Laurel Sykes is the Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Officer for American Riviera Bank. She holds the designation of Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager, with more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry. During her career she has implemented enterprise-wide risk management, compliance, fraud, anti-money laundering, vendor management and business continuity programs for banks ranging from $1 billion to $7 billion in assets. She currently oversees regulatory affairs and enterprise risk management for American Riviera Bank and leads the Bank’s consumer compliance function and the anti-money laundering/financial crimes unit. Also reporting to Laurel are the Bank’s Human Resources and Employee Learning departments, as well as the Marketing and Product Management functions. She graduated with a degree in Business Economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara and is currently pursuing a Juris Master’s in Financial Regulation and Compliance from Florida State University.

Sykes joined Santa Barbara Bank & Trust in 1995 and moved into the bank’s consumer compliance function in 1997 after completing an engagement on the bank’s merger and acquisition team. She worked for 14 years at Santa Barbara Bank & Trust and its parent company, Pacific Capital Bancorp, where she rose to the position of Director of Regulatory Affairs before accepting a position in 2009 with Montecito Bank & Trust as SVP, Chief Risk Officer. There, she was responsible for risk management, compliance, regulatory affairs, information privacy, fraud mitigation, and the financial elder abuse prevention program.

As American Riviera Bank’s Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Officer, Laurel volunteers her time to teach financial literacy throughout the Bank’s market and has presented both locally and nationally on programs to prevent financial scams targeting seniors. She is the Bank’s Security Officer, and a member of the Central Coast Scams Against Seniors working group, which is co-facilitated by the FBI and the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office. She lends her expertise in elder financial abuse and consumer compliance to the California Bankers Association as part of a working group that is currently advocating for changes in state laws to improve multi-disciplinary collaboration to combat elder fraud and financial abuse. She is also a member of the National Adult Protection Services Association’s Financial Exploitation Advisory Board.

Laurel is on the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, where currently serves as Treasurer. She is also a member of the Public Policy Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Finance Committee. Laurel is active in the local non-profit community, serving as a Board member for 2nd Story Associates, the non-profit arm of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB). She also sits on the Program Coordinating Committee for the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program of the HACSB. She is a past board member and Treasurer for the Goleta Valley Girls Softball Association.

Laurel was honored as one of three finalists for the Western Bankers Association (WBA) Banker of the Year award in 2017 and was recognized as one of the Top 50 Women in Business by the Pacific Coast Business Times in 2024. She delights in spending time with husband Tom and their two daughters, and enjoys distance running with their two Siberian Husky rescue dogs.

With over three decades of dedicated experience at Wells Fargo, Paul Shimotake is a seasoned legal executive specializing in regulatory compliance, digital banking, and risk management within the financial services industry. He has built his career helping financial institutions navigate complex legal and regulatory landscapes, providing clear, actionable guidance that aligns with business objectives and safeguards institutional reputation.

Paul is passionate about partnering with executive leaders and cross-functional teams to transform challenges into opportunities, driving innovation and sustainable growth. Known for his practical and collaborative approach, he consistently delivers solutions that balance strategic risk management with operational realities.

A trusted advisor and strategic thinker, Paul combines deep industry knowledge with a commitment to supporting organizations as they evolve in an ever-changing regulatory environment. His focus remains on enabling clients to move forward confidently and successfully in today’s dynamic financial services landscape.

Mr. Cook is a principal of Aldrich & Bonnefin, PLC, and manages the firm’s Corporate and Lending Practice Group which includes corporate securities law and commercial and consumer lending. Mr. Cook regularly advises financial institutions and their boards of directors on various matters, including corporate governance issues, commercial lending matters, contracts and bank regulatory matters. He also advises on new banking products and services. Mr. Cook frequently speaks at events in the financial industry, including Bankers’ Compliance Group® events. Mr. Cook is a member of the State Bar of California and the Orange County Bar Association. He led the OCBA’s Banking & Lending Section as its Chair for 2018, having previously served as its Vice-Chair and Treasurer. Mr. Cook is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of the firm.

Keith R. Forrester, Esq., is a principal of Aldrich & Bonnefin. Since 1993, Mr. Forrester has been extensively involved with advising financial institutions on a variety of general banking operations and compliance matters. Mr. Forrester is a member of the firm's Operations and FinTech Practice Group and in that capacity assists financial institutions in areas such as Bank Secrecy Act compliance, funds transfers, information security, negotiable instruments, electronic banking, new accounts, treasury services, right to financial privacy laws and legal processes.

Steve is a Principal in Wolf’s Advisory Group and serves on the Firm’s Regulatory Compliance Team, where he is responsible for coordinating, executing, and overseeing regulatory compliance services for clients. Steve guides clients through the myriad of federal and state banking statutes from an operational and legal perspective. Steve specializes in developing and customizing regulatory compliance performance and reporting structures, customized to the entity’s unique characteristics and tailored to its individual risks. He assists with the universal regulatory compliance challenges facing all entities; such as growth, asset size, and transitions; as well as specific challenges such as examinations and BaaS / SaaS relationships from both sides.

Stephen joined Wolf in 1996 and has over thirty years of experience as a compliance advisor, facilitator, and resource for financial institutions, fintechs, cryptocurrency entities, mortgage lenders, and investment advisors in compliance matters. He is an avid speaker and regularly travels to events to educate members of financial industry associations throughout the country.

Christine Reins-Jarin is a U.S. Postal Inspector with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force.

A key member of the Wipfli’s Financial Services Regulatory Compliance team, Tracy works with clients to assess the effectiveness of their compliance program for both large and small financial institutions. She provides compliance training and easy-to-understand explanations of complicated regulations. Tracy has more than 28 years of financial institution experience, including a strong background in regulatory compliance, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)/Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and operations. This experience has allowed Tracy to develop strong advisory, training and leadership skills. She has designed, implemented, and monitored full-scope, risk-based compliance and BSA programs. Tracy has a deep understanding of the issues facing financial institutions and is able to provide meaningful insight and recommendations.

Dan Roderick has 40 years of banking experience, both on the inside as a banking executive and from the outside, as a consultant. Prior to joining Strunk, Dan was a senior executive with the U.S. Banking Alliance and Jack Henry & Associates Inc. Previously in his career Dan held management positions with GMAC Bank, now Ally Bank, Equifax, Prudential Bank and Mellon Bank.

Over his career, Dan has helped hundreds of financial institutions improve profitability and implement more disciplined and effective product strategies. He has considerable experience building profitable financial services businesses, developing rational product pricing practices, and implementing product re-pricing and profit improvement initiatives. At Jack Henry, he worked with hundreds of community financial institutions, providing loan and deposit pricing advice and related software that improves banking margins.

Dan received his BSBA in Finance from The Ohio State University and an MBA in Finance from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.

Olivia Lindsay is Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Officer of Banc of California. In this role, Ms. Lindsay oversees the Enterprise Risk Management organization and has responsibility for the Bank’s BSA, AML and overarching risk program across the Bank.

Prior to assuming her current role, Ms. Lindsay has served in various capacities including Deputy Chief Risk Officer and Deputy BSA Officer since joining Banc of California in 2016. Ms. Lindsay has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry with a focus on the management and execution of operational and regulatory processes and controls. Prior to joining Banc of California, Ms. Lindsay spent 15 years at MUFG Union Bank in various roles, including Managing Director of the Performance Excellence Group.

Ms. Lindsay has extensive experience in the areas of risk and control framework development and operational process design and optimization. Ms. Lindsay’s areas of expertise include business process re-engineering for BSA/AML operations, third-party risk management, credit life-cycle operations, issues management, exam management and governance oversight. As a Lean Six Sigma certified expert, Ms. Lindsay has worked with business leaders to continually reimagine their service delivery models in order to remain competitive, efficient, compliant and relevant.

Ms. Lindsay also serves on the board for Hope Builders, an organization which empowers young adults of Orange County through mentorship and skills training.

Ms. Lindsay received her business administration degree from USC, with an emphasis in International Business.

Jason Lane is senior vice president, director of government relations for the California Bankers Association and leads the advocacy efforts for CBA, which involves analyzing legislation and regulatory activity, and the development of policy positions. Lane is one of four lobbyists at CBA, and he also lobbies on behalf of the association on issues related to the state budget, privacy, bank operations and consumer lending legislation. 

Before joining CBA in May 2006, Jason Lane served as director of government affairs for Providian Financial and managed the bank’s financial privacy compliance program, as well as tracked and analyzed the impact of federal legislation and rulemaking for the company.

Kevin Gould is the president and CEO of the California Bankers Association (CBA). In his role, he is responsible for executing the association’s mission and vision. Kevin works closely with CBA’s executive committee and board of directors to develop and implement strategic plans to serve our members and the banking industry.

Joining the CBA in 2004, Gould is involved in all aspects of the association’s operations, including advocacy, professional development, finance, external communications, and human resources. He has more than 25 years of public policy experience, 19 years of which have been dedicated to advocating for the CBA.

Before being named president and CEO, Kevin led the association’s state and federal government relations department. He continues to serve as one of CBA’s three registered lobbyists and remains engaged in the association’s advocacy efforts.

Gould is a member of the 2009 graduating class of the Pacific Coast Banking School and is the 2016 recipient of the Almon McCallum Award for distinguished and meritorious service to the California banking industry.

Craig Saperstein assists clients in developing and implementing sophisticated government relations strategies at the federal and state levels that are geared to provide a demonstrable return on investment.

Craig lobbies on behalf of corporate, nonprofit, foreign sovereign and public sector clients in Congress, the executive branch, and state and local governments. He represents clients on a variety of policy issues, including financial services, cybersecurity, international trade, veterans, energy, economic development, transportation and health care matters.

Stan Ivie is Executive Vice President and the Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Banc of California and its holding company, Banc of California, Inc. He leads the bank’s regulatory strategy and serves as a liaison to legislative and regulatory agencies. Mr. Ivie also oversees the bank’s Community Reinvestment Act and environmental, social and governance programs. In addition, he is the Chairman of the Banc of California Foundation and guides its charitable giving program. He is a member of the bank’s Executive Leadership Group.

Before joining Banc of California in November 2023, Mr. Ivie had been Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of Pacific Western Bank and PacWest Bancorp since March 2016. In that role, he oversaw the bank’s risk management strategy, as well as the policies and practices that assess and mitigate financial, operational and strategic risks. Previously, Mr. Ivie held various leadership positions with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), including Regional Director for the FDIC’s San Francisco and Dallas regions, and Deputy Director for the Division of Resolutions and Receiverships. Earlier in his career, he served as interim Director of the Office of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C., and as a professional staff member for the Financial Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives under a fellowship program.

Mr. Ivie is an active leader in the banking industry. He is the immediate past Chairman on the Executive Committee for the California Bankers Association and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Pacific Bankers Management Institute at Pacific Coast Banking School.

Mr. Ivie earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Southern Oregon University.

Walter J. Mix III is a former commissioner of the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), formerly known as the California Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), and previously served as a banking executive at Union Bank of California.

Mr. Mix, who heads the Financial Services practice at BRG, advises domestic banks, international banks and financial services companies on corporate governance, enterprise risk management, strategic planning, financial advisory, FinTech, digital currency, payments and credit risk management. He has significant experience with the Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-money laundering, sanctions, cyber security, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions and capital planning. He has extensive experience serving as a monitor based on the approval of regulatory agencies and law enforcement. He also advises clients on reengineering and implementing technology to improve profitability, including artificial intelligence. In addition, he performs litigation and expert services based on his extensive expertise in financial services. He speaks frequently before bankers’ groups and regulatory seminars.

In his position as commissioner, he reorganized the organization and improved its efficiency and effectiveness. Mr. Mix worked with financial institutions on more than 60 mergers and acquisitions. He reengineered the examination processes for banking and other licensees. He was instrumental in the development and passage of California’s identity theft law and many other laws, including the interstate banking and branching law and cooperative supervisory agreements for domestic and international banks. Mr. Mix also spearheaded proposals designed to enhance financial institutions’ electronic banking and commerce capabilities. He joined BRG from LECG, LLC and before that The Secura Group; he served as managing director in both firms. Mr. Mix is a graduate of the University of California, Riverside and earned a master’s degree with a concentration in economics and public policy from Rutgers University.

Anders Corey currently serves an advisor to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger focusing on housing, land-use, legislation, development and the County’s emergency response. He began his career as a Campaign Manager for Supervisor Barger in her first campaign in 2016 and went on to serve as her Deputy following her election. Anders also manages the Supervisor’s political strategy, including her 2024 re-election campaign. He has served as a commissioner on the LA County Mental Health Commission, and also currently serves on the Board of the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency.

Supervisor Barger was re-elected in March 2024, and represents the Fifth Supevisorial District, encompassing the San Gabriel, San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys.

Anders is a graduate of Biola University where he graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Humanities before he went on to receive his Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Angela Rudd is the Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at Tri Counties Bank. Ms. Rudd oversees the Enterprise Risk Management Organization, which includes oversight responsibilities over Enterprise Risk Assessment, Model Risk Management, Third Party Risk Management, Business Continuity, Insurance Risk, and the overarching risk programs across the company. Also reporting to Ms. Rudd are the Compliance Risk Management, BSA, and Mortgage QC programs. Ms. Rudd provides oversight and thought leadership to other risk functions, including Information/Cybersecurity and the bank’s Fraud Investigations Unit. She is a member of the Bank’s Executive Leadership team, and the regulatory liaison where she serves as the intermediary between the Bank and regulatory authorities such as the FDIC, state of California, and the Federal Reserve. 

Before her current role, Ms. Rudd served as the Chief Audit Executive at Tri Counties Bank, where she transformed the Internal Audit function. She has also held various leadership positions at SVB Financial Group, Protiviti, Grant Thornton LLP, and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

With over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry with a focus on audit, enterprise risk, regulatory compliance, accounting, and internal controls, Ms. Rudd has a proven track record of developing and implementing enterprise-wide risk management and internal audit programs.

Ms. Rudd holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Honors in Accounting and Marketing from the University of Manitoba.

Ted Teruo Kitada is retired. He was formerly a senior vice president & senior company counsel with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., from 1997-2020, specializing is bank operations with an emphasis on Articles 3, 4 and 4A of the UCC; unclaimed property; Regulations D, E, CC, DD, GG, and the NACHA Operating Rules. He is an advisor to the CBA Legal Affairs Committee.

Walter E. Muñoz is a Senior Supervisory Manager within Supervision + Credit Group at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. In this role, he oversees the supervision of a portfolio of 12^th District community banks. He also manages a team of examiners and takes an active role in the department’s efforts to develop, train, and mentor supervisory staff. Prior to his current role, Walter served as a Senior Examiner, where he led numerous safety and soundness supervisory events of foreign and state-member banking organizations of varying size and complexity.

Prior to joining the SF Fed, Walter worked at the United Nations in Washington D.C. and a national lender in the San Francisco Bay Area. Walter graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in Political Economy. In his hometown, Costa Rica, he spent several years in the global trade and customs administration industries. He studied international relations and economic development at the University of Costa Rica.

Jason Levingston is an accomplished Chief Information Officer and technology executive with extensive experience leading digital transformation, IT strategy, and enterprise operations in the financial services sector. Known for driving innovation, cost reduction, and employee engagement, Jason has successfully led large teams and managed multimillion-dollar budgets at organizations including Tri Counties Bank, Golden 1 Credit Union, Mutual of Omaha Bank, and AAA Insurance. His expertise spans IT governance, information security, automation, mergers and acquisitions, and infrastructure modernization. A military-trained leader, Jason holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and multiple executive certifications, and is recognized for building strong partnerships, empowering teams, and delivering measurable business value through technology.

Paul Abramson is the Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer for American Riviera Bank. He is leading our bank in technology and cyber security strategy. Mr. Abramson comes to us with over 20 years of experience in the Technology and Cybersecurity industries, of which 13 years has been in banking. He previously served as the lead technologist and cybersecurity architect for Montecito Bank & Trust, and before that worked for a network security solutions provider designing and implementing threat management deployments for large enterprises. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in Business Economics, and recently completed the Western Bankers Association Executive Development Program. He frequently shares his cybersecurity expertise at community events to help prevent fraud and financial crime in the local area, and has been invited to present to industry groups including the FDIC.

Harry Khalsa joined Aldrich & Bonnefin, PLC* in 2023. He is part of the firm’s Consumer Lending Practice Group.

Mr. Khalsa obtained his juris doctor degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 2007, Cum Laude. While at New Orleans College of Law, he served as Managing Editor for the Journal of Public Interest Law. Mr. Khalsa went on to obtain an LL.M. in Property Development Law from the University of Miami School of Law in 2008. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Mary Washington in 2003.

Prior to joining Aldrich & Bonnefin, PLC, Mr. Khalsa worked as Senior Counsel in the commercial workout section of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Throughout his career he has also worked for several law firms serving clients in the banking and financial services industry.

Mr. Khalsa is a member of the State Bars of California, Virginia, Florida and the District of Columbia.

Tricia Engelhardt is a principal of Aldrich & Bonnefin, PLC*, specializing in consumer finance and banking operations.

Ms. Engelhardt graduated from Whittier Law School, Summa Cum Laude. She was the valedictorian of her law school's graduating class and served as Executive Editor of the Whittier Law Review. She received her bachelor's degree from Framingham State College, Framingham, Massachusetts in 2002. Prior to law school, Ms. Engelhardt worked as a senior auditor at a regulatory compliance firm in Boston.

In 2017, Ms. Engelhardt was appointed co-chair of the State Bar of California’s Consumer Financial Services Committee. She has been a member of that Committee since 2015.

Ms. Engelhardt is a member of the State Bar of California and the Orange County Bar Association.

John Davis is a principal of Aldrich & Bonnefin, PLC. Mr. Davis is part of the firm’s Banking Operations & Fintech and Corporate Practice Groups, specializing in corporate governance operation matters, and regulatory compliance, including banking operations, bank powers, legal processes, third party risk management and contract negotiations. Mr. Davis also regularly advises clients on matters related to data privacy and information security laws, including with regard to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and the California Consumer Privacy Act. He also has expertise in state licensing laws applicable to non-bank lenders, such as the California Financing Law.

He joined Aldrich & Bonnefin, PLC in May 2017 as a Summer Associate and remained with the firm as a law clerk until he became an Associate Attorney in June 2019. Mr. Davis graduated from Whittier Law School, Summa Cum Laude in December 2018. While at Whittier he served as a fellow at the school’s Center for Intellectual Property Law. He received his bachelor's degree from Boise State University in 2013.

Mr. Davis is a member of the State Bar of California and the Orange County Bar Association. Mr. Davis is also a member of the California Bankers Association Privacy Committee on Legal Affairs.