2025 Women In Banking Conference

Step Into Your Power – Unlocking Your Leadership Potential

Join us for an energizing and interactive presentation from Molly Whalen of Synergy Growth Coach, a women-centered coach dedicated to helping women in banking break through barriers and unlock their leadership potential. This empowering session will guide you through identifying mindset blocks that hold you back, shifting limiting beliefs, and stepping confidently into leadership roles. You’ll learn how to harness your personal strengths, set clear boundaries, and navigate the unique challenges women face in the banking industry—especially in rural areas.

This session is designed to be engaging and practical, leaving you with actionable strategies to boost your confidence, elevate your influence, and advance your career in banking.

With over 18 years of experience as a business owner and women’s empowerment coach, Molly Whalen has dedicated her career to helping women overcome self-doubt and embrace their full potential. As the founder of Synergy Growth Coach, she has led transformative workshops, spoken at industry events, and coached hundreds of women to step into their power as leaders and professionals.

Previous Speaking Engagements:

• ARCSI Conventions in Las Vegas
• Prospera Women’s Business Center 56Strong Program
• Bozeman Professional Women’s Group
• Various B2B Networking Groups
• XTreme Power Hour Podcast Guest

Molly’s mission is simple: to help women recognize their worth, lead with confidence, and leverage resources like the Montana Independent Bankers Association to advance their careers and create lasting professional impact.

Carol Blodgett is the founder of Blodgett Marketing, a Montana-based agency she’s proudly led for nearly twenty years. With deep roots in both traditional and digital media, Carol’s career has spanned everything from print and television to the fast-paced world of online marketing. Since 2010, she’s focused on helping Montana businesses and organizations make the most of digital strategies that actually work.

Carol’s journey started in the newsrooms and sales offices of Lee Enterprises’ Missoulian Newspaper, and later as Internet Marketing Manager for Cordillera’s TV stations here in western Montana. Along the way, she saw firsthand how quickly technology was changing the way we connect with customers—and how important it was for local businesses to keep up.

At Blodgett Marketing, Carol is always looking ahead. She and her team are embracing the latest in AI technology, using smart tools to help clients better understand their audiences, personalize their messaging, and get more out of every marketing dollar. By blending these cutting-edge solutions with tried-and-true marketing principles, Carol builds campaigns that are both innovative and authentic.

Currently, Carol is running a digital marketing campaign for the Montana Independent Banking Association, helping local banks connect with their communities in new and meaningful ways. She’s passionate about using data—and now AI—to drive results, but she never loses sight of the people behind the numbers.

When she’s not working, you’ll find Carol enjoying everything Montana has to offer—rooting for the Grizzlies, exploring the outdoors, traveling, or spending time with her husband and their two dogs.

Melanie is the Commissioner of the Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions. She provides the overall leadership to the Banking Division, which is responsible for the supervision of all state-chartered banks and state-chartered credit unions. In addition, the division licenses and examines over 2000 non-bank financial entities including mortgage lenders, mortgage servicers, and mortgage brokers, consumer loan companies, sales finance companies, deferred deposit lenders and escrow businesses. The Division is also responsible for processing all consumer complaints by Montanans against regulated and unregulated providers of financial services.

Commissioner Hall obtained her B.A. in Economics from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, and her juris doctor from Tulane Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the Chair of the Board of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors and is the past Chair of the CSBS Education Foundation Board. She also serves on the St. Peter’s Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees.

Kaitlyn Wenzel serves as the Policy Analyst and Public Outreach Coordinator for the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, where she blends policy work with public connection. She conducts in-depth research to support the Commissioner’s government affairs efforts and helps shape the agency’s positions on key legislative and regulatory issues.

Beyond the Capitol, Kaitlyn leads public outreach efforts, including organizing events, giving presentations, and building relationships with communities across the state. She also helps manage CSI’s digital communications, from website content to social media and graphic design, helping make complex topics clear, accessible, and engaging for all Montanans.

A fifth-generation Montanan, Kaitlyn lives in Helena with her husband and is a proud Carroll College alum with a B.A. in Communication Studies and Catholic Studies. She is passionate about public service, striving to create meaningful connections between government and community.