(Miami, FL) Nelson Mullins, in cooperation with Miami Dade College (MDC) and Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), co-hosted the first ever Women in FinTech (WinFin) Conference. The conference organizers were Nelson Mullins Partners Erin Kolmansberger and Katherine Baker, and Associates Megan Kilissanly, Rebecca Lester, and Jillian Hart. This program, which took place March 31 at MDC’s Idea Center, featured several Nelson Mullins attorneys and nationally recognized thought leaders shared insights on FinTech’s global development. This Conference was also part of the firm’s celebration of Women’s History Month.

The WinFin Conference opened with remarks from MDC President Madeleine Pumariega and Venture Miami Executive Director Erick Gavin. They were immediately followed by the first panel, “Rule Makers and Rule Breakers,” which discussed navigating and creating regulations for innovation in digital assets. This panel included Partner Arina Shulga, Finder Legal Counsel Nahomi Diaz, and Assureg Executive Director Anastasia Stull, and was moderated by Katherine Baker. “It's important to educate the consumer on the risks in this industry,” said Diaz, who later added, “Having a global company gives a preview on future regulations in other countries.” Stull commented in relation to the panel theme: “You never want to learn about regulation by enforcement.”

The next panel, titled “Brick to Byte,” examined how traditional financial institutions are adapting for the digital world. It also looked at how we got from brick-and-mortar banks to digital financial systems. The panelists included Santander’s Global Legal Head of Private Banking Begoña Guzman Garate, Flexa’s General Counsel of Michelle Gitlitz, and the Federal Reserve System’s Chief Innovation Officer Sunayna Tuteja. Megan Kilissanly moderated the panel. Guzman summed up the panel by saying: “You either go digital, or there's not going to be a future for financial institutions.” Tuteja added, “Crypto has only grown up in a bull market. It hasn't been tested in a bear market yet.”

During the lunch hour, Sandra Ro, CEO of the Global Blockchain Business Council, articulated that cryptocurrency is a currency by the people. “There is a libertarian aspect to it,” she said, adding, “It came out of the 2008 financial crisis, as people no longer trusted conventional currencies and investments.” In talking about her day-to-day work, Ro explained that “When people ask me to invest, I ask, ‘What problem is it that you are solving?’”

After Ro’s presentation, the next panel, titled “Not So Binary,” examined how crypto and blockchain are changing the market and the financial industry. The panelists included Metagood Vice President of Community and Education Michelle Abbs, Vast Bank Chief Financial Officer Veronica Bickerstaff, and Nelson Mullins Partner Richard Levin. The panel was moderated by Jose “Chechu” Lasheras Abril, the Director of MDC’s Business Innovation & Technology Center, School of Global Business.

Next, the “Venture Capital” panel discussed the interaction between VC and FinTech from the point of view of VC funds, VC banks, and accelerators. The panel included MDC Executive Director Alejandro Gonzalez, eMerge Americas President Melissa Medina, OGroup Managing Director Maja Vujinovic, and Nelson Mullins Partner Jackson Hwu, and was moderated by Rebecca Lester.

Following was a fireside chat between Erin Kolmansberger and Emily Thorn, the Head of Consumer Advocacy of Marcus Goldman Sachs. Then the last panel of the day, “Diversity as a Disruptor,” featured Opportunity Miami Executive Vice President Matt Haggman, University of Miami School of Law professor Marcia Weldon, and Jenn Docherty, Associate General Counsel at Piper Sandler and founder of Bank on Women Inc. The panel was moderated by Nelson Mullins’ Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Kat Taylor.

Several panelists commented throughout the day on what this event meant to them. Tuteja expressed her enthusiasm for WinFin by saying, “Kudos to Nelson Mullins for doing this. I love the story of how [WinFin] came to be.” Thorn seconded: “Wow, it has been an honor to be here. The substance of the discussions today have been really exceptional.” Professor Weldon said, “I am blown away by the quality of the speakers you all have gathered here today.”

WinFin is an affinity group of Nelson Mullins, which was established in 2021. This group of attorneys from a wide spectrum of practice areas and geographic locations. For more information, and if you wish to join WinFin or become an ally, please contact Erin Kolmansberger, Katherine Baker, Megan Kilissanly, Rebecca Lester, or Jillian Hart.

From left to right: Nelson Mullins Partner Katherine Baker, Associates Jillian Hart, Rebecca Lester, and Megan Kilissanly, and Partner Erin Kolmansberger.