We’ve all heard the saying, “bad news sells” and unfortunately the data on clicks proves it. But, there are times when journalists in their eagerness to grab the day’s headlines, mistakenly report a short term, bad event as a beginning a gloomy, longer-term trend. Such is the case in many articles describing the effects of Covid-19 on women in finance. One reporter sees it differently and his opinion is both encouraging and optimistic on the future of women in our industry. These past 15 months of Covid-19 has created a huge disruption for ALL in the financial services industry. With that disruption comes challenges, change and opportunities. We therefore, recommend that you take a moment to read, Jason Dibble’s article. 

Financial media publications panned the pandemic as a “major step back” for women in finance amid a child-care crisis and halting progress toward gender equality in the executive ranks.

But remote-working arrangements are redefining the relationship between childcare and the workplace, virtualization is creating opportunities to redraw physical boundaries, and high-profile promotions are spotlighting women in key executive roles. Those unheralded gains hold out the promise of a better future for women in finance — and a better finance for women in the future.

On April 21, in conjunction with the STA Washington DC Spring Update, Jennifer Willey, CEO & Founder of Wet Cement Inc. presented a keynote address titled, Building Your Blue Sky Blueprint. In today’s "always on" Work From Anywhere (WFA) era, Ms. Willey helped attendees tap into their priorities to create the future they want in the "new normal."

The pressure is on for boards to diversify, and it’s working. Since last June, 145 S&P 500 companies have added at least one Black director, a “brisk” pace compared to past years, according to recruiter Russell Reynolds Associates. Latino board appointments at public companies quadrupled from a year ago, and women, for the first time, hold almost a third of all seats on the S&P 500. Only one major U.S. initial public offering debuted with an all-male board last year. 

Women have made enormous strides in the past year in the public sector. America elected its first female vice president, Kamala Harris, in November. Janet Yellen now serves as the nation’s first female secretary of the Treasury, and the 117th U.S. Congress includes a record 143 women, or 27% of its total membership. Women are also achieving greater prominence and power in the private sector, and particularly in the world of finance, where Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser just became the first woman to lead a major U.S. money-center bank. 

@STAWomen ‌