ABA Annual Convention 2026 — Knowledge Sessions

20 sessions on innovation, profitability and more

Lean on ABA’s trusted experts to help you overcome your most pressing challenges. This lineup of Knowledge Sessions will coach you to tackle innovation in tandem with proper risk management, boost profitability and execute better customer experience. Get cutting-edge insights on tokenization, risk management, multi-rail payments, interest rates and more.

Knowledge Sessions

All times in MT

More sessions will be added to this schedule – bookmark this page and check back for updates.

Monday, October 26
Tuesday, October 27

Monday, October 26

10:30 AM – 11:15 AM

Tokenization in banking: What matters and what doesn’t

Stablecoins and tokenized deposits are getting significant attention—but not all of it is actionable for banks today. This session focuses on what’s real, what’s hype, and what it means for payments, liquidity, and strategy. Hear directly from those actively working in this space on where tokenization is gaining traction, where it isn’t, and how banks should think about competing, partnering, or staying on the sidelines.

Six components you must have in your next strategic plan

Many institutions do strategic planning. Few do it well. During this session, discover the six “must have” components you need for your next strategic plan. You’ll walk away prepared to transform your planning process from an annual obligation to a useful tool that will lead your institution to a higher level of performance.

Kevin Bender, Chief Banking Officer, Exchange Bank
Joseph Cady, Managing Partner, CS Consulting Group LLC

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Bank risk management in 2026: The challenges that matter most

Bank risk management is being reshaped by a fast-moving mix of regulatory change, persistent inflation and rate uncertainty, liquidity and capital pressures, cyber and fraud threats and growing dependence on third parties and digital infrastructure. This session will highlight how innovative chief risk officers navigate today’s enterprise-wide challenges and how risk leaders are encouraging more efficient, holistic and dynamic decision making across their organizations.

Krysti Cunningham, Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer, Security National Bank
Pat Eglinton, Senior Vice President, Senior Director, Business Risk Advisory, Branch Banking and Retail Services, First Citizens Bank
Emily Nachlas, Chief Risk Officer, Western Alliance Bank
Moderator: Ryan Rasske, Senior Vice President, Risk and Customer Markets, American Bankers Association

The outlook for interest rates: How's the new Fed chair doing?

Fed chair Kevin Warsh has called for a “regime change” at the Federal Reserve. In this session, panelists will provide their views on Warsh’s first six months. Get insights on what a regime change means for Fed interest rate and balance sheet policy as Warsh navigates the Fed through an uncertain economic environment and inflation that remains stubbornly high.

Mark Cabana, Head of US Rate Strategy, Bank of America
Matthew Raskin, Managing Director, US Head of Rates Research, Deutsche Bank
Moderator: Warren Hrung, Senior Vice President, Head of Banking and Financial Services Research, American Bankers Association

From batch to real-time: A practical roadmap for multi-rail payments success

Community banks face increasing customer demand for instant services — but the payments landscape is challenging to navigate. Discover how community banks can modernize payment stacks for a multi-rail, real-time future. This session shares practical strategies to evaluate new rails, manage liquidity and improve customer experience, increase loyalty, grow deposits and raise revenue.

Elena Casal, Chief Client Officer, The Clearing House
Stephen Kenneally, Senior Vice President, Payments, American Bankers Association

Tuesday, October 27

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Bank boards and CEOs: Let’s talk quantum computing

Quantum computing is accelerating, and authorities already expect financial institutions to transition to quantum-resistant encryption algorithms. It’s imperative that CEOs and board members prepare for this shift. In this session, we’ll cover the basics of PQC and how global standards will reshape financial services. Learn how to integrate quantum planning into board governance cycles, and best practices for preparing your institution for long-term cryptographic agility.

John Buselli, Offering Manager, IBM Quantum
Justin Rainey, Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Privacy Officer, UMB Financial Corporation
Moderator: John Carlson, Senior Vice President, Cybersecurity Regulation and Resilience, American Bankers Association

Protecting banks rights to make banking decisions: Freedom to Invest

The Freedom to Invest initiative is helping financial institutions respond to a growing wave of state and federal legislative efforts that could limit their ability to make risk-based business decisions. Learn how organizations are coordinating advocacy and messaging to push back on proposals that could interfere with core business judgment. We’ll highlight recent legislation and strategies you can use to communicate with policymakers and stakeholders to protect your institution’s ability to operate with independence.

Andrew Collier, Director, Freedom to Invest, Ceres
Moderator: Joe Pigg, Senior Vice President, Sustainable Finance and Mortgage Policy, American Bankers Association

Bring your team — then divide and conquer. Attend different sessions and come back together prepared to maximize your ROI.

“Great event - I struggled to select just one of the multiple concurrent sessions.”

– Past Attendee

Get insights on 20 trending banking topics

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Knowledge Sessions | ABA Annual Convention