On October 6, American Banker will host its 14th annual “The Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance” awards dinner. Protiviti is proud to be the exclusive Platinum Sponsor and to celebrate this milestone achievement with executives and leaders from some of our clients!
To gear up for this momentous moment, we are going to spend the month of September spotlighting a few #ProtivitiWomenInFSI and their unique stories. Next up in our series is Bernadette!
- What was your path to Protiviti? – “My first job out of college was with a Big Four firm working in Transaction Advisory Services. After about two years, my direct manager at the time was leaving to go to this “start-up” consulting firm and asked me to come with him. That was nearly 12 years ago.”
- What excites you the most about your work in the financial services industry? – “I like seeing how rapidly the industry changes and adapts. Not only to regulatory requirements, which is the area I primarily focus on, but also the advances in technology, security, and customer facing applications.”
- What has been the biggest challenge you have faced working in the financial services industry? – “Changing the perception of Risk Management. This is not a challenge limited to the financial services industry, but there is often a reactive, rather than proactive approach to implementing and communicating risk strategies. I think people tend to feel more empowered to make holistic changes when they see the big picture and understand how they are part of meaningful changes.”
- Who has played a critical role in the development of your career? – “My mentors have changed a lot over the course of my career. I tend to gravitate towards people that have a strong work ethic and are gracious, kind, innovative and supportive in everything that they do.”
- What advice would you give to both current and future women in banking to face the future with confidence? – “It’s an old fashioned story. My mom’s teaching salary wasn’t considered a source of income when she and my father applied for their first mortgage in the 1960’s. In those days women would often quit their jobs after having children and weren’t considered “reliable income”. My mom always said, “Make sure you’re never in a position where you aren’t valued.” My mom wasn’t saying not to become a homemaker, but to ensure you are self-reliant, hard-working and know your worth.”
