Voice of Experience: DiAnne Calabrisotto, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, The Williams Capital Group, L.P.

DiAnne CalabrisottoBy Elizabeth Harrin (London)

DiAnne Calabrisotto wanted to be a graphic designer or a paralegal when she grew up, but reluctantly settled for a job as a receptionist at Prudential Securities in 1984. Since those early days, Calabrisotto has risen through the ranks to the C-suite, and is now Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at The Williams Capital Group, L.P., a leading boutique investment banking firm in New York.

“Working at a boutique firm allows me, on the one hand, to have creative input on challenging special projects. On the other hand, I deal with a lot of legal and regulatory issues, working closely with top-notch attorneys at prominent law firms,” she says. “I never thought I could combine my two passions on Wall Street.”

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Voice of Experience: Yaarit Silverstone, Managing Director, Talent & Organization Performance, Accenture

Yaarit Silverstone Picture-higher resBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“Be your own best critic,” advised Yaarit Silverstone, a managing director in Accenture’s Talent & Organization Performance practice. “Be sure you are showing up as the best you – and be open to development.”

Silverstone’s career, which spans continents and industries, has taken her from consulting on human capital issues externally to human capital management within the firm, and she is passionate about the importance of helping people develop the skills to succeed, no matter what their career or geographic location. “It’s a matter of global economic importance,” she said.

She said, “Each of us, every 2 years, should be somehow different in terms of our capabilities. And the only way to do that is to be aware of your strengths and where you would like to stretch. I’m doing something entirely different every 2 years.”

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Voice of Experience: Arlene Isaacs-Lowe, Senior Vice President, Commercial Group, Moody’s Investors Service

ArleneIsaacsLoweBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“I think it’s really important that women are authentic in their professional lives,” said Arlene Isaacs-Lowe, Senior Vice President at Moody’s, and recently appointed to head business development for Moody’s Commercial Group’s bank loan franchise.

She continued, “There are aspects of you that make you the best you – and if you put up a facade to fit into an organization, eventually that facade will crack. You are better suited to put that energy into contributing to the organizations strategic objectives.”

Isaacs-Lowe’s drive to learn – to excel at multiple disciplines – has often taken her to the next professional opportunity. Moving from accounting to investment, to entrepreneurship, and now to the credit industry, Isaacs-Lowe has diligently followed her authentic interests.

She said, “Rather than worrying about what people think of the real you, be thoughtful about working for a company that can embrace the authentic you.”

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Voice of Experience: Anna Pinedo, Partner, Morrison Foerster

annapinedoBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“If you’re good at what you do, most people will understand different approaches and work styles,” said Anna Pinedo, a Partner in the Capital Markets Group at Morrison Foerster. She advises women entering law “not to assume that there is any one right path.”

“The one rule I’ve leanred is that there aren’t any hard and fast rules to follow,” Pinedo said. She continued, “All along, colleagues, clients, and friends have given me career advice. I listen carefully, but decide things for myself.”

Having been named one of the Best Lawyers in America 2010, as well as featured in Crain’s New York Business “Forty Under 40,” Investment Dealer’s Digest “Forty Under 40,” and Hispanic Business‘s “100 Most Influential Hispanics, Pinedo has build a successful, globally recognized career in capital markets and derivatives law.

Her leadership advice for professional women is: “Spend time being involved in professional organizations, talking to colleagues at other firms, and building close relationships with clients – it’s amazing how helpful other people can be.”

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Voice of Experience: Linda Bracken, CEO and Founder of YJT Solutions

Linda BrackenBy Jessica Titlebaum (Chicago)

Looking out the 38th floor window in a conference room at YJT Solutions, I can see straight ahead of me the Ceres statue that sits on top of the Chicago Board of Trade. Also known as the Roman Goddess of Agriculture or the Eternal Mother, the statue overlooks Chicago’s financial district and LaSalle Street.

The maternal sighting seems significant as I sit down to interview Linda Bracken, CEO and founder of YJT Solutions.

“People say that when you have kids the love is greater than you could ever expect and that is true,” she said. “But the sense of responsibility for my children as well as my employees is greater than I could have ever have imagined as well.”

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Voice of Experience: Diane Reyes, Managing Director, Global Payments Head, Global Transaction Services, Citi

DianeReyesBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Having been named to either US Banker’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking or its 25 Women to Watch lists for the last four years, Diane S. Reyes, Global Payments Head for Citi’s Global Transaction Services, is certainly a woman to admire. And she has plenty of good advice for rising female business leaders. For example, Reyes said it’s important to apply for jobs that may be a stretch, “even if you’re not 100% qualified,” she said.

Reyes explained, “Interviewing hones your skills – and you may not get the first job, but maybe the second or third. Every couple of years, try to interview for the next opportunity.”

She said women need to work hard to display their strategic value. “Make sure you’re perceived as strategic, rather than trying to solve everything yourself. There is a difference between delegating and executing. You have to be able to articulate the long-term strategy to your team and delegate the execution to them.”

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Voice of Experience: Brenda T. Dieck, Partner, White & Case

Dieck_BrendaBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“I love the thrill of negotiating and the satisfaction of closing the deal,” said Brenda T. Dieck, Partner in the New York and Los Angeles Bank Finance Practice Group at the law firm of White & Case LLP. “There are so many interesting puzzles to solve,” she explained.

Currently charged with building the firm’s LA bank finance practice, Dieck said, “It’s a unique opportunity to be part of a well-established practice group in New York, and at the same time, have the opportunity to be somewhat of an entrepreneur in LA, building a complementary team on the West Coast.”

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Voice of Experience: Marie Wilson, Founder and President of the White House Project

marieBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

A Special Election Day Message from Marie Wilson: “There are 107 reasons for you to vote. Why 107 reasons? This Tuesday, November 2nd, 107 alumnae of The White House Project’s signature political trainings will be on the ballot and running for political office.”

“The first job I applied for was at DuPont. I took a test, and the results came back saying I was a candidate for management. They didn’t hire me because as they said, ‘you’ll just get pregnant and have a child.’ This was 1962,” said Marie Wilson, Founder and President of The White House Project.

Wilson, one of the honorary “Founding Mothers” of the Ms. Foundation and co-founder of Take Our Daughters to Work Day, has been advocating for women in leadership ever since.

“If you’re going to be a leader,” she said, “don’t rush to change yourself. The world is still mixed about ambitious women. You need people who will encourage you to dream big – and the world is often discouraging. You need a tough skin that is porous – slough off the critics, but listen.”

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Voice of Experience: Pam Kiernan, Global Head of Business Development, Global Prime Finance, Deutsche Bank

kiernan_pam_colorBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“My advice is to be confident in what you do really well. Be open to taking risks, and to new opportunities, leveraging what you do really well,” advised Pam Kiernan, Managing Director and Global Head of Business Development for Deutsche Bank’s Global Prime Finance business.

She explained that when she heard women voicing frustration about their careers, it was usually “the result of an aversion to taking risks at a key inflection point.”

Kiernan said one of the things she’s most proud of in her own career has been her ability to take on new opportunities – moving from an infrastructure position early in her career, to a client facing role, and eventually holding COO roles for the Bank’s North American cash equities business and DB Advisors’ hedge fund business. And now she’s taken on a global role in the company’s prime brokerage business as Global Head of Business Development for Global Prime Finance.

“Be confident, and take the risk,” she said.

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Voice of Experience: Theresa S. Wilson, CIO/Operations and EVP Technical Services, Wells Fargo

Theresa WilsonBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“Make sure you’re in front of the right leadership, that you’re sharing about the type of work you do,” advised Theresa S. Wilson, CIO of Operations and EVP of Technical Services at Wells Fargo. She continued, “You have to be vocal.”

Wilson, who has been with her company for 34 years, through several mergers and acquisitions, emphasized the importance of portraying one’s skills. She said, “It’s always good to step outside [your area] and help another group, so you can show your leadership style to others and build a wide breadth of your network.”

She continued, “Volunteer to do extra work. Demonstrate your leadership.”

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