Spotlight on Director-at-Large Erica Benjamin

October 30, 2024

Giving back by fostering engagement through education & mentoring


A director-at-large is a member of a governing board or organization who has flexible duties and is available to take on tasks as needed. No one is better suited to fill that role at the FWA than Erica Benjamin.


Erica is a master juggler who is always ready to step in wherever she’s needed without missing a beat. By day, she serves in a high-powered, senior management role as a transformational leader in BMO’s U.S. CEO Office, managing the Enterprise Wide Regulatory Program Management Office. By night and at the weekends, she’s the mother of a high school travel hockey player and a middle school daughter involved in various sports and Girl Scouting events.


Sherree DeCovny, co-chair of the FWA’s Marketing & Strategic Communications Committee, talked to Erica about her decades-long career in the financial services industry and how the FWA has contributed to her success.

Sherree: Erica, to start off, please tell us about your professional career journey?

 

Erica: My career in financial services spans more than 30 years. After I graduated from university, I joined the analyst program at Lehman Brothers, and up until two years ago, I worked in capital markets. I’ve done everything from sales, trading and operations to program management and senior level management.

 

Things haven’t always been smooth sailing. I survived 9/11. Then during the 2008 financial crisis, thousands of people were displaced, and my career went away overnight. I had to find my support system, rebound, redirect and build myself back up. Luckily, Barclays acquired Lehman Brothers’ investment banking business, and I was part of that buyout. The six months I worked for Barclays was the toughest time of my life. I just had a baby, and I only took a three-week maternity leave because I was fighting for my job. Several of us left Barclays and went to Nomura, which wasn’t a good fit for me, but I was thankful to have a job.

 

I got my job at BMO by leveraging my contacts from Lehman Brothers. I learned an important life lesson: The best jobs aren’t the ones that are posted, they’re from referrals from your network. The more people you know, the more opportunities come your way.

 

About three years ago, BMO decided to purchase Bank of the West, and I was asked to leave capital markets and move to the central M&A team to help with the acquisition. As a chief administrative officer, my responsibilities ranged from real estate to professional development. That’s when I became involved with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and groups such as the FWA.

 

The Bank of the West acquisition was completed in September 2023, and the bank is much bigger now. I currently work for the chief administrative officer for the U.S. holding company, and I run various regulatory program management initiatives.

 

Sherree: How long have you been a member of the FWA?

 

Erica: BMO has been a President’s Circle member of the FWA for about seven years, and I joined the FWA through the BMO relationship. I’m proud to say that BMO supports various education-oriented nonprofits, including the FWA’s education portfolio.

 

I enjoyed attending the FWA events and meeting people in the organization, but I had to take a step back when I transitioned from capital markets to an enterprise role. However, I’ve become more involved in the FWA and other women’s networks over the past year.


Sherree: Why did you decide to pursue a leadership role in the FWA?

 

Erica: I joined the FWA’s board in June 2024. I serve as director-at-large, but I don’t actually serve on any specific committees yet, although I’m sure I will soon. I’m particularly interested in education and mentoring. I’m currently working with Jackie Linden to review the educational portfolio. I also joined a special committee tasked with getting FWA members and the board more engaged.

 

Sherree: How have you benefitted from the FWA personally and professionally?

 

Erica: It all comes down to networking with likeminded, smart people who have been through a lot in their career. It’s so important to have that network of women who can lift you up and give you support along your career journey. Tons of job opportunities come about just by talking to people.

 

What I like about the FWA is that it’s multigenerational. We have members who have been in the industry for several decades, and they bring a high level of knowledge, expertise and guidance to the table. We have members who serve in middle management roles. And at the other end of the spectrum, we have young members at the very beginning of their careers.

 

In addition, I think the FWA’s content and events provide a great opportunity for professional development.

 

I’m at a point in my career where I hope the end is closer than the beginning. I feel like it’s my turn to give back because I’ve been very fortunate to have people help me along the way with mentorships and job opportunities. That’s one of the main reasons why I joined the FWA – to give back.

 

Sherree: What would you like to see the FWA do in the future?

 

Erica: We’re a membership-led organization, so we need to figure out how to increase membership and attract people in different finance roles. As such, our events need to appeal to a variety of people. We also have to update our branding and expand our base of corporate sponsors.

 

Sherree: How can people get the most out of their FWA membership?

 

Erica: If you just want to join the FWA because you want your name on the list, you’re not going to get anything out of it. Get involved. Raise your hand. Go to events. Ask questions. You can’t be everything to everyone all the time, so ask for help because FWA members will come to your aid.

Preparing for What's Next: Cailyn Kitchens and the Power of Mentorship

August 13, 2026
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.

Wall Street Exchange Interns Get an Inside Look at Strategic Communications

August 6, 2026
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. 

Wall Street Exchange Interns Learn Foundations for Professional Excellence

July 30, 2026
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. 

Wall Street Exchange Interns Learn Networking Best Practices

July 23, 2026
Interns participating in the 2026 Wall Street Exchange (WSE) Program gathered virtually for the program’s second session, an interactive panel discussing “Networking Best Practices.” Sponsored by S&P Global, Northwestern Mutual, and Wells Fargo, the session brought together three financial services professionals to share how they have built and sustained meaningful relationships throughout their careers. The discussion was moderated by Dan Yu, Co-Founder of FutureProof You and Director of Partnerships at the talent development nonprofit Ascend Leadership . After a long career on Wall Street, Dan pivoted to recruiting and career coaching, work that has since taken him from coaching college students to C-level executives. He set an energetic, conversational tone for the panel, joined by Jena Angeliadis, Executive Director and Senior Lead Product Manager at Wells Fargo; Antonietta Gaudio, Recruiting Operations Manager at Northwestern Mutual; and Christina Siekierski, Senior Product Manager at S&P Global.  Jena traced her own path across American Express, JPMorgan Chase, and now Wells Fargo, encouraging interns to think of networking less as a transaction and more as an ongoing practice built on curiosity and follow-through. She pointed to her own career transitions, including launching the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business card, as proof that relationships built early in a career often resurface in unexpected and valuable ways later on. Drawing on nearly 14 years in talent acquisition, Antonietta spoke about her “white glove” approach to building trust, urging interns to lead every interaction with empathy and authenticity rather than a polished pitch. She reminded the group that confidence in networking is built from within, and that the goal of any conversation should be genuine connection, not simply a foot in the door. Christina offered a product manager’s view of networking, describing how cross-functional relationships across product, commercial, and client teams at S&P Global have been just as important to her growth as relationships built outside the office. She encouraged interns to treat every colleague, not just senior leaders, as a connection worth investing in. To help interns put the panel’s advice into action, Dan closed the session with five “homework” assignments to complete in the weeks ahead: Update your LinkedIn profile Build a Linktree or dotcard Join or start a virtual networking group Reply to your three oldest unanswered text messages, using voice text Call someone you haven’t spoken with in a year A huge thank you to Dan Yu, Jena Angeliadis, Antonietta Gaudio, and Christina Siekierski, and to S&P Global, Northwestern Mutual, and Wells Fargo, for helping interns build the confidence and tools to network with purpose. At the conclusion of the session, the WSE Committee awarded a CFA Society New York student membership to Angela Lin. 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.
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