Teveia Rose Barnes
Teveia Rose Barnes brings more than 40 years’ experience delivering financial, legal and regulatory services and results fostering the growth and success of banks, financial institutions, small businesses, governmental entities and non-profit organizations across California. Since 1999, Ms. Barnes has steadfastly continued her volunteer position as the founding executive director at LFOA. LFOA provides pro bono legal assistance to the working poor, small businesses and community-based nonprofits in underserved communities and promotes diversity in the legal profession.
Teveia currently serves as the independent director on the Board of StandardC providing a unified banking and data solution in high risk industries. StandardC’s platform enables cash-intensive businesses to decrease their financial and regulatory risks for fully compliant closed-loop B2B transactions.
She also currently serves on the board of directors of Climate Action Reserve that ensures the environmental integrity and financial benefit of greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects. Since 2020, Teveia has served as a member of the board of directors of Congregation Kol Shofar and was appointed Treasurer in 2021.
Prior to joining StandardC, Teveia served as Executive Director at the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank), and successfully spearheaded economic health of businesses and governmental entities serving in underrepresented communities. Teveia effectively led the expansion of IBank’s funding programs to more than $40 billion to fund state and local governmental entities and non-profit organizations throughout California for low-cost infrastructure and economic development projects.
With a reputation as a disruptive thinker and visionary in embracing fresh thinking, Teveia created from the ground up the concept of innovative funding for needful entrepreneurs in low-wealth communities and disaster areas by developing a micro-lending program, Jump Start Loan Program, as well as the California Disaster Relief Loan Guarantee Program allowing guarantees up to 95% for small businesses suffering from physical or economic damage from declared disasters or emergencies. Always focused on economic health of the State, Teveia embraces taking action to launch new programs providing the legal and financial paths that otherwise would not be available.
Teveia is considered an industry subject matter expert in legal and finance ecosystems, driving policy and regulatory change to realize success for financial institutions, small businesses and non-profits organizations. She is highly sought after to consult on topics of risk, program development, business and non-profit finance, and economic best practices.
Throughout her progressive career, Teveia has led organizations as Founder, President, Commissioner, and Executive Director for California governmental entities, law firms and financial institutions. She also served on more than 10 Boards of Directors for organizations such as On Lok, Inc., U.S. Bank, American Conservatory Theater, and Rice University to name a few.
Teveia has received numerous recognitions throughout her career for her leadership and service, including the prestigious Margaret Brent Award from the American Bar Association for her work advocating for women in the legal profession and the Trailblazing Women in Public Finance Award from The Bond Buyer. She maintains great respect as a leader in galvanizing high-performance teams in taking on a singular vision and oneness of purpose and is a consistent champion for program training and mentoring that fosters a positive outreach into underserved communities state-wide.
Teveia holds a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, German Studies and Political Science, and Cohn Scholar from Rice University.