The Future, and the Women Who Power It: Joanna Fields, CEO, Aplomb Strategies Inc.

“Future leaders must not only understand technology but wield it responsibly to protect reputational integrity in a world where data breaches and automation carry profound consequences,” says Joanna Fields, a financial market veteran who remains focused on enterprise risk management.

Fields has almost 30 years of experience spanning global asset classes such as equities, derivatives, fixed income, futures, treasury, digital assets and capital markets as well as experience with decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), telecom and utility industries. She has built a reputation not only as an enterprise risk management expert, but as a leader in market structure and financial governance. She sat down with The Glass Hammer to discuss the importance of resilience, reinvention and a human approach to leadership.

The Art of Balance

“This may sound like an unlikely beginning, but I started out as a professional ballerina,” says Fields, who has led market structure initiatives and designed risk governance frameworks.

As a dancer, she learned aplomb, which is the art of balance and stabilization under pressure. She learned teamwork, discipline, and the necessity of believing in yourself even when the spotlight felt overwhelming.

Fields may never have gone into finance, if it weren’t for a car accident that halted her dance career.

“It was a devastating moment and made me redefine not just my profession but my identity.”

Supported by her father’s steadfast commitment to the Socratic method of education which encouraged questions, analysis, and critical thinking; she took a risk into the world of finance and technology.

Fields started her career in market regulation at the Chicago Board Options Exchange and the International Securities Exchange. She went on to hold Head of Market Structure roles and lead compliance departments at Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc and Credit Suisse First Boston.

Her contribution to financial markets, as she describes it, has been “keeping it safer.”

Fields is good at identifying patterns of fraud and misconduct. She has developed surveillance tools to strengthen governance frameworks and has helped institutions avoid “gotcha” regulatory moments.

She believes there will be pivotal themes in 2026 including; how to use artificial intelligence safely while protecting data privacy, the rise of DePIN, emerging regulatory frameworks such as the Genius Act, and the increasing sophistication of cybersecurity fraud.

In a rapidly evolving technological environment shaped by AI, blockchain, DePIN, and crypto markets, her ability to merge technology with risk oversight has become critical.

Rising with Support and Purpose

While Fields has many professional achievements, her greatest source of inspiration is a personal one. In 2022, her daughter experienced sudden vision loss.

“We spent countless hours in a hospital room navigating all the uncertainties. It was a scary and emotional time but my daughter remained unwavering,” she remembers. “She continues to believe that women can do anything, build anything and achieve anything.

They found that sports, in particular softball clinics at Northwestern with dedicated coaches, shifted their perspective.

“We focused on what was possible instead of what had been lost. We had a strong team of family and friends around us that reframed the adversity as a challenge to be met with collaboratively.”

Throughout her journey, Fields has learned that unexpected challenges are inevitable. What matters is the community you build and the confidence you develop in your specialty over time.

“It’s about who you surround yourself with and who will help you rise. Everyone stumbles. What defines a career, or a life, is how you respond to it.”

Leadership is about Legacy, Not Titles

Fields has also dedicated time to mentoring students from Barnard College and Columbia University. Her advice to young women entering the workforce is practical and empowering.

“Try to get two offers and negotiate the best one. Know your worth. You will spend eight to twelve hours a day at work; choose a team you enjoy and respect. Do not be afraid to take risks. And when you are right, stand firm—while remaining open to negotiation and alternative viewpoints. If you are wrong, own it. Clear communication and thoughtful articulation,” she emphasizes, “are foundational to leadership.”

When asked what impact she hopes to create, her answer is twofold.

“I want financial markets to be safer. I want to be able to use technology proactively against fraud and misconduct.”

Fields also finds satisfaction in seeing those she has worked with grow into long-term careers of their own.

“Leadership is not about titles but about legacy.”

Looking forward, she believes the leaders who will thrive are those who can harness AI securely, protect data privacy, and clearly articulate their value in an increasingly automated world.

“As roles evolve, the ability to communicate your unique contribution will be paramount,” she asserts.

From ballerina to financial risk strategist, from navigating personal tragedy to mentoring the next generation, Fields embodies aplomb in its truest sense: balance, grace and strength under pressure.