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FWA Welcomes New Committee Chairs

September 29, 2023

FWA is pleased to welcome two new committee chairs. We are excited to have Briana Malbury leading our Fintech committee, and Théa Watkins joining as a co-chair for the Back2Business program.

Briana Marbury is the President & CEO of the Interledger Foundation (ILF), a nonprofit organization committed to expanding digital financial inclusion to vulnerable populations. ILF invests in organizations, communities, and entrepreneurs working towards the shared goal of enabling interoperable and frictionless payments around the globe.


In her role, Briana leads the strategic vision of the organization and has grown ILF from a small team of three to a global workforce of changemakers. Having firsthand experience in the challenges associated with navigating inequitable and inaccessible financial systems, Briana understands how imperative it is to enable communities an opportunity to create and lead their own financial futures.


In recognition of her work at ILF she has been nominated as a finalist for Finovate’s 2023 Executive of the Year award and named as a Changemaker on the International Black Heritage Month’s inaugural Iist in recognition of individuals disrupting the status quo and advancing inclusion.


Before joining ILF, she consulted for 350.org and held financial leadership roles at Repair the World, Uncommon Schools, and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. At each organization, Briana built and grew the financial and operational systems that enabled significant progress towards achieving their mission. Additionally, Briana served as an Education Pioneer Graduate Fellow, exploring ways to increase positive educational outcomes in the nation’s most underserved schools.


Briana holds a BA in Accounting from the University of Michigan, an MBA from Wayne State University, and has completed post-graduate work in strategic leadership at Stanford University. Originally from Detroit, Briana has lived in many cities across the US and has even spent a brief period as a digital nomad. When she’s not exploring new cities, she’s spending time with her pup, Seamus.

Théa Watkins (she/her) is an inclusive Financial Services leader with deep experience on both the client and the people and operational side within the industry. She has a passion for building respectful relationships and cultures, executing change strategically to transform business performance while simultaneously enhancing workplace inclusion and culture as well as the interface with our communities.


Successful transformations are a constant theme of her career. She is known for delivering business results and sustainable change with energy and integrity, as evidenced by her building a substantial business from the ground up, transforming employee engagement levels and culture, and most recently, the crisis management of branch operations with the smooth and safe transition of all employees to fully remote work during the pandemic.

Spotlight on Kelsey Halloran, FWA Secretary

February 27, 2025
Supporting corporate governance through top-notch administration People who enjoy solving puzzles and problems are often detail-oriented, observant, organized, patient and analytical. These traits enable them to approach complex challenges methodically and effectively. For Kelsey Halloran, these qualities have been key to her success as a forensic accountant at a leading global advisory firm and have made her a prime choice for secretary of the FWA.  Sherree DeCovny, co-chair of the FWA’s Marketing & Strategic Communications Committee, talked with Kelsey about her career and the role the FWA has played in developing her leadership skills and shaping her professional growth.

FWA Member Darcy Ann Flanders, Founder of BaselineGroupNY, Honored with 2025 WBENC WBE Star Award

February 20, 2025
The prestigious recognition awards 14 woman-owned businesses across the country Darcy Ann Flanders, Founder and Chief Brand Strategist of BaselineGroupNY , has been named a 2025 WBENC WBE Star Award recipient , a national honor celebrating trailblazing women who lead with vision, innovation, and impact while supporting their corporate clients. Selected from a powerful network of certified woman-owned businesses, Flanders stands among 14 honorees nationwide representing WBEC Metro NY, the New York regional partner organization. The award recognizes Flanders as a successful business leader, pushing boundaries, driving innovation, and creating new opportunities for herself, her businesses, and her communities. As the visionary force behind the award-winning creative agency, BaselineGroupNY, Flanders has spent 28 years at the helm transforming brands through compelling stories using visual design. Under her leadership, strategy, and artistry come together to help clients like Capital One, Webster Bank, and Northwell Health cut through the noise with visually impactful creative solutions. For more than 30 years, Flanders has made a name for herself as a trusted leader and partner, combining her extensive expertise with a collaborative approach to help organizations achieve their goals through branding and design. "Receiving the WBENC WBE Star Award is an incredible honor," said Flanders. "At Baseline, we thrive on blending strategy, creativity, and agility to navigate the fast-paced needs of our clients. While we have deep expertise in financial creative services, we proudly serve a wide range of industries, including nonprofit, education, and various service-based sectors. We specialize in bridging the gap between large agencies and in-house teams, seamlessly integrating into existing structures or stepping in as a dedicated creative department for organizations that need targeted support.” Under Flanders’ leadership, Baseline has been a trusted partner in the creative industry since 1997, continuously adapting to the ever-changing landscape. Through the growth of the internet, financial crises, the rise of social media, and the challenges of COVID-19, Baseline weathered each storm—maintaining its reputation and retaining loyal clients who continue to work with them as they join new organizations. The agency has earned recognition from the Financial Communications Society, 2024 MUSE Awards, and 2023 Graphic Design USA. This latest honor from WBENC underscores not just Flanders creative expertise, but her ability to lead and thrive in the face of adversity. BaselineGroupNY looks forward to continuing to deliver the high level of excellence that the 2025 WBENC WBE Star Award espouses for their current and future corporate clients while continuing to influence the future of branding and design. 

Volunteer for Financial Backpack!

February 19, 2025
FWA members are invited to volunteer for upcoming Financial Backpack workshops this spring. Financial Backpack is the FWA's long-running financial education program for high school and college students, and one of our key outreach initiatives. We would be delighted to welcome previous participants, along with new volunteers interested in financial literacy. The workshop dates are: Tuesday, April 1st from 12:30 to 2:30 pm Baruch College, 55 Lexington Ave., New York, NY “Steps to Financial Success” for students in the Passport to Partnership and Rising Starr Sophomore program. Thursday, April 10th from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm High School for Economics and Finance, 100 Trinity Pl., New York, NY 10006 “Budgeting for College” for the FWA’s HSEF mentees. Tuesday, April 22nd from 6 – 8 pm Seton Hall University, 400 S Orange Ave, South Orange Village, NJ 07079 “Steps to Financial Success” for Seton Hall mentees. You can volunteer for one or more workshops, whatever your schedule allows. For each of the workshops, we will schedule a training session the week before each event. This is a fantastic opportunity for participants to hone presentation skills and learn more about personal finance education, in a setting that is informal and welcoming. To sign up, please contact Financial Backpack Co-chairs: Suzanne Matthews, [email protected] Lindsay Starr, [email protected] 

Spotlight on FWA President Annette Stewart

January 30, 2025
Strategic planning and vision to advance women in financial services FWA President Annette Stewart’s accomplishments are impressive, to say the least. Not only is she a first-generation college graduate, but she’s also a lawyer and holds an MBA degree. She has nearly 18 years of experience on Wall Street, and still managed to strike the ideal work-life balance. In her most recent role, a senior director focusing on U.S. Business Acceleration and Integration at RBC, she worked remotely from her home in Memphis, TN and traveled to New York City for monthly meetings.  Sherree DeCovny, co-chair of the FWA’s Marketing & Strategic Communications Committee, talked with Annette about her career, her leadership journey at the FWA and how the organization has contributed to her success.
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