Meet Our Mentee - Electra Economopoulos

May 4, 2023

Electra Economopoulos, a recent graduate of Baruch College with a BBA in Marketing Management, had a fulfilling experience as a mentee in the FWA mentoring program. Her FWA mentor, Kim Hanson, played a crucial role in her personal and professional development, providing her with guidance and support in navigating college and finding opportunities that align with her future.


Kim, who is the Head of B2B Thought Leadership Content at BMO Capital Markets and has over 20 years of experience in the industry, offered Electra an internship opportunity on her team. This opportunity allowed Electra to gain valuable experience and expand her network.


Electra was also able to interact with Kim in both a professional and personal setting, often enjoying lunch or dinner with colleagues or attending various conferences and events. Kim also served as a role model, so Electra could visualize the skills she needs to achieve her professional goals. According to Electra, “Working with Kim fast-forwarded my career plans. My BMO work experience and her career advice transformed me from a college marketing major to a professional.”


One experience in the FWA mentoring program that made Electra feel empowered, inspired, and motivated was the annual Conversations with FWA Pacesetters event hosted by FWA at Baruch. Electra enjoyed hearing from the women making strides towards their career goals and ambitions, while also learning about the companies they work at. Each panelist shared both inspiring and impactful work that they do, and career advice.


Electra is eager to advance her career, personal development, and professional relationships while also lifting up other young professionals. The exceptional programming offered to the entire cohort of mentees helped her start the journey of completing those advancements. Electra's experience in the FWA mentoring program and her mentor's support led to her success in her career, and she is grateful for the opportunity.


Inspired by Electra’s story? Ready to mentor a talented college student launching her business career? Contact Baruch College program lead Betsy Werley ([email protected]) or Seton Hall University program leads Donna Harris ([email protected]) or Lu Licciardello ([email protected]).

Introducing Our Gala Emcee

September 17, 2026
We are pleased to announce Steve Liesman, CNBC’s senior economics reporter, as emcee of the FWA's 70th Anniversary Gala on October 8, 2026. As CNBC’s senior economics reporter, Steve Liesman reports on all aspects of the economy, including the Federal Reserve and major economic indicators. He appears on “ Squawk Box ” (M-F, 6 AM-9 AM ET), as well as other CNBC programs throughout the business day. Liesman joined CNBC from The Wall Street Journal , where he served as a senior economics reporter covering monetary policy, international economics, academic research, and productivity. At the Journal , Liesman previously worked as an energy reporter and Moscow bureau chief. He won an Emmy for his coverage of the financial crisis and was a member of the reporting team recognized with a Pulitzer Prize for stories chronicling the crash of the Russian financial markets.

Announcing Our 2026 Male Ally of the Year

September 15, 2026
 The FWA is pleased to share that Jonathan Dambrot will be honored as the 2026 Male Ally of the Year at the FWA's 70th Anniversary Gala on October 8, 2026. Jonathan Dambrot is CEO and Co-Founder of Cranium AI, the independent end-to-end platform for enterprise AI security and governance. He has built a category leader once before — and is doing it again for the AI era. Before Cranium, Jonathan grew Prevalent from a startup into a Gartner- and Forrester-recognized leader in third-party risk management, through its 2016 sale to Insight Partners. As a Partner at KPMG, he led third-party security globally, launched the firm's AI security services, and incubated Cranium inside KPMG Studio — spinning it out of stealth in April 2023 on a simple thesis: every SaaS application is now an AI application, so every SaaS risk is now an AI risk.

Announcing Our 2026 Lifetime Public Service Honoree

September 10, 2026
The FWA is pleased to share that Carolyn Maloney will be honored with the 2026 Lifetime Public Service award at the FWA's 70th Anniversary Gala on October 8, 2026. We look forward to introducing additional honorees in the weeks ahead.

Celebrating the Wall Street Exchange Class of 2026

September 8, 2026
The Financial Women's Association celebrated the graduation of 39 students from the 2026 Wall Street Exchange (WSE) Program , closing a milestone year as the program marks 50 years of connecting students with industry leaders. This year's cohort interned at 18 firms and represented 28 colleges. On Tuesday, July 28, FWA President Albana Theka opened the virtual celebration with words of wisdom to the interns on their entry into their first career positions and advice about how to apply their program learnings. She invited them to join the FWA as students, so they can continue to take advantage of FWA’s rich resources and vast network of financial services professionals. Co-Chair Gerri Bostick then introduced Chen Rao, Vice President, Global Markets ALM Treasury at BNP Paribas, the keynote speaker. Chen is a former Wall Street Exchange intern and a former member of the program committee, and she shared the value of these experiences to her career. She also spoke about the characteristics needed to succeed and offered practical advice on how to excel early in one's career. The interns met in breakouts to share their summer experiences along with key WSE program takeaways they plan to carry forward into their careers. They then participated in a fun Wall Street Exchange quiz game where they tested their knowledge from the sessions they attended and earned prizes. The high level of engagement throughout the summer was evident in their ability to answer all the prompts accurately. Wrapping up the celebration, Co-Chair Laura Smith Dunaief announced the graduates followed by special recognition of those who attended all seven sessions. Twenty students will receive free CFA Society student memberships. Throughout the program, the Wall Street Exchange cohort met with industry professionals, asked sharp questions about AI and the future of work, and built relationships that will extend well beyond graduation. They came curious. They're leaving connected. Congratulations, 2026 WSE cohort​! We're looking forward to staying connected as you build what's next. The WSE Co-Chairs, ​Gerri Feemster Bostick and ​Laura Smith Dunaief, and the WSE Committee extend their sincere appreciation to FWA President Albana Theka, ​Chen Rao, BNP Paribas, and the CFA Society New York for their support in making the​ closing session a success. We also thank FWA’s leadership and WSE’s volunteers, sponsoring firms, and participating employers for their continued commitment to providing this valuable experience to the next generation of financial professionals.
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