Entries by Nicki Gilmour

2020 Year In Review: Are We Ready for the Bigger Questions in 2021?

The world turned upside-down in 2020 as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic event altered our daily lives and conversations on a collective level. In this annual year in review, TheGlassHammer considers the major updates that we’ve witnessed for women, diversity and inclusion. Women’s Representation in Leadership in 2020 First of all, a quick glance at leadership […]

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Trisha Sircar; Partner, Privacy, Data and Cybersecurity, Katten

“I will say I’m incredibly lucky that I’ve had the support of many women in my industry,” says Trisha Sircar, Partner at Katten.

The terrain of data privacy and cybersecurity is evolving as quickly as our relationships to technology, so there’s rarely been a more challenging or rewarding time to be an authority in this field.

In her role at Katten, Sircar is largely confronting the issues that have arisen and solutions to be forged under the context of a public health crisis.

Shani Hatcher, Financial Advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors

“The best thing about my job is helping people. It is humbling that I can be there for my clients during difficult times, I don’t want them to feel alone. I, too, am an individual and a mother dealing with the pandemic, so I tell them we can get through this together,” said Shani Hatcher, a San Francisco-based financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors.

Yeng Butler, Head of Liquidity Client Group, Wells Fargo Asset Management

“Joining Wells Fargo & Company when I did, just prior to Covid-19 has certainly given new meaning to the phrase ‘trial by fire’ as I had to learn how to effectively navigate within the firm on a very quick timeline.”

Yeng Butler joined Wells Fargo Asset Management as the head of Liquidity Client Group in November 2019, after eight years at State Street. However, Yeng Butler’s career has been anything but linear. She recounts that she has always followed her curiosity and hasn’t been afraid to look beyond immediate and obvious career opportunities.

Cindy Brown, Chief Revenue Officer, ViralGains

by Cathie Ericson

As a strong mentor to other women, Cindy Brown loves to share what she’s learned, speaking on panels like “How to Be a Boss Lady.”

Her advice includes staying the course: She sees resumes of women who’ve only been in jobs one or two years, yet she believes you have to remain in a position long enough to learn that when things get tough, that’s an opportunity to add certain skills to your personal toolkit. “When you reach higher levels, you are expected to have skills to handle situations, but you can only acquire those through seeing similar circumstances and the various reactions and responses,” Brown says.

Cristina Varner; Senior Vice President, National Life Science Practice Leader; ABD Insurance & Financial Services

by Cathie Ericson

In her 25-year career, Cristina Varner has heard a number of buzzwords come and go, but one concept that she was delighted to first hear about and see endure is “sponsorship.”

“When that term came up it really resonated with me…who’s in the room talking about you when you’re not there?” she says, citing studies showing women tend to be over-mentored and under-sponsored. She recalls a former boss who was a strong producer, and they gravitated toward one another. “We didn’t put a name on it, but it was sponsorship as she helped me be my best,” Varner says. “She would tell me that I was passionate, not impatient, as others might call me. In that way she would replace what sounded like a negative that I might be thinking I needed to fix and reframing it in a way that was positive.”

How to Make Your Next Career Move During COVID-19

Navigating change at work is applicable to everyone in their career right now. Working with an executive coach can help with adapting to the new environment of work from home and adjusting your mindset to deal with the changes that, due to a pandemic, seem to be here to stay for a while. Executive-level jobs […]

Luvleen Sidhu, Co-Founder and CEO, BankMobile, a division of Customers Bank

by Cathie Ericson

As a successful entrepreneur, Luvleen Sidhu, co-founder and CEO of BankMobile, has learned firsthand the many challenges and satisfactions CEOs experience.

“While I am incredibly proud of my work leading this company, I’ve developed a new appreciation for the challenges leaders face. It takes a lot of patience and dedication, mixed with the understanding that you are probably going to have to change course along the way as you learn more.”

Geetha Neelakantiah, Senior Vice President of Business Development and General Manager, Semcasting

by Cathie Ericson

Building your ideal career can take a lifetime, but Semcasting’s Geetha Neelakantiah says she wishes there were more resources and guidance out there for younger people to get them started on the right path early on.

“Even in college, I wish I would have done more investigation into what else was out there—all the industries that are available,” she says.