Her Story
About Julie
Julie Reinoso, CFE, CAMS serves as the BSA/OFAC Officer at First Liberty Bank in Liberty, Texas, bringing nearly 25 years of experience in banking, BSA/AML compliance, financial crimes, fraud prevention, and risk management.
Mrs. Reinoso began her banking career as a teller after relocating to South Florida in 1994. Through dedication and a commitment to professional growth, she advanced through a variety of retail banking roles, including Head Teller, Account Opening Specialist, Assistant Branch Manager, and Branch Manager. In 2003, she transitioned into Bank Secrecy Act compliance at a small community bank in South Florida, launching a career devoted to financial crime prevention, regulatory compliance, and risk management.
Over the past two decades, Mrs. Reinoso has held progressively senior positions with community and regional financial institutions, credit unions, a fintech bank, and as an independent BSA/AML consultant. Throughout her career, she has developed deep expertise in BSA/AML and OFAC compliance, fraud investigations, suspicious activity monitoring, regulatory examinations, enterprise risk management, and financial crime program development.
At First Liberty Bank, Mrs. Reinoso has played a pivotal role in enhancing and expanding the Bank's BSA/AML program following a merger that doubled the institution's size. She established comprehensive policies and procedures, led system model validation and software tuning initiatives, strengthened high-risk customer review and risk-rating processes, and built a high-performing investigative team through the hiring, development, and training of three analysts. She oversees suspicious activity monitoring and reporting, provides strategic guidance on financial crime risks, supports regulatory and audit examinations, and partners closely with executive leadership and business units to ensure effective compliance controls across the organization. Her leadership has contributed to successful audit and examination outcomes while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Mrs. Reinoso is deeply committed to mentoring and advancing women in the financial services industry. She serves as Mentor Chair for the Central Chapter of Financial Women in Texas, where she develops and supports mentorship programs that help connect women professionals with guidance, career development opportunities, and industry resources. Her passion for mentorship stems from the meaningful support she received from a female mentor early in her own career, inspiring her commitment to helping others achieve their professional goals.
A Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Mrs. Reinoso combines technical expertise with a collaborative and servant-leadership approach. She is dedicated to strengthening financial crime risk management programs, supporting regulatory compliance, and investing in the growth and development of the professionals and organizations she serves.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Julie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance, continuous learning, and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed. Throughout my nearly 25-year career in banking and finance, I have embraced every opportunity to grow, from starting as a teller and advancing through leadership roles to my current position in BSA/AML/OFAC. I believe in earning certifications, staying informed, and continually developing my skills while sharing my knowledge with others. Mentorship has played an important role in my own journey, which is why I am passionate about mentoring others through my role as mentor chair for my local chapter of Financial Women in Texas. I also take pride in building strong, knowledgeable teams that can succeed independently, as demonstrated when my department continued operating effectively during my recent health challenges. Ultimately, I believe my success comes from staying committed to my work, leading with integrity, supporting others, and never allowing challenges to discourage me.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of the best pieces of career advice I've ever encountered is:
"Don't just be good at your job. Be known for solving the problems that matter most."
Many people focus on completing tasks well, which is important. The people who tend to have the greatest impact and career growth, however, become trusted advisors because they consistently help the organization navigate its biggest risks and opportunities. For someone in a compliance leadership role, that often means:
- Understanding the regulatory requirement and the business objective.
- Bringing solutions, not just identifying problems.
- Communicating risk in a way that leadership can act on.
- Building credibility before a crisis occurs.
- Making decisions based on principles, not personalities.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the banking and finance industry is to never be discouraged, even when the field feels overwhelming. I was fortunate to have a woman mentor me early in my career who shared her knowledge, encouraged me, and helped guide my professional development. That experience showed me the lasting impact of mentorship, and today I am proud to provide that same support to the young women who work with me. Through my role as mentor chair with Financial Women in Texas, I also have the opportunity to help develop mentorship programs that empower and support women pursuing careers in finance.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is managing the risks created by AI, fraud, and digital transformation; the biggest opportunity is using those same technologies to create a safer, more efficient, and more customer-focused financial institution.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity because BSA/AML leaders are trusted to speak up when risks are identified.
Courage because difficult conversations with management, regulators, or customers are sometimes necessary.
Accountability because taking ownership of decisions, actions, and outcomes are key to building trust within your financial institution as a BSA/AML Officer.
Excellence because details matter in BSA/AML compliance.
Service because strong BSA/AML compliance programs ultimately protect the financial institution, people and communities.
Respect because treating others fairly and professionally is something they will always remember.
In my personal life I try to practice gratitude, kindness, and trustworthiness, with God and my family as my main priorities every day.
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