Schlesinger Allyson Katz

About Schlesinger Allyson Katz

Allyson Schlesinger is a seasoned U.S. banking executive and currently serves as Senior Executive Vice President, Head of Consumer Banking at Columbia Financial, Inc. / Columbia Bank. She was appointed Executive Vice President, Head of Consumer Banking in September 2018 and later advanced into her current senior executive leadership role. In this capacity, she oversees key consumer banking functions, including retail banking, consumer lending, wealth management, and marketing. Her role places her at the center of customer experience, branch and channel strategy, and commercial execution within Columbia’s retail franchise. ([ir.columbiabankonline.com](https://ir.columbiabankonline.com/corporate-leadership/person-details/default.aspx?ItemId=daab6c7d-fb7c-461d-abd7-78484e357433)) Prior to joining Columbia, Ms. Schlesinger spent 25 years at Citigroup, where her most recent role was Managing Director, U.S. Retail and Division Manager for Citi’s New York City and New Jersey markets. That background reflects deep experience in large-scale retail banking, market leadership, and operating in highly competitive financial services environments. Her Citigroup tenure is the strongest publicly documented part of her career before Columbia and helps explain the operational and customer-focused scope of her current responsibilities. ([ir.columbiabankonline.com](https://ir.columbiabankonline.com/corporate-leadership/person-details/default.aspx?ItemId=daab6c7d-fb7c-461d-abd7-78484e357433)) Publicly available sources emphasize her leadership in consumer banking growth and execution rather than a long list of individual deal decisions or formal board votes. Columbia Financial stated at the time of her appointment that her experience was strategically aligned with the bank’s future growth. A 2021 Columbia Bank community announcement also notes that she helped kick off a statewide Blankets of Hope initiative through her role and community connections, reflecting an executive style that combines business leadership with local engagement. ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/columbia-financial-inc-announces-appointment-of-allyson-schlesinger-300706457.html)) She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. Columbia Bank also reports that she serves on the corporate advisory board for the YWCA for the Boys and Girls Club of New Jersey and on Seton Hall’s Customer Experience Program Advisory Board. These affiliations reinforce her profile as a consumer banking leader with a strong emphasis on service quality, customer engagement, and community partnership. ([ir.columbiabankonline.com](https://ir.columbiabankonline.com/corporate-leadership/person-details/default.aspx?ItemId=daab6c7d-fb7c-461d-abd7-78484e357433))