Execs receive Most Powerful Women in Banking awards at gala

October 24, 2025 4:28 PM

Most Powerful Women in Banking gala stage

On Thursday night in New York City, American Banker held the 23rd annual Most Powerful Women in Banking awards gala, honoring executives in four categories: Most Powerful Women in Banking, Most Powerful Women in Finance, Most Powerful Women to Watch, and Top Teams, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Honorees and their supporters spoke at the event about why the award mattered to them.

Julie Monaco of Citi.

Chana R. Schoenberger

Julie Monaco, Citi

Lifetime Achievement Award winner

Julie Monaco spent four decades in banking, retiring from Citi earlier this year. She received the American Banker Lifetime Achievement Award on Thursday night.

She recalled that at the beginning of her time on Wall Street, fewer than 10% of senior bankers were women. One of the trailblazers was longtime Citi exec Marjorie Magner, who presented Monaco with her award at the gala.

"It's the exclamation point on the end of a great career," Monaco said at the event. "I shared this stage many times over the last 20 years with many women who are deserving of this award."
— Chana R. Schoenberger

Kristin Lesher, Truist

Most Powerful Women in Banking

Kristin Lesher is this year's No. 11 Most Powerful Woman in Banking. She oversees Truist's wholesale banking business, one of the bank's two business units, and reports directly up to Truist CEO Bill Rogers.

"To me it's recognition of all the hard work for the team at Truist which has been growing and building our franchise," she said at the gala.

Lesher joined Truist in early 2024. The bank's investment banking and trading revenue grew 46.4% in 2024, compared with the prior year, while its payments revenue rose 10% year over year in the first quarter.
— Claire Williams

Kate Berry

Jill Castilla, Citizens Bank of Edmond

The Most Powerful Women in Banking

Jill Castilla, who runs a community bank outside of Oklahoma City that has a digital arm aimed at military servicemembers called ROGER, said the award reflects confidence in the power of smaller institutions.

"Every time, it's just like a gift," she said at the event. "It says to our staff that a small team can do great things, that we're powerful, that we're strong and that we can make an impact." — Kate Berry

Michal Katz of Mizuho (left) and fellow honoree Lynn Martin of NYSE

Michal Katz, Mizuho

Most Powerful Women in Finance

Michal Katz is one of a small number of investment banking executives on Wall Street who are women. Like many of the honorees, she brought her grown daughter to the gala, along with a table of colleagues.

"There are so few women in finance. It's a great recognition of what we've been able to achieve, but also I do feel like it's our obligation to pay it forward for my daughter's generation." — Kate Berry

Meghan Shue, Wilmington Trust

Kate Berry

Meghan Shue, Wilmington Trust

Most Powerful Women in Finance

Wilmington Trust's Meghan Shue appears on the ranking for the first time this year. In 2022, she was previously on the Most Powerful Women in Banking: NEXT list, which recognizes 40-and-under rising-star executives. Shue and Uma Wilson of UMB, who is on this year's Most Powerful Women to Watch, are the first Next honorees to later be named to the more senior ranking.

"I think it's such an honor to be able to represent my team and have the support of so many colleagues," Shue said at the gala, "and to be able to meet so many amazing women and create bonds that I hope will last." — Kate Berry

Two executives, John Asbury and Maria Tedesco, in evening wear appear in a dimly-lit room.

John Asbury and Maria Tedesco of Atlantic Union Bank.

Kate Berry

John Asbury, Atlantic Union

Atlantic Union Bank CEO John Asbury attended the gala to support Maria Tedesco, his president and COO, who appeared on the Most Powerful Women to Watch ranking.

"One of the bigger challengers of the industry is talent, and women have historically been under-appreciated and under-represented," Asbury said. "I have a huge appreciation for the importance of supporting women in banking. I had the great fortune early in my career when I was at Bank of America to work for a number of women in banking. There's nothing unusual about women executives.

"When I think about Maria Tedesco, who is being honored and has been for seven years, I don't see a woman president and COO, I see one of the best leaders who happens to be a woman."
— Kate Berry

Kathleen Stanley, Webster Bank

Most Powerful Women to Watch

"Honestly, this is one of the most amazing honors that I have had in my career. My husband asked me what this was, and I likened it to an Emmy," said Kathleen Stanley, executive managing director, head of verticals and regional banking, at Webster Bank, who appeared on the list for the first time. "Some of these women that have been honored are women that I have looked up to and aspire to be and have followed in their careers. So for me, it's a little surreal, but it is an incredible honor for myself, it's an incredible honor for the bank that I represent, Webster Bank, and it's an incredible honor for my children. I have two girls, so to be able to stand up here with all of these incredible women and be acknowledged, it's a little bit of that's why mommy wasn't around sometimes, but it's truly one of the biggest honors that I've had in my career." — Penny Crosman