Voice of Experience: Sallie Graves, Senior Vice President, Head of Insurance and Distributor Services IT, ING

SallieGravesBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Sallie Graves, Senior Vice President and Head of Insurance and Distributor Services IT at ING, has built a career that demonstrates the importance of taking on new challenges, as well as making lateral moves. For the past 15 years, Graves has been motivated by her interest in IT – moving between industries (from manufacturing to consulting to financial services) and functions to get closer to technology.

But, she said, what’s impacted her career more than anything is her family. She explained, “The balance my children have created within me has made me more successful than I ever could have been without them.”

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Voice of Experience: Yolande Piazza, Managing Director, Global Consumer Technology, Citi

YolandePiazzaBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Yolande Piazza’s career at Citigroup began with a six-week assignment. Twenty-two years later, it has blossomed into a role where she’s driving the strategy behind Citi’s Global Consumer Technology organization’s transformation.

“Our goal is to integrate and transform technology teams from around the world into a single, world-class IT organization,” said Piazza, Citi’s Managing Director of Global Consumer Technology. “Strategically, we are trying to drive the standard of processes and tools across 15,000 people in the organization. We have an incredibly aggressive agenda. We’re talking months, not years.”

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Movers and Shakers: Charlotte Laurent-Ottomane, President, The InterOrganization Network

charlottelaurentottomaneBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“It’s been the driving mission of ION since our founding in 2006 to increase the number of women on public company boards and in the executive suite. One of the criteria for member organizations to join is that this must be part of their mission,” said Charlotte Laurent-Ottomane, President of the InterOrganization Network (ION).

ION is a consortium of 14 regional organizations in the United States, dedicated to the advancement of women to positions of power in the business world.

Laurent-Ottomane explained, “There has been a growing body of research showing the high correlation between gender diversity in the boardroom and the financial performance of the company.” She continued, “Women make up a huge portion of the workforce and the consumer market means it’s only natural that you have women on the board representing that audience.”

“And simply put, it just has to be that way. It’s the natural balance,” she added. “In this country, we’ve gone through many variations of equality. Now its women’s time to be equal, and that means equality in the economy and in the board room. That’s where the power lies.”

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Boldly Go: How to Take Risks and Overcome Fear

iStock_000013882253XSmallContributed by Kristin Kaufman, Alignment, Inc.

“Boldly going where no man (or woman) has gone before” has become a modern day cliché, representing adventure, bravery, and futuristic thinking. Though, if we’re completely honest with ourselves, many women will admit they simply follow suit as leaders. We may up the current game in our company and in our personal lives by being competitive in how we play the game; yet, how often do we really change the game?

Shareholder pressure, personal and professional fear, recessionary conditions, and myriad factors contribute to more conservative approaches to work and life. Yet, as leaders and even aspiring leaders in today’s world, it is our job and our responsibility to chart new paths. If we don’t encourage playing dangerously and coloring outside the lines, who will? We must continue to innovate, push, explore, and make it safe for others to do so – otherwise, we will stagnate, avoid risks, become complacent, and ultimately not progress in our roles and contribution to our organizations.

So, let’s break it down. If we truly want to lead, what are a few things we can consider to improve our success ratio or at least minimize our risk of totally flaming out?

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Voice of Experience: Kay Kapoor, U.S. Federal Practice Lead, Accenture

KayKapoorBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Having spent over 25 years delivering IT solutions for the federal government, Kay Kapoor shifted careers, becoming Accenture‘s new U.S. Federal Practice leader. Kapoor is enthusiastic about the importance of self confidence – and why it’s important for career success. She said, “Sometimes, as women, we don’t give credit to our own capabilities. Once I recognized early in my career that I needed to voice what I wanted, I was better able to move forward in my career.”

Kapoor added, “My advice to women is to just take the leap of faith and be courageous. Most of the time it does work out. As the saying goes, ‘if there’s a fork in the road, then take it.’”

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Movers and Shakers: Mary Chung, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications and Marketing, ELX Futures

marychungBy Jessica Titlebaum (Chicago)

We were having lunch somewhere in the 50’s in Midtown Manhattan. I had just gotten off the plane from Chicago and hailed a cab. I was meeting Mary Chung, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Marketing at ELX Futures, an electronic futures exchange launched in July 2009 and backed by a consortium of investment banks including Bank of America, JP Morgan, and Goldman Sachs; among others. She had recommended we meet at a Thai place down the street from her office.

The first thing one would notice about Chung is her size. She is petite and svelte at 40 years old and in shape. At the Futures Industry Association’s annual conference in Boca Raton in March this year, she placed first in the women’s 5K run and won an iPad.

“I’ve always enjoyed pushing my body to the limit,” she said. “You are never too old to be in shape,” she said.

However because of her petite frame and youthful appearance, Chung said she felt she had to prove that she was tough enough to handle the derivatives industry.

“I probably overcompensated in the beginning because of my appearance,” she said. “I dressed in Brooks Brothers suits, rarely wore make up and tried to bury my femininity because I thought I needed to do that to be taken more seriously. I’m confident in myself now and in my experience and ability that I don’t feel the need to wear boxy pants- suits and sensible shoes to prove my professional presence,” she said with a chuckle glancing down at her Jimmy Choos.

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Voice of Experience: Kim Bozzella, Group Head of Technology Americas, UBS

kimbozzellaBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Kim Bozzella, UBS‘s Group Head of Technology in the Americas and Chief Operating Officer reporting to the CTO, is enthusiastic about recruiting more women into technology – and making sure women have the confidence in their abilities that they will need to find success in the field.

She advised women to “find a role that plays up their strengths. There are fewer women role models, so make sure you’re good at what you do and stay focused. As women, we should not feel we have to compromise our leadership style to be successful. Stay true to who you are and take responsibility for your own career.”

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Voice of Experience: Mary Cecola, CIO Asset Management Business Solutions, Deutsche Bank

Cecola_MaryBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“I started my career as an Assembler programmer 23 years ago and wanted to be technically focused, but discovered that I had a innate talent for leadership and management,” explained Mary Cecola, Head of Asset Management Business Solutions at Deutsche Bank.

For 20 years, Cecola has built her career in the Technology space. She has relied on her interest in building strong teams to keep moving forward. “There have been so many moments throughout my career – so many challenges – that made a difference. And there have been a myriad of accomplishments with my team,” she said.

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Voice of Experience: Telle Whitney, CEO and President, Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology

Telle_WhitneyBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“One of the most important things I’ve learned is how much the ability to influence the ideas of others is so important for your success,” began Dr. Telle Whitney, CEO and President of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology.

After earning her PhD in computer science, Dr. Whitney began her career in the Bay Area working in chip design. But it wasn’t long before she realized she had a passion for developing business, which led to her current role with ABI, influencing the world’s largest technology companies and helping women achieve their career aspirations.

“It’s not just about your ideas, but it’s about taking the rest of the world with you,” she explained.

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Voice of Experience: Sarah Sherber, Managing Director, Head of Securitized Products IT and Cross Product Operations Technology, Barclays Capital

SarahSherberBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

After spending almost 30 years working in technology, Sarah Sherber, Managing Director and Head of Securitized Products IT and Cross Product Operations Technology at Barclays Capital, has seen the industry change and grow. With a career that has brought her to almost every major financial services company, Sherber has managed to climb the corporate ladder and remain fascinated by her work.

Building a Career in Tech, from Star Wars to Dodd Frank

Sherber majored in computer science at the University of Michigan. “Reagan was president, and there was a big push into Star Wars,” she said with a laugh. “So I went to work for a defense contractor. One of my first jobs was writing software for F14s.”

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