Distinguished Payments and Fintech Leaders Share Vision
for Fostering DEI and Leadership Opportunities for Women in Paytech Industry
KENT, Ohio – Jan. 10, 2022 – Women’s Network in Electronic Transactions (Wnet), the premier non-profit organization serving professional women in the payments and fintech industries, today announced that its Board of Directors unanimously elected new leaders to its Board, Executive Committee, and President’s Advisory Council. Intensely committed to Wnet’s mission of professional parity, the 2022 leadership group includes broad industry representation, enabling Wnet to empower women from the financial services industries at every level and increase their career opportunities. The full roster is available below and on the Wnet website.
Wnet Selects Executive Committee; Discover’s Kelly Tufts Named Wnet President
As part of the Wnet Executive Committee’s seamless leadership transition, Discover’s Vice President of Field Talent Kelly Tufts, previously president-elect of Wnet, moves into the role of president, succeeding Mary Uslander, senior vice president and head of SMB Solutions, Fiserv, who is now immediate past president. Kelly Beatty, executive vice president and head of Payment Solutions, FIS, is now president-elect; Polly Van Duser, SPHR, senior partner – Payments & Fintech, Greenings International, transitions to treasurer; and Audrey Blackmon, fintech advisor, Acies.AI, joins the Executive Committee as secretary.
“I am pleased to announce our leadership team for 2022 and am honored to serve the Wnet community as president,” said Tufts. “I welcome this opportunity with pride and with a dedication to continue our efforts to create a world where a woman’s potential is as unlimited as her ambition.
“On behalf of the Board, I would like to welcome our newest Board Director, Genevieve Dozier, chief business development officer, Merchant’s PACT. Additionally, I would like to thank President Mary Uslander for successfully navigating us through a year full of ambiguity and change while increasing our memberships and corporate partnerships. Finally, my sincere thanks to Immediate Past President Joan Herbig, board of directors, ControlScan, Inc., for her leadership and long-term vision in support of our mission to empower and invest in women. Their guidance and dedication have been instrumental in enabling Wnet to expand our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the paytech industry.”
Tufts Leads an Experienced, Diverse and Dynamic Group of Leaders, including:
Founding Members: Diane Faro, president and partner, Savify; Linda Perry, retired senior vice president, Visa, Inc.; and Holli Targan, attorney and partner, Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C.
- President Kelly Tufts, Vice President of Field Talent, Discover
- President-Elect Kelly Beatty, Executive Vice President and Head of Payment Solutions, FIS
- Immediate Past President Mary Uslander, Senior Vice President and Head of SMB Solutions, Fiserv
- Treasurer Polly Van Duser, SPHR, Senior Partner – Payments & Fintech, Greenings International
- Secretary Audrey Blackmon, Fintech Advisor, AI
- Gail Burgos, Executive Director, Girls Inc. of Columbus
- Dawn Delaney, Vice President, Innovation & Fintech Partnerships, Wholesale Payments, JPMorgan Chase
- Genevieve Dozier, Chief Business Development Officer, Merchant’s PACT
- Laura Gibson, Associate Director, Technology Consulting, Protiviti
- Stacy Hughes, Chief Information Security Officer, Global Payments Inc.
- Cynthia Knowles, Vice President, Head of Business Administration, FIS
- Liz Pike, President, Green Rhino Recruitment
- Serena Smith, Chief Client Officer, i2c
- Jess Turner, Executive Vice President, New Digital Infrastructure & Fintech, Mastercard
Wnet 2022 President’s Advisory Council Reflects Leadership at Every Level
The Wnet President’s Advisory Council members bring unique knowledge and subject matter expertise to the Board. The Council continues to expand to more fully represents the diverse voices of women leaders and male advocates across the paytech industry and includes:
- Tania Ali, Head of Legal/Consultant, Velo Payments
- Berica Askew-Breier, Vice President, Product Control, Bank of America
- Joe Carella, Professor of Strategy and Assistant Dean, Executive Education, Eller College of Management, University of Arizona
- Natasha Collins, Head of Revenue Operations & Enablement Global Enterprise Sales, PayPal
- Beth Deck, Executive Vice President of Finance, Global Payments Inc.
- Sonal Desai, Director Technical Product Management, Fiserv
- Diane Driscoll, ETA CPP™, Director of Compliance & Risk, US Alliance Group (USAG)
- Angela G. Griffin, Senior Analyst, Strategic Initiatives, Transformational Management Office, Global Payments Inc.
- Joanna Hanner, Senior Product Manager, Discover
- Jaquelyn Jackson Simmons, Vice President, Compliance & Operational Risk Manager, Bank of America
- Evie Jeang, Managing Director, ID Tech
- Kathryn Kmiotek, Channel Marketing Strategist, BillGO
- Tracy Korb, Senior Content Marketing Writer, FIS
- Robin Leidenthal, Senior Director, Global Payment Partnerships, eBay
- Elizabeth Lions, Executive Career Coach & President of Lionsology
- Whitney Stewart Russell, President, Digital Channels and Digital Lending, Fiserv
- Rose Sikorski, Head of Sponsor Bank Compliance, FIS
- Jennifer Tramontana, President, The Fletcher Group
- Rebecca Walden, Vice President, Marketing, First American by Deluxe
- Tom Wimsett, Chairman & Managing Partner, Merchant’s PACT
“These exceptional women – and the men who advocate for them – are dedicated to championing DEI in our industry and positioning women for leadership opportunities and professional success,” said Wnet CEO Wendy Holliday. “Collaborative relationships with our corporate partners, sponsors, ETA, Money20/20, EWPN, MAC, RSPA, and others, along with our 2022 programs, including PayTechWomenLive and our annual Wnet Leadership Summit, will provide our members lasting connections with professionals from the global payments ecosystem.”
About Wnet
The Women’s Network in Electronic Transactions (Wnet) is the premier professional organization for women in payments and fintech, providing personal enrichment no matter what stage members are in their careers. The organization provides world-class national and regional programming, fosters networking and promotes mentoring to help members achieve greater personal success, influence and professional parity. Incorporated in late 2005 and launched in 2006 to empower and invest in women, Wnet is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization serving thousands across the global paytech industry annually. For more information about national and regional events and programming, or to become a member, visit www.wnetonline.org. Follow Wnet on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
