The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) announced the appointment of Leigh Lytle as President and CEO, effective Dec. 4. ELFA Board Chair Bob Neagle made the announcement at the General Session of the 62nd ELFA Annual Convention in Phoenix, AZ. Lytle will succeed Ralph Petta, who is retiring from the association at the end of the year.

“We are pleased to welcome Ms. Lytle to ELFA as our new President and CEO,” said Neagle. “Leigh is a dynamic leader whose experience, passion and vision make her uniquely qualified to guide our association into the future. Her experience in banking, operations, advocacy and education, and most recently with a fintech company and a fintech trade association, will add momentum to our current ELFA efforts in those same areas. After conducting a national search, we are delighted with this outcome and the opportunity it offers our organization. I would like to thank our search committee for their tremendous work throughout the process.”

As the Head of North American Policy at Plaid, Lytle led education and engagement efforts with regulators and financial institutions. In this role, she advocated for protecting consumers’ rights within the digital financial ecosystem and in Washington, DC. She also served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Financial Technology Association (FTA), which represents innovative companies shaping the future of finance. The industry trade group champions the power of technology-centered financial services and advocates for the modernization of financial regulation to support inclusion and responsible innovation. Before joining Plaid, Lytle spent over 15 years in the Federal Reserve Bank system in various executive roles ranging from engagements in monetary and regulatory policy to operations and data analytics oversight.

“I am honored to be joining the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association as the organization moves into its next phase and navigates the digital landscape and abundant opportunities on behalf of our members,” said Lytle. “The association has an incredible board, members and team championing this critical sector that adds tremendous value to the American economy. I am proud to join the ELFA staff to build on the solid foundation established by Ralph Petta and the team, and look forward to meeting with and working with our members in the coming months.”