Her Story
About Amna
Amna Athimni is an audit, compliance, and data analytics professional whose career combines expertise in banking operations, risk management, and emerging technologies. She currently serves as Audit and Compliance Officer at First State Bank & Trust in Williston, North Dakota, where she helps strengthen governance, evaluate internal controls, and support regulatory compliance. Since joining the bank, she has advanced through multiple roles—including teller, trust office assistant, application support specialist, and data analyst—gaining a comprehensive understanding of banking operations that informs her practical, risk-based approach to audit and compliance.
Athimni complements her audit expertise with a strong background in analytics and process improvement. She has led initiatives involving SQL, Power BI, workflow automation, enterprise reporting, and audit issue management to improve operational efficiency and decision-making. She earned a master's degree in Actuarial Science from Université Paris Dauphine–PSL and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Data Analytics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her professional development also includes numerous Microsoft and Google certifications, and she serves as a member of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) AI Task Force, reflecting her commitment to the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into banking and compliance.
Beyond her technical expertise, Athimni is an advocate for continuous learning, leadership, and professional collaboration. She regularly shares insights on audit, compliance, risk management, AI, and personal development through her writing and her Books & Brews newsletter, encouraging professionals to embrace lifelong learning and thoughtful leadership. She attributes her success to her lifelong habit of reading, which has strengthened her resilience, adaptability, and analytical thinking, and she believes meaningful success is built through collaboration, strong alliances, and helping others grow alongside her.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Amna
01What do you attribute your success to?
Books. I keep reading a book every single week. I might have already read 2,000 or 3,000 books in my entire life. It gave me flexibility, capacity to remember, to read really fast, and consume knowledge. It also gave me some sort of resilience.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Build alliances right from the start. Performance is not individual, it's more collective. Build significant relationships within my workplace. Especially with other successful women. Don't compete with other successful women, build that same support for each other.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The boys club vibe where men support each other but women have a hard time getting the same support and encouragement from males, especially when close to upper management. The glass ceiling does exist. It's one of the biggest challenges to be admitted into those clubs.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Knowledge. Hard work. Never give up on herself. My value does not come from a position or external validation, it comes from me. As long as I stay grounded and present myself for who I am, I can shine anywhere.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.