Ashleigh Ashbrook is a visionary leader at the intersection of member experience, digital innovation, and employee empowerment. As Vice President of Experience, she drives strategic transformation across the organization, blending human-centered design with cutting-edge technology to elevate both customer and employee journeys for more than 18 years. Ashleigh leads an AI team that has developed three virtual agents—each designed to streamline internal knowledge sharing and enhance member support. These intelligent systems are reshaping how teams collaborate and how customers engage with banking services, delivering faster, smarter, and more personalized experiences. Her work spans member experience redesign, digital banking innovation, and culture-building initiatives that foster agility and empathy. With a passion for scalable impact and a deep understanding of emerging tech, Ashleigh is helping redefine what service looks like in the modern financial landscape.

CEO of Biz2X and Biz2Credit, Rohit is one of America’s top experts in small business lending and the use of FinTech to streamline the funding process. He was named New York City’s “Top Entrepreneur” by Crain’s New York Business. He has met with top executives from the Federal Reserve and SBA and was invited to the White House by the President’s Council of Economic Advisors to update economists on matters related to small business lending.

Chris Ward is the Head of U.S Small Business Banking and Regional President of the Mid-South Metro for TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank. He is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is responsible for leading TD’s efforts to deliver best-in-class banking products, services and advice to small business customers across the bank’s U.S. footprint. He is also responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership to TD Bank’s local Retail teams throughout a network of 135 stores and banking hubs in Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, North Carolina; Wilmington, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina. Ward has nearly 35 years of banking experience. Before joining TD Bank, Ward served as the Small Business Credit Executive for Bank of America, where he led a team across underwriting, fulfilment and portfolio management within the bank’s national footprint. He has previously served in leadership positions in business banking and retail banking at Citizens Financial Group, BBVA Group/Compass Bank and the former First Union National Bank. Outside of work, he is active in the community. Ward sits on the Consumer Bankers Association Small Business Committee and previously was part of the European Financial & Marketing Association’s Business Banking Council. He is passionate about resources for parents and caregivers and served as executive sponsor of an employee resource group while at Bank of America. He was named Global Employee Resource Group executive sponsor of the year in 2022. Ward attended the Consumer Bankers Association Graduate School of Retail Bank Management at University of Virginia and has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida Atlantic University.

Thomas Sebok is the Chief Commercial Banking Officer for Citadel Credit Union. With a robust background in commercial banking, Tom brings over two decades of experience in financial services, specializing in fostering relationships and enhancing customer experiences across markets. Tom joined Citadel from JP Morgan Chase, where he served as the Executive Director – Business Banking. In this role, he was accountable for the retention, expansion, and growth of Business Banking in the firm’s most densely geographic market share nationwide, Midtown Manhattan. Prior to that, Tom served as the Executive Vice President – Business Banking Territory Executive at PNC Bank, where he led a team of 317 employees in 15 states to develop and implement a commercial growth strategy to acquire new clients, expand relationships, and enhance the customer experience. In his new role at Citadel, Tom has focused on strengthening ties with our business customers and partners. His extensive experience in business banking and community relations aligns with Citadel’s commitment to building financial strength in the communities we serve. Tom holds an MBA from Pace University’s Lubin School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts from Montclair State. His professional journey is marked by leadership, innovation, and a proven track record of enhancing operational success and customer loyalty.

Kaalund joins us on opening day for a fireside chat exploring leadership, innovation, and financial inclusion across branch and business banking. With experience spanning JPMorgan Chase, Citi, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, he brings a data-driven perspective on what it takes to lead in today’s evolving financial landscape.

RelPro equips B2B professionals in Financial Services with accurate intelligence and insights. The RelPro platform integrates 20+ data sources covering 7M+ companies and 150+M decision-makers, enabling efficient prospecting and call preparation. Over 60% of the top 50 U.S. banks trust RelPro to streamline their workflows and save time.