Announcing Our 2026 Non-Profit Sector Woman of the Year

August 26, 2026


The FWA is pleased to share that Mary Barneby will be honored as the 2026 Non-Profit Sector Woman of the Year at the FWA's 70th Anniversary Gala on October 8, 2026. 


We look forward to introducing additional honorees in the weeks ahead.



Mary Barneby served as the Regional Chief Executive for the American Red Cross of Greater New York from 2020 to 2023. In that role, she led a team dedicated to alleviating suffering caused by disasters and emergencies across the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, Westchester and Rockland Counties, and Greenwich, CT. Prior to joining the Red Cross, Mary served for eight years as CEO of the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, where she led a major transformation of volunteer support services and technology enhancements.

Before her tenure as a nonprofit leader, she held various executive leadership positions in the financial services industry for more than 35 years, including major roles at Merrill Lynch and UBS. From 2012 to 2019, she served as a trustee of First Investor Funds, a $13 billion mutual fund concern.


As a longstanding member of the Financial Women’s Association, Mary served as its President from 2003-2004.


A lifelong volunteer, she has also served multiple non-profit agencies, including posts on the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association (NY Region), International Women’s Forum (CT), Interval House in Hartford, DOMUS, the YMCA of Stamford, and the Board of Governors at the University of New Haven, among others. She currently serves as Director of the Non-Profit Collective Foundation, a national not-for-profit dedicated to building capacity for smaller non-profits.


Mary received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Philosophy, cum laude, from New York University and earned her MBA, with a concentration in Finance, from Fordham University's Gabelli School.


Retired in June 2023, Mary has found time to write a book for young readers on wetlands conservation and serves throughout the year as a very busy ordained wedding officiant in the area near her home. She is a grateful recent survivor of colon cancer and happily lives with her husband and border terrier, Tess, near the Delaware shore.

The Seat Comes with Seventy Years

August 27, 2026
A Message from FWA President Albana Theka When I stepped into the role of President of the Financial Women’s Association last July, I thought I understood what I was taking on. I had served on the board, co-chaired membership, spent two years as President Elect, and I knew the history the way most of us know it, in the broad strokes of dates and programs and the story of the eight women in 1956 who were turned away from an investment association and decided to build their own. What I did not expect was what happened in the weeks that followed, when past FWA presidents began reaching out to me one by one, not to give instructions, but to tell me their stories.

WSE Interns Get a Firsthand Look at the Future of Finance

August 20, 2026
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.

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. 
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