WBA Management
Steve Andrews
President & CEO
Steve Andrews is the president & CEO of the Western Bankers Association and manages the affairs and day to day operational aspects of the association and all its divisions. In his role as CEO he is one of the foremost advocates of the banking industry and the important role banks play in our communities and economy.
Maurine Padden
EVP & Chief Operating Officer
Maurine Padden serves as EVP and chief operating officer where she oversees WBA’s advocacy efforts in the legislative, regulatory and legal arenas on behalf of the association’s members in addition to providing operational support to the WBA team. As a member of WBA’s senior management, she contributes to the development and execution of the association’s strategic goals and initiatives. Maurine previously served as the associations’ director of state government affairs and lead lobbyist in the most active state legislature in the country.
Kevin Gould
Senior Vice President, Director of Government Relations
Kevin Gould joined the California Bankers Association (CBA) in 2004, bringing with him more than seven years of legislative experience. In his role as senior vice president and director of state government relations, he oversees the management and operation of CBA’s state and federal government relations department and also serves as one of CBA’s three registered lobbyists. Gould’s advocacy responsibilities and issues focus mainly in the areas of bank operations, commercial lending, residential property lending, and wealth and asset management issues.
Beth Mills
Senior Vice President, Communications, Professional Development and Strategic Partners
As the senior vice president of communications, Beth Mills is responsible for all internal and external communications for WBA, and serves as the association’s spokesperson. Prior to joining the association in 2008, Beth was appointed by the governor and served as the assistant deputy director of public affairs in the California Department of General Services where she managed all media contacts and served as the department’s spokesperson on the key department issues.
Yvette Ernst
Vice President, Chief of Staff & Corporate Secretary
Yvette Ernst is WBA’s vice president, chief of staff and corporate secretary. She manages the executive office operations and executive relationships with WBA membership, partners and service providers. She oversees planning and execution of meetings of the board of directors and serves as corporate secretary.
Randy Mateo
Vice President, Director of IT
Randy Mateo is the vice president and director of IT for the Western Bankers Association. He is responsible for managing all IT operations including execution of IT infrastructure. Prior to joining the association in 2004, he was a seasoned engineer at an IT consulting company for eight years.
Rich Mize
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Rich joined the WBA in August 2019. He is a licensed CPA with 20 years of experience in accounting and financial management. Prior to the WBA, Rich served as assistant controller for Ethan Conrad Properties, and prior to that position, Rich was controller for the California Medical Association.
Linda Odell
Vice President, HR/Administration
Linda Odell joined the CBA in 2005, and oversees the human resources and administrative support functions of the office, and manages CBA’s Annual Compensation and Benefits Benchmark Survey. Linda has more than 15 years of human resources experience and more than 25 years of administrative experience. Prior to joining the CBA, Linda worked for the California Restaurant Association (CRA) where she managed human resources efforts, administered employee benefit programs and managed the accounts receivables.
Mike Webb
Vice President, Assistant General Counsel
Mike Webb serves as vice president, assistant general counsel for WBA where he oversees legal affairs on behalf of the association. In this role, Mike manages the legal, corporate governance and regulatory review process for the Association. Mike has 20 years of experience working in government affairs and as an attorney. He has previously worked for two trade associations and as an advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger.