Dr. Jasmine Ames, MBA
Dr. Jasmine Ames, MBA, is a multifaceted finance and higher education professional with over 16 years of experience spanning banking, policy, and community engagement. As Vice President at U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance, she specializes in tax credit and affordable housing finance, liquidity strategy, and portfolio management, focusing on delivering scalable solutions for industry-focused clients while navigating complex regulatory landscapes. Her work integrates capital strategy, compliance, and enterprise growth to advance access to financial resources in underserved communities.
In addition to her banking career, Dr. Ames serves as a contributing instructor of strategic management and entrepreneurship at Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management. She holds a Doctorate in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University, where her research centered on language access, credit access, and the broader ecosystem of wealth and banking accessibility in the United States. Her professional journey began as a bank teller while studying medical anthropology and global health at the University of Washington, evolving through roles in retail banking, investments, mortgages, and commercial banking, culminating in leadership positions that bridge finance, policy, and education.
Beyond her primary roles, Dr. Ames is deeply committed to community impact and philanthropy. She serves on multiple nonprofit and academic boards, including as Board Chair of Share, a nonprofit advancing housing and food security, and a member of Willamette University’s Board of Trustees. She is also a certified yoga instructor, operates a small hair accessories business, and actively contributes to civic and professional organizations. Throughout her career, she has leveraged her diverse experiences to foster interconnectivity across sectors, championing financial literacy, leadership development, and equitable access to opportunity.
• Certified Yoga Instructor
• Series Exams (Securities Licenses)
• Doctor of Law and Public Policy
• University of Washington – Bachelor’s Degree, Medical Anthropology and Global Health
• Willamette University – Master of Business Administration
• Northeastern University – Doctor of Law and Public Policy
• Influential Women 2026
• Iris Award Honoree
• Accomplished & Under 40
• Chamber of Commerce in Seattle
• Southside Seattle Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce
• Seattle Chamber of Commerce
• AGB (Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges)
• Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management
• Board Chair, Share (housing & food security nonprofit)
• Member, Board of Trustees, Willamette University
• Yoga wellness and charity events
• Serves on six nonprofit/industry boards
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my mom. I grew up in a household where I had a supportive single parent - my mom's disabled too, and we grew up with a lot of struggles, but she was always the person that instilled in me that I could be whatever I wanted to be. She would say, you know, you can be President of the United States, or you can be the neurosurgeon, or maybe you want to be the banker, or maybe you want to be a lawyer. She never said, oh, you need to do this, or pressured me. I mean, she pressured me with the grades, but she goes, as long as you finish, you know, I don't care what you do, like, I just want you to make sure you get your degree, and I ended up with three. But I was never limited. She never pressured me to do one thing. She just showed me how to kind of do everything, and so I think sometimes when I'm met with those people that want you to be specialized and sit in one lane, it's like, no, I wasn't raised that way. I'm not gonna be that way.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My favorite advice I've gotten from a few mentors is there is no perfect time. That's something that stuck with me, because I think a lot of times when you want to make a transition or move up in your career, you know, sometimes it's like, oh, is the timing right? Like, I've got a lot of things on my plate, and clearly I'm just having a lot of things on my plate. I'm the key caretaker for my mom. She's actually very ill, and I make sure that I'm there for her, and I take her to doctor's appointments and stuff, and so timing's always been something for me where I go, oh, this isn't right, but a lot of times it takes being open and honest with your employer, the people that want to build you up. Both of my employers have been very supportive of that, because they know I'll do a good job, and they have found a way to make it work for me. I also teach leadership courses, and I talk about creating your own brand and your own path, and that's another great piece of career advice I've gotten, because I clearly don't fit into a box whatsoever. And that's what's created my brand, though, at the end of the day. It's so funny, I have an official title at the bank, but a lot of times I'll be in a meeting, and they're like, we don't really know what Jasmine does, she just kind of does everything, you know? And I like that. It makes me indispensable.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say learn everything you can, and never feel like you're too good or too much of an expert to learn anything. Especially in the finance industry, because a lot of times the best leaders I've had in finance are the leaders that have done a lot of different roles, and understand perspective, and have a holistic view on truly working in our industry, whether that's I come from underwriting, or I come from customer service, or I come from retail, or I come from investments, or I come from corporate-level strategy. Everyone has something to contribute, and there are a lot of silos that exist, and so I think the more you learn, the better you can be, not only for yourself and your own career, but even for the people that you help, one way or the other, even if that's HR or marketing.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
You know, there's a lot going on from a political space, and I think there are a lot of different players that weren't playing in the finance field, especially with private equity. Right now, I don't even really call it a challenge, I call it an opportunity. I think right now, more than anything, we have an opportunity to learn from each other, and we have an opportunity to look at some of the policies that exist in the finance industry at the end of the day. You see where there's some inefficiencies, and there's some duplicative work, and so I think more than anything, there's a huge opportunity to just learn and maybe revisit some of the things that are archaic in nature.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I will always hold true to genuinely caring about people at the end of the day. I think that's what keeps me very well grounded and able to show up, and show up when I'm tired, you know, show up when I've got a lot going on, and I'm able to just make sure I keep my focus, because I truly care. It's never been just about a paycheck for me. If it was, I'd probably go do one thing really, really well, and that would be it, but I love being able to show up and show up in different ways, because I truly care.