Outstanding Women
In Banking & Finance
The Outstanding Women in Banking and Finance Award is a prestigious recognition that celebrates the remarkable contributions of women within the financial sector. This award honors the exceptional achievements of women who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, and dedication in the realm of banking and finance. By highlighting their accomplishments, the award underscores the pivotal role these women play in shaping the industry and inspiring positive change.
2026 Honorees
Melissa Cougle
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer | Ranger Energy Services
Melissa Cougle serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Ranger Energy Services. Prior to joining Ranger, Melissa served as CFO of Frank’s International through its merger with Expro Group in 2021 and National Energy Services Reunited. She is a Board Member of Tidewater Incorporated and is an Advisory Board Member for the Energy Workforce & Technology Council.
Melissa has over 20 years of experience with roles spanning most areas of treasury, finance, and accounting, and an energy industry focus in services and manufacturing. She received her Bachelor of Science from Louisiana State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Amber Miller
Executive Vice President & Chief Auditor | Corebridge Financial
Amber Miller currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Auditor of Corebridge Financial, one of the largest and most established providers of retirement solutions and insurance products in the United States, with a long and proven track record of serving clients and communities. Prior to joining Corebridge, Amber held audit management roles at AIG and JPMorgan Chase. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
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Throughout Amber’s 32 years in financial services, she has served as an energetic promoter and supporter of both company and community inclusion initiatives, holding a number of leadership roles in Employee Resource Groups and Councils that helped shape company inclusion priorities. She is also an avid volunteer and routinely spends free time volunteering in her community.
Amber is passionate about raising awareness of the power of inclusive teams and the value of building work communities that reinforce diversity of thought and experience. Amber credits her thirst for promoting inclusion to being raised in a close-knit military family that continuously moved around the globe, experiencing different cultures. Throughout her career, she has faithfully served as a mentor to many women and men, encouraging them to lead by example and always strive to promote positivity.
Anna Pawlik
Executive Vice President, Houston Commercial Real Estate | Frost Bank
Anna Pawlik serves as an Executive Vice President overseeing Frost Bank’s Houston Commercial Real Estate lending team, where she leads a talented group of bankers dedicated to delivering responsive, relationship-driven financing solutions. With more than 20 years in commercial banking – and 13 years with Frost – Anna has built a trusted reputation for fostering strong client partnerships and structuring thoughtful, strategic lending across all areas of commercial real estate and home-builder financing.
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Throughout her tenure at Frost, Anna has directly and indirectly originated over $3 billion in loan commitments, fueling consistent portfolio growth. She is deeply committed to developing talent, supporting her team’s success, and ensuring that her bankers, clients, and the broader organization achieve their goals.
Priscilla Picasso
Executive Director, Business Banking Team Lead | Texas Capital
Priscilla Picasso is the Executive Director and Business Banking Team Lead at Texas Capital, bringing a wealth of experience with 28 years in the financial industry. She is a dedicated strategic partner to her clients and oversees Texas Capital’s entire Houston market.
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Priscilla joined Texas Capital in March 2022 as a Business Banking Relationship Manager. Her exceptional leadership and commitment led to her promotion to Business Banking Group Manager in October 2023, and subsequently to Business Banking Team Lead in April 2024. Before her tenure at Texas Capital, Priscilla honed her skills as a Business Banking Relationship Manager at Chase and served as a Branch Manager.
Priscilla’s passion for community service is evident in her role as Vice President of the Greater Houston Trucking Association and her involvement with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women – North Harris and Montgomery County Chapter. She is also a cofounder of the Lending Ladies Network, an initiative that empowers women in finance, commercial real estate, and business through meaningful connections, insights, and opportunities.
Alison Marie Young
Executive Director & Wealth Advisor | J.P.Morgan Wealth Management
Alison Marie Young is an Executive Director and Wealth Advisor with J.P.Morgan Wealth Management. As a tenured and experienced advisor, Alison provides sophisticated advice and planning for high-net-worth families, foundation and endowments, and business leaders.
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Alison has strategically built her career as a wealth advisor over the years with experience at both the J.P.Morgan Private Bank and with Alliance Bernstein Private Wealth Management, before joining J.P.Morgan again in 2020. Her well-diversified capability set includes tax and estate planning, asset allocation, business succession planning, and family governance strategies. Prior to business school, she spent several years in the nonprofit industry, fueling her passion to work with the nonprofit sector in her current role.
Alison is a graduate of Huntington University, where she earned a B.A. in both History and Communication. She holds an MBA from the Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business.
Married to a Houston area native, Alison plays an active and influential role in the Houston nonprofit community. Current board work includes the Governing Board for Casa de Esperanza and Friends of the Children, as well as the Advisory Board of Eight Million Stories and the Finance Committee of St. Catherine’s Montessori. Past Board work includes the Tellepsen YMCA Advisory Board and the Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business Alumni Board, among others.
She has been honored numerous times for her excellence in Financial Services and in her service to the Houston community, including being named a 2024 Texas Executive Women ‘Woman on the Move,’ a 2022 recipient of the J.P.Morgan Chairman’s Award, a 2021 Houston Business Journal – Women Who Mean Business Award/Outstanding Business Leaders in Finance, and the 2021 Rice Business Alumni Award for Industry Excellence in Financial Services. She is also a proud fellow of the American Leadership Forum (ALF) Class 64.
