The Lending Brief: Kate Aaby on Breaking Silos and Modernizing Federal Lending

In this episode of The Lending Brief (sponsored by Allocore), former SBA CFO and Associate Administrator Kate Aaby joins to unpack what it really takes to manage and modernize one of the federal government’s largest loan portfolios. Drawing on experience at OMB, in the private sector, and on the front lines of pandemic lending, Kate reflects on lessons learned from moving $1 trillion in assistance to small businesses, and what’s still holding federal credit programs back.

She discusses why performance and risk management should be inseparable, how fragmented eligibility systems erode trust, and why true modernization will require CFOs, CIOs, and program leaders to work together across agency lines. The conversation explores the need for shared platforms, better data transparency, and a cultural shift toward collaboration, all to better serve borrowers and safeguard taxpayer dollars.

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