankers Association

As ABA’s chief policy officer, Naomi Gendler Camper leads the ABA’s policy and advocacy functions, including government relations, regulatory policy and compliance, economic research and the office of strategic engagement. Her division also includes specialized groups, such as the Card Policy Council and BAFT, ABA’s global transaction banking subsidiary.

Prior to joining the ABA in June of 2018, Naomi spent 13 years as a managing director at JPMorgan Chase in a variety of roles. As head of federal government relations from 2005 to 2012, Naomi was responsible for leading and expanding the firm’s engagement with Capitol Hill and the administration during a time of significant change to the banking policy and regulatory landscape. She also served as head of consumer public policy and ran JPMorgan Chase’s Office of Nonprofit Engagement.

Ryan Coaxum, Community Development Officer, Guaranty Bank & Trust

Ryan Coaxum, an Austin native, is known for his striking energy and enthusiasm for life that drives him to give back to his community in various capacities. With over a decade of banking experience, he is part of the original team that brought Guaranty Bank & Trust to Central Texas. As the company’s first Community Development Officer, Ryan fosters relationships with community leaders, nonprofit organizations and diverse populations. He focuses on corporate responsibility, social impact, strategic philanthropy, community investments and managing community partnerships. 

He also is an active member of the Texas Bankers Association where he serves on the Future of Banking Taskforce, Bank Leadership Council and the Government Relations Council; and American Bankers Association where he serves on the Emerging Leaders Council. As a strong advocate for economic inclusion, he was recipient of the Texas Bankers Emerging Leader Award in 2021 and the American Bankers Association Emerging Leader Award in 2022, among others.

Lorna Elizabeth Crawford, CRCM, Vice President / CRA Officer, Ameris Bank

Lorna Elizabeth has over 28 years of experience in risk management, bank policies and procedures development and CRA program management. Distinguished as a subject matter expert on all things CRA, she has a penchant for learning and is currently a third-year graduating student at the University of Pennsylvania / Wharton School Program under the umbrella of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking.

An avid banking professional, Lorna Elizabeth started her banking career in February 1978 in Jamaica, West Indies, where she worked for the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Jamaica Citizens Bank before migrating to Georgia in 1994.

Charley Cummings, Founder and CEO, Walden Mutual Bank

Charley Cummings is the founder and CEO of Walden Mutual Bank, the first newly chartered mutual bank in the US in 50 years. Walden Mutual lends to sustainable food and agriculture businesses in New England and New York, while offering impact driven online and mobile deposit accounts to businesses and consumers. Charley previously founded and ran Walden Local, Inc., now the leading brand of locally produced pasture-based meat in the Northeast. Previously he worked at various venture-backed clean technology companies and co-founded a non-profit advocacy organization formed in support of the country's first proposed offshore windfarm.

Senator Steve Daines (R-MT); Chairman, National Republican Senatorial Committee

A fifth-generation Montanan, Steve Daines brings 28 years of private-sector business experience to Washington, D.C. as he serves the people of Montana in the U.S. Senate.In the U.S. Senate, Daines is working on issues of critical importance to growing good-paying Montana jobs, developing our state’s energy resources, managing and protecting our public lands and supporting the needs of Montana’s veterans and tribes. He serves on the Senate Committees on Finance, Banking Housing and Urban Affairs, Energy and Natural Resources, and Indian Affairs.

In 2022, Steve received the “Life in Congress – Workplace Environment” Democracy Award from the nonpartisan Congressional Management Foundation (CMF). The award recognizes offices that have established both formal policies and informal cultures that enhance the work-life fit and professional development of their staffs to better serve their constituents.

George W. Hermann, President and CEO, Windsor Federal Savings

George Hermann is President and CEO of Windsor Federal Savings, a $500 million mutual thrift institution headquartered in Windsor, CT. George has more than thirty-five years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been actively involved in the HOLA Flexibility process, participating in initial discussions with the OCC, helping to line up co-sponsors for the “stand alone” bill, and providing input into the drafting of the ABA Comment Letter. 

George is the vice chair of the ABA Mutual Institutions Council. He has also held positions as treasurer and board member of the ABA, and is immediate past president of the Connecticut Community Bankers Association. George is a frequent presenter at banking industry conferences and meetings nationally.

Ryan Jackson, Vice President, Innovation Strategy, American Bankers Association

Ryan Jackson is Vice President, Innovation Strategy at the American Bankers Association, where he supports the Office of Innovation. In this role, Ryan supports banks to define innovation strategies and helps shape the technology marketplace by identifying promising startups that complement the banking industry. Prior to joining the ABA, Ryan built Fannie Mae’s Enterprise Innovation Team focused on emerging and disruptive technologies within the mortgage ecosystem. He also previously worked on the debt and derivatives capital markets group at Fannie Mae.

Brian Johnson, Managing Director, Banking Supervision and Regulation Group, Patomak Global Partners

In his role, Mr. Johnson spearheads projects related to the regulation of consumer financial products under Keith Noreika, Executive Vice President and Chairman of the Banking Supervision and Regulation Group and former acting Comptroller of the Currency.

Prior to joining Patomak, Mr. Johnson was a partner in Alston & Bird LLP’s financial services and products group. There, he advised financial institutions on consumer finance regulatory issues relating to product compliance, examination, enforcement investigations, and compliance management systems, and on strategic engagement with independent federal regulatory agencies and with Congress. Mr. Johnson previously served as Deputy Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), where he oversaw the agency’s rulemaking, supervision, and enforcement activities.

Stephanie K. Klein, MBA, CPC, ELI-MP, Founder and CEO of Mindfire Mastery

Leadership expert and coach Stephanie Klein is a speaker, author and adjunct faculty for Executive Education at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She is a bestselling Contributing Author to Turning Point Moments and will publish her book, “Waking Up on the Right Side of Wrong” in fall 2023 to help leaders shift from burnout to balance.

A former 3x Chief Marketing Officer, Stephanie’s three decades of brand leadership experience includes: Hallmark, United Airlines, Kraft, Alberto-Culver, Coca-Cola, Cboe Global Markets and Northern Trust.

Elbert Lin, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP

The former Solicitor General of West Virginia, Elbert Lin chairs the Issues and Appeals practice at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and is also a member of the firm’s elected Executive Committee. Elbert has litigated precedent-setting matters in appellate courts across the country, including in the U.S. Supreme Court, and presented oral argument in more than fifty cases. He is counsel of record for America’s Power in West Virginia v. EPA, and was also lead counsel for the States in obtaining the related Supreme Court stay in 2016.

During his years on the West Virginia Attorney General’s senior staff as the Solicitor General, Elbert oversaw all civil and criminal appeals, managed all legal issues and litigation involving the federal government, and supervised nearly fifty Attorney General opinions.

Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC); Chairman, House Financial Services Committee

Congressman Patrick McHenry is serving his tenth term as the representative for North Carolina's 10th Congressional District which comprises all or parts of nine counties in North Carolina, from the suburbs of Charlotte on Lake Norman to Pisgah National Forest in Burke County.

In the 118th Congress, Congressman McHenry was elected as the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, a committee he has served on since he was elected to Congress. As Chairman, he will continue advocating for innovative solutions that increase access to banking services and credit for American families and small businesses.

Jelena McWilliams, Managing Partner, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP

Jelena McWilliams is Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office and Head of the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) Practice. She is a former Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). McWilliams focuses her practice on advising public and private companies, financial institutions, fintechs, and early stage and venture companies on regulatory and corporate matters, as well as on mergers and acquisitions, IPO and other capital markets transactions.

While at the FDIC, McWilliams managed over 6,000 employees supervising approximately 5,000 banks, including through the COVID-19 pandemic. She participated in interagency negotiations, policy developments and joint agency rulemakings both as agency principal and as a voting member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). And, she established the agency’s first office of innovation to implement technological advancements through supervisory channels and collaborative partnerships between banks and fintechs. 

Loni Meiborg, Senior Vice President of Organizational Development, Fortifi Bank

Loni Meiborg is the Senior Vice President of Organizational Development at Fortifi Bank, overseeing the marketing and human resources teams. This role allows her to connect the bank’s culture, employee experience, and mission with the delivery of their brand promise and a unique client experience across all channels.

In her time with Fortifi Bank, she has developed and executed a rebrand, including renaming the bank, developed a digital marketing strategy, with attention on social media and automated marketing, and won the American Bankers Association Brand Slam award for redeveloping the bank’s website featuring a robust content marketing blog.

Carlos P. Naudon, Chief Executive Officer, Ponce Bank

Carlos P. Naudon, a retired Attorney and Certified Public Accountant, is Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ponce Bank, a $2.4 billion federal savings association headquartered in The Bronx, NY, and of its publicly traded parent company, Ponce Financial Group, Inc. He has served as a member of its Board of Directors since 2014 and since 1985 had served as its consultant and regulatory counsel. Carlos is also President of the Ponce De Leon Foundation, a private foundation established by Ponce Bank.

As President, Carlos lead Ponce Bank’s mutual-to-stock conversions and has reinvigorated its 63-year mission of providing financial services to the underserved but highly deserving immigrant communities and low-and-middle income stakeholders in and around New York City and other similar communities. One of the largest U.S. Latino banks, Ponce Bank has been recognized as a Minority Depository Institution (MDI) as well as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), one of fewer than 50 banks so designated in the U.S.

Rob Nichols, President and CEO, American Bankers Association

Rob Nichols is the president and CEO of the American Bankers Association, which represents banks of all sizes and charters and is the voice for the nation’s $23.7 trillion banking industry.

Rob joined ABA in August 2015 following ten years at the helm of the Financial Services Forum, a non-partisan financial and economic policy organization. Before joining the Forum, Rob served in the George W. Bush administration as the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Treasury Department, a position requiring confirmation by the United States Senate. In this role, he acted as chief spokesperson and head of the office of public liaison, serving as Treasury’s lead representative with the media, business, professional trade organizations, consumer groups and the public.

Tom Pinder, General Counsel, American Bankers Association

As ABA’s ninth general counsel, Tom Pinder is the association’s resident expert on election and lobbying laws and internal code of conduct. Tom’s work ensures the association models ethical leadership both in advocacy and in the workplace. He also oversees ABA’s coalition-building work, having filed more than 100 amicus briefs in support of legal matters important to the banking industry, and serving as facilitator to two peer groups for general counsels from banks of all sizes to support this important segment of our membership.

Tom joined ABA in 2012, and most recently served as deputy general counsel, where he led strategic litigation efforts to enhance the public policy environment for America’s banks along with all other association litigation activities. An accomplished attorney whose impressive career has spanned more than two decades, Tom was enforcement counsel at the FDIC before joining ABA.

Joseph Pigg, SVP & Senior Counsel, American Bankers Association

Joe serves as Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel for Sustainable Banking and Mortgage Finance at the American Bankers Association. Since joining ABA in 1997, Joe has provided counsel on housing, real estate finance, community and economic development, Federal Home Loan Bank and other government sponsored enterprise related issues as well as on general financial industry issues. At ABA, Joe oversaw the creation of ABA’s Federal Home Loan Bank Committee, and its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Working Group and Climate Task Force. In addition to GSE and FHLB issues, Joe also oversees ABA’s mutual bank, and ESG and Sustainable Banking efforts.

Daniel D. Robb, ABA Chair; President and CEO, Jonesburg State Bank

Dan Robb is president and CEO of Jonesburg State Bank, a 100-year-old, community bank in East Central Missouri. Robb has over 37 years of banking experience since starting his career in 1985 as a bank teller.

Dan is active in the local communities serving on various business and non-profit boards and he is involved in multiple civic activity groups.

Active in the banking industry, serving the Missouri Bankers Association through the years in various roles, including 8 years on the MBA Board of Directors and was MBA Chairman in 2015. Dan served on ABA’s Community Bankers Council, Grass Roots Committee and was Chairman of ABA’s Government Relations Council in 2020. He also served on the board of ABA’s subsidiary Fund for Economic Growth.

Stephanie Schwartzberg, Chief Legal and Risk Officer, Corporate Secretary, Penn Community Bank

As a member of Penn Community Bank’s Executive Leadership Team, Stephanie identifies and manages enterprise risk and compliance, and drives the overall legal strategy for the largest independent mutual bank in eastern Pennsylvania, including governance, corporate law, banking and trust matters, commercial transactions, litigation, insurance, and a wide range of contract negotiations across all business functions.

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC); Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Senator Scott has served the great state of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate since 2013, and brings with him a mission to positively affect the lives of a billion people with the message of hope and opportunity. Growing up poor in a single-parent household in North Charleston, South Carolina, Tim watched his single mother work 16-hour days as a nurse’s assistant to keep him and his brother afloat.

Prior to public service, Tim built a successful small business of his own. He was first elected to Charleston County Council, to the South Carolina State House, and the U.S. House of Representatives. In January 2013, Tim was sworn in as a United States Senator from South Carolina, and was re-elected in January 2017.

Tim Shangle, AVP of Innovation & Data Analytics, ChoiceOne Bank

Tim Shangle joined ChoiceOne Bank ten years ago as a Customer Service Representative, Shangle advanced into the Assistant Vice President of Innovation and Data Analytics because of his advanced skills in technology and ability to bootstrap innovation. Shangle’s responsibilities include investigating upcoming financial technology and analyzing data to make strategic decisions about the bank’s future. He previously oversaw the marketing department, as well as all digital channels the Bank offers including online banking, mobile banking, text banking, phone banking, mobile deposit, and remote deposit capture. His accomplishments include launching a Paycheck Protection Program loan portal at zero cost ahead of schedule, Alexa voice response for ChoiceOne Bill Pay, and Autobooks, an integrated accounting and invoicing system for small businesses.

Sebastian Terry, Best Selling Author, TV Host, & Founder of the 100things Movement

Sebastian is a changemaker, best-selling author and thought leader. Residing in LA, California, Seb still has a cheeky Australian accent and his passion for life is evident in everything he does, from surfing and traveling, to writing and keynoting.

Coining the phrase, The Passion Effect, Seb’s passion to see others achieve has seen him use his one-of-a-kind story and custom models to create a positive ripple for peak performance, wellbeing and thriving workplace culture.

Gregg R. Tewksbury, CPA, President and CEO, New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp

Gregg is the President and Chief Executive Officer of New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp (NHMB), a $3.6 billion mutual savings bank holding company based in Concord, New Hampshire. NHMB is the parent company for three community banks throughout NH as well as a state-chartered trust company with over $1 billion of assets under management. Prior to joining NHMB in 2018, he was the President and CEO of Savings Bank of Walpole (SBW), based in southwestern NH. Prior to joining SBW, Gregg worked seven years for Merriam-Graves Corporation (a family-owned industrial and medical gas concern) as their CFO, nine years for CFX Corporation (a $2.8 billion publicly-held multi-bank holding company) as their CFO, and two years for Ernst & Young.

Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA); Ranking Member, House Financial Services Committee­

Elected in November 2022 to her sixteenth term in the U.S. House of Representatives with more than 70 percent of the vote in the 43rd Congressional District of California, Congresswoman Waters represents a large part of South Los Angeles including the communities of Westchester, Playa Del Rey, and Watts and the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County comprised of Lennox, West Athens, West Carson, Harbor Gateway and El Camino Village. The 43rd District also includes the diverse cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lomita and Torrance.

Congresswoman Waters made history as the first woman and first African American Chair of the House Financial Services Committee. An integral member of Congressional Democratic Leadership, Congresswoman Waters serves as a member of the Steering & Policy Committee and is the Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. She is also a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and member and past chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Brooke Ybarra, SVP, Innovation & Strategy, American Bankers Association

Brooke Ybarra is the Senior Vice President, Innovation & Strategy for the American Bankers Association, where she leads the Office of Innovation. In this role, Brooke supports banks to define innovation strategies and helps shape the technology marketplace by identifying promising startups that complement the banking industry. She also works with policymakers to advocate for policies that allow for and promote responsible innovation in banking. Brooke has experience in financial services as a consultant with Accenture (formerly First Annapolis Consulting) focusing on electronic payments issues.

The Honorable Janet Yellen, Secretary of the U.S. Treasury­

On January 26, 2021, Janet Yellen was sworn in as the 78th Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. An economist by training, she took office after almost fifty years in academia and public service. She is the first person in American history to have led the White House Council of Economic Advisors, the Federal Reserve, and the Treasury Department.

Prior to serving at the Treasury Department, Secretary Yellen was a Distinguished Fellow in Residence with the Economic Studies Program at the Brookings Institution. During 2020-2021, she served as President of the American Economic Association. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Council on Foreign Relations. She was also a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council.