Director, Private Wealth Advisor - BMO Wealth Management

Q: What unique qualities do you believe set you apart as a leader and woman of influence?
A: Among my unique qualities as a leader and woman of influence, my ability to listen “between the lines” and connect with others at a deeper level of understanding and trust allows for opportunities to genuinely care and mutually grow to meet goals – professionally and personally. Some can describe this quality as high emotional intelligence, yet I think about it as not being afraid to trust my intuition about understanding what is important to another person, what makes them tick, what they want to accomplish, and what is holding them back from taking the steps necessary to get there. Additionally, other qualities I continue to hone include: I work to own my mistakes and learn from them (often with humor by sharing with others and laughing at myself), try not to ruminate on the mistakes which can be tough for me, call the rough days “character-building” days, and also celebrate others’ successes.

Q: Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that shaped your path?
A: I was new to Chicagoland, newly married, and new to financial services. I worked for a nuclear engineer who had become a designer of financial services products. He hired me away from a vendor for his firms to start in the financial services industry. I became an internal wholesaler and then a consultant for the firms’ clients. He knew I loved to learn and wanted to grow my knowledge and advance my career. He challenged me to challenge myself by taking on the Certified Financial Planner Designation program. At the time, about 25% who started the program finished it, and about 25% who made it through passed the 10-hour certification exam in the first attempt. I was fortunate to move straight through. It built my confidence, my network, and allowed new opportunities I could not have foreseen. Because of this distinguished designation and my employer’s belief in my determination to take on big challenges, my ability to learn, adapt, adjust, and grow has continued throughout my career. Without his willingness to challenge me to challenge myself, I would not have had the opportunities that has built my career path today.

Q: How do you define leadership, and how do you embody those qualities in your own life?
A: I think of leadership like motherhood and friendship, those who listen, probe deeper into understanding others, live and work by example, and can move strategically to play coach and cheerleader define great leaders. Additionally, striving for continuous (self-)improvement - and striving for higher goals, individually and with others, make great leaders greater!

Q: How do you pay it forward and support the next generation of leaders?
A: It is a pleasure to formally and informally be others’ sounding board and also receive their thoughts and feedback. To me, the word “mentor” is not a title. It is an verb, an action word to focus and grow with others. I work to pay it forward and support the next generation of leaders by authentically listening to what is on their mind and in their goals - and sharing my experiences and perspectives, so to shorten others’ learning curves if they are interested, while they make their own paths to success. Love watching others stretch and challenge themselves as they experience all they are and may become…and then share their successes and opportunities to grow with others…!

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