Sonia Portwood

About Sonia Portwood

I’m a senior executive in financial services who helps mission‑driven banks and fintech organizations navigate growth, change, and complexity while keeping people at the center. I combine decades of front‑line experience in sales, banking, and customer experience with a deep understanding of how humans move through transition, risk, uncertainty, and high‑stakes environments.Throughout my career I’ve led high‑performing teams, built long‑term client relationships, and stewarded significant revenue and strategic partnerships. Colleagues and clients know me as calm in crisis, direct yet compassionate, and relentlessly focused on creating value that is both sustainable and high‑integrity. I’m especially energized by work that involves cross‑functional collaboration, shared resources, and complex stakeholder dynamics.As a leadership coach at heart, I partner with senior leaders, emerging executives, and teams who are ready to grow without burning out or losing their sense of purpose. My style is straightforward, empathetic, and practical: we look honestly at what’s working and what isn’t, then co‑design clear structures, habits, and conversations that support real change. I actively seek out diverse perspectives and lived experiences, and I work to create spaces where people feel respected, heard, and safe enough to tell the truth. Areas of focus include:· Executive and leadership development· Sales and customer‑experience strategy· Organizational and cultural change· Navigating mergers, restructurings, and transitions· Career development for underrepresented and underestimated talent

Experience

1. EVP, Sales and Marketing

   PCBB

   Feb 2008 — Present · San Francisco, CA, US

Education

• John F. Kennedy University

  Graduate School of Professional Psychology, Certification in Coaching, Professional Coaching

  2006 — 2009

• Belhaven University

  BS, Business Administration

  1989 — 1991

Skills

• Credit Risk
• Portfolio Management
• Relationship Management
• Fixed Income
• Banking
• Risk Management
• Credit
• Financial Analysis
• Capital Markets
• Investments
• Investment Banking
• Financial Services
• Strategic Planning
• Management
• Commercial Banking
• Business Development
• Credit Analysis
• Finance