Travillian is thrilled to welcome Amber Buker to the team as our first-ever Chief Research Officer. With a unique background that spans law, fintech, digital banking, and executive storytelling, Amber brings a rare mix of strategic insight, hands-on experience, and deep industry relationships to her role.
From building platforms that connect banks with fintechs, to founding a mission-driven neobank, Amber’s career has been anything but traditional. And now, she’s ready to channel that breadth into helping our bank partners innovate with purpose.
In this conversation, Amber sits down with Brian Love, Head of Banking and Fintech Search at Travillian, to talk about her journey, what she’ll be focused on at Travillian, and how she sees the future of community banking and innovation evolving.
From Law School to Banking Strategy
Brian: You’ve had a fascinating career path. Tell us about your start as a “recovering attorney.”
Amber: Like a lot of folks, I went to law school because people told me I’d be good at it. I could argue and write well. I ended up studying at Lewis and Clark in Portland because it was one of the few institutions where I could do the evening program and keep a job during the day. I had to support myself through school. Then I practiced art and entertainment law at a nonprofit in Nashville, which was meaningful work but incredibly draining. That’s when I got a mysterious email from Bill King at Bank Director, and the rest is history
Breaking into Banking Media and Fintech
Brian: How did you dive into fintech during your time at Bank Director?
Amber: I started on the sales side, but I was drawn to the friction between banks and fintechs – I remember it being somewhat contentious at the time. Banks were dismissing fintech as a flash in the pan. Fintechs were saying they’d replace all the banks. It didn’t make sense to me. Because to me, I thought there should be a natural symbiosis between these two types of organizations. Banks have the infrastructure, the trust, the customers — the charter. Fintechs know how to build products that people love. I started writing about it and eventually helped build the FinXTech Connect platform, a vetted database of bank-friendly fintechs based on my interviews with over 300 bank leaders
Scaling Innovation at Alloy Labs
Brian: Then came Alloy Labs. What was your focus there?
Amber: There, I got to go deeper. We created safe spaces for executives to explore new ideas and shared innovation with structure. I helped write Alloy’s first newsletter, ran whiteboarding sessions, and worked on the predecessor of what is now Alloy’s Rebolt offering, a real payment solution built within the group. Jason Henrichs, who leads Alloy, is so good at creating community. So, it let me roll up my sleeves and really work directly with banks.
Founding Totem: The only digital banking and payments platform for Tribes and their People
Brian: Let’s talk about Totem, your fintech startup.
Amber: Totem was the first digital bank and payments platform built for Native American communities. I’m a member of the Choctaw Nation and I knew firsthand how financial exclusion impacts our people. We built a model that partnered directly with tribal governments, not just consumers. Our revenue came from facilitating benefit disbursements, not interchange. Unfortunately, we lost our bank partner in the wake of the Synapse collapse and couldn’t recover. But the need still exists.
For our audience, the cool thing about that experience is it gave me the opportunity to partner directly with not just our bank but also large organizations like our payment processor, card network, etc. We all collaborated to build a unique flow of funds to do disbursements to tribal members. It was an incredible experience.
Why Travillian?
Brian: So how does all that bring you to Travillian?
Amber: Everything I’ve done — researching fintechs, working directly with banks, founding a company — has taught me how to connect dots fast. I want to help banks identify needs, vet solutions, and implement real change. Not through 100-page reports, but through honest conversations and tactical support. I’ll also be growing our content brand, Travillian Next, and contributing to strategic advisory work.
On Product Innovation and Efficiency
Brian: You’ve talked about helping banks think like product designers. How does that work?
Amber: Fintechs start with the customer. Banks often start with the product. That’s backwards. I help banks go back to first principles. Ask what their ideal customer really wants and build from there. That mindset also unlocks internal efficiency. Too many banks are using the wrong tools or underusing what they already have. There’s so much opportunity to get leaner and smarter.
It All Comes Back to Talent
Brian: How does all this tie into our roots in executive search?
Amber: Talent is everything. You can build the best strategy in the world, but if you don’t have the people to execute it, it falls apart. I’m here to help banks with both strategy and the talent that brings it to life. Sometimes that’s one key hire. Sometimes it’s a team build-out. We can help with both.
Lightning Round with Amber
Brian: Two albums on a desert island?
Amber: I’d cheat and bring a YouTube Broadway Hits playlist. Brian and I have a shared love of theatre. Musicals cover every mood — they tell the human story.
Brian: Favorite place on earth?
Amber: My backyard in Oklahoma with my 100-pound Bernese Mountain Dog coworker.
Brian: Biggest prediction for banking over the next 5 to 10 years?
Amber: I think the only thing we can really expect right now is more change more often. Disruption will accelerate. Private credit, stablecoin regulation, fintech innovation. Everything’s moving fast. Buckle up!
