Keynote Speakers | Washington Summit

Washington Summit Keynotes

Michelle W. Bowman took office as the Vice Chair for Supervision of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on June 9, 2025, for a four-year term. Ms. Bowman has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System since taking office on November 26, 2018, to fill an unexpired term ending January 31, 2020. She was reappointed to the Board on January 23, 2020, and sworn in on January 30, 2020, for a term ending January 31, 2034. Prior to her appointment to the Board, Ms. Bowman served as the state bank commissioner of Kansas from January 2017 to November 2018. She also served as vice president of Farmers & Drovers Bank in Kansas from 2010 to 2017.

Jonathan V. Gould was sworn in as the 32nd Comptroller of the Currency on July 15, 2025. The Comptroller of the Currency is the administrator of the federal banking system and chief officer of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The OCC supervises more than 1,000 national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches and agencies of foreign banks operating in the United States. Prior to becoming Comptroller of the Currency, Mr. Gould was a partner at the law firm Jones Day. He previously served as the Senior Deputy Comptroller and Chief Counsel at the OCC and twice served on the staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, including as its chief counsel.

Travis Hill was confirmed to a five-year term as the 23rd Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board of Directors beginning on January 2, 2026. Hill had previously served as FDIC’s Acting Chairman since January 20, 2025, and had also served as Vice Chairman since January 5, 2023. Prior to his terms on the Board of Directors, he was Deputy to the Chairman for Policy from 2018 to 2022 and, before that, served as Senior Advisor to the Chairman. In these roles, he oversaw and coordinated regulatory and policy initiatives at the agency and advised the Chairman on regulatory and policy matters.

The CSBS Board of Directors appointed Brandon Milhorn President and CEO in December 2023. Milhorn has nearly three decades of advocacy, policy, legal, and regulatory experience, primarily in and around Washington, D.C., including five years in critical senior leadership roles with the FDIC, seven years in the private sector with Raytheon and over a decade of public service as staff director and chief counsel for the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, general counsel for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, as an attorney at the CIA and in two prominent U.S. Court clerkships.

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A gutsy trailblazer, Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour’s resume is an impressive collection of “firsts” including America’s first Black woman combat pilot. After her military service, FlyGirl revved up her career in the private sector as an entrepreneur, consultant to business, and author of Zero to Breakthrough, The 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter. As a speaker, FlyGirl unleashes hard-hitting advice and amazing anecdotes from her adventures on the battlefield and in business. She helps individuals and organizations Get Gutsy and build a sustainable inner force and conviction, that results in accomplishing significant goals.

David P. Barksdale serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Piedmont Federal Bank, a $1.3 billion mutual savings bank founded in Winston-Salem, NC in 1903. Piedmont Federal is the largest mutual in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia and recently expanded operations to the greater Raleigh, NC area through its acquisition of Wake Forest Federal Savings & Loan. Barksdale has spent most of his 38-year career in North Carolina community banking with roles in Credit Administration, Sales Leadership, and Strategy.

Michael R. Brickman is the Acting Senior Deputy Comptroller for Community Banks at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). In this role, he oversees the supervision of national banks and federal savings associations with up to $30 billion in assets. He also serves as a member of the agency’s Executive Committee. Prior to this role, he was the Acting Senior Deputy Comptroller for Information Technology and Security and the Office of Administration, which included financial management, human capital, and administrative operations. Brickman also previously served as the Deputy Comptroller for Specialty Supervision responsible for Novel Bank Supervision, Technology Service Provider Supervision, Thrift Supervision, and Special Supervision in Midsize and Community Bank Supervision.

J.R. Buckner is the president and CEO of First Federal Bank of Kansas City, the largest independent depositor-owned community bank headquartered in Missouri. He joined the board in 2014 and leads an executive team focused on creatively meeting the capital and cash flow needs of businesses, helping individuals realize the American dream of home ownership and partnering with technology companies to deliver banking products and services in innovative, safe and secure ways. Prior to joining First Federal Bank of Kansas City in 2012, Buckner served in executive leadership roles at Bank of Lee’s Summit and First Community Bank.

Jeff Cardone represents community banks and other financial institutions, focusing primarily on transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, purchase and assumption transactions, mutual-to-stock conversions, mutual holding company formations and public offerings and private placements of subordinated debt/secondary capital. He also counsels financial institutions and their board of directors on regulatory compliance, corporate governance, SEC reporting, listing standards of national stock exchanges, state fiduciary duty law and executive compensation matters. Cardone regularly advises board of directors and management on strategic planning matters and new legal developments impacting their financial institutions. He also regularly speaks about mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, regulatory and compensation matters to various financial industry groups and has authored numerous articles and publications.

Ryan Coaxum is the Senior Vice President of Community Development and External Affairs at Moody Bank, where he leads corporate affairs and advances initiatives focused on economic opportunity, affordable housing, and financial literacy. He builds strategic partnerships across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors to deliver meaningful, community-centered impact while strengthening the bank’s brand and influence across Texas and beyond. He has been recognized locally and nationally for his business and community leadership, including honors such as 40 Under 40 and Savoy Magazine’s Power 300.

Cynthia N. Day, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Trust Bank and Citizens Bancshares Corporation, joined the Company in February 2003. In February 2012, she became the first female Chief Executive Officer in the Company’s history. Under her leadership as Chief Executive Officer, the Company has reached many milestones including achieving its highest level of performance during its 100-year existence. Further, most recently, the Bank was ranked, by S&P Global, #16 in S&P Deposit Rankings for banks and #28 in the Top 100 Best Performing Banks under $3 billion in assets in the country. She was recognized as “Most Admired CEO” by Atlanta Business Chronicle and “CEO of the Year” by the Atlanta Business League.

Robert J. Dietel is an attorney and shareholder at the Concord, New Hampshire law firm Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell, where he recently completed a five-year term as the firm’s President and Managing Director. His practice is deeply rooted in the representation of mutual banks, providing strategic guidance to institutions navigating complex regulatory landscapes and evolving corporate structures. Since 2009, Dietel has represented the New Hampshire Bankers Association, currently serving as its outside general counsel. His career has included numerous high-profile matters for New Hampshire banks, including as lead counsel in the successful formation of Walden Mutual Bank.

Chris Estrade began his career with Hancock Whitney Bank, then Hancock Bank, in November of 2005, where he serves as Vice President of Business Banking in Gulfport, Mississippi. Estrade enjoys serving his community and looks for opportunities to give back. He recently completed his term as the 2025 Chairman of the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce, having previously chaired the chamber’s Small Business and Economic Development committee. Estrade is also proud to serve as a member of board of directors for Habitat for Humanity’s Bay-Waveland affiliate.

As Chief Financial Officer, Charles Field ensures that Penn Community Bank’s financial strategy supports steady, sustainable growth and long-term stability. A Certified Public Accountant, he brings more than 30 years of diversified accounting and finance experience across multiple industries. Field is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has presented at numerous industry conferences while participating in American Bankers Association working groups. He has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including as Treasurer of the Network of Victims Assistance (NOVA) and the Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP).

Margi Fleming serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at The Citizens Bank (TCB), overseeing Human Resources, Marketing, and Branch Administration. In October 2024, she was honored in New York City by the American Bankers Association with the Emerging Leader Award in recognition of her leadership and contributions to the banking industry. Fleming’s career at The Citizens Bank (TCB) began in 2006 as a Mortgage Lender. She transitioned to Human Resources in 2008, took on Marketing responsibilities in 2012, and expanded her role to include Branch Administration in 2021. Demonstrating her commitment to excellence and continuous learning, she earned her Certified Plan Sponsor Professional (CPSP) certification in the summer of 2023.

As CEO of the largest member-owned mutual bank holding company of its kind in the Midwest, Thomas Fraser oversees the strategic vision and direction of First Mutual Holding Co. and works to empower member banks to live the mutual banking model. His role encompasses interacting with executive leadership and maintaining accountability with FMHC’s board of directors and member bank boards to ensure strategic alignment and strong results. He brings decades of financial services expertise to FMHC. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Fraser served as president of First Federal Lakewood and held chief operating officer and chief lending officer responsibilities for the bank.

Sarah Harrison CB MBE joined the BSA as Chief Executive in December 2025. She is an experienced chief executive with over 30 years in strategic leadership roles as a public servant, working both for regulators and the government. Her previous roles include Chief Operating Officer at the Cabinet Office, Chief Operating Officer at the former business department (BEIS), Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission and senior roles at the energy regulator, Ofgem. Her earlier career was in government and public relations consultancy. Harrison has extensive senior experience of government and regulation, expertise in communications and corporate affairs and experience in leadership roles in relation to both consumer engagement and digital transformation.

Alana M. Hill, PMP, CSP, is an international keynote speaker and change leadership expert, inspiring professionals to lead change in themselves and others to create resilient, inclusive, and competitive organizations. She is a passionate energy industry veteran who has paved the way for women leaders in tech. Her experience as an engineer and project manager in talent development provides real‐world insight into how people and teams can excel, even in uncertainty. Hill’s career has been marked by her leadership of diverse teams and the delivery of high-impact workshops worldwide.

Carl Hulse is the Chief Washington Correspondent of The New York Times and an acknowledged authority on the U.S. Congress and national political affairs. As a Washington journalist for more than 40 years, he has covered 7 presidencies and 20 congressional election cycles. He is the author of "Confirmation Bias: Inside Washington's War Over the Supreme Court," a critically acclaimed account of the history-making partisan battle over the makeup of the high court and the federal judiciary. He appears regularly on televised public affairs programs and has also served as the Washington Editor and Chief Congressional Correspondent of The Times. He is also the drummer for the NativeMakers, a popular Capitol Hill garage band.

Valerie Kovacs serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of First Mutual Holding Company, the largest member-owned mutual holding company of its kind in Ohio. She provides enterprise-level marketing leadership, aligning brand, growth and customer engagement initiatives across the holding company and its five affiliate mutual banks. A strategic marketing leader, Kovacs drives measurable business growth through data-informed, customer-centric strategies. She oversees brand transformation, enterprise marketing operations and product strategy, ensuring initiatives strengthen and sustain the organization’s mutual banking model. Prior to joining First Mutual, Kovacs was a Marketing Manager at Cleveland Clinic, where she led enterprise marketing teams focused on reputation growth, market preference and service line expansion.

Pennie Lutz has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Richland State Bank since 2009 and is also responsible for managing the Bank’s investment portfolio, human resource and information technology functions along with lending functions as needed. Prior to joining Richland in 1996, Lutz was a commissioned examiner for the Sioux Falls, South Dakota FDIC office as an examiner in charge of both safety and soundness examinations and consumer compliance examinations. Outside of the Bank, she serves as an EMT on the local volunteer fire department, helps organize Bruce Community Club events throughout the year and serves on her local church council.

Meg McIsaac is the President and CEO of Bluestone Bank and Bluestone Financial MHC. She also serves as the President of the Bluestone Charitable Foundation. McIsaac began her career more than 30 years ago at Bank of Boston. Having worked at both large commercial banks and local community banks, she brings broad financial services experience and expertise that includes many years of commercial lending. In 2011 McIsaac joined a turnaround team at a troubled community bank and after becoming its President and CEO, successfully managed it to a safe and sound condition. In addition to her role at Bluestone Bank, she is a Director and Risk Committee member of the Massachusetts Depositors Insurance Fund.

Lucas Miller is a cognitive scientist, author, and MBA faculty at UC Berkeley Haas. He teaches two popular MBA classes called "The Science of Productivity and Performance" and “AI for Personal Productivity and Performance” and has been featured in Wired and The Wall Street Journal. Miller’s current research focuses on the evolving interplay between productivity and technology, where he teaches organizations how to leverage AI as a cognitive copilot that can help us overcome the brain’s limitations and free up bandwidth for what matters most.

Mara K. Pennell has over 20 years of progressive experience in the financial services industry, beginning in 2002. She is currently a Senior Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer III at Mascoma Bank, where she takes a collaborative approach to helping business customers succeed in an ever-changing market. She has an extensive background in commercial, residential mortgage and consumer lending. With her experience in portfolio management and credit risk, she finds joy in passing on her knowledge to the next generation of excellent bankers. Through her work she has been able to provide financing to area nonprofits and work with partner organizations to find solutions to the growing need for housing throughout Maine.

Mike Ravid is an assistant vice president for Regional & Community Bank Supervision in the Supervision, Regulation & Credit (SRC) department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. He oversees the supervision of a portfolio of community banks in the First District that includes mutual banks. Ravid also oversees supervision of the first district service provider portfolio. He coordinates work on various risks related to community banks such as market, liquidity, and credit risk. Ravid joined the Boston Fed in 2002.

Vernon Roberts is an author, master instructor, coach and speaker. He is responsible for sales, finance, and HR operations for evoke virtual. Vernon founded Evoke Learning in 2003 after working 20 years in the banking and finance industry. His career, prior to Evoke, concentrated on such areas as retail sales and operations, finance, learning and development, and client relationship management. Vernon founded evoke virtual to help address the challenges that his clients experience managing and training a dispersed global workforce. In the face-to face and virtual classrooms, Vernon creates a positive learning environment and provides masterful coaching that allows participants to achieve rapid and permanent growth in their skills as communicators and presenters.

Brian Robinson, a director of human resources at Maine Community Bank, has more than a decade of experience driving talent strategy and employee engagement for financial services organizations. He is passionate about identifying and empowering next-gen leaders, building inclusive cultures, and aligning HR practices with business goals. His current focus is on helping professionals to show up with confidence, and to grow their influence and impact.

With over 25 years of progressive experience in human resources, Diahann Smith is an accomplished HR strategic leader specializing in talent management and organizational development. Currently serving as Senior Vice President and Human Resources Manager at National Cooperative Bank, she leads the bank’s HR strategy, including full-cycle recruitment, employee development, and the design and implementation of impactful programs. Throughout her career, Smith has been deeply committed to optimizing HR practices, leading the implementation of HRIS systems, developing human capital strategies, and partnering with leadership teams to drive employee engagement and organizational change. She has also played a pivotal role in implementing talent management platforms and overseeing training initiatives that support both employee growth and corporate objectives.

Ken Weinstein is president and chief executive officer of Newtown Savings Bank, a $1.8 billion mutual savings bank founded in 1855 and headquartered in Newtown, CT. He joined the Bank in 2011 following more than 20 years in a variety of senior roles at People’s United Bank in Bridgeport. Weinstein serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board of the United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut, and on the Boards of Horizons SHU, the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Connecticut Community Bankers Association and Mutuals Matter. He is also a trustee and chairman of the finance committee at Berkeley College and a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Committee on Recommendation of Candidates.

Dr. Fiona Wilson is the Director of the Sustainability Institute and Chief Sustainability Officer for the University of New Hampshire where she stewards UNH’s top national ranking in sustainability within higher education. Previously, Wilson was the Co-Founder and Executive Director of UNH’s Changemaker Collaborative, an interdisciplinary center which brings together students, faculty, staff, businesses, non-profits and government agencies committed to advancing positive change for the good of all. Prior to her academic career, she spent fifteen years in the business world, including as VP of Marketing for CMGI, a publicly traded internet investment and operating company, and in various roles at Ogilvy & Mather Advertising in London and Barcelona, working on global consumer brands.