Movers and Shakers: Joi Gordon, CEO, Dress for Success Worldwide

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Joi Gordon, CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide, is a strong believer in women helping women – and she’s happy to help dispel some of old stereotypes about female leaders.

“Some twenty years ago, there was a perception that women weren’t nice to each other,” Gordon said. “When I entered the workforce I was prepared to not be supported by women and to have to fight for my place. But that fight is not one I had to fight.”

“That perception was not real, and I’m proud to say that,” she continued. “Where I am today is because of strong women who lifted me up, supported me, and gave me the guidance I needed.”

Gordon’s organization, Dress for Success, is wholly based on the notion of women helping one another advance – when one woman donates a suit, she helps change another woman’s life.

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Voice of Experience: Angela Raitzin, Managing Principal and Head of New York Office, Morton Capital Management

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Angela Raitzin, Managing Principal and Head of the New York Office of Morton Capital, says she is dedicated to encouraging women to join and stay in the financial industry.

“I think, particularly as a more senior woman, you have to make time for mentoring. At multiple points in my career, I made it a point to recruit and encourage women to consider financial services and investment banking in particular as a career. Encouraging women to join is the first step but encouraging them to stay, and getting them over the hump from the VP or Director and Managing Director levels is also crucial, “she explained. “Starting over 10 years ago Wall Street made a big push to hire more women and I have seen many positive signs in the past 5 years that they are now making strides to retain these same women.”

She is particularly enthusiastic about the benefits of working in financial advising. As an active recruiter of students from her business school to New York, she says emphasizing the entrepreneurial spirit and the flexible hours associated with financial advising is key. “Both are important to the advancement and retention of women.”

She continued, “For one, you can cast a wide net in terms of your clients. And second, there is much more flexibility to your schedule. In my own case, I didn’t have that degree of flexibility earlier in my career and I think it’s a huge positive.”

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Voice of Experience: Marcia Wakeman, Partner, Banking, Capco

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Marcia Wakeman, Banking Partner at the consulting firm Capco, believes strongly in the power of mentoring. After spending almost two decades in the industry, she has experienced first hand how finding the right mentor can make a difference in someone’s career. Now, she encourages seasoned women to remember to give back.

“My advice is really taking interest in mentoring, especially the junior women. Reach out and share your experiences. We tend to forget that all the things we have learned would be of value to them,” she explained.

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Movers and Shakers: Marie Picard, Counsel, ING U.S. Investment Management

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Marie Picard, Counsel at ING U.S. Investment Management, believes strongly in the value of mentoring.

“I really think it’s important to find people who can mentor and advise you – formally or informally. Find people you know and respect and look up to, who you are able to learn from. Foster those relationships. People have a lot to teach you – sometimes you just have to ask,” she said.

She also advised women to be mentors themselves – the confidence boost, she says, can help propel you forward. “Help younger women and men at the firm who may be more junior and put effort into sharing knowledge. It’s really validating and empowering to share the knowledge you’ve accumulated over time.”

“It makes you realize how much you know, and it helps create that network of relationships that’s so important,” she added.

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Movers and Shakers: Jill Huntley, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship, Accenture

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“Seize the opportunities,” says Jill Huntley, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship at Accenture. “There is luck everywhere. It just depends on whether you’re looking for it, if you can see it, and if you are ready to grab it when it’s there.”

For example, Huntley began her career at Accenture 18 years ago as a business consultant. But when she embarked on an assignment to Africa in 2000, she developed an interest in corporate citizenship, which opened doors and led to a global role at the company.

“You don’t know where your first step is going to lead. Take some chances and stretch your self. Look for challenges,” she said. “There are many different roads that will take you through your career.”

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Voice of Experience: Nancy Reyda, Managing Director, COO Global Technology Business Solutions, Deutsche Bank

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

According to Nancy Reyda, Managing Director and COO of Global Technology Business Solutions at Deutsche Bank, being a leader of change requires a delicate balance between vision and awareness.

“There’s an art to leading transformational change that requires both passionate vision, undying confidence, and the resilient belief that you will achieve that vision – coupled with a deep humility for the complexity of change, and why people may be resisting it,” she explained.

Reyda, who described her career path as unique, started out as an engineer working on the oil fields of California. She’s now a Wall Street executive immersed in the business of transformation.

“In my early days, I’d say I was an enthusiastic leader, but I’ve learned that when you really master the art of the craft is when you have coupled that enthusiastic leadership with humility. People who get that graceful balance are truly able to lead transformational change,” she said.

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Voice of Experience: Hanna Derry, Managing Director, Technology, Blackrock

hannaderryBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“Be visible,” advised Hanna Derry, Managing Director of Technology at Blackrock.

Derry, who is a COO for one of Blackrock’s global software development divisions, encouraged senior women in financial services technology to recognize their capability for leadership. By talking about their own story, she explained, women can illuminate new pathways for young people advancing their careers.

“Be a visible female leader to set an example for younger women – as well as younger men,” she said. “Be available to mentor so people can hear your story. People want to know your story.”

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Voice of Experience: Joyce Ulrich, Chief Information Officer, Legg Mason

joyceulrichBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Joyce Ulrich, Chief Information Officer at Legg Mason, is still learning to get comfortable with her position as a role model. “Some women in the firm have said to me that ‘you are a role model,’” she explained. “A role model is someone whose behavior you emulate, and I had never thought of myself in that way.”

Ulrich, who has spent her entire career in financial services, and all but three of those years in technology, has developed a clear perspective on how women can thrive in the field – and how companies can help them achieve a leadership position.

She encouraged women with less career experience to enter technology, and to figure out what they’re passionate about. “Be a geek. Find your passion for the technology and exploit that. Be flexible and open to learning new things, and don’t be afraid to approach different territory. And especially don’t be afraid to approach new territory that is currently dominated by men.”

As for advice for women who are more senior, she continued, “As I survey the landscape, I’m not sure that as women we’re necessarily good at playing by rules of the old boys’ network.” So we have a choice: we can learn to play by these obscure rules, or not, but what I would really prefer is for the rules to go away altogether.”

“I want to lead by example,” she added, “I have always tried to lead an honorable life. I hope that is what makes me a potential role model.”

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Life After Corporate: Kelly Hoey, Co-Founder, Women Innovate Mobile

KellyHoeyBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

To Kelly Hoey, business strategist and Co-Founder and Managing Director of Women Innovate Mobile, leaving her corporate job was a surprise. “I call myself an accidental entrepreneur,” she said.

But, she firmly believes striking out on her own was the right choice. “I tell people this all the time – my life was easier when I practiced law. But I can’t imagine doing anything else now. Do I have moments of doubt? Yes. But I need to pursue this and see where it goes.”

Now, her role at WIM, an accelerator for mobile-focused start-ups founded by women, helps bring her true passion – mentoring – to the fore, as she works to inspire and ignite the next generation of women in the technology space.

“When I started practicing law, I was in Toronto, Ontario. And I had an extraordinary mentor. He was a mentor to all of his younger staff and he would say, ‘I’m training my assassins.’ He wanted the people he trained to be better than him,” Hoey recalled.

The experience had a profound impact on her own career development and goals. “I think for me generally, being seen as and being a great mentor is my greatest professional achievement.”

She continued, “Last August, for my birthday, someone who is a friend and mentee to me handed me a logo in a frame, and said, ‘Kelly, you’ve inspired me to start my own company.’ To be an inspiration to someone – that to me was just jaw-dropping.”

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Voice of Experience: Gabrielle Vitale, SVP and Chief Information Security Officer, American Express

GabrielleVitaleBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“As opportunities were presented over my career, I made a variety of shifts. These shifts came with unique challenges that I took on with a great deal of gusto,” says Gabrielle Vitale, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at American Express, looking back on her almost three-decade long career at the company.

“I have been incredibly fortunate to perform in a number of roles, and had job opportunities you might not expect to encounter at a single company.”

She added, “It is not just about getting the job done, but being curious and having the desire to make it better and do more. The status quo never sat well with me.”

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