Laura Gibson-Lamothe

Laura Gibson-Lamothe serves as Executive Director of the Georgia Fintech Academy, a statewide initiative under the University System of Georgia that connects 25 public universities with the companies shaping the future of financial services. Over the past several years, she has built one of the largest fintech talent pipelines in the country, engaging more than 14,000 students and forging direct pathways into payments, banking, and fintech careers. Her partnerships with organizations such as FIS, Visa, Truist, and InComm have strengthened the bridge between academic preparation and industry demand, while her broader career spans over two decades in banking, payments, and financial technology with organizations including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Ally, Featurespace, and Protiviti. An unconventional path led Lamothe into the world of fintech: she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Gardner-Webb University and a Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, a creative foundation she credits with shaping her ability to think differently about problem-solving in a technical industry. She is deeply engaged in the fintech ecosystem beyond her role at the Academy, serving on the board of FinTech Atlanta, holding a position on the Executive Committee of PayTech Women, and contributing to the Steering Committee of the Technology Association of Georgia's Fintech Society. She has also lent her voice as faculty at Georgia State University and remains an active member of Women in Payments, while dedicating her time to Women in Technology (WIT) as a core philanthropic commitment. Lamothe attributes much of her professional drive to her mother, an educator who overcame considerable obstacles in her own career, as well as to the mentorship of Susan Green, a longtime advocate who championed her advancement in a male-dominated industry and helped guide her transition from individual contributor to manager to executive leader. Grounded in the belief that continual adaptation is essential to lasting success, she encourages young women entering the field to pursue opportunities without hesitation, insisting there are no limits to what they can achieve. Transparency, authenticity, and trustworthiness anchor her approach to both her professional and personal life, and she remains focused on expanding access and opportunity for early-career talent and underrepresented voices across the fintech industry.