Virginia Varela
Head of Banking Strategy, Upgrade, Inc.
SoFi Bank, N.A., Officer, Divisional Bank President, Head of Community Banking
Virginia Varela brings over 30 years of financial services experience spanning federal regulation, executive banking roles, and digital innovation. She began as a bank examiner with the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, later holding supervisory roles at the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Federal Reserve, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco—establishing a strong regulatory background.
As President & CEO of Golden Pacific Bank for over eight years, she led the bank through a successful acquisition by SoFi Technologies, subsequently serving as Head of Community Banking, President of the GPB SoFi division, and an Officer of SoFi, focusing on aligning legacy operations with a digital strategy.
Virginia held CEO, President, and Board positions at four banks, recognized for successful turnarounds and remediating enforcement actions. She served as an elected director and committee chair at the FHLB San Francisco. She serves on the executive committee of Friends of Traditional Banking, Inc. Virginia is active with the American Bankers Association, served on its Community Banking Advisory Committee, and for over ten years served on the Board of the California Bankers Association where for many years she chaired the Federal Government Relations committee. She also is a director of Bank on Women, Inc., a national organization advocating for women in the C-suite and Boardroom.
Virginia currently serves as a Commissioner on the CalAccount Blue Ribbon Committee appointed by the California State Treasurer's Office, tasked with analyzing programs offering financial services to individuals with low or fluctuating incomes.
Virginia has been the recipient of many awards, including Most Admired CEO, Follow Her Lead, Most Powerful Business Executives, S&P Most Profitable Bank List, and the ABA Community Commitment Award. She is a published author on topics related to banking and regulation.
Virginia was an adjunct faculty member of the Graduate School of Banking, University of Colorado, and an economic banking consultant at USAID, and instructor at the SEACEN Center in Malaysia.
Virginia is a generous contributor of community service and participates in various local nonprofits, such as Mercy Pedalers, Inc. to address critical homelessness. She served for many years on the Sacramento Philharmonic Symphony and Opera Board of Directors.
With her blend of regulatory, executive, and fintech experience, she offers a powerful voice at the intersection of innovation and institutional trust.