Joan Parsons

JOAN PARSONS is executive vice president, head of specialty banking and a member of the executive committee for Silicon Valley Bank. She is the founder of SVB’s Associate Development Program, the lending training program for bankers to the innovation economy, and serves as an advisor to SVB’s inclusion and diversity initiatives. Parsons has over 30 years of banking experience and has served Silicon Valley Bank in a variety of leadership positions since joining the company in 1994. After successfully leading and growing the eastern division of the company, Parsons took on the role of chief banking officer in 2006 and head of US banking in 2008.  Before joining Silicon Valley Bank, Parsons served in a variety of corporate banking roles for Fleet Bank of Massachusetts, Barclays Bank PLC and Mellon Bank. Across her banking career she has managed new business development, client relationship management, and credit risk management. Currently, she serves on the boards of the Startup Institute in Boston and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Silicon Valley and Monterey Bay Area Chapter. Parsons graduated cum laude from Wheaton College with a double major in economics and art history. @svb_financial