About Us
About Us
We have been trusted advisors to over 100 financial services companies in Tennessee and across the country, helping assess the strength and sustainability of enterprise-wide and compliance risk management programs. For years, we have provided independent compliance testing services and conducted deep research and analysis enabling us to provide our clients sound compliance risk management advice.
While other firms offer a multitude of services, Sentry focuses on what we do best: helping you navigate the complex and ever-changing regulatory requirements and expectations placed on your financial institution.
Our Team
At Sentry Advisors, our strength comes from the expertise and dedication of our professionals. Each member of our team brings extensive experience, respected certifications, and a client-first approach to helping financial institutions navigate compliance and risk with confidence.
William A. Childress
CRCM, CPA – Managing Partner
With more than 18 years of experience, William specializes in consumer compliance risk management and independent testing. He has led engagements for organizations supervised by the CFPB and prudential regulators and serves as co-facilitator for multiple compliance forums. William’s insight helps clients strengthen compliance programs and prepare for regulatory exams.
Allen B. “Joey” Croom II
CRCM, CAMS – Managing Partner
Joey brings over 20 years of advisory experience in regulatory compliance, including lending, deposits, fair lending, HMDA, CRA, and BSA/AML/OFAC. A frequent leader in national compliance forums, he helps institutions understand and address complex regulations with clarity and precision.
John Soffronoff
Managing Partner
With 35 years of banking risk and compliance experience – 10-years with the FDIC and 25-years consulting – John brings both a regulatory and practical perspective to his engagements. While at the FDIC, he served 5-years as a Review Examiner in the New York Regional Office. As a consultant, John has worked with leadership teams to develop holistic initiatives that address complex regulatory and compliance issues by institutionalizing proactive practices and programs in efficient and effective ways. He has delivered hundreds of engagements assisting clients with devising and implementing preventative and corrective programs in response to shifitng regulatory demands. He is a frequent speaker across a variety of risk and compliance topics.
Michael O. Anderson
CRCM – Partner
Michael has advised financial institutions for more than 24 years, with expertise in regulatory compliance risk management, BSA/AML audits, and fair lending testing. Known for his teaching and leadership at compliance conferences, he helps clients assess and improve compliance program effectiveness.
Austin H. Crowe
CRCM, CPA – Partner
Austin combines compliance knowledge with financial reporting expertise. His background includes regulatory compliance testing, internal audit, and loan review services. He supports clients with deep knowledge of BSA/AML/CFT, OFAC, lending, and deposit operations, ensuring effective compliance and operational efficiency.
Leah Hamilton
JD - Director of Education Services & Compliance Advisor
With nearly 30 years of industry experience, Leah is known for her engaging and practical approach to compliance training. She advises banks, credit unions, and fintechs while also teaching at the Southwest Graduate School of Banking. Her focus on plain-English solutions makes compliance approachable for all levels of staff and management.
Lisa Fiveash
CRCM – Managing Compliance Advisor
Lisa has more than 20 years in banking and a decade of compliance consulting experience. Her expertise spans lending, deposits, and regulations such as Reg Z, RESPA, and CRA. She helps clients by translating complex regulatory requirements into actionable compliance strategies.
Crystal Hopkins
CRCM – Senior Compliance Advisor
Crystal has 18 years of financial industry experience, including roles as Compliance Officer, BSA Officer, and Customer Information Security Officer. She offers clients deep expertise in compliance risk management, BSA/AML/OFAC, UDAP/UDAAP, Fair Lending, HMDA, and CRA.
Kristin Waddle
CAMS, CCBCO, CBAP – Senior Compliance Advisor
Kristin has nearly two decades of experience in BSA/AML/CFT/OFAC compliance, lending and deposit regulations, and branch operations. She has served as a Compliance Officer and BSA Officer, giving her practical knowledge that helps clients strengthen compliance programs and effectively interact with regulators.
Whitney Coffman
CAMS - Senior Compliance Advisor
Whitney brings nearly a decade of experience in the financial industry, specializing in BSA/AML/CFT/OFAC compliance, risk assessment, and mitigation. Throughout her banking career, she has served as a key liaison between auditors, federal examiners, and internal teams, with deep expertise in compliance risk management, bank operations, and consumer compliance regulations.
Karen Watson
CAMS - Senior Compliance Advisor
Cindy Prince
CRCM - Senior Compliance Advisor
Cindy brings two decades of compliance expertise in the banking industry, having served in senior roles at nationally recognized consulting firms and most recently as a Senior Consultant at a regional advisory firm before joining Sentry as a Senior Compliance Advisor. She specializes in Regulatory Compliance, Bank Secrecy Act, and Internal Audit, and is a frequent speaker at compliance seminars, schools, and webinars across the U.S.
Zach Garner
CAMS - Senior Compliance Advisor
Zach has nearly a decade of experience in the financial industry, with a primary focus on BSA/AML/CFT/OFAC and federal lending and deposit compliance, including five years at a regional bank prior to joining Sentry. His experience spans FDIC-, OCC-, and Federal Reserve–regulated institutions, including community banks, mortgage companies, fintechs, and credit unions ranging from $250MM to over $3B in assets.
Marci Bechard
CRCM - Senior Compliance Advisor
Marci is a highly skilled corporate compliance professional with over 20 years of experience across banking, mortgage, and online financial services. She has led compliance teams at institutions exceeding $10 billion in assets and specializes in compliance remediation, third-party risk management, Fair Lending, HMDA, and consumer banking regulations.
Becky Breland
JD - Principal Consultant, Advisory Services
Becky brings more than 20 years of regulatory compliance experience, including leadership roles as a BSA Officer, CRA Officer, and Compliance Officer, along with consulting and legal expertise. Most recently a Principal Consultant and Editor-in-Chief of The Big Orange Book, she is known for making complex regulations practical and engaging.
Deanne Kiilsgaard
Senior Compliance Advisor
Deanne is a Senior Compliance Advisor with over 20 years of banking experience, providing strategic guidance and oversight in complex regulatory environments. Her expertise spans risk management, auditing, retail banking, and financial services, with a strong record of ensuring compliance and operational excellence.
Gail (Rassler) Berasley
Principal Consultant
Gail has more than 30 years of experience in regulatory compliance and internal audit, including developing compliance management systems, conducting enterprise-wide risk assessments, and leading audit and monitoring programs. She has extensive expertise in BSA/AML/OFAC, Fair Lending, CRA analysis, advertising review, and regulatory remediation.
Mariana Dumanovksy
Principal Consultant
Mariana is a seasoned risk and compliance professional with over 25 years of banking, lending, and regulatory compliance experience, including more than a decade as a trusted compliance consultant. She specializes in compliance program administration, risk assessments, monitoring and testing, regulatory exam support, and remediation efforts for community and regional institutions.
Deborah Stephenson
Managing Principal
Deborah brings over 30 years of banking industry experience, including roles as an FDIC examiner, compliance executive, and community bank CEO. Her background provides deep insight into regulatory expectations, board governance, and exam preparedness, with a focus on practical implementation for institutions with limited internal resources.
Kristina Slattery
Senior Consultant
Kristina is a seasoned banking and regulatory compliance professional with over 27 years of experience guiding institutions through complex regulatory landscapes. She specializes in lending and servicing regulations, TRID compliance, and third-party risk management, with a strong focus on operational efficiency and risk mitigation.
Alice Judd
Managing Principal
Alice is a compliance and risk management professional with more than 30 years of experience specializing in bank operational risk and consumer protection regulations. She has led enterprise-wide compliance initiatives including regulatory change management, examinations and remediation, and the development of policies, procedures, and compliance frameworks.
Lawana Clark
Principal Consultant
Lawana is an experienced regulatory compliance consultant with over 25 years in banking and finance, specializing in risk management and deposit and lending compliance. She advises financial institutions on UDAAP risk, policy development, monitoring programs, and regulatory remediation while leading teams and strengthening compliance programs.