Washington, D.C. – June 15, 2023: The Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) announced that CEO and Co-founder Jo Ann Barefoot was named as one of the top-three “Most Influential Women in Fintech” this year by American Banker. The annual awards honor women helping to bring new financial technology to life and to move the industry forward in its efforts to help consumers, businesses and financial institutions innovate through better financial products and experiences.
“For her efforts to help banks, fintechs and regulators develop solutions that let financial consumers take advantage of digital innovation without harming, Jo Ann Barefoot is one of American Banker’s Most Influential Women in Fintech this year,” says Penny Crosman, Executive Editor of Technology at American Banker.
The award is among numerous recent honors recognizing Barefoot’s contributions to the financial innovation space. She was included on Innovate Finance’s Women in Fintech Powerlist and the Forbes list of 50 over 50, named Woman of the Year by Finovate, and inducted into the Fintech Hall of Fame by CB Insights.
“I’m humbled by the recognition, but I know it extends beyond myself,” says Barefoot of the American Banker award. “It’s really for our team at AIR, a majority of whom are women. To women, my advice is to embrace bravery and audacity. Dare to soar to great heights. When you do, you’ll often get what you go after,” she continues.
The top-three Most Influential Women in Fintech were announced during American Banker’s annual Digital Banking conference in Boca Raton, Florida on June 12, 2023. The news publication also recognized Maria Gotsch, the President and CEO of the Partnership Fund for New York City and co-founder of the FinTech Innovation Lab in NYC, and Katie Palencsar, Managing Director of the Female Innovators Lab Fund at Anthemis Group. A larger list honoring 20 notable females was announced by the publication earlier this year.
CEO and Co-founder
AIR is a nonprofit, non-membership organization working to make the financial system fully inclusive, fair and resilient through responsible use of new technology. By connecting regulation, finance, technology and society, AIR drives global innovation and collaboration to address rapid technology change.
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