The roar of the crowd, a Liberty comeback win, and the connections sparked in the owner’s suite made July 13 a day that perfectly captured the spirit of the Financial Women’s Association. FWA members and friends gathered at Barclays Center not only to watch an exciting WNBA game but to celebrate community, inspiration, and collaboration.
From courtside cheers to suite-side introductions, the atmosphere was electric as conversations sparked across every corner of the room. It was a chance to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones while enjoying world-class basketball.
Moments That Mattered
What made the day truly memorable was more than the final score. It was the opportunity to connect with leaders, colleagues, and friends in a unique setting. As Laura Smith Dunaief, FWA Wall Street Exchange Co-Chair, shared, “So much fun! Great networking and an exciting game!”
Nina Batson, FWA Past President, summed it up perfectly, “Another great FWA event!”
One first-time FWA attendee said, “It was my first FWA event and I left inspired and energized by the incredible women I met.”
The event would not have been possible without the leadership of Keia Clarke, CEO of the New York Liberty, the support of Robert Windrem of NetsDaily, Programming Committee Chair Patti Domm, FWA Executive Director and COO Alissa Desmarais, and the talented photographer Leya Yusupov who captured the day’s energy.
Why It Matters
This event was about much more than basketball. It was about connection, collaboration, and building a network that creates new opportunities. When women show up for each other, these moments become the fuel for bigger goals and bold actions.
Looking Ahead
The Liberty game is just one of many experiences the FWA offers to bring members together, share ideas, and celebrate leadership. Whether in a boardroom, on the golf course (don’t miss the Golf Outing—Aug 5), or inside an arena, FWA creates spaces where meaningful connections thrive.
Ready to join the next event?
This is the type of access and community you can only find at the Financial Women’s Association. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the next unforgettable experience.
Join today!
The fifth session of the FWA’s Wall Street Exchange (WSE) Program , held on Tuesday, July 14, brought together students, industry leaders, and a program alumnus for an engaging discussion on the future of finance, financial technology, artificial intelligence, and career development. WSE committee member Amber Doreen welcomed the participants and introduced the session's moderator, Yanique Williams Elliott, a Wall Street Exchange alumna, technologist, founder, and venture capitalist. The discussion featured accomplished professionals representing venture capital, technology, operations, and financial services, Souky Dolinsek, Vice President of Operations at Billford; Shade Alcine, Renewal Manager at Human Security; and Alix Jules, Head of AI Transformation at Broadridge. The panel began by exploring the defining moments that required the speakers to make difficult career decisions. They discussed changing industries, accepting unfamiliar responsibilities, and entering roles that required them to build processes from the ground up. Several panelists candidly discussed experiencing imposter syndrome, especially when entering unfamiliar environments or participating in conversations with senior executives. The panel also explored how artificial intelligence is changing the speed, scope, and nature of financial work. AI can assist with financial modeling, forecasting, bookkeeping, data analysis, investor materials, and other time-intensive responsibilities. Employers will increasingly expect professionals to use AI as a productivity partner. The strongest employees will be those who can combine technological fluency with sound judgment, creativity, and strategic thinking. The discussion explored in depth the intersection of blockchain, tokenization, digital assets, and the rise of digital workforces. Another important discussion focused on the distinction between mentors and sponsors. Mentors speak to you. They provide advice, encouragement, perspective, and guidance while helping you navigate professional decisions. Sponsors speak about you. They are often senior leaders who advocate for you when you are not present, recommend you for significant assignments, and use their organizational influence to support your advancement. As technology continues to evolve, the panel identified several key skills of the future and qualities that will remain essential. Curiosity was highlighted as a particularly valuable quality among 10 others. Interns should ask to attend meetings, learn how other departments operate, and speak with colleagues whose work interests them. Unless a meeting is confidential, employees may be willing to allow an intern to observe and learn. The panel concluded with several memorable lessons for the interns: “Consistency beats perfection.” “Do not become too comfortable.” “Trust the process.” The WSE Co-Chairs, Gerri Feemster Bostick and Laura Smith Dunaief, and the WSE Committee extend their heartfelt thanks to moderator, Yanique Williams Elliott and our panelists, Souky Dolinsek, Shade Alcine, and Alix Jules, for generously sharing their time, experiences, and valuable career insights with our participants.
by Robert Brown "I believe that mentorship is incredibly valuable, especially during college as you are navigating a lot of changes and first-time experiences." For Cailyn Kitchens, a junior at Baruch College, those words aren't simply a reflection on her college experience. They've become the foundation of how she's prepared for her future. Following her junior-year internship at Scotiabank, Cailyn credits the Financial Women's Association's Baruch College Mentoring Program and her mentor, Laleh Bashirrad, Managing Director at BNP Paribas, with helping her approach one of the most pivotal chapters of her college journey with greater confidence, curiosity, and perspective.
On July 7, 2026, interns in the FWA’s Wall Street Exchange (WSE) Program came together virtually for the fourth session of the summer, titled “Strategic Communications,” sponsored by Joele Frank. Jordan Resnick, HR Specialist, and Heather Wallach, Talent Acquisition Manager, introduced interns to Joele Frank and the world of strategic communications, a field many interns had never considered as part of the financial services landscape. Jordan and Heather explained that Joele Frank advises companies through their most consequential moments, from mergers and acquisitions to shareholder activism, restructuring, leadership transitions, and crisis response, ranking as the #1 U.S. M&A PR advisor and #1 shareholder activism defense advisor in the industry. To bring the firm’s work to life, Jordan and Heather walked interns through several high-profile engagements, including Joele Frank’s support of Warner Bros. Discovery, a current client, as an example of how the firm helps companies navigate high-stakes, high-visibility situations in real time. The discussion underscored that effective strategic communications require not just managing a narrative, but protecting a company’s credibility with every audience watching, from investors and employees to the media and the public. Jordan and Heather also broke down the many disciplines that fall under the strategic communications umbrella, including investor relations, corporate and media relations, governance and corporate stewardship, design, and digital strategy. They emphasized that the firm hires like a law firm, bringing on Account Associates directly out of undergrad, and encouraged interns interested in the field to build strong writing skills, stay current on financial news through outlets like The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, and consider Joele Frank’s summer internship or full-time Account Associate programs as a path into the industry. Interns had the opportunity to ask questions throughout the presentation before breaking into small groups to discuss their key takeaways from the session and reflect on what they had learned so far this summer. Many interns shared that the session reshaped their understanding of what a career in PR actually looks like, moving past common misconceptions to reveal a discipline built on strategy, judgment, and relationships. Several groups also highlighted the session’s emphasis on soft skills, noting how much communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence matter in a field so often mistaken for being purely about writing press releases. At the conclusion of the session, the WSE spun the wheel to award a CFA Society Student Membership, sponsored by the CFA Society, to Sarah Convery. Congrats, Sarah! A huge thank you to Jordan Resnick, Heather Wallach, and the entire Joele Frank team for giving interns a behind-the-scenes look at the strategic communications industry. The WSE Co-Chairs and Committee extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to the President’s Circle Firms, the Partnership Circle Firms, and the Friends of FWA for their unwavering support and generosity to the interns and the Wall Street Exchange Program.
On June 23, 2026, the FWA's Wall Street Exchange (WSE) Program 2026 cohort gathered virtually for the third weekly session of the program. The session was sponsored by Knopman Marks, a boutique NYC-based firm known for its high-performance training for securities licensing exams. Brian Marks, Co-Founder and President of Knopman Marks & Highwire, led a practical, high-energy conversation titled "Foundations for Professional Excellence." The first topic that Brian discussed was the habits that drive a successful early career and why those habits matter well beyond an internship. The skills interns build now are the same ones that separate a good intern from a great one; and that later separate a good professional from a high performer. He described high performance, not as a matter of raw talent, but rather as a set of behaviors one can practice. The habits put in place early are the ones that compound. The interns who start practicing them now are the ones who carry them from an internship with limited responsibilities into executive-level responsibility later. The interns then reviewed a series of four credibility builders and four credibility killers, proactive behaviors that shape how senior professionals come to trust a young professional. Owning your mistakes and learning from them is a key credibility builder and surprising your manager with bad news at the last minute is a major credibility killer. The interns then rated themselves on a Strategic Action Matrix, a four-box framework charting how strategy: “Are you focused on the right things?” interacts with execution: “Are you doing the work to get there?”. He asked interns to consider one or two new habits they could put to work immediately. Brian impressed upon the interns that professional excellence is thinking strategically and executing well, while stepping outside their comfort zone, stretching past their limits and building resilience when the plan changes. Brian then introduced the five strategies in The Intern Success Playbook, emphasizing that interns are building their personal brand every day through what others observe. Whether it's staying focused instead of constantly checking a mobile phone or taking the initiative to connect with colleagues, everyday actions shape how others perceive them. His five strategies focused on working and communicating smarter, building authentic relationships, and paying close attention to perception and details. The interactive format kept energy high. Interns enjoyed the live Q&A, the quiz, and the chance to ask questions. A screen full of Zoom hearts spoke to the value they found in his advice. A huge thank you to Knopman Marks and Brian Marks for investing their time and expertise in the WSE 2026 cohort. The session concluded with the WSE Committee awarding intern Sarah Convery a CFA Student Annual Membership, sponsored by the CFA Society. The WSE Co-Chairs, Gerri Bostick and Laura Smith Dunaief, and the WSE Committee extend their sincere appreciation to Brian Marks and Knopman Marks for their support in making this virtual session a success. We also thank the FWA President Albana Theka, FWA leadership, volunteers, sponsoring firms, and participating employers for their continued commitment to providing this valuable experience to the next generation of financial professionals.
