Kara Ford

Experienced payments professional with a strong background in banking, offering 13 years of expertise in driving exceptional financial service offerings for commercial, retail, and small business clients. A seasoned leader is known for successfully implementing transformative payment experiences, including Zelle, RTP, and FedNow solutions, to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Kara is responsible for outreach initiatives with the Federal Reserve Financial Services targeting key payment stakeholders in the industry to advance the strategic objectives. Notably, Kara was one of 30 women selected to participate in the inaugural RiseUp accelerator program - a program aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in leadership positions in fintech and Financial Services sponsored by Money2020 and Visa. She was a finalist for the USA Women in Payments Rising Star which is awarded to a woman under the age of 35 who has working experience in the financial services or fintech industry and is excelling in their career. She is also a President's Award for Excellence winner, given to individuals who deliver the highest level of work and results within the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank.