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! Elizabeth Bradley | Compliance Audit Manager | First Security Bank

Elizabeth started her banking career as an 18-year-old teller but was charging her family members interest on piggy bank loans at a much earlier age! Banking was always an interest of hers. She received her first banking job as a result of taking deposits into her local hometown bank on behalf of the Chinese food restaurant she worked at. They offered her a job and the rest was history! She continued her banking job while she earned her Bachelors of Business Administration degree from the University of Central Arkansas. She also obtained a BS in Accounting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. While in college, Elizabeth had aspirations to be a pilot after graduation and work for the FBI. However, she later married her flight instructor and stuck to her roots in banking instead. She currently serves as the Compliance Audit Manager for First Security Bank.

Elizabeth is committed to her community and serves as the Vice President of the Conway Morning Rotary Club and on the Arkansas State Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts Board of Directors. She loves all things family and community! Professionally, she is a graduate of the American Bankers Association National Compliance School in San Diego, CA and sits as the Academic Relations Board Chair of the Institute of Internal Auditors of Central Arkansas. She and her husband, Brett, live in Arkansas with their three children Emory, Kyra, and Olivia.

MOTIVATION | "I have been blessed to be surrounded throughout my career and life with so many awesome leaders, mentors, friends, and family.  I get daily inspiration from my co-workers and the various leaders within our organization.  Through their influence, I aspire daily to improve myself and my abilities. I believe one of the biggest challenges of being a working mom is figuring out how to manage the work-life-balance.  I draw inspiration for this from my husband and children, who remind me to not take myself so seriously and who help keep me grounded when life gets messy.  My family and faith make all the details and struggles of day-to-day life so worth it! I get inspiration from all the other strong women and men in my life.  I have been blessed by countless examples of inspirational women who I look up to and aspire to be.  I can only hope that I will influence my children in the way these women have inspired my life."

Join me as we celebrate Elizabeth Bradley as this week's Girl Banker of the Week!

Know someone who should be the next Girl Banker of the Week? Email nominations to thegirlbanker@gmail.com.