Voice of Experience: Jennifer Signori, Senior Vice President, Neuberger Berman

Jennifer Signori
You can’t plan every detail of your career, says Jennifer Signori.

“When I first started, I thought I had my future all mapped out, but you realize over time that there will be twists and turns, and you sometimes have to take a step back to make a leap forward,” she says. And many times, that might entail finding yourself working in an industry that didn’t even exist five years prior, so the ability to be open-minded and flexible is crucial. Case in point….impact investing.

Finding Opportunities at the Forefront of a New Industry

Signori began her career in investment banking at J.P. Morgan right out of university. For her, it was the ideal place to start a career, as she was able to learn an important set of fundamental training and tools, from credit analysis to financial modeling, which subsequently opened up opportunities down the road.

She decided she wanted to apply those skills to impact investing—which wasn’t even yet a well-known concept at the time, so she had the chance to get involved early in the days of the industry. She held a director role at Bridges Fund Management, where she played a key role in establishing its U.S. presence, including new fund development and executing due diligence of growth equity, real estate and social impact bond investments. In 2017, she came to Neuberger Berman to pursue a unique opportunity to deepen and broaden the firm’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing capabilities and to drive innovation in impact investing on an institutional platform across asset classes.

This challenge is the professional achievement she is most proud of so far, as she takes specialized knowledge of this industry, which had been largely niche to date, and to help it grow as it becomes more mainstream. She is working on developing and investing a private equity impact investing strategy, which she sees as an exciting next step of her career.

“To bring ESG and impact investing to mainstream markets and striving to generate positive social and environmental impacts is an exciting convergence of trends, where we are taking a market opportunity and combining it with clients’ growing interest in these areas,” Signori says. “It is exciting to try to solve for challenges facing society, while delivering unique solutions for our clients.”

Her team works with different parts of the firm including the Big Data team to harness all types of data and to make sense of it for investment decision-making. “We are seeing disciplines and subject matters that haven’t historically come together, and it allows us to bring a different perspective to deliver great results for our clients,” Signori says.

Helping Develop the Industry for Women

While Signori finds increased awareness of the need for opportunities for women, she believes that first, they need a seat at the table, which can be spurred through a greater understanding of the gaps that can discourage or hinder women. “Senior leadership of companies are increasingly becoming aware of this and focused on improving—not just for the sake of having a woman fill a position, but by making sure that women are armed with the experience and skills that will allow them to succeed once they arrive there.”

She encourages other women to help each other out by advocating for one another, adding that she’s been fortunate to work with women who were equally committed to collaborative relationships.

That advocacy can come from within or outside of the firm. Signori cites one memorable incident that took place when she had organized a series of women’s networking events at a former employer as an analyst early in her career. A fellow co-chair of the group emailed her manager, praising the events and her contribution. “It was an unexpected gesture that went a long way, and I still kept in touch with her as a friend and colleague; interestingly enough, we both ended up in impact investing.”

Having someone vouch for your credibility like that is crucial for career success. In fact, when Signori talks to younger women interested in the investment management or impact investing field, she always encourages them to first display excellent work skills, and back those with a strong work ethic, curiosity, and a focus on building strong relationships. “Your reputation will precede you if you’re working hard and delivering results,” she says.

Currently expecting her first child, Signori describes it as a bit of a nerve-wracking adventure she’s embarking on, but incredibly exciting. She still intends for her career to play a major role in her life, but she realizes there will be inevitable challenges involved in managing new responsibilities. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many of my colleagues at the firm have stopped by my office to offer support and share their experiences, both men and women,” she says. An avid traveler who has visited more than 50 countries, she hopes to continue exploring in that aspect of her life as well.

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Voice of Experience: Busisiwe Mathe, Partner/Director, Risk Assurance Cyber Security and Privacy; PwC

Looking back over her career, PwC’s Busisiwe Mathe says she wishes she had been as comfortable in her own skin when she first started as she is now; however, she understands that acquiring that confidence is all part of growing.

“I believe that there was a lesson I needed to learn in everything I have experienced in my career,” she says.

A Varied Career Brings Success

Mathe began her career with PwC in 2004 and throughout her tenure has garnered experience in external and internal audits, technology transformation projects, business continuity management, cybersecurity and privacy, including stints abroad in the New York and Atlanta offices.

As the chairman of the South Africa PricewaterhouseCoopers Governing Board, Mathe serves as a member on the PwC Africa Governance Board and currently oversees the firm’s Africa Cyber and Privacy business.

It’s a crucial line of business, considering the prevalence of cyberattacks, including ransomware, that have increasingly plagued companies both globally and locally in the last 18 months.

While the attacks used to be concentrated to one specific sector or industry, they have become more widespread across all industries, and are moving from information technology into the operational technology environment. That concern was noted in PwC’s 22nd Annual Global CEO Survey, which showed cyber threats staying among the top 5 risks identified by CEOs.

Helping Women Achieve Success

Mathe believes that one of the top barriers for women in the industry is actually based on a false notion—the fact that most women view it as a technical industry where you have to have earned a technical or IT-related degree. However she finds that to be restrictive, as cybersecurity has both technical and non-technical aspects and thus offers a wide range of career lines one can follow. But that assumption leads to a second challenge, which is that the lack of women in the industry means that it is harder for young woman looking to enter the profession to find mentors or others to look up to.

She encourages women considering the industry to realize that the sky is the limit, and the variety of positions offered make cybersecurity a fantastic place to thrive. And she encourages her peers to focus on mentoring the younger generation—making it a priority to support STEM initiatives or even start their own to encourage women pursuing these important fields.

PwC is a supportive place in that sense, as Mathe underscores that the PwC Africa leadership team is firmly committed to diversity and inclusion, having adopted the Global Inclusion Index locally as a tool to continuously assess progress. In addition, all partners and staff take mandatory unconscious bias training, focusing on four dimensions of diversity: gender, race, sexual orientation and generational diversity. That has paid off in more women achieving leadership roles; in fact 45 percent of the partners named in the most recent cycle of promotions were women.

A Full Life Outside Of Work

“My family is my foundation; I would not be where I am had it not been for my strict, yet loving, father who told me at a very young age that I could achieve anything I put my mind to, and my mom who played a significant part in the woman, wife and mother I am today,” Mathe says. She carries out those lessons with her own family, which includes a supportive husband, whom she calls “one of her biggest cheerleaders,” and eight-year-old twin boys.

She also coaches and mentors students and young professionals through partnerships with organizations like Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship Development (YLED) and the DreamGirls Academy. “I enjoy mentoring and coaching both at work and outside work by partnering with NGOs that empower young girls in believing and shaping their dreams,” she says.

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Voice of Experience: Beth Renner, National Director of Philanthropic Services, Wells Fargo Private Bank

Beth Renner featured
As a mentor, Beth Renner knows that women often need to find their voice—and when they do, it can be a powerful booster charge to their career.

As she recounts, she was recently working with a long-term mentee who had finally applied for a position. When Renner had asked why she had hesitated, the mentee said she believed she didn’t have the entire skill set, but as they walked through the skill set and experience, it became clear that the position was a perfect fit. “Sometimes the biggest challenge is the messages we tell ourselves.”

Finding the Ideal Niche to Blend Personal and Professional Interests

Renner’s clear confident voice has brought her a 28-year career in the financial services industry, during which she has essentially touched every part of a financial services company. She started on the retail bank side as a personal banker; then was a credit officer with a small business lender; went into the fiduciary side as a private banker and trust manager, where she subsequently oversaw the fiduciary investment and brokerage side; and for the past eight years has worked in philanthropic services, where she currently has $26 billion in charitable assets under management for clients.

“The lifeblood of our business is the advice we provide our clients around their donations and assisting nonprofits in making sure they are sustainable,” Renner explains. Having always been personally involved in charitable work with both her time and treasure, the chance to marry that in her professional life is the achievement of which she’s most proud.

“For me it’s not about achieving a certification or designation, but about what I do every day, and I’ve really found a home for myself in this area that allows me to align my personal and professional values,” she says.

A Sea Change in the Philanthropic World

As the country prepares for an impending generational “wealth transfer,” Renner finds several themes consistently emerging. First, as a matriarch or patriarch who is naturally at the maturing point is engaging in legacy planning, they are asking how they can ensure that their values will be represented. The goal is to engage multiple generations from the family in their philanthropic pursuits.

Others are wrestling with the question of how much to leave their kids and wondering how to engage philanthropy as a tool to stave off entitlement.

“Donors are viewing themselves as an investor in these causes more than ever before, and we are adjusting the advice we provide them to create a more disciplined process.” To that end, she has helped develop a series of philanthropic planning modules that they are currently honing through focus groups, and she looks forward to rolling them out. “It’s a pleasure to be able to work more deliberately on these issues and adjust our business to how our clients are telling us they need counsel.”

Renner has become attuned to the absolute value of listening with intention and mindfulness which is helping inform this new initiative. When her father passed away shortly after she turned 50, she hit a point of reflection. “It causes you to look at things differently, and one of the things that has stuck with me is the art of listening and how it helps you understand others and yourself. Being mindful means that if I’m in a situation where I’m listening to clients or my team and find myself having an internal reaction, it spurs me to dig deeper to figure out where it’s coming from.”

Finding a Mentor Helps Your Career Path

One thing Renner learned from her mentor early on in her career was to focus on developing transferrable skills. For example, you don’t just want to be an expert in credit analysis, but you need to know how to solve complex problems. “In any position, consider what skills you can learn that you don’t yet have or want to cultivate,” she says.

And today she encourages women to be intentional about mentoring other women. “Don’t wait to be asked; when you see someone with potential, proactively reach out to them,” she suggests. That’s because we all are a collection of our past experiences and to give someone that gift of your accumulated knowledge will allow them to make progress faster.

She takes that outlook to her work on Wells Fargo’s Women’s Team Member Network, a diversity and inclusion employee resource group she finds valuable for its focus on broadening everyone’s lens around diversity and how to foster and develop it.

Her outside philanthropic pursuits are a perfect match for her professional life: She is absolutely passionate about the American Red Cross, and is the national chair of the women’s giving group called the Tiffany Circle. The group has flourished in five different countries, and in her role she helps develop the strategy around mobilizing this women’s segment. “A lot of the work I do at Wells Fargo helps the Red Cross with their fundraising and stewardship because I can share national trends and the emerging role that women are playing in philanthropy,” Renner says.

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Erika Irish Brown, Chief Diversity Officer, Goldman Sachs

Erika Irish Brown“Be Bold and Take Risks to Be an Agent of Change”

“If you expose people who are smart and hard working to opportunities – and provide them with an access point to begin a career – success follows,” says Goldman Sachs’ Erika Irish Brown.

As Goldman’s new Chief Diversity Officer, Brown is responsible for driving inclusive culture initiatives and efforts related to the firm’s recruitment, retention and advancement of diverse professionals.

She notes she is genuinely passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion in the financial services industry. “The sense of purpose I have for my work drives me every day.”

A Beneficiary and Proponent of Diversity and Inclusion

Brown’s first introduction to financial services came via a year-long internship as a college student, which was offered specifically to students from underrepresented minority groups by a state-run bond agency. She describes the internship as a huge win given her alma mater – the State University of New York at Albany – did not send a high volume of graduates to Wall Street at that time.

This internship helped her land an analyst role at Lehman Brothers, which she says was a life-changing opportunity. “Very often, people ask me, why am I so committed to diversity and inclusion?” says Brown. “One reason is because I got my start on Wall Street as a beneficiary of what we now call a diversity and inclusion program.”

After working in investment banking at Lehman, Brown went on to issue bonds for the City of New York and served as a Presidential appointee at the US Treasury in the Clinton administration, ultimately earning her MBA from Columbia University and serving in roles at Morgan Stanley and Black Entertainment Television. She enjoyed the financial markets, the fast-paced nature of her work and the variety of people she was able to work with, but added: “It was a different time – gender, ethnic diversity was low.”

Brown took an interest in the diversity and inclusion (D&I) space, serving as a recruiting liaison for both on-campus and experienced hires – on top of her day job as a banker.

Prior to the financial crisis, Brown began her first ‘official’ diversity-focused role, once again, at Lehman, where her team focused on enhancing diversity at the vice president level and above. Post-crisis – and a brief stint on the Obama administration’s Treasury transition team – Brown joined Bank of America, where she built a team focused on executive diversity recruiting. From there, she went on to serve as Bloomberg’s chief diversity officer, building the company’s D&I platform from the ground up.

“Being considered a subject matter expert on diversity globally has made me very proud,” says Brown. “This is not easy work, it is not easily measured and you have to be bold and take risks in order to be an agent of change.” This risk-taking has led Brown to Goldman Sachs, where she has a large, global platform to influence diversity.

Evaluating and Developing New Approaches at Goldman Sachs

“It was important for me to come in and listen, learn and talk to people,” says Brown of her approach to her new role at the firm last year. “I wanted my expertise to be informed by the culture here.”

After connecting with stakeholders across regions and divisions and gaining a global perspective, she now feels well informed to have opinions, make assessments and execute on the best practices and strategies that will work for Goldman Sachs.

Brown outlines some of the many opportunities in the D&I space she hopes to focus on in the coming months:

  • Enhance the Goldman Sachs brand as an employer of choice in diverse communities;
  • Embed D&I practices into all aspects of the Talent process;
  • Advance the firm’s inclusive culture and work environment; and
  • Ensure accountability for furthering D&I at every level

Her team has the support from CEO David Solomon and the firm’s Global Diversity Committee. Brown notes that it is crucial to have senior leadership setting the tone – particularly when diversity impacts each and every area of a company, from business performance to client engagement.

“Today, no topics are off the table in the workplace, and people expect to bring their authentic selves to work,” says Brown. “I’ve seen firsthand that this approach has been adopted at Goldman Sachs as well.”

Recommendations From a Life-Long Learner

Describing her roles at several investment banks and why young women should pursue financial services careers, Brown says, “The skills sets you develop in a short period of time, the amount of responsibility and high bar for expectations, and the seniority of people – both internally and clients – that you engage with is empowering.”

Her advice to women as they progress in their careers is to continuously innovate and be life-long learners.

“Ask yourself – are you pushing the envelope, taking risks and being ambitious,” says Brown. “We should all reflect upon our legacy and ensure we make a difference in our workplace – it can be anything from launching a new product to creating opportunities for others.”

Outside the office, Brown continues to push for change in her community. As vice chair of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, she works to ensure the Central Brooklyn community has access to housing, education and economic development opportunities, arts and cultural activities and capital for small business owners.

Brown stresses: “giving back is important to me – anything I can do to contribute and give back to others, I’ll do.”

And, a mother to three sons, Brown also keeps busy on the slopes, skiing in the winter with her family and cheering on from the sidelines of elite AAU basketball games. “We’re very active as a family, and our time together is so important and a priority to me,” she says.

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Voice of Experience: Valerie S. Peters, CTFA®, Senior Vice President and Head of Relationship Services; Abbot Downing

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Valerie Peters_color_lowres
“When I entered the corporate world over 20 years ago, I believed that it was possible to achieve anything with hard work and discipline, and I still believe those are key ingredients to success,” says Valerie Peters, who serves as operations leader for Abbot Downing, a Wells Fargo business serving ultra-high-net-worth clients.

Her career path has proven the value of focusing on a goal….and working to achieve it.

Each Experience Leads One Step Closer to Career Goals

Peters started her career in retail banking as a customer service phone representative and then transferred to the commercial real estate division, where she was selected for the management trainee program. She immediately felt drawn to the wealth management arena during a rotation in the trust area, and with that eventual role in mind, she began looking for opportunities that would help her build the skills she needed.

She took a role managing a team of client service professionals supporting wealth management clients with their banking, investment and fiduciary servicing needs; from there, she moved on to become a manager within a trust center and eventually transferred to the division that served ultra-high-net worth clients. Her time working in client-facing, trust services and operational roles were each stepping stones that helped prepare her for her current position as operations leader for Abbot Downing.

In her quest for continuing education, Peters counts achieving her designation as a CTFA (Certified Trust and Financial Advisor) several years ago as one of her proudest moments. “I had spent several years working in the fiduciary area, and earning the CTFA was a culmination of the time I spent gaining work experience, as well as obtaining knowledge through the various trust school programs I have been fortunate enough to attend,” she says.

Sponsors and Mentors as a Key Ingredient to Success

Along the way, Peters has found that sponsors and mentors are crucial and has appreciated the support they have given. She has also looked externally to find role models to emulate; one of her personal role models is Ursula Burns, who came from modest beginnings to become the first African-American woman to lead a Fortune 500 company. “I have long been inspired by her hard work and dedication,” Peters says, citing her strong work ethic and commitment to learning the ins and outs of business through a variety of roles.

Over the years, Peters has participated in a number of programs geared towards retaining diverse talent, including women, naming the Diverse Leaders Program as one of the most impactful. “The whole time I participated in the program, I felt that I was valued not only for what I do within the organization, but also for who I am and how the perspectives and insights gained through life experience shape my thoughts, ideas and values,” she says.

When Peters is away from work, she values time spent with her family—a favorite escape is spending time at the beach unwinding and enjoying the ocean. “We try and get away as often as possible when the kids are on break from school,” she says.

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Voice Of Experience: Kenya Scott Woodruff, Partner, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Kenya Woodruff“Don’t stress out” over your career, Kenya Scott Woodruff tells women who are entering the workforce.

“It really does all work out. Your career path might not be as you predicted, but if you are willing to work hard; you are open; and you say ‘yes’ to things that others don’t, you are going to end up with great opportunities to advance.”

Finding Her Passion in Healthcare

Kenya began her career at a large law firm in Dallas as a commercial litigator, but she discovered the healthcare practice area as a second-year associate and immediately loved the complexity of the space.

She found a mentor who was a client. He managed litigation for a large health system and helped Kenya develop a steady stream of healthcare litigation work. She later went to a firm where she handled government investigations, before transitioning to an in-house position with the Dallas hospital district, Parkland Health and Hospital System, where she handled investigations, litigation, regulatory and transactional work.

After four years, Kenya returned to private practice, focusing on mergers, acquisitions and joint venture strategic partnerships in the healthcare sector and advising administrators and medical providers on compliance and other business issues. In October, she came to the newly-opened Dallas office of Katten as part of a respected trio – Cheryl Camin Murray, Lisa Genecov and Kenya. They were the first three women partners in the new office and were hired to grow the firm’s healthcare practice in the Texas region.

While Kenya is looking forward to what the team will accomplish, one of her top career highlights is a project she took on when she returned to private practice, working with five physicians and a technology investor to help them build a healthcare company. Together, they formed an independent Accountable Care Organization (ACO), Premier Patient Healthcare, and the company has since expanded to more than 400 physicians and created savings for Medicare and private payor programs each year they have existed.

Kenya found it exciting to watch their growth and especially to realize that there are rural, unaffiliated physicians who now have the technology that delivers recent visit and admission data about patients to the physicians’ desktops and enables them to care for their patients with an understanding of their recent medical encounters. “We’ve been through a lot together since 2012, and it’s amazing to see the wonderful work they have done,” she says. “It is awesome to see the role they are playing in advancing efficient care and to be able to play a part in that advancement.”

In fact, in this era of constantly searching for high-quality, cost-effective care, Kenya is finding that collaborative arrangements are emerging as an important answer. “We are working to help healthcare professionals and organizations figure out how they can take care of patients across the continuum of care in an efficient and effective way,” she said.

Career Advice For Creating a Successful Path

The healthcare industry is largely a welcoming place for women. While there are still advances to be made, Kenya says companies are increasingly amenable to women progressing into executive leadership roles. But in the legal industry, she recognizes there is still a real issue with retention of female attorneys at law firms, even though most firms are very close to 50/50 in gender division when hiring.

Kenya believes one of the best ways to combat attrition in the legal profession is to make sure that women have mentors early in their careers. Often times women may be on par with their male counterparts when it comes to the skills needed to succeed, but they are less likely to have mentors who show them how to navigate the politics of the firm, as well as the business of law, specifically how to develop a practice that is sustainable and financially successful.

In addition, she encourages women to fill their toolbox of knowledge and experience and then seek out a niche they enjoy that preferably is not saturated by other experts. “We have to remember that our business, like others, is subject to the financial realities of supply and demand,” she said.

And mentoring shouldn’t stop as women ascend the career ladder. Kenya stresses the importance of continuing to find camaraderie and support from groups, whether internally at a law firm or externally in industry-based organizations.

At Katten, Kenya is active in the Women’s Leadership Forum, which supports the retention and advancement of women attorneys at the firm through mentoring and professional development programs. She finds the forum’s meetings to be helpful because women often share success tips, as well as challenges. “That’s what it takes to help people move forward—honest, straightforward advice,” she said.

Kenya has also been involved with a number of industry groups, such as the Center for Women in Law at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, which she calls a “powerhouse organization with great women, companies and firms.” Along with the advice and other benefits of female networking groups, she says it’s vital for women to share career opportunities with each other and support other women as they climb their respective ladders.

A Healthy Balance in All Aspects of Life

As the mother of two “strong-willed” girls, ages 9 and 11, Kenya increasingly enjoys watching as they come into their own and hearing the interesting conversations their newfound maturity sparks. With her husband, David being a magistrate judge, it’s a challenge to juggle family, church and work obligations, but she and her husband share the load – they are true life partners. “Our church family is a big part of our lives,” Kenya said, adding that “We are there for each other in good times and bad. My church family is fun, supportive and they even help with emergency childcare needs!”

Kenya sits on the board of directors for what was formerly AIDS Arms, an organization focused on the prevention and treatment of HIV. She was a part of the board when the nonprofit group legally changed its name to Prism Health North Texas to better reflect the comprehensive services it provides. “The name change has been well-received, and we continue to enjoy great community support,” she said. “I always encourage people to find some organization where they can get involved and help their community in a significant way.”

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Voice of Experience: Sandra Bang, Chief Diversity and Talent Strategy Officer at Shearman & Sterling LLP

Sandra Bang“When it comes to diversity and inclusion, we have to continually find many ways to talk about it openly, even if this involves having difficult conversations,because although it may feel challenging, the end result will be worth it for everyone“ states Sandra Bang, Chief Diversity and Talent Strategy Officer at Shearman & Sterling LLP.

She continues, “Having dialogue, listening to each other’s stories about how we learn, develop, grow,and achieve career successes – hearing a diverse range of perspectives – will help support everyone better, and create a more inclusive environment.

Ms. Bang started her legal career as a litigator in Toronto, Canada. She also spent a year as a provincial prosecutor stating, “This was an incredible learning experience for me because I had to think on my feet every day, not always knowing what cases I was going to handle on a given day, nor which cases would settle or proceed.”

Bang then went into legal recruitment and professional development, and moved to New York City in 2004 where she continued her work in the legal talent management space with firms such as Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Chadbourne & Parke before joining Shearman and Sterling in 2008.

She continues, “Diversity and inclusion has always been an inherent part of the legal talent recruitment, development and management work that I’ve done. I am excited about my current work as it allows me to spend the majority of my time on diversity and inclusion. And this work is about engaging people, and strategically creating an inclusive work environment where everyone can feel like they belong and do their best work and advance their career. The business case is clear: the research and data show that better results are achieved when you have both an inclusive environment and diverse teams.”

She is enthused about diversity and inclusion as an integral part of the firm’s business strategy and sees that clients are also committed to moving the needle on diversity and inclusion. She comments,

“I think the efforts being made in the legal industry on the diversity and inclusion front has moved up a notch as the benefits of collaborating on this topic are evident. It is exciting to work closely with clients and having dialogue around how we can help each other create change from both a business and organizational perspective.”

Feeling Engaged and Feeling included

As an executive who has spent several years in professional development and is a certified coach, Bang feels that talking to people, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, about their career path – listening to what people want to achieve, giving them feedback that will help them get to where they want to go, and providing opportunities to achieve new experiences and success – is both a business imperative and the right thing to do. She shares,

“Having a sense of belonging in our work environment and feeling understood is essential. If you are are in a business environment and you constantly feel like you don’t belong, then you can’t do your best work. Coaching leaders and managers to lead and manage inclusively, and create diverse teams with members who feel included and understood in the workplace will not only help people achieve and serve clients better, but also produce better business results.”

When asked what career advice that she would give her younger self or to others, she says, ‘that it is more than ok to fail’ and recounts that the idea of perfectionism had a stronghold grip on her for a long time. She shares, “It wasn’t until recently that I realized that it’s ok to fail and fail fast. That’s how you learn. When you fail, you pick yourself up, and try something differently. Ultimately, it is about taking more risks.”

She is a strong advocate for encouraging people to ask for what they need and want to advance their careers, particularly women and people from diverse backgrounds. The subject of entering into conversations comes up, with Bang advising people to be smart and strategic around their asks, but to face their own fears by asking ‘the questions that we are afraid to ask’. She says, “You won’t get what you don’t ask for.”

Generational Change

Bang believes that Millennials will continue to have a significant impact on how the needle will be moved on the topic of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. “Millennials know that there is a business and competitive advantage to having a diverse team, where there is diversity in perspectives, thoughts and insights result in a better outcome.”

Shearman & Sterling is taking all of this into consideration as it takes its diversity and inclusion strategy to the next level. With recommendations resulting from an inclusion diagnostic, the firm has created a new global Task Force, headed up by the firm’s Senior Partner, and will take a data driven approach to designing and rolling out initiatives and programs to better help everyone achieve career success at the firm. Shearman continues its close work with clients on co-hosting diversity and inclusion education and awareness programs, as well as advancing know-how and networking opportunities on topics such as Blockchain and the FinTech industry generally.

“It’s exciting to be working collaboratively with both internal and external clients,” says Bang, “to create learning and advancement opportunities for women and people from diverse backgrounds and experiences in particular. Using data and client driven approaches, that align with business strategy, to advance diversity and inclusion initiatives, is what it is all about.”

Renewal and Life outside work

Outside of work, Bang enjoys spending time and traveling with her family. She comments that traveling provides so many opportunities to learn and share — including the diverse communities within and outside the US, and of different perspectives and experiences.

“Traveling with my kids always presents tremendous learning opportunities for me. I love hearing their perspectives on things we do, places we explore and people we meet. They remind me that there is great optimism to be had because people remain curious, and as the world becomes increasingly more connected, there is a greater sharing of culture and stories.”

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Voice Of Experience: Amanda Segal, Partner, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Amanda Segal
There’s no set path to success, says Amanda Segal, head of Katten’s Distressed Debt and Claims Trading practice.

“Everyone’s professional journey is different, and for a planner—as many attorneys are—it can feel unsettling when the road starts to twist and turn. But one of the best things you can do is be flexible, patient, and let your trajectory develop organically.”

When Segal started her career, she thought she would progress up the ladder as a bankruptcy litigator, but her career path took a different course as dynamics in the financial market helped steer her towards attractive new opportunities. “You will be better equipped as a professional if you are open-minded and able to adapt to the evolving needs and priorities of your clients and employers.”

Building a Career Unique to Her

For Segal, that approach has led her to a successful career. After law school, she joined Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP as a bankruptcy associate. Three years later, with the financial crisis looming, she saw an opportunity to parlay her experience into a more transactional practice in the area of distressed debt at Richards Kibbe & Orbe LLP. She spent ten years at the firm, where she secured the requisite expertise and experience to make the move a little over a year ago to head Katten’s Distressed Debt and Claims Trading practice.

At Katten, she leads a team of attorneys advising clients through the acquisition and sale of distressed assets, including trade claims against bankruptcy estates, litigation claims, bank loans, and a variety of other investments. Her team—well versed and deeply immersed in financial services—works with related practice areas, including bankruptcy, commercial finance, tax, private equity and more, to provide the firm’s clients with tailored legal advice and transactional support in a wide range of circumstances. Segal believes this will be increasingly important as volatility in the financial market continues to rise.

“Because our practice integrates the talents of so many dedicated attorneys and professionals across the firm, we have the unique ability to look at large bankruptcy cases across multiple sectors. This will enable us to offer ‘big picture’ guidance as our clients navigate the next distressed cycle.”

For attorneys just starting their career, Segal highlights the importance of being empathetic to clients and colleagues. “When you are able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and view an issue from multiple perspectives, it helps make you a more relatable professional and leader and, ultimately, a more effective advocate.”

She also advises young attorneys to “play the long game.” “Surround yourself with trusted advisors and mentors; use every occasion to network, and work hard to maintain and build upon relationships. Over time, those relationships will provide the backbone for a more productive and fulfilling career.”

Finding Balance in the Workplace

Segal points out that even though law firms have become far more open and accepting of work/life balance, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. “Every woman’s professional and personal needs are different, so there’s no formula. Each woman must determine what works best for her and her family—sometimes simply through trial and error. The end result won’t look the same for everyone.”

Katten hosts a Women’s Leadership Forum that she has found valuable for building relationships across the firm, and also provides skill building, internal and external networking, mentorship and professional development. “Katten has consistently been recognized as a top firm for women, which I have been fortunate to experience first-hand,” she says.

With five-year-old twin daughters, Segal prioritizes a balance between work and family time, running marathons and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and cheering on the basketball team of her alma mater, Duke University.

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Voice of Experience: Tracie McMillion, Head of Global Asset Allocation; Wells Fargo Investment Institute

Tracie McMillionEarn opportunities by, working hard, taking a deep interest in your work and realizing results, which will give you the confidence to ask for even more, says Tracie McMillion.

“I often find that women underestimate how much they already know,” she says. “We want to feel like we know everything; but it’s ok to learn as we go.”

Advice and Strategy Create the Ideal Career

McMillion began her finance career with a smaller bank in Richmond, Va., as a research assistant to four portfolio managers. At the time, the chief investment officer suggested she pursue her MBA and CFA; she decided to pursue the CFA first and soon found it was a hard-earned designation as she spent the next several years pursuing “head down studying” during the majority of her non-work hours.

During that time McMillion was promoted to portfolio manager, taking on clients and gradually tackling more complex situations with individual families to create customized investment portfolios. After earning her CFA, she decided to pursue her MBA, during which she got “reacquainted” with her economics major and decided a move into investment strategy was a great next step.

McMillion was able to move over to that discipline at the same bank—a Wells Fargo predecessor. After nearly a decade of developing investment strategy, she was hired as the Head of Global Asset Allocation Strategy for the newly-formed Wells Fargo Investment Institute, a role which she continues today.

To McMillion it represents coming full circle, as she now leads a team that develops investment advice for clients of the Wealth and Investment Management division of the firm. “I understand what it’s like to sit across the table and work with clients, so it’s easier to put myself in our advisors’ shoes,” she says. “The focus of our team is sharing our best thinking with those who are working directly with the clients to help them achieve their goals.”

That group effort is the professional achievement of which she is most proud—in her current role she leads a virtual team in several locations around the country, who each have individual strengths and goals and yet work cohesively together. “I have a passion for helping people achieve their goals—whether it’s my team, peers or clients,” she says.

Women as Savvy Investors and Advisors

Another passion of McMillion’s is to inspire women to take charge of their financial lives. Over the years McMillion has found that women investors sometimes lack confidence in their abilty to invest—and yet shouldn’t. Her team has conducted research and reviewed extensive surveys revealing that the best-performing accounts are repeatedly those headed by females—the top spot goes to those with single females and the second best were those with married females. The most interesting part, she says, is that they outperformed, while also assuming less risk.

“Women tend to show a number of positive traits including sticking to their plans more often, trading judiciously and making very planful decisions.” In addition, women are twice as likely to say that they need education from their advisor, which allows the Wells Fargo team to do what they do best. “We encourage women to get involved with their family’s investments; they play an integral role in the conversation, as they typically add bigger picture elements about what they want to achieve as a family.”

And just as some women might be more hesitant about their skills as investors, she finds they also have been reluctant to join the wealth management field.

“I often wonder why other fields that also require education and time commitment, such as law and medicine, have so many more women,” McMillion says. “Wealth management makes the most of skills that women typically naturally have, such as listening astutely and putting together pieces of information to make decisions. While there is competition, there are so many rewarding aspects,” she says.

She urges her peers to support one another. “We get challenged a lot about the decisions we make, which makes it particularly important to connect on a regular basis and to understand how we can help strengthen each other,” she says.

To that end, she appreciates the mentorship program within the Wells Fargo Investment Institute that helps women connect with one another. McMillion herself has served regularly as a mentor and has found it incredibly rewarding to see how her mentees have progressed.

She also notes her involvement in the Early Talent Development program—geared to attracting,recruiting, and retaining exceptional recent college graduates—which introduces them to the field and provides training and education to help them succeed. Her broader strategy team has been fortunate to have two young women join them from the group of summer interns.

Enjoying Family Life

McMillion is quick to praise her husband, who is a stay-at-home dad. “Having him there gives me confidence that our family is well cared for when I put in long hours and travel,” she says. In her spare time, she is typically with the family and enjoying the activities of her kids. Her 13-year-old daughter loves performing arts, and her 11-year-old son plays sports of all types.

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Voice of Experience: Sarah Wolman; Senior Advisor; The LEGO Foundation

Sarah Wolman Passport PhotoWhen you consider your career, it’s vital to get clear on what brings you joy, says Sarah Wolman.

“You don’t have to choose between work that allows you to feel fulfilled and that would put food on the table,” she says, encouraging other new professionals to talk to people about what they do and ask good questions that help them understand how people spend their time. “Find out what will make you feel you’re making a meaningful contribution, and listen for those opportunities that mesh.”

And, she points out—it might take a whole career to find those. “Your career will be long, so the secret is to continue looking for those positions that combine what you’re good at with what you love,” she says, adding that this has been true of her own career. Each piece made sense after the last one.

Building on Opportunities Where She Found Them

Majoring in comparative literature and French and Italian, Wolman wrapped up the majority of her coursework early, which allowed her to take classes in the sociology department, delving into her interest in policies around women, children and families. She left with an interest in policy work and took a position with the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York as a policy analyst, which provided the perfect birds-eye view into a wide variety of programs that existed, and also illuminated needs.

While there, she realized that the professionals above her all had obtained law degrees, so she thought that might be the best route to become a decision-maker. She attended law school, harboring no expectations of practicing law, but rather to further her ability to focus on issues of equity and social justice.

During her first summer of law school, Wolman did a Human Rights fellowship. During her second summer, her work was again funded by her law school Wolman through a public interest law fellowship that allowed her to do socially conscious work with a nonprofit called Legal Outreach. She ran a five-week law school-like internship for eighth graders, not designed to create future lawyers but rather to help motivate the students toward college and careers in general. “I remain so proud of what the kids accomplished over the years; they worked so hard every day after school, every Saturday and every summer, and ultimately they achieved their goals.”

The following year she returned and took a year-long course with the organization’s Executive Director. During the fall, she learned Family Law and a teaching methodology, and then in the spring, she and the other law students taught law in eighth grade social studies classes in Harlem. She describes her first day teaching as nerve-wracking, and yet standing on the subway platform, she called her husband and announced she had missed her calling—she was supposed to be a teacher. From that time, she remained involved with the organization for more than 10 years, including full-time, part-time and volunteer roles.

Yet when law school graduation rolled around, there were other factors at play. Her husband was still in law school, and so she took a stint at a large, corporate law firm for two years. She found a way to make it work for her, mostly by taking on lots of pro bono work. “There are different times for different things, and at the time, I was the primary breadwinner. Fortunately the firm understood where my interests lay and allowed me time to focus on my pro-bono passion.”

From there, Wolman transitioned to the Administration for Children’s Services and led their Policy & Procedure unit, all the while volunteering at Legal Outreach and joking with the Executive Director about opening a Brooklyn Office. While on her first maternity leave, she got the call to do just that, and she spent the subsequent five years running the site. She then transitioned to part-time after her second maternity leave.

By the time she moved to the New Jersey suburbs, Wolman was ready to be back to full-time. She took a position as the President & CEO of a community-based non-profit, where she was close to home and able to juggle a full schedule. The organization offered counseling programs, domestic violence services, an early childhood center, and other social service programs. She decided to build on the successful Legal Outreach model and start a similar program that would align kids with professionals in law, business and science. She reached out to the Merck Company Foundation to provide science mentors and was thrilled they wanted to support all three aspects of the program.

Following her third and final maternity leave, she decided the demands of the CEO position were too high and instead turned to consulting work; one of her first stints was covering another professional’s maternity leave at the Merck Company Foundation as Manager of the Education grants Portfolio.

Merging her passion for education with a new love for philanthropy, she was recruited by the LEGO Foundation; the only potential deal breaker was that the position was in Switzerland. Encouraged by her husband they dove in, and she has been with the LEGO Foundation ever since, returning to New York four years ago.

Currently she is excited to be working on a program designed to bring play to the youngest refugees in Bangladesh, Lebanon and Jordan in connection with Sesame Workshop. “The LEGO Foundation exists thanks to the incredible generosity of its owner family, which dedicates 25% of all profits of the LEGO Group to the Foundation. With living donors, the onus is on us to make a case for why something is timely and relevant. Displacement is in many ways the moral crisis of our day, so it makes so much sense for the Foundation to get deeply involved in this space. This new effort is a huge statement to the world that anyone who is doing humanitarian work needs to think about young children and their need to play and learn. It’s been a total privilege to work on this project.”

Finding Your Path, No Matter How Winding

As she looks back on a varied and full career, Wolman says that she wishes that younger people would realize that there is a diverse and rich range of options in the professional world. “When I was in law school, we were presented with two options—working in a law firm or legal aid,” Wolman says. “But the world is a more interesting place than that. Those are great options for some but there are so many ways to use a law degree – and so many interesting careers that don’t require one. It never occurred to me that the side of me that loves to be creative and playful would be able to merge with my interest in program development and policy.” Wolman speaks and trains around the world on the connection between learning through play, often traveling with a suitcase full of LEGO bricks. “Sometimes I wish I could see the faces of the airport staff scanning my luggage.”

While Wolman feels like she has arrived at a gratifying point in her career, she sees that the workplace generally hasn’t quite caught up with women’s ambitions and needs. “Success in one industry or workplace is perceived as primarily linear; we think about progressing up a ladder, one rung at a time, but this perspective can be limiting for working moms,” Wolman says. First, the needs of your family and your own personal and professional needs become much more complex, which is why her personal philosophy has always been to make plans one year at a time. “Who’s got what kind of commute? What are the kids’ needs? I always try to be on the lookout for high-impact opportunities that allow me to meet whatever needs we have in any given year. But it’s difficult to find that flexibility and quality of life when you’re looking at careers in a linear way.”

She finds that women who press pause to have children and plan to jump back in at the same level may be doing themselves a disservice. “It’s easy to underestimate how you will feel when you come back in, and how you need to privilege certain parts of your life at certain times, but I believe most fields haven’t caught up to the idea that these needs will vary. The workplace is often not imaginative enough to appreciate the value of individual people and how to make things work for them quite yet.”

That’s where your own personal imagination has to kick in, much like Wolman’s has in building her own ideal career, brick by brick.

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