Sara J.P. Svobodny

Senior Compliance Specialist

Sara Svobodny is a senior compliance specialist in the St. Paul office of Wipfli LLP. She began her banking career in 1996 as a student teller and bookkeeper, broadening her experience in the banking industry via positions within the loan and compliance departments of community financial institutions.

As a result of these experiences, a career in financial insitution compliance emerged, supported by Sara’s firsthand understanding of operations and compliance. Sara’s wide range of knowledge and hands-on expertise in problem-solving, training within all business lines and personnel levels, and interaction with regulatory agencies during examinations enables her to provide expert advice and consultation on financial institution compliance matters.

Prior to joining Wipfli, Sara was the compliance officer for a mid-size bank. In this role, she developed and implemented a bankwide internal compliance audit program, wrote and implemented policies and procedures, met with management to discuss the impact of regulatory changes, trained all staff on regulatory requirements, was the key contact for regulatory reviews, and was responsible for keeping the audit committee of the board aware of any external and internal findings.

Sara knows the importance of maintaining a sound compliance program and has the capability to help clients reach and even exceed their goals.

Professional Organizations and Activities
Sara is a Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer (CCBCO) and a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM).