Biography

Katie Decker is a highly accomplished professional with a diverse range of experience in the banking and consulting industries. She began her career as a teller at a bank and quickly rose through the ranks due to her exceptional leadership skills and work ethic.

At the age of 23, she was appointed Managing Officer of ACH, Wire, Zelle, and Check Operations as well as general ledger reconciliation at a regional bank in Colorado, where she managed 35 people in high-risk areas and sponsored technical teams. She also attended her first Nacha Smarter Faster Payments conference.

At 24, Katie received her AAP Accreditation and was commended by the Colorado House of Representatives for her work founding a Young Professionals group for the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce which aims to get more women into paid Board positions. Two years later, she contributed to a white paper for the Faster Payments Council’s work on cross-border payments and guided her Payment Operations team through the COVID-19 pandemic.

At 27, Katie joined EY, a Big Four consulting firm, as a Payments Consultant. Within three months, she was promoted to a Managing Consultant and has since helped to provide thought leadership on ACH, Wire, RTP and Payments Risk for the firm. During her time at the firm, Katie has become a trusted advisor helping large national and regional banks navigate the changing landscape of Payments through her multi-faceted knowledge of Risk, Compliance, and Operations. She leads teams to find industry-leading solutions regarding a wide range of topics from Strategy to Operational Excellence to Audit and Compliance.

At 28, she became an Accredited Payments Risk Professional (APRP), further solidifying her expertise in the field. Katie’s impressive track record and dedication to her work make her a valuable asset to any organization.

How is the nominee propelling the industry forward?

Katie is propelling the industry forward in several ways:

Industry Collaboration and Thought Leadership: In her role as a consultant, Katie advises large regional and national banks on Payments Strategy, Payments Risk, and general compliance for ACH, Wire, and Real-Time Payments. She serves as a subject matter advisor for long-term payments strategy at several large regional and national banks and led efforts to create industry-leading Payment risk assessments for large national banks. She is an active promoter and participant within the Colorado Payments Networking Group and has attended three Nacha Smarter, Faster Payments conferences. Katie also contributed to a cross-border payments white paper for the Faster Payments Council and responses to requests for comment for the Federal Reserve and Nacha.

A Trusted Advisor: In a constantly evolving environment, Katie has a proven passion for the payments industry. Her ability to collaborate and create a shared vision with clients has been instrumental in driving the industry forward. Katie is helping clients navigate the changing landscape of electronic payments from a risk and operations perspective. She is a lead for the firm on matters ranging from payments strategy to operational excellence to audit to compliance. Given her wide-ranging background and payments knowledge, she is well-positioned to support clients and EY’s service offerings in these areas.

Mentoring Young Payments Professionals: Katie has a passion for encouraging young professionals to learn the technical language of payments, which can be intimidating for beginners. She encourages other young professionals to dive into areas in payments and learn the terminology by encouraging young professionals to attend the Colorado Payments Networking group. Katie is the lead trainer for the firm for ACH, Faster Payments, and Wires. She has also directly mentored or assisted over 15 young professionals to receive an AAP, APRP or CTP designation.

Where do you see the nominee succeeding in the future?

Katie has a proven track record of excellence, with a demonstrated ability to think innovatively and exhibit leadership potential within the industry. Katie’s future will be influenced by the following qualities:

Career Trajectory and Proven Leadership Skills: The nominee has demonstrated a proven track record of excellence and leadership potential within the payments industry. She has successfully led large teams for a regional bank and where she was recognized for her strong performance. Within her consulting career, Katie is recognized for her expertise, leadership and performance and was promoted to a Managing position within three months of joining EY. Katie’s passion for both payments and people will continue to propel her into further roles within the industry.

Track Record of Creating Accessible Spaces: Katie founded a Young Professionals Board for the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce which received commendations from the Colorado House of Representatives for mission of getting more women on corporate and non-profit boards. She mentors many Gen Zer’s in the payments space and understands the unique challenges of Gen Z careers from navigating a remote work environment to reinventing work-life balance and career progression. Katie’s current work with the Colorado Payments Networking group and her efforts in mentoring young professionals continue to build her legacy of creating accessible spaces for young professionals and women within the payments industry.

Expertise and Innovation in Industry: In her consulting career, Katie will continue to advise large national and regional banks. Given her track record of engaging in industry groups and providing industry perspectives to regulators, Katie is set to become a meaningful contributor to the future of payments. As an advocate for life-long learning, Katie continues to pursue accreditations to bolster her industry knowledge and plans to obtain both the Nacha Real-Time Payments and AFP Certified Treasury Professional accreditations.

RETURN TO 15 UNDER 40 FINALISTS