Program | Women Lead Symposium

1:00 PM – 1:03 PM ET / 10:00 AM – 10:03 AM PT

Welcome

• Rob Nichols, President and CEO, American Bankers Association

1:03 PM – 1:05 PM ET / 10:03 AM – 10:05 AM PT

Master of ceremonies

• Lesa Vanotti, President and CEO, Torrington Savings Bank

1:05 PM – 1:40 PM ET / 10:05 AM – 10:40 AM PT

The visibility advantage — Women leading in policy and industry

Visibility is about shaping outcomes, influencing decisions and standing at the forefront of the conversations that define our industry. In this fireside chat, lobbyists and advocacy leaders will share how they built the visibility that allows them to elevate the voice of banking every day. From navigating statehouses and Capitol Hill to building coalitions and guiding banks through complex policy environments, these women operate in roles where presence, credibility and strategic communication are essential. They’ll reflect on how they became visible in a field where influence is earned over time, discuss what it means to lead in risk averse spaces and share how they support the development and recognition of emerging talent to strengthen the next generation of banking leaders across the industry.

• Melanie Cuevas, Vice President, State and Local Government Relations Manager, JPMorganChase
• Patricia Herndon, Chief Policy Officer, Michigan Bankers Association
• Kirsten Sutton, EVP Congressional Relations, American Bankers Association
• Moderator: Natalie Bartholomew, Market President, First Community Bank and Co-chair, ABA Women Banker Resource Group

1:45 PM – 2:00 PM ET / 10:45 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Leading in full view: Cathy Owen’s path to influence and national leadership

In this fireside chat, banking leader Cathy Owen shares the pivotal moments that shaped her path to becoming one of the industry’s most visible and trusted voices. With candor and clarity, she reflects on building influence in rooms where women were rarely seen and developing the confidence to lead in full view — including testifying before Congress on issues affecting communities and the financial sector.

• Cathy Owen, ABA Chair Elect; Executive Chair, Eagle Bank and Trust Company
• Moderator: Kimberly Carhee, Senior Vice President, Loan Operations Manager, Heritage Bank NW

2:00 PM – 2:45 PM ET / 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM PT

CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Breakout 1: Navigating your career for visibility — Building influence through intentional growth

Visibility doesn’t just happen — it’s shaped by the choices bankers make about how they grow, where they show up and how they position their strengths. This session explores the strategies bankers can use to build visibility in their careers, from cultivating advocates and taking on stretch opportunities to investing in professional development that expands both capability and presence. A panel of women bankers will discuss pivotal moments and development experiences that helped them become more visible within their organizations and across the industry.

• Kristen Brabble, Chief Operating Officer, First Carolina Bank
• Steffany Gallant, Assistant Vice President, Human Resource Officer, Piscataqua Savings Bank
• Kim Hannay, CRA Officer, Optum Bank
• Moderator: Kristina Shaefer, Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Director of Government Relations, Dacotah Bank

Breakout 2: Seeing the signal: Data that surfaces women’s impact

Data is reshaping every corner of banking, making analytics one of the most powerful tools for visibility. When used well, it surfaces talent, highlights impact and ensures contributions aren’t overlooked in critical decisions about performance, advancement and organizational strategy. In this session, hear about emerging trends for women in banking and how data-driven decision-making is transforming talent retention and development, customer strategy and operational excellence. Panelists will explore how women leaders can leverage data to be seen, heard and positioned for influence in a rapidly evolving industry.

• Paola Fernandez, Centreville Bank
• Karyn Hale, Executive Vice President, CFO and COO, Union Bank
• Shanika Rogowski, Executive Vice President, Cape and Coast Bank
• Moderator: Kim Snyder, CEO, KlariVis

Breakout 3: Visibility through trust — Turning credibility into leadership capital

Trust is one of the most powerful drivers of visibility in banking. Whether you lead teams, manage client relationships, drive strategy or are an emerging leader, your ability to build trust — with colleagues, customers and senior leaders — shapes how your contributions are perceived and how far your influence reaches. This session explores how leaders can intentionally cultivate trust as a pathway to visibility and advancement. Panelists will discuss how to communicate impact, strengthen cross functional relationships and show up in ways that signal reliability, judgment and leadership readiness.

• Alisha Duehn, Loan Officer, First Iowa State Bank
• Alayasia White, Senior Vice President, Director of Audit, b1Bank and Stonier Advisory Board
• Renee Smyth, Executive Vice President, Chief Experience and Marketing Officer, Camden National Bank
• Moderator: Susan Cosgrove, CEO and Chair, R&T Deposit Solutions

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM ET / 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM PT

Break

3:00 PM – 3:35 PM ET / 12:00 PM – 12:35 PM PT

Sustaining visibility — Strengthening the leader behind the vision

Visible leadership takes real energy — the clarity to communicate, the presence to inspire and the stamina to stay “on” in demanding environments. This session gives advancing and accomplished leaders the space to recharge and rebuild the internal reserves that make sustained visibility possible. Through guided reflection and renewal practices, you will reignite personal energy, deepen executive presence and strengthen the resilience required to lead in a fast moving world. This is about sustainability as much as performance — protecting the leader behind the visibility so you can continue to show up with clarity, stamina and strategic vision in this new era of leadership.

• Donna Rustigian Mac, Business Communication Expert and Mindfulness Coach, iVoice Communication

3:35 PM – 4:20 PM ET / 12:35 PM – 1:20 PM PT

CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Breakout 1: CEO visibility lab: Leading in full view

Visibility isn’t just about being seen — it’s about being understood, respected and strategically positioned to lead. In this high energy conversation, a panel of CEOs will pull back the curtain on the quiet hesitations that often shape leadership journeys: the instinct to downplay accomplishments, the urge to wait until everything feels “ready,” the fear of being misunderstood or labeled, and the weight of being the only one in the room. These leaders have navigated those same tensions while steering institutions forward. Through candid stories and powerful reframes, they’ll show how visibility becomes advocacy — for your work, your team and your bank — and how boldness in motion builds the readiness we often think we need to have first. You will leave with language, mindset shifts and practical strategies to claim visibility with purpose and confidence, becoming the blueprint for what leadership can look like next.

• Elizabeth Albano, President and CEO, Artisans’ Bank
• Julie Hower, President and CEO, Farmers and Drovers Bank
• Robie Suggs, President and CEO, Warsaw Federal Savings and Loan

Breakout 2: Communications lab: Language of leadership

In this fast moving lab, a leading communications expert will break down the speaking habits that make leaders more visible at work — how to frame ideas, articulate impact and deliver messages with clarity and confidence. Two bankers will serve as moderators, posing real world questions and prompting the expert to demonstrate how small shifts in language and structure can transform everyday communication into high visibility leadership moments. Through practical guidance and live examples, you will learn techniques you can apply immediately to speak with authority, elevate your presence and ensure your contributions are noticed across your organization.

• Lina Cagossi, Executive Communications Coach, The Communication Center
• Moderators:
  • Jennifer Huffman, Senior Vice President, Atlantic Union Bank
  • Nicola McIntosh, Senior Vice President, Communications and Content Manager, Zions Bank

4:20 PM – 4:35 PM ET / 1:20 PM – 1:35 PM PT

The visibility shift: Redefining strength and the courage to be seen

Many bankers are taught that strength means having the answers, staying composed and proving their worth before speaking up — but that definition of strength often keeps powerful voices, ideas and leadership hidden. In this inspiring session, TEDx speaker Jessica Lovell explores how redefining strength can unlock visibility and influence. She’ll share how courage, authenticity and vulnerability allow leaders to step forward with greater confidence and impact. You’ll leave with a new perspective on leadership and a powerful reminder that when bankers have the courage to be seen, they create space for others to rise as well.

• Jessica Lovell, Founder and CEO, Raevolution Speaking, Soul-centered Speaking

4:35 PM – 4:45 PM ET / 1:35 PM – 1:45 PM PT

Stay engaged – Upcoming opportunities for leadership and growth

• Cathy Nestrick, Vice President of Workforce Excellence, American Bankers Association