Keynote Speakers | Washington Summit

Washington Summit Keynotes

Travis Hill was confirmed to a five-year term as the 23rd Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board of Directors beginning on January 2, 2026. Hill had previously served as FDIC’s Acting Chairman since January 20, 2025, and had also served as Vice Chairman since January 5, 2023. Prior to his terms on the Board of Directors, he was Deputy to the Chairman for Policy from 2018 to 2022 and, before that, served as Senior Advisor to the Chairman. In these roles, he oversaw and coordinated regulatory and policy initiatives at the agency and advised the Chairman on regulatory and policy matters.

The CSBS Board of Directors appointed Brandon Milhorn President and CEO in December 2023. Milhorn has nearly three decades of advocacy, policy, legal, and regulatory experience, primarily in and around Washington, D.C., including five years in critical senior leadership roles with the FDIC, seven years in the private sector with Raytheon and over a decade of public service as staff director and chief counsel for the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, general counsel for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, as an attorney at the CIA and in two prominent U.S. Court clerkships.

Forums Keynotes

A gutsy trailblazer, Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour’s resume is an impressive collection of “firsts” including America’s first Black woman combat pilot. After her military service, FlyGirl revved up her career in the private sector as an entrepreneur, consultant to business, and author of Zero to Breakthrough, The 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter. As a speaker, FlyGirl unleashes hard-hitting advice and amazing anecdotes from her adventures on the battlefield and in business. She helps individuals and organizations Get Gutsy and build a sustainable inner force and conviction, that results in accomplishing significant goals.

Ryan Coaxum is the Senior Vice President of Community Development and External Affairs at Moody Bank, where he leads corporate affairs and advances initiatives focused on economic opportunity, affordable housing, and financial literacy. He builds strategic partnerships across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors to deliver meaningful, community-centered impact while strengthening the bank’s brand and influence across Texas and beyond. He has been recognized locally and nationally for his business and community leadership, including honors such as 40 Under 40 and Savoy Magazine’s Power 300.

Chris Estrade began his career with Hancock Whitney Bank, then Hancock Bank, in November of 2005, where he serves as Vice President of Business Banking in Gulfport, Mississippi. Estrade enjoys serving his community and looks for opportunities to give back. He recently completed his term as the 2025 Chairman of the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce, having previously chaired the chamber’s Small Business and Economic Development committee. Estrade is also proud to serve as a member of board of directors for Habitat for Humanity’s Bay-Waveland affiliate.

Alana M. Hill, PMP, CSP, is an international keynote speaker and change leadership expert, inspiring professionals to lead change in themselves and others to create resilient, inclusive, and competitive organizations. She is a passionate energy industry veteran who has paved the way for women leaders in tech. Her experience as an engineer and project manager in talent development provides real‐world insight into how people and teams can excel, even in uncertainty. Hill’s career has been marked by her leadership of diverse teams and the delivery of high-impact workshops worldwide.

Lucas Miller is a cognitive scientist, author, and MBA faculty at UC Berkeley Haas. He teaches two popular MBA classes called "The Science of Productivity and Performance" and “AI for Personal Productivity and Performance” and has been featured in Wired and The Wall Street Journal. Miller’s current research focuses on the evolving interplay between productivity and technology, where he teaches organizations how to leverage AI as a cognitive copilot that can help us overcome the brain’s limitations and free up bandwidth for what matters most.