Gayle Ekstrom is SVP/Business Analysis and Innovation at Republic Bank of Chicago, where she works at the intersection of business strategy, process, and technology. Working in the retail banking sector over the past twelve years as both a business leader and consultant, she has extensive experience in analyzing business problems and designing strategic solutions. Gayle previously worked in the telecom industry and was granted numerous patents for her inventions. She holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois and an MBA in Business Policy and Behavioral Science from the University of Chicago.

Kelli Griffin joined Northwest bank in 2019 as Head of Customer Experience and Consumer Sales Enablement for Northwest Bank. In her role, she leads the organization in institutionalizing an experience-focused strategy across physical and digital channels and has been at the front of leading the bank’s customer and employee experience through its digital experience transformation. Additionally, Kelli leads a team of professionals responsible for the sales enablement, capability, and training of consumer banking employees. Prior to Northwest, Kelli has held various senior leader roles at KeyBank, HSBC, and First Niagara Bank.

Renee Pezzi is a customer experience, strategy, marketing and research professional with more than 25 years of experience in all phases of strategic planning, leadership and execution, research, and customer experience design. Her expertise crosses industries, having developed and led customer experience teams in healthcare at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Philips, in addition to over 15 years in financial services in various roles at Citizens Bank, as well as her current role at Atlantic Union Bank in Richmond, Virginia. Renee is currently the Head of Enterprise Experience at AUB where she brings a relentless focus on the integration of the customer and teammate experience as the foundation of a comprehensive experience strategy.

Patricia Diaz is Director of Product Marketing at Relay Network. As an experienced Product Marketing professional, she has a demonstrated history of working in the computer software industry, in both large-scale and medium enterprises. Patricia is skilled in setting global messaging and positioning for highly technical solutions, content strategy and creation, product launches, inbound marketing, B2B sales and marketing, SEO, sales enablement, and more. A Michigan Wolverine born and bred in the Dominican Republic, Patricia holds her BBA from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.