OUR TEAM

Virginia Varela focuses on community banks, fintech partnerships, post-M&A integration, and regulatory issues.

 

Virginia offers decades of experience in the financial services industry. She was President and CEO of Golden Pacific Bank, a nationally chartered community bank, for over eight years until it was acquired by SoFi Technologies in 2022. Virginia represented Golden Pacific Bancorp in this acquisition, one of the most significant approved fintech bank purchases in the nation at the time. Post-acquisition, Virginia continued to lead as the Head of Community Banking at SoFi Bank, N.A., and President of the Golden Pacific Bank division.

Virginia held CEO, President, and Board positions at three California community banks. She has a proven history of turnaround success at distressed banks, resulting in profitable business exits at four different banks. She also has significant experience in remediating federal enforcement actions.

Virginia first entered the industry in the 1980s as a bank examiner and later was a federally commissioned bank examinerin charge of both safety and soundness and compliance exams. Virginia held various senior supervisory roles at the Federal Home Bank of San Francisco, Office of Thrift Supervision/Office of Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Virginia has served on numerous boards, most recently as a director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.

Virginia received a B.A. in English Literature and a B.S. in Economics through studies at U.C. Berkeley and U.C. Santa Cruz, and her MBA from Middlebury Institute of International Studies.