As women in banking, it is important that we lift each other up and celebrate each other’s accomplishments. The entire purpose of the Girl Banker blog is to do just that! The Girl Banker of the Week series serves as a way to highlight Girl Bankers everywhere by telling their stories and motivating and encouraging other women in banking. It also is a great way for women in banking to connect! Read below about this week’s Girl Banker of the Week! Chelsea Bradshaw | Operations Officer, SVP | Citizens Bank of Edmond First things first, Chelsea Bradshaw is my Oklahoma Banker twin. She eats cereal for dinner with a beer, and so do I, so that makes us family. In all seriousness, I'm a big fan of Chelsea Bradshaw. I first met her when I visited Citizens Bank of Edmond a couple of years ago in an effort to better understand what this little community bank was doing over in Edmond, Oklahoma to make national waves. I was already an avid follower of CBE's CEO, Jill Castilla and immediately loved Chelsea. Since that time, we chat often over Instagram messenger and joke about each other's love for cereal for dinner and boy mom joys and woes. Here is her Girl Banker story. Girl Banker Story Chelsea's mom was a banker before she made the decision to stay at home with her after she was born.  Her mom loved the versatility of banking and ability to use both her analytical skills and creative energy.  When Chelsea was a junior in college and in between jobs, her mom recommended she apply at Citizens Bank of Edmond based on their reputation of treating their employees well. She interviewed for a teller position and started as a part time teller shortly after. Chelsea's first manager at CBE, Sherry Earnst, taught her how to balance professional confidence with humility as well as many other things.

Upon her graduation from the University of Central Oklahoma with a degree in criminal justice, Chelsea had intentions to attend law school.  However, she felt rooted at Citizens Bank of Edmond and knew she could make a career there. So, through lots of hard work, dedication and great mentors, she worked from a part time teller to Personal Banker, Operations Assistant Manager, Retail Assistant Manager, BSA and Internal Control Officer, Assistant Controller, Risk Management and Compliance Officer, and now, 13 years later, Senior Vice President and Operating Officer, where she oversees the day to day operations of the bank. When Jill (Castilla) started bringing in a whole new level of innovation to the community banking space, I felt honored to be her right-hand woman to assist in executing her visions... which is honestly the best description of my job. Additionally, Chelsea is a Certified Community Bank Internal Auditor, graduated from the Graduate School of Banking in Boulder, Colorado and has been named to the Oklahoma City Business Times Top 20 Under 40 and Independent Banker's 40 Under 40 lists. She was also extremely instrumental in executing Midtown Bank, the first unmanned banking facility located in the heart of Oklahoma City. The branch utilizes technology that enables it to operate without staff inside the branch.

In her spare time, Chelsea enjoys her time as a boy mom, with sons Brody (5) and Ramsey (2). Motivation | "Wine. J/K,  I have an internal motivation to just do right.  Both of my parents instilled a strong work ethic in my sisters and I which also motivates me to teach my boys to have a strong work ethic.  I am also extremely competitive – not athletically by any long shot – but just internally competitive.  I’ll just say it… I like to be right.  I really, really like being right, which is motivation in itself, but I work hard, research, and execute with precision and thought so I can succeed in being helpful – and right. 😉  I am also motivated by just the general concept of wanting to help people, especially in banking.  I’ve been the twenty year old where every penny counts, when you’ve felt uncomfortable getting a mortgage because of your young age and low income.  I want to be the person that is able to operate a bank where twenty year old me feels supported and welcome."

Join me in congratulating Chelsea Bradshaw as a Girl Banker of the Week!