Become a Mentor with FWA’s High School Mentoring Program

It was only a couple of weeks ago that I stood in front of many of you at our Annual Members Meeting . The moment I took the stage as the 60th President of the Financial Women’s Association, I felt a wave of gratitude—not just for the role, but for the road that brought me here. That road started thousands of miles away, in a small city in southern Albania. I was 16 years old when I told my parents I wanted to go to America—not just to visit, but to live, to learn, to build something bigger than what I could see around me. Although a difficult decision, my parents supported me. They knew that as a woman, growing up in a country that had seen communism, a difficult transition to democracy, civil war and refugee crisis, I wouldn’t have the same opportunities if I had stayed. That decision would change my life forever.

On June 24, 2025, interns in the FWA’s Wall Street Exchange Program came together virtually for the third session of the summer, an energizing and highly practical experience titled “Foundation for Professional Excellence.” The session was sponsored by Knopman Marks, a boutique NYC-based firm touted for its high-performance training for securities licensing exams. Nina Batson, former FWA President, introduced the session presenter Brian Marks, Partner since 2010, Head of Performance, and a member of the firm’s Board of Directors. Brian delivered an interactive, high-impact session designed to give interns tangible tools they can immediately apply in their internships and long after. His guidance included: Five Credibility Killers, including two critical missteps: Handing your boss a problem without offering a solution Saying, “That’s not my job” Five Credibility Builders, including: Taking initiative by asking, “What would take this to the next level?” Applying feedback immediately and visibly to show responsiveness He also introduced interns to a Strategic Action Matrix, a 4-box framework that maps strategy vs. execution, encouraging interns to assess where they currently fall. He encouraged them to strive toward the high-performance quadrant where strategic thinking meets strong execution. Brian challenged interns to step outside their comfort zones, just 4% beyond, to stimulate growth, even when facing fear, mental roadblocks, or a lack of confidence. His advice? Take small, consistent actions that stretch your limits and develop resilience. One of the session’s most resonant takeaways was the reminder to “land the plane.” In other words, your work isn’t done until you’ve evaluated the success of a project and reflected on what worked and what didn’t. Interns had the chance to ask questions throughout, and Brian’s thoughtful, actionable responses helped them better understand how to own their effectiveness, work through ambiguity, and build reputation capital within their organizations. A huge thank you to Knopman Marks and Brian Marks for investing in the next generation of finance professionals. 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 .

By Samantha Corredor, FWA Member As fintech rapidly evolves, one thing is clear—women are driving innovation and shaping the future of finance. That vision came to life at our recent "Transforming Finance" event, hosted in collaboration with NYC Fintech Women and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Held at AWS’s New York City office, the evening brought together bold thinkers, trailblazing technologists, and finance leaders to explore how blockchain, cryptocurrency, and AI are redefining the financial landscape. The evening featured two thought-provoking panel discussions that brought together women leading the charge at the intersection of finance and technology. Breaking Barriers – The Institutional Adoption of Crypto, Blockchain, & Digital Assets Moderated by Ruchy Sharma , Principal Analytics GTM Specialist at AWS, this panel explored how institutions are embracing crypto and digital assets despite a complex regulatory landscape. The panelists—all women shaping this space—shared candid perspectives: Elle Leemay Chen – Investor, Reciprocal Ventures Kristen Keyes – Head of Strategic Partnerships & Enterprise Sales, Paxos Caroline Tarnok – VP, Financial & Operational Risk, Coinbase Nelli Zaltsman – Head of Platform Settlement Solutions, Kinexys by J.P. Morgan Each of these leaders is pushing boundaries in a space still largely defined by legacy systems, helping financial institutions adopt and adapt responsibly. The Tech Stack of the Future: Building Secure & Scalable Digital Assets Led by Vivian Lai , Principal Capital Markets Specialist at AWS, this discussion focused on what it takes to build tech infrastructure that can scale with the growing demands of digital assets. The panel featured: Jeffrey Alberts – Partner, Pryor Cashman Eric Kang – Head of DeFi, Ava Labs Jasmine J . – Digital Assets Strategist, Fidelity Digital Asset Management (FDAM), Fidelity Investments Elizabeth Dethy – Principal, Head of Sell Side Product, Talos Panelists provided valuable insights into how tech and finance must work hand-in-hand to ensure security, transparency, and long-term viability. Closing Remarks FWA President Albana Theka closed out the evening by thanking our partners and the FWA community. Since our founding in 1956 by pioneering women in finance, we’ve remained committed to ensuring that women not only have a voice—but also the tools, networks, and visibility to lead in financial innovation. See More from the Event Check out the event photos below! For more highlights and videos, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram .