Women's History Month - 1998 FWA Public/Non-Profit Sector Woman of the Year, Alice Rivlin

March 21, 2024

Paving the Way Forward for Women in Finance


Throughout Women's History Month, we're highlighting a variety of women from FWA's history - awardees, past presidents, and more who forged a path for women in the financial community. In their honor, we ask that you make your own contribution toward paving the way forward for all women in finance this month!


This week, we're highlighting Alice Rivlin, who was awarded the FWA awarded Public/Non-Profit Sector Woman of the Year in 1998 recognition of her service as Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. She also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare for Program Analysis and Director of the Congressional Budget Office, and she was the first female Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Alice Rivlin was a pioneer for women in top positions. She attended Bryn Mawr College as an undergraduate and graduated from Harvard’s Radcliffe College in 1958 as one of the few women to have earned a PhD in economics. 


After proving herself in research and analysis as a fellow at the Brookings Institution, President Lyndon Johnson named Rivlin Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare for Program Analysis in 1966. In 1974, she was appointed Director of the newly created Congressional Budget Office, a position she held for eight years. In 1993, President Bill Clinton named her the nation’s first women Director of the Office of Management and Budget. From there, she served as Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Rivlin is remembered for providing objective, nonpartisan information to help Congress make effective budget and economic policy.


Alice Rivlin paved the way forward for the next generation of women in finance, and now it’s your turn to do the same.


We're calling on YOU to be one of 100 donors who will make an impact during Women's History Month! Be the next to support our mission of advancing all women with a donation of $25, $50 or $100 dollars!


No donation is too small - it's a chance to put your brick in the road to success for future women in financial services.

Seventy Years Forward: How the Financial Women’s Association Built a Community That Changes Lives

January 28, 2026
by Robert Brown January is National Mentoring Month. In 2026, it also marks a defining moment for the Financial Women’s Association as we celebrate 70 years of advancing women in finance. This milestone matters now. As organizations across industries rethink development, mentorship, and long-term investment in people, FWA stands firm in what has always worked: human connection, shared knowledge, and women lifting one another forward.  For seven decades, FWA has done more than convene women in finance. It has built a community rooted in mentorship, access, and action. Progress here has never been accidental. It has always been intentional. It happens because women, and male allies choose to show up for one another. As current FWA President Albana Theka reminds us, “Mentorship isn’t about who’s ahead of you. It’s about who sees you, and who helps you see yourself.” That belief has shaped FWA from the beginning and continues to guide where we are headed next.

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With Gratitude for the Global Perspectives That Strengthen Our FWA Community

November 24, 2025
Recently, our members had the honor of meeting Army General François Lecointre, Grand Chancellor of the Order of the Legion of Honour. An institution Napoleon Bonaparte founded in 1802. General Lecointre brought the Order’s legacy to life, sharing its mission and new efforts to digitize centuries of archives. Did you know? The Legion of Honour also established an all-girls boarding school for descendants of honorees — a lasting investment in education and equality. The event also reunited members of our Paris International Business Conference delegation, a reminder that our global exchanges continue well beyond the trip through shared learning, cultural understanding, and lifelong connections. Thank you to Banque Transatlantique for hosting and to General Lecointre for sharing his insights and time.

Rising Star: How Mentorship Helped Adelisa Music Find Her Wings

November 20, 2025
FWA–Baruch College Mentoring Program Spotlight Adelisa Music is a rising star with a bright future in finance. A college student at Baruch, she’s built her success through focus, resilience, and a willingness to keep learning. Along the way, the Financial Women’s Association’s Mentoring Program at Baruch College added another dimension to her journey, giving her the guidance and confidence to take her ambitions even further. “My experience with the FWA Baruch College Mentoring Program was more than transformative,” Adelisa says. “It served as a guide and support throughout college, introducing me to people and opportunities that opened doors I didn’t know existed and helped me learn more about my strengths and weaknesses.”
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