DENVER (August 13, 2026) — Native American Bank (NAB) today announced the hire of Kayla Johnson as Chief Banking Officer. Johnson started at NAB this week.
She arrives after more than a decade at FirstBank in Lakewood, Colo., where she most recently served as senior vice president. Her leadership at that community banking institution included overseeing $15.3 billion in portfolio exposure, serving customers in Arizona as well as Colorado.
“That strong foundation in community relationships is what prepared me to take on this role at Native American Bank,” Johnson said. “It’s a humble honor for me to serve NAB’s mission of promoting economic independence, development and sustainability for Native American and Alaska Native communities. Collaborating with communities for both growth and sustainability is why I love this work”
“We’re excited to bring Kayla aboard,” said NAB President and CEO, Thomas Ogaard. “During her time at FirstBank, she developed and implemented specialized loan programs to expand access to credit to underserved and low-to-moderate income communities. Her experience has touched on commercial and construction lending, compliance, digital innovation and much more that makes Kayla a valuable addition to our team.”
Johnson also has a long history of giving back. She’s served as a financial literacy instructor with Junior Achievement for 10 years, and has also taught first-time homebuyer classes for more than a decade. She’s also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and Growing Gardens, which brings regenerative agriculture education and food donations to Boulder County residents.
About Native American Bank
Native American Bank, N.A.–a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)– is the nation’s only multi-Tribally owned national community development bank. Native American Bank supports the communities that it services, and it received an “outstanding” score on the most recent Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) exam. Learn more at nativeamericanbank.com.