Member Spotlight - Prabhash Shrestha Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Strategy Officer, ICBA
-Briefly describe your current company and role
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), the nation’s voice for nearly 5,700 community banks of all sizes and charter types, is dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and its membership through effective advocacy, best-in-class education and high-quality products and services. With approximately 52,000 locations nationwide, community banks employ 760,000 Americans, hold $4.9 trillion in assets, $3.9 trillion in deposits, and $3.3 trillion in loans to consumers, small businesses, and the agricultural community. I serve as the Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Strategy Officer.
-You've been at ICBA for about one year now....could you please talk about your biggest lesson learned or takeaway from your first year as ICBA's Executive VP and Chief Digital Strategy Officer?
It is an honor to be working for such a prestigious and premier association of the country. I am extremely proud of the ICBA’s mission of creating and promoting an environment where community banks flourish; which ultimately, in turn, continually helps out country in its economic growth. In my relatively short tenure so far, I have learned a great deal about the opportunities that lie ahead of us in the digital space. I am excited to be working with my team in helping to fulfill the needs and challenges of our members.
-You've also been a professor at Georgetown University for over eight years. Can you tell us about what subject(s) you teach, what made you decide to start teaching, and the most important thing you've learned from being a Georgetown professor?
It is an absolute pleasure and honor to be associated with Georgetown University. I have been a teacher, in some format, all my life – in my elementary and high school years, college, and in the workplace. Teaching has been a life long passion and a desire. It gives me silent satisfaction of being able to help.
Georgetown has been a great platform for me to be able to help, one student at a time. As we all know, there is a very rigorous application and admission process that students go through to be accepted at Georgetown. Georgetown selects crème-de-la-crème students to be part of the Technology Management Graduate Program. So, naturally, it is an great experience to get to hear from amazingly talented students from US and all over the world. To be able to share my experiences and knowledge with such students, really, is a dream come true. On a side note, Georgetown, passively, forces me to keep up with the new trends, technology, models, strategies. Along with teaching the ultimate Graduate Capstone Course, I also teach Software Life Cycle Management, Human Computer Interaction and User Interface, Service Oriented Architecture, Database Analysis, Design and Management, Globalization and Managing Diverse Organizations in a Flat World, and Cyber Threats and Vulnerabilities.
The biggest thing that I have learned from being a Georgetown professor is that the knowledge is the best gift that we can give each other. While others may believe that I am out there to teach other students, I learn as much as I teach; I do.
-You recently received an Association Innovators award by DCA Live, as well as some various other awards. Can you tell us about these awards and what you won them for?
It feels real good to be recognized. I have won several awards but few major awards and honors of late are as below.
* 2017 Association Innovators by DCA Live
* 2016 Washington DC’s Top Association Tech Leaders by Trending 40
* 2015 Association Trends Tech 10 Leaders in Association Space by Association Trends
* 2015 Top Association & Non-Profit Innovators by Trending 40
* 2015 Washington's Leading Association Top Innovators by Bisnow
Being able to help associations, that I belong, to by using various technology strategies and creating or enhancing programs, products, services, and resources is professionally gratifying. Even more gratifying is to be able to share such success stories with other association professionals. I try and enjoy helping other association professionals achieve successes.
-Outside of work and teaching, what endeavor(s) are you are most excited about today and why?
They call me a “networker” and there is probably some truth to that. I like to stay in touch with my friends. I host CIO breakfast every other month where I invite top association leaders to share our experiences. I like to bring people together. I have held many networking get-togethers, dinners, lunches etc. Last year, it was nice to host many association leaders to ICBA’s suite at National Parks. I enjoy being part of various boards and committees as I see them as my way to give back to the community.
-What is your favorite part about being a SIMCAC member?
I have spoken few times at SIM events and attended many more. SIMCAC is a fantastic platform for DC technology leaders to come together and network. SIMCAC does a phenomenal job of hosting great speakers in fantastic venues which allows us to come out from day-to-day work to get educated. I enjoy networking and this is a great outlet for me. I also enjoy SIM’s CIO events. Some of the professional acquaintances made at SIMCAC events have become life-long friends. There are very few organizations which provide such platform for us as SIM does. And, I am very thankful for that!
-Anything we missed that you'd like to add?
I am looking forward to many more years of SIMCAC membership. I hope to learn from other SIMCAC members, and share what I know.