About ETA

ETA Committees

Being an ETA member firm ensures you a seat at the table where industry decisions are made. Now it’s up to you to lend your voice to the discussion.

ETA Industry Affairs Committees draw payments industry innovators who volunteer to drive transformation in the industry and remain at the forefront of crucial payment issues today. ETA committees provide dedicated communities where you can actively contribute, explore, and cultivate fresh ideas and best practices in the payments sphere.

ETA Committees address pressing topics that directly affect your business. Collaborate with your industry peers and take action by volunteering for an ETA IA Committee. Participation in each ETA committee is worth ten (10) hours of CE credits for ETA CPPs.

ETA committees are an exclusive member benefit. To join the over 700 payments professionals who learn, collaborate, and together guide the industry, please click here. You may join a committee at any time.

Questions? Please contact Scott Talbott at [email protected].

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Co-Chairs: Russell Moore, Director of Corporate Strategy & Development, Global Payments  Donald Riddick, CLO & Company Secretary, Featurespace  Kevin Shamoun, SVP Product & Innovation, Fortis

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Committee will focus on how the payments industry uses AI to make payments more efficient and more secure.

Who participates: This committee is for ETA members who focus on AI. Topics for discussion include how the payments industry uses AI, what types of AI are being used now and how AI will be used in the future.

Example Topics & Outputs:

  • Definitions of AI
  • Use cases for AI
  • Future use cases for AI

Awards & Recognition

The Awards & Recognition Committee is responsible for the administration of the ETA Star Awards and ETA Forty Under Forty. The committee may be called upon to determine new venues or forms of recognition as needed.

Who participates: Senior payments veterans interested in cultivating and giving visibility to industry leaders.

Committee is responsible for:

  • ETA Forty Under Forty
  • ETA Star Awards

B2B

Co-Chairs: Abhishek, Vice President, Global Head, B2B Acceptance, Visa  Raghuram Adiraju, Vice President, Commercial Acceptance, Mastercard  Perryn Holtrop, CEO, Founder, PayNation

This committee will serve as a dynamic forum for ETA members to propel advancements in the B2B payments sector, actively addressing technological advancements, network rule enhancements, data requirements, unique and complex payment workflows. It will play a crucial role in keeping ETA members at the forefront of the ever-changing B2B payments landscape by facilitating the exchange of insights, providing strategic guidance, and ensuring continuous advancement in B2B payments landscape.

Who participates: Professionals from financial institutions, fintech companies, and key stakeholders with specialized expertise in B2B payments and electronic transactions.

Bank

Co-Chairs: Adrienne Gray, SVP, Payments Risk & Compliance, Commercial Bank of California  Mary Meade-Kolsen, Senior Risk Executive Merchant Third Party ISO Merchant Service, Synovus

This committee is for ETA members who are banks. Topics for discussion include banking compliance, the payments landscape and how it intersects with industry players, and best practices in business development.

Who participates: Business development folks at ETA member banks.

Example Topics & Outputs:

  • Future of fintech x banking
  • Disinformation and the risks to acquiring
  • Compliance

Compliance

Co-Chairs: Tom Bloodworth, Director, Enterprise Compliance, Global Payments  Gina Gioia, CAMS, VP of Compliance, AML and OFAC Officer, North American Bancard  Rob Johnson, Senior Director, Visa Rules Management, North America, Visa

This committee provides a forum for ETA member to discuss the latest compliance issues facing the industry. From public laws and regulations to network rules, the committee helps ETA members stay ahead of compliance issues.

Who participates: Individuals in the legal or compliance department of ETA members.

Crypto/Blockchain

Co-Chairs: Elly Aiala, Chief Compliance Officer, Boost Payment Systems  Hitesh Bajaj, Head of Payments Strategy and Digital Assets, TD Bank  Eric Brown, CEO, BlockWyre

The committee will help members build a strong understanding of the emerging cryptocurrency industry and the associated technology to help the payment industry stay current and relevant throughout this dynamic revolution.

The committee has created a 10-week immersive 45-minute modules. This hands-on experience will allow members to become immersed in crypto, blockchain, and the tech powering our future economy.

ETA CPP Credentialing

Chair: Diane Driscoll, Director of Compliance & Risk, US Alliance Group

This committee assists with the development of the ETA CPP program through development of ETA CPP exam questions; creation of exam preparation materials; uplifting of current exam preparation materials; marketing and advocacy on behalf of ETA CPP. Members will be the ambassadors of the ETA CPP program to promote registration and to maintain retention of current ETA CPPs.

Who participates: Current ETA CPPs within the fields of sales, operations, risk and underwriting.

Example Topics & Outputs:

  • ETA CPP Exam
  • ETA CPP Study Guide
  • ETA CPP Marketing Materials

Investment Community

Chair: Tim Chiodo, Managing Director & Lead Analyst, Payments, Processors, & FinTech Equity Research, UBS

This committee focuses on smart money flow in payments and technology trends driving investments.

Who participates: ETA members engaged in investment dynamics, including growth strategies, mergers and acquisitions, exit opportunities, and key market players of the payments industry.

ISV

Co-Chairs: Gordana Hrnjez, Director of Payments, TouchBistro  Jeff Marshall, VP Strategic Partners, TouchBistro  Nerino Mayer, Head of Global Channels, Payfactory

ISV Committee will focus on how ISVs are changing the payments landscape by providing increased capabilities and options for merchants.

Businesses, particularly, small businesses, are increasingly using at least one value-added service and interest is high for purchasing additional services. From fraud management to accounting solutions, the ISV Committee will focus on this growing and changing market.

LATAM

Co-Chairs: Ivan Szabo, Director of Web Marketing, NMI Leon Vega, Executive Director - LATAM M.S., J.P. Morgan

The LATAM Committee will advance the adoption of digital payments in Latin America, shape public policy, and strengthen efforts to fight fraud. Key areas of topics include increasing financial inclusion, access to technology, and advancing the level of digitalization among the population. The focus will be on the leading economies of the Latin American region: Mexico and Brazil.

Who participates: Member executives with an interest in growing payments in LATAM with a focus on Mexico and Brazil.

Example Topics & Outputs:

  • Develop content for a half-day meeting on December 7th in Miami to discuss payments issues in LATAM.

Mobile Payments

Co-Chairs: Georgia Kyprianou, Senior Director, PRIMEProduct Development-INT, Issuer Product Group, Global Payments Natalia Leonardis, VP, Business Development, CardFlight Craig Ross, VP, Channel Sales & Market Development, EWS Olivia Tomares, Product Partnerships, Stripe

This committee promotes the adoption and use of mobile payments, identify ways to expand its use by developing content and thought leadership to educate merchants and consumers, and to network with mobile payments ecosystem players.

Who participates: Mobile stack developers, business development strategists, mobile security experts, and those interested in mobile payments.

Example Topics & Outputs:

Payment Facilitator

Co-Chairs: Caroline Hometh, Managing Partner, RPY Innovations Deana Rich, Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Infinicept Amy Schultz Pearn, Lead Product Manager, Key Bank

This committee supports and helps grow the payment facilitator channel by convening payment facilitator ecosystem players to discuss and create thought leadership items on industry rule changes, risk & compliance, and opportunities for the field.

Who participates: Individuals with an interest in payment facilitation: payment facilitators (in all their forms and stages of development), marketplaces, sponsor banks, cardbrands, PF service providers, risk & compliance folks, and others committed to the development of the PF ecosystem.

Example Topics and Outputs:

Payment Sales & Strategy

Co-Chairs: Naomi Mastera, Business DevelopmentManager – ISV, NMI • George Smith, Head of Sales, Clerkie

This committee is a space for payments & fintech industry salespeople to discuss effective business practices, identify challenges, and exchange on recent developments and innovations that affect the payment sales channel.

Who participates: Payment salespeople, sales strategists, and those looking to differentiate, elevate, and improve the payments sales experience to partners and clients.

Example Topics & Outputs:

PCI/Cybersecurity

Chair: Emily Baxter, Consultant, RPY Innovations

The purpose of the committee is to create an inclusive community of practitioners who will focus on pressing cybersecurity issues impacting our industry. The committee will break down complex topics and create simple and actionable content that increases awareness and understanding of important topics, including answers to the question, “Where do I Start?”.

The goal of this committee is to:

  • Increate the awareness and understanding of proactive security
  • Provide functional guidance to our broader community
  • Share best practices and build relationships

Examples of topics discussed in the committees are PCI to SOC, blockchain to Web 3.0, changes to existing security standards and guidance on new technologies.

Retail Technology

Co-Chairs: Greg Aamoth, CEO, POPcodes  Ryan Aumann, Maintenance Advocate II, Global Payments

This committee promotes the convergence of traditional POS and integrated commerce and identifies relevant technology and businesses related to advance connected commerce. This committee has a pulse on latest retail trends and a self-assigned mandate to support SMB payments education.

Who participates: VAR & ISVs folks, retail management professionals, cardbrands, marketing wizards, fintech professionals, creative minds, and payments professionals invested in SMBs.

Example Topics & Outputs:

  • Effective marketing of payments innovations
  • Resources for SMBs
  • Rise of new trends like BNPL, Soft POS, QR codes

Risk, Fraud & Security

Chair: Melissa Sutherland, Vice President, EverC

This committee develops thought leadership, best practices, and recommendations in the areas of risk, fraud, and security. Committee provides education its members so that members remain current in issues revolving around risk monitoring, fraud prevention, data security, and compliance issues in the payments industry.

Who participates: Underwriters, cybersecurity experts, compliance folks, security advisors, and individuals who work adjacent to these roles to protect the payments ecosystem.

Example Topics & Outputs:

ETA Committee FAQs

Below are some commonly asked questions about participating in an ETA Committee.

Questions? Please contact Scott Talbott at [email protected].

What is the difference between a committee and a council?

ETA Committees are industry groups made up of volunteers from ETA member companies. ETA Committees typically meet monthly under broad umbrella topics that are of interest to the payments and fintech industry and have sub-working groups where issues are explored on a more technical level.

ETA Committees are a place to share thought leadership, network, and create resources and education for the payments ecosystem. ETA Committees are inclusive; people who participate in committees are typically senior members of payment and fintech companies, technical experts and business developers, individuals looking to help shape and develop the industry, and continuous learners.

ETA Councils are open advisory groups that work to provide understanding and leadership on a wide variety of payments issues to external stakeholders. ETA Councils provide members with a way to stay informed and/or to help with the development of policy, research projects, and other informational deliverables for the industry.

ETA Council membership is an open enrollment process, available to all ETA members who have interest in the council. ETA Council participants are typically people who have interest in staying up to date on legislative and regulatory issues impacting our industry.

ETA hosts the Large Processor Council. This is a special industry affairs council by appointment only.

Who can participate in a committee?
Participation in industry affairs committees is an exclusive member benefit. Any individual who is part of an ETA member company may participate.

What is the purpose of an ETA committee?
Committees allow ETA members to share knowledge, have a platform for thought leadership, and develop educational content for the payment and fintech industry.

How do committees work, how often do they meet, and what is the time commitment of participation?
Participation on an ETA Committee lasts the full calendar year. Committees and their working groups typically meet once per month. Meetings typically consist of a roundtable discussion/presentation that is relevant to a topic of that committee and working group updates.

Who can chair an ETA Committee?
ETA Committees are chaired by senior leaders in the payment and fintech industry who typically have been members of that committee for years prior.