Kaysia Johnson-Vaughan may not have initially envisioned a career in banking, but today, as Director of Small Business Client Experience for the Caribbean and Central America (CCA) at Scotiabank, she stands as an influential and transformative leader in the industry. In her role, she drives the small business strategy for the region and creates a positive impact for the SME community.
Kaysia’s rise to the upper echelons of banking is marked by resilience — a quality that has carried her through both personal and professional challenges. She lives by the mantra, “Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, strive for excellence in all that one does, and remain true to oneself.” And, guided by her faith in God and values anchored in hope and love, Kaysia inspires and uplifts those around her. “I’ve achieved a lot, and I’m now in a position to influence change, drive progress, and impact people, and, for me, this is the greatest gift of all,” she says. “It’s something I plan never to take for granted.”
Banking Not the Original Path
When she was growing up, Kaysia never envisioned herself in the banking industry. “It was never part of my dream,” she says. “I didn’t find banking, but banking found me.” She dreamed of working in media or becoming a lawyer. She recalls that while growing up, whenever she saw someone on TV, she would think, “I want to be that lady – for example, a news anchor.” She also remembers watching “Matlock” and other law shows and thinking, “I want to be like that person in the court.”
“But, then, over the years, banking found me, and I’ve grown into it,” Kaysia says. “There are different aspects of banking, but the part that really inspires me the most is being able to help people achieve their life goals.”
A List of Achievements
Kaysia’s career is marked by several milestones, and her contributions have been widely recognized. Among her proudest accomplishments is being named a Woman of Impact by the Canadian High Commission for her role in empowering women in business and entrepreneurship. “That award meant so much because it showed that people outside my organization recognized and valued the work I was doing,” she says.
Kaysia has achieved several milestones. Over the years, she has been recognized and rewarded by various organizations for her hard work, leadership, and contributions to the banking industry and the SME community.
In 2024, Kaysia and her team had a great year as they successfully met most of their KPIs for the first time. She points out that such an achievement is rare these days, as the space has become highly competitive. “Every year, we came close to the numbers, often missing by a small percentage,” Kaysia says. “But when we finally exceeded them — by as much as 150% in some instances — it was a moment of great joy and celebration.”
Beyond numbers, Kaysia is most proud of the programs she has created for her clients. She highlights Scotiabank Vision Achiever; a transformative initiative that has helped more than 300 entrepreneurs gain confidence and clarity in their business direction. “I remember participants who started out shy and uncertain, unsure of their next steps. By the end of the program, they had completely transformed—not just their businesses, but as leaders. That’s the power of what we do.”
Kaysia points out that this is what she loves about the banking sector: they help people achieve their dreams, which leads them to supporting other families and contributing to economic growth.
Working Together to Create Impact
Kaysia joined Scotiabank Jamaica Ltd in 2014. She has risen through the ranks to become Director of Small Business Client Experience, CCA of Scotiabank in November 2024. According to her, they have grown as an organization over the years. She highlights that under their current CEO, Audrey Tugwell-Henry, an environment has been created for people to grow. She also points out that leaders identify every individual’s talent and offer them the opportunity where they can shine; that is what happened in her case. Kaysia moved from marketing to core banking because her leader saw her potential and was confident that she could make that transition. “Putting that faith in me has really borne fruit,” she says.
Over the years, Kaysia has witnessed significant progress in the organization. They now follow a more collaborative approach to identify, coach, and develop future leaders, and create opportunities to enable their growth. For example, she participated in a mentorship program that helps others grow – other senior leaders have also been part of this program.
Additionally, there are learning opportunities available at Scotiabank; for example, LinkedIn Learning and other virtual courses. Kaysia points out that leaders create opportunities for individuals to get some exposure in the field of their interest.
“Scotiabank is a great place to work,” she adds. “It has really helped me grow as an individual, and now being the director for the region is something I’m grateful for.” “It’s going to be a lot of work, but what’s beautiful about it is that you have great people to work with – a dedicated team,” she adds. “Because ultimately, it’s not about me; it’s about us working together to create an impact.”
Challenges in the Banking Space
Kaysia acknowledges that banking is evolving rapidly, with digitalization reshaping the customer experience. “In the past, clients came into the branch to meet their banker. Now, automation and digital solutions are changing that dynamic. While this is beneficial, some clients still crave a personal touch. Balancing both is a challenge.”
Additionally, the competition has intensified, with more financial institutions entering the market. According to Kaysia, until 10 years ago, there weren’t as many banks and financial institutions offering similar services and solutions. The real differentiator is no longer just products but the quality of service and relationships. “Since we all offer the same products, it’s the quality of service that truly sets you apart.”
“Interest rates is another differentiating factor and it may vary, but clients remain loyal to banks they trust.” One has to spend a lot of time to ensure their team recognizes the value of building best service, building relationships, and maintaining strong client relationships to ultimately become a winning institution,” she adds. This also has its share of challenges, as people’s personal aspirations may not align with the organization’s goal. As a leader, one has to figure out how to motivate and inspire a person so that they understand the organization’s vision and where they are going, Kaysia points out. Winning in this industry requires a strong team, service excellence, and a focus on building lasting relationships. Staff retention is another challenge, as people change jobs more frequently than before.
She has tried to overcome some of the challenges by creating an inclusive, safe environment where the staff feel empowered. She recognizes people’s good work and rewards them. In addition to that, she empowers them through training. “An empowered team doesn’t just overcome challenges—they create solutions,” Kaysia says.
A Woman in the Banking Space
Kaysia believes that women in every field have to work really hard to prove themselves and earn their place – work twice as hard as their male colleagues. “Confidence in a woman is sometimes mistaken for aggression. But once you prove your value, you gain strong support.”
Kaysia is known for being a hard worker, focused, and results oriented. “This has helped, making some transitions easier,” she says. “Senior leaders have recognized the value I bring to the organization.” For aspiring women leaders, her advice is simple: “Be firm, confident, respectful, and always deliver quality. The right people will recognize your value.” Also shares, “Success isn’t just about what you accomplish in your life; it’s about what you inspire others to do.”
Routine and Leadership Style
Kaysia does not follow a fixed routine. “I start by thanking God for clarity and wisdom. Then, I focus on how to move forward.” Her typical day involves several meetings — sometimes as many as five meetings a day. At these meetings, they discuss strategic initiatives, solve a particular issue, determine how to improve a process, and identify products that need to be enhanced for clients. On certain days, Kaysia may coach her team as well — going through the things they need to achieve. She also supports individuals by outlining what they need to do and ensuring they are accomplishing what they need to achieve.
Kaysia also manages sudden developments that they didn’t plan for. “This happens a lot,” she says, citing examples such as issues related to clients. When that happens, she and her team have to pause everything and resolve the issue, ensuring that the clients are happy. “At the end of the day, it’s always about finding ways to improve what we want to offer our clients and determining the best solutions or policies to guide us to accomplish that,” Kaysia says.
She is a leader who leads as well as serves. She leads with purpose, empathy, and empowerment. And she serves her team by helping them become better, identify who they are, and achieve their personal goals. “I think my leadership style has evolved over the years,” Kaysia says. “I’m more focused on people-centeredness, as I realized that if you really invest in people, you empower them, you nurture their strengths, you create an environment for them to thrive, then results will naturally flow, development will naturally flow.”
Kaysia is intrinsically motivated and has a heart filled with gratitude. She also encourages her team to be grateful for every small thing. She regularly holds “power conversations” with them to get their input and feedback, organizes fun activities for them, and celebrates her team’s achievements and rewards good efforts.
Kaysia is also very positive and highly energetic. She is quick on her feet. If one had to describe her in a word, it would be energetic. Kaysia also thinks and prays a lot. “Whenever I’ve something to do, I always pray first,” she says. “I pray and ask for clarity, then I sit and meditate on it. If things don’t go as planned, I spend a lot of time talking to God, saying, ‘Okay, I need to do this. I’m not sure what to do. Can you direct me to the right people? Can you show me how to do this?’ Believe it or not, I always get the answers.” Kaysia is also focused on spending more time with her family and being fully present for her daughter by attending all her school activities, competitions and even participate in Sports day among other things. She is dedicated to raising her daughter to be honest, kind, resilient, confident, and God-fearing.
What Is Next?
Kaysia eventually wants to lead an organization in the very near future. She loves the banking sector and is passionate about small business. She believes that it is a goldmine that can unlock the economic growth for the entire world. Her vision is to create a dynamic inclusive ecosystem where SMEs have seamless access to financing, digital innovation, strategic mentorship, and global opportunities, enabling them to scale, compete and drive sustainable economic growth across the Caribbean. Kaysia’s passion for small businesses goes beyond banking. She envisions a Caribbean-wide ecosystem where banks, governments, and institutions collaborate to drive SME growth. She does not know what God has in store for her future, but she plans to continue embracing the present and determine how she can impact people’s lives in a very positive way. She intends to do that by creating tangible solutions and answering their needs.
As for her personal goals, Kaysia, a creative person, has many passion projects. She shares that she is working on a book. “I plan to become an author very soon,” she says. With her love for fashion, she is also thinking of launching her own fashion brand.
At the moment, Kaysia says she is focus on projects that allow her to express her creativity. She is also seeking clarity as she goes along from God. “I’ve learned that my plans don’t always align with His,” she says. “Sometimes, even when I’ve set my sights on something — like my plans for media — it turns out that wasn’t the path meant for me.”
Message to Aspiring Leaders
“To aspiring leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers—never underestimate the power of resilience, service, and vision. The path may not always be what you expect, but with faith, determination, and a commitment to making a difference, success will follow.”
Kaysia Johnson-Vaughan’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and purpose-driven success. From banking to mentorship, from business strategy to personal empowerment—she is shaping the future, one life at a time.
And the best part? She’s only getting started
