International Women’s Day (March 8) is a moment to celebrate progress and to recommit to the work still ahead. In financial services, women lead teams, innovate digital banking solutions, grow local economies, and champion account holders’ goals every day. This is more than a special holiday on the calendar. For us, Women in Banking is a year-round commitment to create space for leadership, connection, and candid conversations that move the industry forward, together.
What started as an engaging luncheon, focused on Women in Banking, has transformed over the last four years into a movement that gives women of all leadership levels at their organization the spotlight. Creating opportunities for them to share their stories and perspectives, lessons they learned along their career path, and the triumphs and obstacles they overcame.
These conversations quickly left the Alkami Co:lab’s conference halls and found their way to LinkedIn, the Alkami Community, and regional events where new connections continued to form. Over the last year, the Alkami team has taken the show on the road with a special event series, Spilling the Tea on Banking Trends, where we’ve hosted bankers for high tea and piping hot conversations in Washington D.C., Dallas, and Hollywood!
From coast to coast, these conversations have centered around two big forces shaping our industry: generational trends and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Turning from theory to action, leaders dug into what a $124 trillion wealth transfer over the next two decades really means for regional and community-based financial institutions and how to best show up by answering:
The data sparked honest dialogue. According to the 2025 Generational Trends in Digital Banking Study, half of digital banking users say they would switch providers for a significantly better digital experience, and 31% already have. Nearly 80% of Generation Z (Gen Z) and Millennials say it’s important that their primary financial provider understands and supports their financial goals. Perhaps most telling, 60% of female digital banking users believe their relationship with their primary financial provider will not grow in the next year. Around the tea tables, that statistic landed heavily. It sparked candid conversation about personalization, proactive outreach, and how we can use data more intentionally to make female account holders feel seen, supported, and valued.
The dialogue shifted to AI — not as a buzzword, but as a practical tool. Eighty-seven percent of bankers surveyed believe the industry will improve as a result of AI, and financial institutions are already experimenting in areas like customer service, security and fraud, financial wellness, marketing, and digital account opening. Together, we explored what it means to operationalize AI responsibly: establishing governance, defining success metrics, assembling the right cross-functional teams, and continuously monitoring and refining along the way.
What made these conversations powerful wasn’t simply the statistics to bring back to the rest of the team, but the curiosity and shared commitment in the room to explore how to implement AI successfully with measurable business outcomes. Women across marketing, operations, digital experience, and executive leadership came together to go beyond reacting to trends to actually shaping them. They challenged one another to think bigger, move faster, and design experiences that anticipate needs and drive retention. That’s the real movement taking place.
In speaking with customers in surveys and casual conversations, there’s a common theme across in-person and virtual events. It’s the atmosphere Women in Banking creates: a space that feels both candid and ambitious. Similar to the sentiment of others, one Alkami Co:lab attendee singled out the Women in Banking experience as “especially memorable and one of a kind… offering a space for connection, inspiration, and empowerment that sets Co:lab apart.” Those words echo across responses from credit unions and banks who say these impactful conversations help them see they’re not alone. That peers across the country are wrestling with the same questions about leadership, technology, and change.
Behind the scenes, that energy has shaped how we’ve evolved the program itself. What began as one Co:lab breakout session has expanded into regional events, wellness‑focused virtual workshops, a research agenda focused on women’s digital banking preferences, and a growing library of thought leadership and storytelling.
Women in Banking has evolved into a signal of who we are. A platform for mentorship, authentic conversation, and meaningful connection across roles and generations. It’s where career roadmaps are shared, challenges are normalized, and women are empowered to lead boldly and lift others as they rise.
Ask any Alkamist what Women in Banking means to them, and you’ll hear something that hits deeper. You’ll hear words like authenticity, empowerment, professional development, mentorship, growth, purpose, wellness, and change. That sentiment captures the heart of the movement: this is a conversation about elevating individuals and fostering leadership.
Across departments — from product and compliance to sales, engineering, and client success — Alkamists see the program as an essential platform for development and real-world connection. It’s where a former teller-turned-VP-turned-tech leader can share a roadmap for career growth. It’s where tenured women step forward to impart wisdom and mentor the next generation. It’s where candid conversations about work-life balance, mental health, and navigating complex career transitions are not only welcomed, but encouraged.
There’s also something powerful about the energy these conversations bring. Customers feel it. Partners feel it. Our own teams feel it. What makes Women in Banking a beacon of culture isn’t the programming, it’s the people who bring their time, willingness to listen, and care to elevate one another and themselves. A belief that when women are given the platform to share both their successes and their hardships, the entire industry moves forward. That’s culture in action. Not a statement on a website, but a lived experience — one roundtable, one story, one leader at a time.
International Women’s Day gives us a reason to pause and celebrate, but the real work is what happens on the other 364 days. Women in Banking is a reminder that leadership is contagious: when one leader shares what she’s learned, another leader moves faster; when one team builds community, the entire industry gets stronger. Here’s to the women shaping what’s next — and to every leader, colleague, and ally committed to creating workplaces and experiences where more women can lead, thrive, and be recognized for the impact they’re already making.
What is the purpose of Alkami’s Women in Banking program?
Alkami’s Women in Banking initiative is designed to create a space to engage, network, and grow through candid conversations about career growth, digital banking, industry trends, and more.
Why is International Women’s Day important for the banking industry?
International Women’s Day is important in banking because it highlights the impact women have on leadership, innovation, and community financial well-being. Women influence household financial decisions, lead modernization efforts, and shape digital banking strategy.
How can financial institutions better support female account holders?
Financial institutions can better support female account holders by responsibly using data to better understand and anticipate their needs and be able to offer 1:1 guidance and financial wellness tools, as well as design digital banking experiences that reflect their goals.
