With a robust tenure spanning over 15 years in the payment solutions and financial services industry, Serenie Gagon has developed a comprehensive expertise in product management and strategic business analysis. Currently, she serves as the vice president of product for payment solutions at Finicity, a Mastercard Company, where she has played a pivotal role since March 2021. In this position, Serenie leads the development and enhancement of innovative payment solutions that streamline and secure financial transactions on a global scale.

Prior to her current role, Serenie was the director of product management at Finicity, where she successfully managed the transition of key product lines and enhanced operational strategies. Her journey at American Express, spanned a decade, where she rose from a team leader to a virtual payments product manager. In this capacity, she managed B2B capabilities for virtual payment products, collaborated extensively with business partners to enhance global payment platforms and provided consulting services to achieve strategic client objectives.

Serenie holds a certification as a SAFe 4 Certified Agilist and has been recognized for her skills in emotional intelligence, product vision and product lifecycle management.

Dahlia El Gazzar founded the DAHLIA+Agency after working with tech companies and event industry trailblazers awoke her to the need for speed – for closing the gap between great tech and adoption. She has an OMG-attitude about all things tech, audience engagement + event marketing.

With more than a decade of event experience on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia’s kinship with the industry and the audience is deep. Dahlia is known as the coffee-fueled go-to source for trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, event marketing + social media expertise.

She thrives on netweaving, knows everyone + she’s always thinking of new ideas.

Marina González is a seasoned human resources leader with more than 25 years of experience in learning and organizational development, talent strategy and inclusion and diversity.

As the manager of global inclusion and diversity at FIS, Marina partners with business leaders and colleagues in The People Office to elevate inclusion practices and infuse cultural competency throughout the company.

In addition to her professional responsibilities, Marina volunteers as a board member for the Kentucky Derby Festival and supports her local school district’s diversity, equity and poverty initiatives. Marina is most proud to be the parent of two adult children, Kieran and Mikyla.

Swetha Gopalarathnam is a results-oriented technology program manager with more than 15 years of experience in agile leadership. At Worldpay, she excels in building and managing high-performing teams to deliver high-value solutions across enterprise-wide business initiatives.

Known for her expertise in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFE), she has successfully led numerous projects valued at over $5 million and involving more than 100 stakeholders.

Swetha holds a Master of Business Administration and Computing Systems from New York.

Her career spans various domains, with a current focus on the financial services sector. As an accomplished servant leader, she is skilled in hands-on team management, risk mitigation and process enhancements aimed at optimizing agile workflows. Her commitment to agile program management and leadership underscores her dedication to achieving outcomes within budget and driving significant improvements in team performance and project delivery.

Karen has more than 20 years of experience in banking, primarily in operations, payments and information technology. She then transitioned to the cards arena at a payment processor, serving financial institutions.

With her unique blend of expertise, she joined the Financial Services Information Services and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) to lead the payment, fraud and digital asset member communities.

At FS-ISAC, Karen is committed to fostering collaborative communities dedicated to combating and preventing threats to the financial sector.

Stephanie Herman is a vice president of operations at Payroc, focusing primarily on operational control management.

She has a background in accounting and 12 years of experience in the payments industry.

Stephanie has worked remotely for the past 10 years.

Jean is a B2B SaaS marketing professional with strong expertise in product marketing, customer engagement, and branding. Her career spans from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies in fintech and healthcare, driven by a passion for “everything customer,” which shapes her marketing strategy and measurable success.

Her professional journey is enriched by her extensive experiences working with diverse groups, both within the U.S. and internationally.

As a single mother who raised two African American sons, Jean has navigated the complexities of striving for equal rights in various contexts. Now, as an older woman in today’s workforce, she brings a unique perspective to discussions on DEI and intersectionality, informed by both her personal and professional experiences.

Joanna Hanner is the director of Discover Network Product Strategy at Discover Financial Services. In this role, she focuses on defining and prioritizing product strategy to support the Discover Network scheme.

She recently celebrated her 20-year anniversary with Discover and has held prior roles in Corporate Strategy, Discover Global Network Product and Portfolio Marketing for Discover Card.

Hanner is passionate about integrating diversity, equity and inclusion within the business and was a member of the 2021 Rise Up Cohort at Money20/20. She also serves on the Board of Directors with PayTech Women.

Kaitlin works with service owners across Mastercard to onboard APIs to the Mastercard Developers platform. She is also responsible for defining the standard for customer-facing APIs to ensure performance and quality. Kaitlin has been at Mastercard for over 4 years.

Prior to Mastercard, Kaitlin has worked at Ralph Lauren, American Express and Boeing in product management, ecommerce and technology roles.

Netra Kumar is managing director and global head of healthcare at Bank of America's Global Payments Solutions, based in New York. She leads a team providing working capital and cash management solutions to large corporate pharmaceutical and med tech clients globally. With more than 22 years of banking experience, Netra has held leadership roles across various sectors and geographies.

Before joining Bank of America, Netra spent 11 years at Citi, where she managed a portfolio of large corporate clients in the consumer, retail, and healthcare sectors. She also led a team of account managers across the U.S. Earlier in her career, she worked with Citi's commercial banking business, managing technology clients in India and San Francisco.

Netra is committed to mentoring women and minority-owned entrepreneurs through various organizations. She is involved with Bank of America’s women’s leadership council and led the Power of 10 Program for GCIB.

Netra holds an MBA from the Institute for Technology and Management and a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Madras University. She lives in New Jersey with her family and a beloved golden retriever.

Elizabeth Lions is a career coach, specializing in IT and engineering for more than 20 years. She is the author of "I Quit - Working For You Isn't Working For Me" and "Recession Proof Yourself!" and "Hear Us Roar - Unapologetic Women Leading in Corporate America."

Her client list includes individuals from Worldpay, TSYS, Booz Allen, Microsoft, Northrup Grummond, Amazon, Samsung, Global Payments, Bank of New York, Mellon and many other Fortune 500 companies. Elizabeth has developed leadership webinars and one on one sessions for people that struggle with office politics, negotiations and even how to deal with being passed over for a promotion.

In 2020, Elizabeth won the Wnet “Game Changer” award due to her compelling webinar topics and coaching to PayTech Women, formerly Wnet.

She is humbled and honored to have worked with stellar groups as a speaker for IEEE, Women in Engineering, PayTech Women, formerly Wnet, and Women in Technology International.

For more about her work, please visit www.lionsology.com

Outhay Lovan, pronounced O-tie, is the Chief Strategy Officer at VizyPay. She is dedicated to scaling and growing the organization through strategic initiatives. Outhay is passionate about People Strategy, a modern approach to Human Resources. With over 15 years of experience in HR, she aims to grow and disrupt the traditional Human Resources cycle with a more people-focused and strategic approach, aligning individuals to organizational goals. Her personal mission statement is to inspire influencers to ignite empathy.

As a results-driven professional with extensive experience in company strategy and human capital management, Outhay is skilled in strategic planning, talent acquisition and employee development to drive organizational success and foster a high-performance culture within a forward-thinking organization. She has a proven ability to align HR initiatives with business outcomes, enhance workforce engagement and implement innovative solutions to optimize operational efficiency.

VizyPay has received the high honor of being a four-time winner of the Des Moines Register’s Top Workplaces, a Bronze award for Human Resources Department of the Year in 2023 and an annual Stevie Award recipient as a Best Place to Work in Financial Technology. The company has also earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 and Inc. Regionals list three years in a row, an impressive distinction characterized by holistic company growth.

Outhay, a mother of four, including two adult boys, balances her professional life with a busy family life. Having a balance is essential for your mind and body.

Christine Lopez is responsible for the business direction of the SHAZAM Payments Network.

With over 20 years of experience in payment processing, she has a deep understanding of how payments work and a thorough knowledge of the economic, competitive and regulatory landscape of U.S. and global payments.

Lopez shares her knowledge as an active member of many industry groups and holds an MBA in business from the University of Phoenix.

Bijay Alex Mathew is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in driving revenue growth and leading high-performing technology sales teams. As the Chief Revenue Officer at Art of Mentoring, Bijay plays a pivotal role in scaling transformative mentoring solutions that empower organizations to develop, engage, attract and retain their talent.

Bijay serves as the Austin Executive Chapter Head for Pavilion, where he engages with the community of GTM executives and supports professional growth through networking and mentorship.

Crystal McCorkle has over 15 years of experience in the payments industry. Working daily as an enthusiastic and versatile leader, she is currently a client service consultant skilled in relationship management, issue resolution and facilitation as well as process improvement. Receiving several professional awards and recognitions over the years, her most recent and cherished recognition was as a 2022 ETA Forty Under 40 Honoree.

Extremely passionate about promoting and upholding a culture of excellence, diversity and inclusion, she has served on the Steering Committees for both the Global Payments Women’s Network, leading External Partnerships, and the Global Payments Onyx Network, leading the Community Pillar.

She’s also a very active servant leader for PayTech Women, serving on the President’s Advisory Council as a co-chair for the DEI Task Force and Atlanta Chapter planning leader. Her servant leadership continues into her local community as well, serving as a Hands On Atlanta Civic Fellow and on the Executive Board of the Marietta-Roswell Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Cheryl Mills has 20 years of experience in the payments industry, including navigating four acquisitions. For most of that time, she has focused on providing white-glove customer service to Payroc’s top large partners and merchants.

While building, developing, and leading the Canadian merchant services team, her areas of expertise include card-not-present transactions (authorization and settlement), reconciliation, onboarding, and supporting merchants through all phases of their implementation and usage.

Cheryl is a proud member of Payroc’s DEI committee, aligning with her belief that we can all better ourselves through dedication, commitment, and mutual respect. Outside of that, she volunteers with the organization Look Good Feel Better, which assists women facing cancer.

FinTech leader with over 25 years’ experience in technology implementation, quality management, process improvement and risk management.

Core strengths include developing and implementing frameworks for managing third-party risks, streamlining operational processes and meeting regulatory requirements.

Passionate about bringing together diverse teams to achieve organizational goals and drive positive change.

Megan Mountain is an influential executive in the FinTech industry, currently serving as the Executive Director, Head of Pay by Bank US, at JPMorgan Chase. With 15 years of experience, she leads the development and delivery of innovative payment solutions, most recently having joined J.P. Morgan in 2022 to spearhead the Pay by Bank product in the United States.

Megan is recognized for her expertise in product strategy, revenue optimization and user experience. She has a strong track record of implementing agile methodologies and enhancing SDLC processes, with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Her contributions to the FinTech community extend beyond her professional roles, as she is an active leader in PayTech Women and Women In Technology. She is an alumna and prior board member of Money 20/20 RiseUp and frequently speaks on DEI initiatives, especially in the Payments and Technology industries.

Megan holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, along with certifications in Scrum, Project Management, and Six Sigma. Her passion for innovation and commitment to excellence have earned her recognition as part of the Electronic Transactions Association's Forty Under 40 cohort and as one of the Most Influential Women in Payments NEXT.

Aoife Murray has 11 years of experience in corporate and financial services, having held various product and sales roles at Datapac and Bank of Ireland before joining J.P. Morgan in 2021.

Aoife is currently a vice president at J.P. Morgan, based in Dublin, Ireland, leading the modernization stack in the merchant acquiring business in EMEA. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics and sociology from the University of Limerick and has completed her Qualified Financial Advisor and Chartered Banker certifications through the Institute of Banking.

Angie Norvitch is an experience design consultant at Slalom in Minneapolis. She is passionate about creating intuitive, usable, and accessible designs for all.

Outside of work, Angie is a dog mom to her 3 year old miniature American shepherd, Nelson, and an aunt to two nieces and two nephews. She also enjoys spending time outdoors, crocheting, working on home improvement projects, and watching Minnesota sports—always hoping for a championship season.

Breana is an industry veteran with over a decade of experience in payments. From leading Learning & Development North America or implementing Robotic Process Automation (RPA) at Paysafe, to scaling operations and marketing initiatives at companies such as Meritus and Argyle Payments, Breana drives organizations into their next phase of growth.

Known for her ability to implement scalable infrastructure while integrating meaningful employee engagement, she optimizes business processes in alignment with company culture and strategy.

Currently in the process of relaunching the PayTech Women Asian/Pacific Islander (API) Inclusion Group, Breana believes intentional diversity can transform and empower organizations. She loves coffee, travel and getting her family to try new bakeries on weekends.

Kristin Oja is the founder and CEO of STAT Wellness, host of the Little By Podcast, Doctor of Nursing Practice and expert in functional medicine.

She opened the nation’s first Medicine + Movement practice, STAT Wellness, in 2019 and has since expanded to 3 locations (with a 4th on the way), more than 35 employees and nearly 7,000 patients.

Her passion is to help people feel better than they ever thought possible. Outside of STAT Wellness, Kristin is a wife and mom to precious 2- and 3-year-old daughters.

Anuradha (Anu) Pal is a seasoned IT professional with extensive experience in the financial services sector. She is passionate about problem solving through process automation, data analysis & design and firmly believes that creative use of technology can lead to value creation for businesses.

Anu strives to build strong teams and focuses on creating value by collaborating, process engineering and innovation. For the past 16 years, Anu has been working with U.S. Bank with progressive roles and responsibilities within the finance organization and currently leads the BI and Data Analytics team for Corporate Payments and Treasury Services (CPTS) and Partner Compensation team for Merchant Processing Services within the Payments CFO team.

Her interests & creativity have driven her to deliver new technology solutions & lead process automation efforts, which include helping deliver an enterprise-level Financial Data Warehouse, and creating a data lake and financial/sales/product analytics solution for the CPTS business line.

Prior to joining U.S. Bank, Anu had over 10 years of experience designing, developing & implementing enterprise (ERP) and customized software product solutions for various industries. Anu is a University of Minnesota alumni with an MBA in finance & an MIS from Carlson School of Management.

Tiffany Patrick is a seasoned and multifaceted compliance professional with broad-based experience in financial crime and risk identification, investigation, assessment and management.

From starting her compliance career as an investigator, to quality assurance, department management and KYC/AML innovation leadership, Tiffany is well-versed in developing strategic plans while maintaining compliance with global standards and regulations to ensure business growth and development.

Tiffany’s work across her career is focused on being a leader who innovates and shares knowledge so that we raise each other up, recognize our value and grow.

Kaitlyn Payne oversees content and strategy at Discover, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping organizational direction and driving key initiatives. With more than eight years of payments experience, she has a deep understanding of leadership dynamics, particularly in navigating corporate strategy and fostering employee engagement.

Kaitlyn is a 2023 recipient of the PayTech Women (PTW) Individual Diversity Award and is a Corporate Champion for PTW. She is passionate about creating opportunities for emerging talent and empowering women to advance their careers. Kaitlyn is a dedicated mentor, committed to guiding the next generation of leaders and ensuring they have the tools and confidence to succeed in the payments industry.

She has been instrumental in aligning her company with PayTech Women’s mission and continues to push for equitable representation in leadership. Kaitlyn holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Arizona State University and a master of arts in industrial organizational psychology.

Inspired by her professional journey, Valissa has harnessed years of experience in developing talent and leading service, operations and sales teams to found Standout Career Guide—a professional development company committed to advancing mid-career women in banking, payments and fintech.

Drawing from her executive leadership experience in both startup and corporate settings, Valissa equips corporate women leaders to break through career barriers and emerge as intentional, influential and impactful leaders.

Her mission is to be a catalyst for more women to ascend to senior leadership roles, maximize their earning potential and create the life they envision—without sacrificing their well-being.

Valissa’s expertise has been featured on various panels, podcasts, articles and events where she speaks on career advancement and women’s leadership.

She has also served in community leadership roles through Toastmasters International-Conestoga Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. - Pontiac Alumnae Chapter and the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce Advisory Committee for Young Women Discovering Paths.

Currently, she serves as the Coach Committee Chair for PayTech Women, a national organization advancing women’s careers.

Valissa holds a coaching certificate from The CAPP Institute and a B.S. in Business Management from Oakland University.

She is a proud bonus mom of three daughters and wife to a wonderful husband. They reside in York, PA, and love to travel.

Katelyn Raymond is a physical therapist, trainer and director of movement at STAT Wellness.

Katelyn graduated from Georgia State University with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy and is trained in rehab-based Pilates through Polestar and ACSM for Personal Training. Katelyn specializes in Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, which is integral in assessing all aspects of functional health.

She is passionate about injury prevention and loves to educate her clients on proper body mechanics. Outside of her career, she is a wife and new mom to a sweet boy, Sutton.

Liz Reichter is a managing director and head of global commercial card product risk at Bank of America. Based in Chicago, she oversees risk management for the global commercial card product portfolio, including data quality, criticized asset monitoring and strategic transaction review. Before this role, she led product development and risk for a multibillion-dollar business.

Liz has a strong track record of delivering results, having successfully renegotiated a vendor contract for GTS and led various initiatives, including operational excellence and financial due-diligence efforts. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion and is actively involved in mentoring young professionals. With her extensive experience in finance and leadership, Liz is a valuable asset to Bank of America.

Aggie is an accomplished compliance and risk strategist with expert knowledge of the regulatory framework in both North America and Europe. Originally from Poland, she spent over two decades navigating the creative and financial industries in London, UK, before moving to Canada to establish compliance programs for organizations across North America. Aggie’s strengths lie in building alliances across a variety of company cultures, in different countries and continents.

Her current position with Payroc strengthens the company’s global reach for remote teams in Europe, UK, Canada and the U.S., with a focus on ensuring all compliance obligations are met and cross-functional teams are up to date with all regulatory changes.

Aggie previously worked as a Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) for UK-based investment firms and as a compliance advisor and strategist for several global payment companies. She is an adaptable leader in a fast-changing fintech world.

PJ Rohall is a seasoned fraud fighter with 15 years of experience mitigating fraud across the customer journey. He leverages his expertise to educate and empower fraud professionals worldwide.

As co-creator of About Fraud and Fraud Fight Club, PJ fosters communities that support and connect fraud fighters. His passionate and engaging demeanor, combined with his emotional intelligence, creates a welcoming and supportive environment.

Beyond fraud, PJ is a dedicated mental health advocate. He shares his personal experiences with anxiety and OCD to break down stigma and encourages others to seek help.

PJ's ultimate goal is to create authentic connections that empower individuals and help them achieve their full potential.

Colleen has developed and maintained programs to comply with government regulations (6050W).

She has served as a key point of contact for top vendor relationships (TSYS, First Data, Chase Paymentech and Harris NA) as well as a core project team member for initiatives including EMV, American Express OptBlue and Revenue Development.

Dana is the chair of the PayTech Women (PTW) Atlanta Chapter and the manager of product and marketing at CHARGE ANYWHERE LLC. She is a serial networker and connector of people, which is how she accidentally entered the payments industry right after college. The serendipity has continued ever since.

Dana played a key role in helping PMT Services, Inc., now Elavon, grow organically and go public during her tenure. As the fifth hire in the credit division of a company with approximately 55 employees, she helped Lynk (later RBS Lynk, RBS WorldPay, WorldPay, FIS) expand from a private company through two acquisitions over 16 years. During her time there, she earned Lynk’s first Employee of the Year Award for the greatest fiscal contribution among approximately 500 employees, with the national release of sales management software. She also developed training, product management and business development at Mainstream, now Heartland, passing opportunities to talented team members she networked into the organization.

Dana currently leads product and marketing efforts at Charge Anywhere, an omnichannel gateway solution representing multiple processors in the Americas and providing remote key injection internationally. As PTW Atlanta Chapter Chair, she welcomes any opportunity to meet and assist the growing team of current and future industry leaders.

Susan (Falck) Silcox is the deputy BSA officer and senior director of financial crimes systems and analysis at EverBank, N.A. She is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist with a career largely focused on supporting the highly regulated areas of anti-money laundering (AML) and the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). Susan has a proven track record of leading teams through bank mergers, a bank divestiture, a large bank consent order, and multiple internal audits and regulatory examinations.

She earned her undergraduate degree in industrial engineering from West Virginia University, where she developed an interest in analytical problem solving. Susan later obtained her MBA from the University of Georgia, concentrating on organizational consulting.

She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, Jason, and their two dogs, Archie and Eddie.

Gaurav is a fintech leader with a strong management consulting and strategy background. Currently, Gaurav is a senior director at FIS within the Revenue Operations & Strategy team. His role focuses on strategic sales programs to accelerate seller productivity and revenue growth including bringing AI technology to the global sales organization. Prior to FIS, Gaurav spent five years at Capco, a strategy consulting firm advising banking clients on growth strategies and regulatory affairs.

Gaurav holds an MSc in International Relations and Business from the University of Edinburgh and currently serves as a North American Board member for the university. He is an active member of the University of Edinburgh alumni community in New York City as well as the Scottish Business Network. Additionally, he received a B.A. from Rutgers University where he played on the Men's tennis team.

Based in the New York office and living in Princeton, NJ, Gaurav is a competitive tennis player and golfer and has a passion for learning about new technologies that impact financial services.

Arlene C. Santiago is a senior manager for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Discover Financial Services. She is responsible for consulting and advising on the DEI strategy to advance the North Star Goals for the enterprise. Arlene joined Discover in 2021 as a senior principal, HR consultant in human resources. Arlene believes what sets Discover apart as an employer is the amazing team culture, the diverse perspectives that help us build a stronger and better workforce to serve our customers and most importantly, the people who are purposeful in making an impact in building brighter financial futures.

Prior to joining Discover, Arlene managed a healthcare system in Oak Park as an associate vice president in human resources.

Arlene obtained a B.A. in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. She also received an M.B.A. from Concordia University Chicago.

Arlene currently serves as a regional lead for Discover’s HOLA Employee Resource Group. She recently served as a board member for the Chicago Public School Local School Council and leads volunteer efforts for the OneHR team at Discover.

John Skinner is co-head of the Treasury Services Payments business, providing a wide range of payment solutions for clients in the Corporate & Investment Bank, Commercial Bank and Business Banking lines of business. Global Treasury Services Payments products include commercial card, ACH, disbursements, foreign exchange, corporate clearing, real-time payments, prepaid card, integrated payables/receivables, B2B/B2C and Pay by Bank payments.

John joined J.P. Morgan in 2011 to lead Commercial Card Partnerships and became head of Commercial Card Client Management in 2016. In 2019, he was named head of Commercial Card, overseeing all aspects of the business. In 2022, he was appointed head of the Core and Emerging Payments business, which has since expanded to include all payables products and regions.

Before joining J.P. Morgan, John held various roles at American Express for over 17 years, including positions in product management, marketing, sales, relationship management, finance and business management.

Originally from London, John moved to the U.S. with his wife and three children in 2010 and is currently based in New Jersey. He holds a bachelor’s degree equivalency in business administration from New York University’s Stern School of Business and is a senior sponsor for PayTech Women at J.P. Morgan.

One of the country's leading authorities on payment systems law, Holli is a partner at Taft Law, formerly Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss. She is a Board Member of Taft and chairs the firm’s Electronic Payments Group, which specializes in card processing, ACH, fintech, money transmitter and payments systems law.

Holli has been recognized as a Most Influential Woman in Payments, Best Lawyer in America, Michigan Super Lawyer and DBusiness Top Lawyer. She has received the MWAA Industry Achievement Award and numerous other industry awards.

Holli serves on the board of directors of APP (Association of Payment Professionals), formerly MAC (Merchant Acquirer's Committee), and is a past president of ETA.

Storm Vance brings a wealth of experience and expertise to mentorship and leadership development as a program designer and workshop facilitator using Art of Mentoring's methodologies. She is a trusted leader in creating impactful and sustainable mentoring programs. Storm is dedicated to providing exceptional experiences for a diverse international portfolio, including corporate, government and association clients.

Sara Walsh is the head of vendor, 3rd party and network management within the Global Payments Solutions organization. In this role, she manages strategic, cross-functional payment partnerships for Bank of America. Her team is responsible for managing economics, compliance, controls, contracts, client engagement, regulatory advocacy and enterprise payment initiatives. Sara works from the Wilmington, Delaware office.

She began her career at MBNA, working in multiple operational areas and Human Resources. At Bank of America, Sara transitioned to project management in 2006 where she gained card processing expertise supporting projects such as Credit Card Pricing Flexibility, UDAAP, Credit Card Act and Reg ii, which inspired her shift to the payments industry.

Sara has led her current team since 2011. They’ve re-engineered network operational processes and established 13 single-process inventories and 150 controls to ensure the accuracy of payments processing, monitor compliance with third-party and regulatory obligations and maximize network/vendor economics. They’ve created a best-in-class relationship management and compliance organization for card issuing and acquiring. Her team recently expanded to support cross-functional processing third parties and direct bank-to-merchant engagement.

Sara graduated from the University of Maine with a BS in sociology. She is a sponsor for several bank-sponsored mentor/mentee programs. She is an ally for the LGBTQ+ community and serves on the U.S. Payments Forum Steering Committee. She currently lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with her husband and two teenage children. She is an active member in her community and supports the Salvation Army of West Chester. In the summer, you will find Sara at the New Jersey shore.

With a robust 18-year trajectory in marketing, Christina embodies the essence of a servant leader in the executive realm. Her approach intertwines strategic innovation with a genuine devotion to her team's growth and well-being. Starting in client success and advocacy, she honed a profound customer-first perspective, which now informs her holistic view of the customer journey, from initiation to loyal advocacy.

At the helm of marketing as senior director at ACTIVE Network, Christina not only crafts and oversees the strategic direction for a diverse product and service portfolio, but also ensures that these strategies are in harmony with sales objectives, driving unparalleled results. Her commitment extends beyond traditional business growth; she is a catalyst for process enhancement, optimizing efficiency and elevating quality. Christina believes in servant leadership — prioritizing the empowerment and development of her team members.

Christina fosters an environment where innovation, creativity and excellence flourish, encouraging her team to evolve into leaders themselves. She champions a culture of collaboration, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued.

Geeta Wold is an esteemed payment professional and dedicated humanitarian who immigrated from India to the U.S. As a published scientist with a master’s degree in biomedical laboratory science, Geeta successfully transitioned from a scientific background to a thriving career in the financial services industry, where she has excelled for over 17 years. Currently serving as VP, Senior Product Manager, and Partner Experience Leader at U.S. Bank, Geeta plays a pivotal role in driving the company's modernization efforts through innovative strategies and product development.

In addition to her impressive professional achievements, Geeta's commitment to making a difference extends beyond her work. For three years, she served as a prominent member of the DuPage Habitat for Humanity, Women Build Steering Committee, leading a team of women in the construction of affordable homes for underprivileged women. She also contributes her expertise as a member of the President's Advisory Council for PayTech Women, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women in the Payments and Fintech industries.

Geeta's empathetic leadership, industry experience and dedication to empowerment demonstrate her positive impact. Her innovative spirit, commitment to community service, and unwavering resilience make her a role model for women in her field and beyond.

Frances Zelazny is Co-Founder & CEO of Anonybit, a decentralized biometrics infrastructure (not blockchain!) that is breaking new ground in user privacy and digital security. With over 25 years of experience scaling up enterprise SaaS companies in cyber, fintech, digital identity and analytics, Frances leads with strong vision and operational capacity.

In prior roles, Frances has led marketing and strategy teams at L-1 Identity Solutions (now Idemia), MyCheck, BioCatch and most recently, Signals Analytics and CommerceIQ. Since her early days in biometrics, Frances has been an outspoken advocate for consumer privacy and the responsible use of biometrics, and has helped craft regulations that guide the collection, usage and sharing of biometric data.

Frances has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Hofstra University and a master’s degree in international affairs from New York University.

With over three decades of invaluable experience in the dynamic landscape of the technology industry, Shannon stands as a stalwart advocate for innovation and inclusivity. Throughout her illustrious career, she has not only adeptly navigated the ever-evolving realm of new technologies, but has also fervently championed the advancement of women in this field.

Armed with a degree in mathematics and computer science, Shannon embodies a profound dedication to perpetual learning and the dissemination of knowledge, driving positive change and empowerment within the tech community.