Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Timeline
Generic

Patricia A. Smolsky

Tempe

Summary

Dynamic and accomplished executive risk management leader with over 15 years of progressive experience in banking fintech and banking-as-a-service (BaaS) sectors. Known for consistently driving organizational success through development and execution of enterprise-wide risk frameworks, demonstrating deep expertise in compliance, third-party risk management, regulatory effectiveness, and operational resilience.

Overview

15
15
years of professional experience

Work History

Global Risk/Compliance Advisor

SIGHTSPAN
Remote
01.2025 - Current
  • Responsible for managing multiple clients with concurrent projects simultaneously.
  • Provides expert advice on risk mitigation techniques, ensuring optimal operational and global regulatory risk compliance, including global regulatory rule applicability specific to client, products/services, location(s).
  • Assesses regulatory compliance requirements to ensure adherence to industry standards and minimize legal exposure, including due diligence reviews and risk assessments on behalf of sponsor banks.
  • Develop and implement key risk controls, including policies, procedures, processes and audit management.
  • Reviews and assigns necessary compliance training for Board of Directors, Senior Leaders and other recommended staff.

Head of Risk and Compliance

Spare, CS
01.2025 - Current
  • Led risk advisory initiatives in collaboration with CEO and operational teams to establish robust policies.
  • Oversaw vendor and bank oversight, including life-cycle management and AML solutions.
  • Conducted regulatory research and contract reviews to ensure compliance standards.
  • Facilitated multiple executive-level meetings for strategic planning and oversight.
  • Engaged with key vendors and sponsor banks to enhance operational partnerships.

Head of Risk and Compliance

Embark Financial, LLC
01.2024 - 01.2025
  • Performed in a consultant position to support risk and compliance functions as it relates to Sponsor Banks, Credit Builder Loans, vendor decisions and documentation.
  • Identified potential sponsor banks and review banks for appropriate support for the product offering through executive meetings and due diligence.
  • Assisted in discussions with automated loan platforms and other supporting service providers.

Senior Third-Party Risk Manager

Airbnb
08.2023 - 11.2023
  • Serve in a contract position as a Senior Risk Manager overseeing one direct report, performing a vast array of third-party risk assessments such as invoice and contract analysis, leveraging legal background to analyze and report on any issues identified in terms.
  • Collaborated with BSA/AML and fraud teams on oversight for existing and future products.
  • Responsibilities included vendor management, monitoring performance, looking for duplications, and working cross-functionally to communicate findings and sunset vendors as needed.

Senior Manager, Third Party Payments Risk

KEYBANK
Cleveland
01.2022 - 01.2023
  • Performed as Senior Manager of Payments Risk and oversaw one direct report, responsible for establishing an enhanced risk governance model, building a payments risk framework, and creating a Risk Appetite Statement within the first line Enterprise Payments line of business, delivering robust cost savings.
  • Functioned as the first line of defense, reporting directly to the regulators, senior executives, and the board of directors, ensuring that the organization is performing responsibly with all BSA/AML, compliance, and risk management requirements.
  • Facilitated a risk analysis and collaborated with consultants to identify areas of underperformance and areas of risk and built a mature organizational risk program.
  • Analyzed existing policies and procedures and utilized forward thinking to make changes as needed to support organizational risk management in the future.
  • Leveraged extensive expertise to oversee the management of multiple projects concerning risk governance, regulatory exams, internal findings, risk profiles, internal audit exams, and other remediation efforts.
  • Utilized legal background to facilitate risk assessment on all contracts, performing deep dives to analyze and identify any issues that could affect the performance of the organization in the future.
  • Provided strategic direction and guidance to support all product leaders, payment advisors, and relationship managers concerning risk-related reviews, escalations, and both new and existing changes in client relationships and product development.
  • Designed and facilitated two risk meetings on a regular monthly basis, providing critical information to identify, prioritize, and mitigate risks to ensure ongoing top performance.
  • Collaborated with senior management on quarterly reviews and updates, communicating regularly to support the target operating model.
  • Led the review of any changes made to risk controls, policies, and procedures, analyzing impacts, and providing final approval or leading further discussion on areas of concern.
  • Partnered with Embedded Banking team to consult on BaaS products, regulations and risk management requirements.

Head of Enterprise and Third-Party Risk Management, North America

Railsbank, Inc
California
01.2021 - 01.2022
  • Promoted to project manager and head of enterprise risk management for North America, leading a team of 2 in creating and implementing a third-party risk management program to facilitate product introduction and global expansion.
  • Established a fraud oversight program, including policies and procedures, and formed a dedicated team for fraud oversight activities.
  • Developed risk programs for new products, including credit card as a service (CaaS) and banking as a service (BaaS), along with a product enabling early invoice payments via virtual IBANs.
  • Acted as lead liaison with U.S. sponsor banks regarding North American program oversight, risk management, and regulatory compliance, conducting due diligence and risk assessments.
  • Utilized partnerships with global teams to create and launch an enterprise risk management program tailored to regional requirements.
  • Directed information security processes aligning North American development with corporate policies while assisting with ISO 27001 and PCI certifications.
  • Oversaw development of processes concerning AML transaction monitoring, directing execution and compliance oversight.
  • Collaborated with head of compliance to support SOX reporting, developing compliance policies, reviewing user experiences, and approving customer communications.

Enterprise Project Manager, North America

Railsbank, Inc
01.2020 - 01.2021
  • Recruited to serve as Enterprise Project Manager for North America, overseeing credit card project initiatives and other product project planning, successfully supporting future North American product introductions.
  • Oversaw project planning and agendas, as well as facilitated the meetings to ensure all meeting tasks were completed and track completion deadlines.
  • Collaborated cross-functionally with Legal, Compliance, Product, and Corporate, ensuring projects are successfully completed.

Senior Director, Implementations, Revenue Operations

Green Dot Corporation
Pasadena
01.2019 - 01.2020
  • As Senior Director of Implementations and Revenue Operations, reviewed external client demands and developed strategic project plans and management, ensuring that implementations were delivered on time and within budget, as well as compliant with all regulatory and risk considerations while meeting or exceeding client expectations.
  • Provided project direction and collaborated with top enterprise Fintech programs, including Walmart Healthcare, Walgreens, Intuit, Uber, Apple, and Stash, working cross-functionally to execute all components of projects, including product support, partner integration, API development and coding, payments processing, customer care, marketing, and supply chain.

Senior Director, Third-Party Risk Management

Green Dot Corporation
Pasadena
01.2018 - 10.2019
  • Developed a robust TPRM program with supporting documentation, processes and automation in RSA Archer.
  • The program was audited and tested by the federal and state regulators and resulted in an increased score from 2 to 4.

Director, Third-Party Risk Management

Green Dot Corporation
Pasadena
01.2018 - 01.2019
  • Recognized for expertise and recruited to build the risk management function and regulatory audit support for Green Dot and Green Dot Bank, establishing a solid foundation to support organizational growth and success as well as SOX compliance.
  • Established the leadership, innovation, governance, and management needed to identify, elevate, mitigate, and monitor the overall exposure for third-party risk across all product lines, including updating policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements while ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives and delivering successful regulatory exam results.
  • Collaborated with all SME’s, including head of BSA/AML, Compliance, Information Security, Business Continuity and Legal.

Vice President, Third-Party Risk Relationship Management

The Bancorp
Wilmington
01.2015 - 01.2018
  • Hired as a Third-Party Risk Senior Analyst and was recognized for ongoing top performance and promoted multiple times before ultimately becoming the Vice President of Third-Party Risk Relationship Management, hiring, and building a team to oversee the planning, testing, and implementation of crucial risk process enhancements, improving risk, compliance, and AML infrastructure and supporting successful oversight and growth of the Bank’s payments division and BaaS partnerships.
  • Directed the development and implementation of the first line of defense controls and governing processes, which included compliance reviews, SOX reporting, oversight of business and partner documentation, internal templates, and partner guidelines.

Lead Auditor, Healthcare, HIPAA and Financial Services

IS Partners
Dresher
01.2011 - 01.2012
  • SOC 2 audits, Business Management audits, and other exams as needed.

Education

Juris Doctor - International Law

Villanova University, Charles Widger School of Law
Villanova, PA
12-2004

Bachelor of Business Administration - International Business

George Washington University
District Of Columbia
05-1999

Skills

  • Compliance execution and fulfillment
  • Third-party risk management
  • Enterprise risk management
  • Payments risk program execution
  • Governance, risk, and compliance
  • Banking as a service (BaaS)
  • Compliance as a service (CaaS)
  • Prepaid solutions
  • General purpose reloadable (GPR) cards
  • Startup risk development
  • Audit and controls management
  • State and federal exam oversight
  • Corporate governance practices
  • BSA/AML compliance
  • Information security and business continuity planning (BCP)
  • Fraud prevention and management
  • Team leadership and management
  • Strategic planning and execution
  • Creative problem-solving techniques
  • Process improvement methodologies
  • Analysis and reporting skills
  • SOX reporting and oversight practices
  • Financial services expertise
  • Fintech knowledge
  • Healthcare compliance expertise
  • Legal compliance strategies

Timeline

Global Risk/Compliance Advisor

SIGHTSPAN
01.2025 - Current

Head of Risk and Compliance

Spare, CS
01.2025 - Current

Head of Risk and Compliance

Embark Financial, LLC
01.2024 - 01.2025

Senior Third-Party Risk Manager

Airbnb
08.2023 - 11.2023

Senior Manager, Third Party Payments Risk

KEYBANK
01.2022 - 01.2023

Head of Enterprise and Third-Party Risk Management, North America

Railsbank, Inc
01.2021 - 01.2022

Enterprise Project Manager, North America

Railsbank, Inc
01.2020 - 01.2021

Senior Director, Implementations, Revenue Operations

Green Dot Corporation
01.2019 - 01.2020

Senior Director, Third-Party Risk Management

Green Dot Corporation
01.2018 - 10.2019

Director, Third-Party Risk Management

Green Dot Corporation
01.2018 - 01.2019

Vice President, Third-Party Risk Relationship Management

The Bancorp
01.2015 - 01.2018

Lead Auditor, Healthcare, HIPAA and Financial Services

IS Partners
01.2011 - 01.2012

Juris Doctor - International Law

Villanova University, Charles Widger School of Law

Bachelor of Business Administration - International Business

George Washington University
Patricia A. Smolsky