Loading…
Welcome to the 2026 CDBA Peer Forum website! Thank you for attending the largest annual gathering of CDFI, MDI, and other mission-focused bank representatives.

Scroll down to create an account or login to register and purchase your tickets!

Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

We’d like to thank our growing list of 2026 Sponsors:
Diamond: IntraFi; FICO; Baker Tilly US, LLP; FICO
Gold: Banc Consulting Partners; Sones & White
Silver: American Bankers Association; HelloBello Financial; Mission Driven Bank Fund; Independent Community Bankers of America
Bronze: Smiley Technologies, Inc.; National Community Investment Fund; Regions Bank; Holman Capital;  BNY; Jones Walker; RBC Global Asset Management; Wellthi Technologies; C8 Capital Network; Paul, Weiss
Friend: Community Funding Advisors; TrustPlus; FASTPACE; Renasant Bank; Prosprous AI; Wells Fargo; Logue Advisory Group; FUND Consulting; Performance Trust; Cashy; Nelson Mullins; Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Supporter Plus: RiskExec
Supporter: Conference of State Bank Supervisors; Goldman Sachs; Abrigo
Please reach out to us if you are interested in becoming a sponsor to learn more about sponsorship benefits.

Here’s the Peer Forum at a glance:

Advocacy Day and Pre-Conference Cocktail Reception: Tuesday, June 2, 2026 
Peer Forum Conference: Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026 and Thursday, June 4, 2026
Meeting Location: National Housing Center (NHC) Auditorium at:
1201 15th St NW, 1st floor, Washington, DC 20005
Attire: Business casual for all Peer Forum activities

Hotel Information: The National Housing Center is located in downtown, Washington D.C., within walking distance of a variety of hotels offering rooms at a wide range of price points. We invite you to explore some of the options in our “Hotel Options List.” Please note that CDBA has not arranged a room block at any individual hotels for this event.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Advocacy Day, please email Jack Dunn at [email protected]

Schedule:
  • June 2: Advocacy Day and Pre-Conference Cocktail Reception
  • June 3: Sessions from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm ET
    • Cocktail reception at 6:00 pm ET followed by dinner at 7:30 pm ET at Del Mar
  • June 4: Sessions from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm ET
← Back to schedule
AI for Mission-Driven Banking: Practical Use Cases for Community Development Bank Operations
Thursday June 4, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
National Housing Center (NHC) Auditorium
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the operational backbone of financial services. For community development banks and CDFIs, the opportunity is not just about efficiency. It is about strengthening internal systems so institutions can scale their mission, deploy capital more effectively, and better support the communities they serve. 
This panel will focus on back-of-house applications of AI, highlighting how mission-driven institutions are using technology to streamline operations such as underwriting support, compliance and reporting, data management, and workflow automation. 
Moderated by Baker Tilly’s Digital Solutions and AI practice lead, the discussion will bring together leaders from community development banking and technology to explore practical implementation strategies and governance considerations. 
Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of where AI can drive immediate operational improvements and what guardrails are needed for responsible adoption. 
Sponsor: Baker Tilly
Speaker
avatar for Steve Giles

Steve Giles

President & CEO, Central Bank of Kansas City
Steve Giles is president and chief executive officer of Central Bank of Kansas City, a $350 million community development financial institution focused on delivering financial services to meet the needs of the community in a socially responsible way. CBKC, the only CDFI bank headquartered... Read More →
avatar for Marlene Dehart

Marlene Dehart

Cybersecurity Executive Leader and Advisor, Enterprise and Emerging Web3 and Decentralized Technologies, Southern Bancorp
Marlene is a highly experienced cybersecurity leader with a successful career spanning over two decades. She has been instrumental in governance, risk and compliance, internal audits of various international companies, banking, and financial services, secure product development, enterprise... Read More →
avatar for Kristy Esquibel

Kristy Esquibel

First Southwest Bank, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer
Kristy is executive vice president and chief credit officer of First Southwest Bank in Alamosa, Colo., where she oversees credit quality, underwriting, loan operations, and special assets. She has been with the bank for more than 10 years and has held leadership roles across credit... Read More →
avatar for Dave DuVarney

Dave DuVarney

Principal, Baker Tilly
Dave DuVarney is a principal with Baker Tilly’s digital solutions practice, specializing in enterprise artificial intelligence strategy, advanced data analytics, and digital transformation. With more than 25 years of experience, Dave collaborates with organizations to envision... Read More →
avatar for Commissioner Rhoshunda Kelly

Commissioner Rhoshunda Kelly

Commissioner, Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance
Rhoshunda Kelly has been the commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance since 2021, and began her career with the department in 2001 as a bank examiner trainee. Earlier in her tenure with the department, she was a field examiner and a review examiner... Read More →
Thursday June 4, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
National Housing Center (NHC) Auditorium
  CDBA Speaker

Sign up or log in to save this to your schedule, view media, leave feedback and see who's attending!

Tweet Share

Get help with the event

Contact event planner Event login
View support guides Find upcoming events
Create an event you'd love to attend!
Explore why organizers choose Sched • Success stories
Event App • Event scheduling • Event registration • Event ticketing • Sched forms • Call for papers • Badges • Conferences
© 2026. SCHED LLC - All rights reserved - Helping events since 2008
Event Planning Software • Privacy • Terms
Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link