After building a successful 20-year career in retail and wholesale financial services, Laura Smith Dunaief made a bold pivot. In 2003, she launched CareerCraft, a consultancy focused on helping organizations strengthen leadership, communication, change management, and relationship-building skills.
Around that same time, Laura found herself reflecting on her own experience in the industry. While she had been fortunate to work for organizations that allowed her to grow professionally and explore new opportunities, she also became increasingly aware of the limited number of female mentors and role models in senior roles. A conversation over lunch with a fellow volunteer led to a suggestion that would shape the next chapter of her journey: mentoring through the newly established Financial Women’s Association (FWA)–Baruch College mentoring program.
From her first interaction with FWA, Laura knew she had found a home—one where she could build community and give back at the same time.
Her corporate career had been both wide-ranging and impactful. Laura led teams across sales, service, project management, trading, and operations. At Charles Schwab and later at Schwab Capital Markets, she drove major organizational change initiatives, managed department turnarounds, and helped develop new business lines and systems that improved both revenue and operational efficiency. She ultimately served as Director of Training and Development for Schwab Capital Markets, where she led training strategy for the firm’s trading divisions.
Laura’s commitment to mentoring was shaped in part by her own path. Her journey through college was anything but traditional. Balancing work and academic responsibilities over a 14-year period, she graduated magna cum laude from New York University with a degree in Organizational Behavior and Communication. That experience reinforced her belief that persistence matters, but so does encouragement and access to opportunity.
Over the years, Laura has mentored 11 driven young women from Baruch College, many of whom were first-generation students navigating unfamiliar professional environments. Each relationship has been unique, requiring different forms of support and guidance. In return, Laura has gained meaningful insight into the diverse experiences, aspirations, and challenges faced by the next generation. Many of these mentoring relationships have continued well beyond the formal program’s conclusion.
Her passion for working with emerging professionals led Laura to deepen her involvement with FWA. In 2011, she joined the Wall Street Exchange Committee and went on to serve as co-chair for eight years. Through this work, she collaborated with sponsoring firms, fellow committee members across the financial industry, and students taking their first steps toward careers in finance.
Laura has also contributed her leadership across several FWA initiatives, including the Operations Resource and Career Connections committees, as a Pacesetter mentor, and as a President’s Circle Relationship Manager. Each experience has allowed her to continue strengthening her organizing, mentoring, and influencing skills while building lasting relationships with members and supporters who share her commitment to advancing women in finance.
Laura’s journey with the Financial Women’s Association reflects a deeply held belief that careers are shaped not only by individual effort, but also by the support of a strong professional community. Through mentoring, leadership, and sustained volunteer service, she has helped create pathways for women who may not have otherwise envisioned themselves in the financial industry. For Laura, the most meaningful measure of success has been seeing others grow in confidence, pursue new opportunities, and begin building careers of their own.
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Discover More FWA Voices
Explore the recently-released features below, or click here to view the full collection of FWA Voices.
Lily Klebanoff Blake
Lily Klebanoff Blake has over 20 years of experience working in emerging markets. Currently, she is the President of Klebanoff International, a business consultancy focused on the countries of the Former Soviet Union and China. Prior to that, Lily was the Executive Director of the American Medical Consortium, which facilitated entry of Fortune 500 companies (Colgate-Palmolive, Hewlett Packard, Pfizer, and Amoco) into the Soviet market.
Laura Smith Dunaief
After building a successful 20-year career in retail and wholesale financial services, Laura Smith Dunaief made a bold pivot. In 2003, she launched CareerCraft, a consultancy focused on helping organizations strengthen leadership, communication, change management, and relationship-building skills.
Nancy Ancovitz
Nancy Ancowitz prepares senior leaders and rising talent for high-stakes presentations, meetings, and interviews where crisp communication shapes outcomes. As a career strategist and trusted advisor, she partners with clients and graduate students to prepare for consequential leadership moments.
Kari Desai
Kari Desai is the Vice President of Product Development at CNO Financial Group, where she leads the enterprise-wide design and execution of insurance product development across the Consumer and Worksite Divisions. Since joining CNO in 2022, Kari has overseen the end-to-end creation and enhancement of products across multiple product lines and brands, shaping product roadmaps that balance market opportunity, customer needs, and cross-functional execution.
Kristel Philogene
Kristel Philogene is an accomplished business leader at BNY, located in New York, and known for leading cross-functional initiatives that enhance regulatory risk governance. She collaborates closely with senior stakeholders to design and implement scalable frameworks aimed at reducing regulatory risk while supporting efficient and reliable operational delivery. Kristel is recognized for her pragmatic, results-oriented leadership, aligning teams around measurable objectives, fostering accountability, and advancing organizational effectiveness.
Darcy Flanders
Darcy Ann Flanders is a seasoned professional in the creative services industry, renowned for her expertise in financial branding, design and communication. As an early entrepreneur her career spans over three decades, during which time she has played a pivotal role in enhancing the effectiveness of financial messaging for her clients.
Elizabeth Green
Elizabeth Green is the Director of Global Brand Value Chain for Clinique at The Estée Lauder Companies. With over 15 years of experience in the consumer goods and supply chain industries, she brings a strong passion for beauty and luxury goods to her role.
Jenn Feliberty
Jenn grew up in the family business. When most teens were invited to Quinceañera parties, she was the one organizing the contracts in Spanish & English. She realized that she could serve the business more as a financial specialist than going anywhere near the glue gun. She graduated with a BA in Psychology from Buffalo and a Masters in Finance from University of Rochester Simon Business School.
Marie-Helene Kennedy-Payen
"Serving is an honor and a vote of confidence. When we're given the opportunity to volunteer, it means others trust us to carry forward a mission that matters. We're not just filling a role, we're being entrusted with meaningful work, a privilege that reflects belief in our dedication and our ability to advance a purpose larger than ourselves."
Richard Hartman
I am Richard Hartman, a Business Consultant forged in the crucible of the Employee Benefits and Risk Management sectors, an industry leader in the vibrant realms of Food & Beverage and Hospitality. My story began in 1979, stepping into the insurance arena fresh out of college, eager to make my mark.
Hermina 'Nina' Batson
Resilience and perseverance are the two traits that have come to epitomize Hermina 'Nina' Batson, a strategic, mission-driven global executive recognized for her impressive track record in financial services and regulatory engagement. As a senior business leader, Nina possesses invaluable expertise and a distinguished background in regulatory relations, risk management, corporate finance, and successful securitization deals.
Leya Yusupov
Hi, my name is Leya Yusupov, and I am truly honored to be one of the voices of the Financial Women’s Association (FWA)! I was born in the former Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union collapsed my family immigrated to the United States as religious refugees. We left everything behind in search of freedom, opportunity, and a place where we could practice our faith openly. Our journey was not easy—we spent seven months in Austria and Italy before finally arriving in the U.S.—but we never lost hope in the American dream.
Tara Smith
Tara’s journey has been shaped by a genuine passion for people and possibility. From the earliest days of her career, she discovered that she loved helping others grow - whether that meant guiding colleagues through challenges, finding a new role, or designing programs that unlocked potential. Over the years, she has built a reputation as a trusted advisor who combines business acumen with empathy, always keeping both organizational goals and individual needs in focus.
Maria Maris
From a young woman stepping off a plane into a country she had never seen, armed only with determination and an unshakable belief in possibility, Maria C. Maris has built a career that spans continents, industries, and transformations. Today, she is a global human resources executive and transformation leader with over twenty years of experience guiding multinational organizations through change — from pre-IPO readiness to large-scale global integrations.
Albana Theka
Albana Theka is a visionary leader in data, analytics, and finance who blends her passion for technology with a proven record in healthcare finance. Raised in a small city in southern Albania, Albana arrived in the United States at the age of 17—alone, hopeful, and determined to build a brighter future. Her parents, drawing strength from a tumultuous era in Albanian history, sent her across the world on a $6,000 loan—a life-altering leap of faith.
