Emerging Leaders Take Washington
Wisconsin Bankers Bring New Voices to Advocacy
By Elizabeth Fenton
The American Bankers Association (ABA) hosted its annual Washington Summit this spring, and two Wisconsin Bankers — Sarah Ziemba, Chief Talent Officer of American National Bank Fox Cities and Tisha O’Dell, Assistant Branch Manager of North Shore Bank — found themselves on the national stage, representing emerging leaders and the greater voice of the banking industry. WBA nominated Ziemba and O’Dell, who both serve on WBA’s Building Our Leaders of Tomorrow (BOLT) section board at WBA, for scholarships to attend the Summit. They joined hundreds of peers from bank associations across the country in Washington D.C., where they attended forums ranging from grassroots advocacy to fireside chats with Representative Mike Lawler (R-New York).
The ABA’s Emerging Leaders program is a deliberate push to diversify who shows up to these critical policy discussions, explained Caitlin Taylor, Vice President of the ABA State Association Alliance. “We want to make sure we have a strong industry moving forward, and that starts with preparing these leaders today,” Taylor said. “We want to bring younger voices to Washington.”
Taylor emphasized the urgent value of bringing a greater mix of perspectives and job titles to Capitol Hill. “It is important to listen to bankers who work every day with customers and can share those real-world stories with members of Congress,” she explained. ‘Their perspective is very different from a CEO who may not see daily challenges firsthand.”
The Emerging Leaders Forum — which began as a modest two-hour event attended by 50 bankers — has since blossomed into a robust, full-day event attracting more than 400 participants from all over the country.
Ziemba formed connections with bankers from all around the country. “It was really great to hear about the difference in challenges happening in California to Oklahoma to Wisconsin — and how much we have in common.” She offers encouraging words to future emerging leaders who may feel hesitant to go alone, “I loved the structure of the event. They wanted you to find people and network — you get to build relationships with people across the entire spectrum of banking.”
For O’Dell, the forum was a chance to translate her frontline perspective directly to policymakers. O’Dell is a self-described “accidental banker,” who started her career in retail and never imagined she’d one day find herself face-to-face with members of Congress. “I looked at the attendance list for the Summit and saw all these titles — CEO, CFO, Executive Vice President — and then there was me, Assistant Branch Manager,” she laughed. “It felt great that my voice could bring customer stories out of Wisconsin.”
O’Dell had the chance to meet with legislators and share her frontline perspective. “I was able to share real-world examples about my customers,” she said. “It was empowering to tell those stories from small town Wisconsin in the capitol.”
The forum invited speakers, consultants, and authors to give perspective on leadership development topics — like time management and decision-making — and how to apply those skills to the ever-evolving modern workplace where constant noise and distractions can derail even the sharpest mind. “I brought some of those lessons back to my team,” O’Dell noted, “especially around emailing more intentionally and prioritizing tasks.”
Beyond soft skills training, attendees had designated opportunities to mingle and connect. Taylor explained that many participants shared testimonies about how the event shaped their career trajectory. “Bankers get to experience how impactful it is to be an advocate on behalf of the industry and get involved with their state association at the national level,” she reflected. “My hope is that emerging leaders do raise their hand and realize there is a spot for them to grow — no matter their level or title.”
The experience left a lasting impression on both Wisconsin scholarship winners. “The event is a personal and professional growth opportunity,” Ziemba reflected. “Your network is so important — you learn how you can make a difference.” O’Dell echoed similar sentiments. “I realized that anyone — regardless of title — can have a voice in the industry.”
The Emerging Leaders Council celebrates five years of growth, and the message from Wisconsin’s bankers resounds: Bringing more diverse voices to the stage strengthens the future of banking for everyone.
Fenton is WBA’s communications coordinator.
