About WIB

WIB Staff Biographies

Kerry Curtis - Vice President, Research & Program Development

Kerry Curtis joined Western Independent Bankers as vice president, education & conferences in 2005. Prior to joining WIB he spent two years with GMAC-RFC and held positions with responsibilities for training and education. Prior to this, he was a professor at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Endicott College and Framingham State College. In addition, he has worked for the federal regulators in the dissolution of failed financial institutions and has held several positions within community banks in the East Coast.

Krista Gulbransen - Vice President, Marketing & Membership

Krista Gulbransen joined Western Independent Bankers as vice president, marketing & membership in 2005 and has more than 13 years experience in marketing, branding and strategic business development. Prior to joining WIB, Krista was senior director of marketing & industry relations for the Professional Risk Managers International Association where she grew the awareness and breadth of their Professional Risk Managers Certification program. Previous marketing management positions were held at Ernst & Young, Deloitte & Touche, Barra, Commerce One and eFax. Krista received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Communications from Mills College in Oakland, California.

Anne K. Scully – President, WIB Service Corporation

Anne is president of WIB’s wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary. Since December 2000, she has overseen the endorsement and ongoing due diligence process for WIB’s endorsed “Value & Income Program” (VIP) Partner Program. Anne was also instrumental in conducting the due diligence on and securing federal regulatory approval of the WIB-endorsed Workers’ Compensation Self-Insurance Group (WIBSIG) Program for California WIB member banks.

Anne has nearly 25 years’ experience as a banking attorney, lobbyist and association executive in all facets of the financial services industry arena, including: regulatory and legislative counsel (Federal Home Loan Bank Board); federal legislative counsel (U.S. House and Senate Banking Committees); banking lobbyist (National Association of Realtors); and, state and regional insurance association executive (CA Insurance & Financial Advisers, IBA West).

Nancy Sheppard – President & CEO

Nancy has more than 30 years’ experience working in banking associations and the political arena. She joined Western Independent Bankers as executive director in 1988. Prior to joining WIB, she spent nine years with the California Bankers Association and held positions with responsibilities for federal government relations, PAC fund raising, public affairs, communications and educational programs & conferences. Prior to becoming a banking association professional, she spent six years at the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., as a legislative assistant to three Congressmen.

She has served on the board of directors of the Western Banking School, as a delegate to the ABA Leadership Council, and as president of the Financial Institutions Marketing Association West. The San Francisco Business Times recognized her as one of the 10 top women in banking in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Debbie Southworth – Vice President, Events Management

Debbie has more than 28 years experience in the meeting planning and hospitality industry. She was a corporate meeting planner for Ohio Power/American Electric Power for 13 years. As director of conference services with The Longaberger Company, meeting planning responsibilities expanded to a national level and involved a back-to-back city-wide convention of more than 5,000 attendees. 

She then shifted to the hotel-side as director of catering & conference services with Hyatt Hotels, Starwood and La Costa Resort & Spa. During her tenure with Hyatt, she was nominated as “Director of Catering & CS of the Year”. Debbie was part of the pre-opening team for one of Starwood’s premiere newly built properties -- the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Florida (1000 guest rooms & 200,000 sq. ft. meeting space) and received the “Team of the Year” award for Starwood North America.