Receives ‘Most Influential Women in Payments’ Award at Card Forum Event
I was honored to be selected for the 2017 Most Influential Women in Payments list back in March. Even more rewarding, was the opportunity to meet and share ideas with the 24 industry leaders and innovators with whom I shared this distinction at this year’s Card Forum event on May 8.
The 2017 Most Influential Women in Payments
The Most Influential Women in Payments session was the kickoff for the Card Forum event. Along with several of my fellow honorees, I was invited to participate in panel discussions, provide remarks and other information throughout the morning. The panel—Career Development, Mentorship and Building Work Environments That Promote Diversity & Women Leadership—gave me the opportunity to share the stage with several brilliant and inspiring women:
- Racy Morgan (Head of Payments, US Bank)
- Kara Kazazean (Director of Payment Services, Walmart)
- Archana Puri (Sr. Director of Product Management, Payments & Platform Products, Braintree)
- Amy Parsons (Sr. VP of Global Commerce, Discover Financial Services)
- Margaret Weichert (Principal Financial Services Performance Improvement, EY)
One of the key focuses of discussion throughout the session was the global market; specifically, deploying winning strategies to make the most of new opportunities presented by a global payments environment. I had a fantastic time discussing the subject with my fellow honorees, sharing my own insights, and gaining the benefits of others’ expertise.
Diversity Makes Businesses Stronger
I am a longtime advocate for greater diversity in payments, finance, and technology. Events which emphasize less-represented groups, like the Most Influential Women in Payments session, offer great value to the industry.
An organization’s strength hinges upon its leadership and creative ability. Homogenous leadership in an organization inhibits adaptability. A diverse range of perspectives in these roles, however, allows organizations to be much more agile, responsive, and ready to meet new challenges as they develop.
The rapid development of technology in the last century has helped women integrate into the workforce. In turn, the unique perspectives offered by women are helping technology firms to evolve at a faster and more fluid pace.
An Opportunity to Inspire the Next Generation
One of the most significant impacts this list serves to emphasize is the role that women already play in professional fields. This normalizes women in these spaces and reduces barriers to entry for other women to step into leadership roles. After all, it’s not enough to be content with the progress we’ve made thus far; the best way to ensure we continue moving forward is to start with young people.
Encouraging girls and young women to consider technology and other STEM-related career courses builds on current progress. This means female professionals now involved in these fields should reach out to offer support and help train them to take on leadership roles in the future.
Calling attention to the contributions of women as professionals, thought leaders, and experts in complex subjects can inspire young girls to aim for more than they might have otherwise thought possible.
Thank You PaymentsSource & Fellow Honorees
I would very much like to thank PaymentsSource and the organizers of this fantastic event for their efforts. And lastly, thank you to my fellow honorees of the 2017 Most Influential Women in Payments—congratulations everyone!
