Women’s History Month Spotlight: Hear from our Female Leaders
At GTreasury, we’re proud of the diverse voices and talents that make up our team. We believe in a workplace that provides equal opportunities and values the unique perspectives we all bring to the table. Women’s History Month serves as a reminder that when we empower women, we’re not only fostering growth and innovation within our organization, but also driving positive change in society as a whole.
During March, we come together to celebrate the incredible accomplishments and contributions of women throughout history and within our own company. We are honored to share inspiring messages from some of our female leaders at GTreasury. Join us in lifting these voices and celebrating Women’s History Month!
Julie Bierzychudek, VP – Finance
“There was a Hewlett Packard study which found that men often apply for a job or promotion when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them. Women shouldn’t let their doubts get in their way of going for something they want. There will never be a 100% perfect candidate for a job, so learn how to highlight and apply your skills in a way that will help you grow and be successful. Surround yourself with others who have a positive influence and can help support you and your goals. Take advantage of opportunities when they are presented to you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ask for help, and take on new challenges. Last, but not least, take pride in sharing your achievements – be humble, but make sure people know what you are capable of!”
Tatjana Dragovic, VP – Product
“A career in leadership was an unexpected journey for me. Coming to the United States presented challenges, including the feeling of being an outsider. However, these experiences fueled my ability to adapt and be resilient. I didn’t have a career plan, but I gravitated towards transformational roles and creating impactful solutions naturally positioned me for leadership. As I took on more significant challenges, my ability to lead through innovation and impact was recognized, leading to opportunities to guide teams. Leadership, to me, is about more than assembling a talented team; it’s about fostering an environment where these brilliant minds can thrive, collaborate, and grow.
The most important qualities of a successful leader are defining and living those values that you want your team to live too, bringing empathy and creativity to both problems and solutions and listening with an open mind.
Strong and supportive team culture rests on trust, accountability, transparency, and relationship building. Cultivating that culture means to lead by example, set up artifacts and synchronous/asynchronous collaboration methods, teach what transparency and relationship building look like in professional life and support the team in the process.
My number one role model is my younger sister, who’s a surgeon and an incredible mom. Her devotion to her patients and her children is both an inspiration and a grounding element. Knowing that there are people like her in the world makes me love the world more.
This is my 18th year in a corporate setting where I am usually the only woman or one of few women on my team(s). Never let being an outsider stop you from being seen trying. There are many obstacles, but you can overcome them with the right mentoring, placing importance on building supportive networks, and seeking opportunities for growth and leadership. In other words, ask for a seat at the table and build a community to help you thrive.”
Robin Heller
“My greatest role is being a mother to David’s and my son, Zachariah. I always wanted to be a mom; I had career dreams and ambitions too, but no pressing desire to be a leader. I rotated into a leadership position early in my career as a developmental assignment (and years prior to becoming a mom). I never looked back; a new passion was discovered. I really enjoyed helping my team achieve success. So, one of my first lessons to folks – take risks and try new opportunities/challenges in your career and personal life. You find things you didn’t know you enjoy as well as things you never want to do again. I have had my share of both! The lessons I’ve learned from motherhood and leadership cross over into both aspects of my life all the time. Like being a first-time mom, you don’t know everything day 1 – you learn as you go. Well, the same goes for leadership. I’ve been blessed to have great friends, colleagues, and mentors to help me every step of the way on these journeys. No one needs to feel alone – it is okay to ask for help. In fact, I encourage it. Bottom line, being a mom and holding leadership roles is a privilege and an honor, as well a great responsibility that I do not take lightly. And as I am now an empty-nester parent and a “seasoned” leader, I still don’t have all the answers, I’m still a work-in-process on both fronts.
A few things that I try to remember or do consistently:
- Listen, listen, and listen some more
- Teach/coach first, only act/intervene when necessary
- Set clear expectations and communicate honestly (whether good, bad or ugly)
- Consequences need to be understood and enforced
- Failures and mistakes will happen, learn from them and move on
- Celebrate the wins – no matter how small or big
- Challenge the status quo / teams / individuals / myself
- Don’t be afraid to let go – everyone has to fly solo at some point and/or go try that new challenge/opportunity
- Lastly, we all have control over our own attitude and actions – choose wisely!”
Christin Kauten, VP – Professional Services
“Leadership comes in all shapes and sizes and what first comes to mind when I think about leadership is our role in our homes. As a mom, I have an awesome opportunity to lead and influence my children and family, in big ways and small. Regardless if at work or home, leading by example is crucial, choosing to walk the walk as the saying goes.
I strive to be present, listen intently, see various points of view and have empathy. I’m a direct communicator and believe transparency is key. Providing context and the bigger picture helps get better results from the team. I also take time to get to know my team and what’s going on in their lives outside of work to develop personal connections with them. We all have common challenges as we walk through life (challenging mornings getting kids out the door to school, opinionated teenagers, sick pets) and being able to chat and connect about those types of things make work a lot more fun. I also keep things pretty lighthearted. Staying positive and having a growth mindset always is so key.
Over the years, I’ve learned from good and bad examples of female leadership. And sometimes, I’ve learned how I don’t want to be and act. I have immense respect for Hilary Norris, Ashley Pater and Robin Heller. They have the great ability to break down situations and develop a plan of action, seeing the whole picture. They also stay calm and collected, even when bad news is delivered, or mistakes are made.
As far as advice for other women, don’t be afraid to speak up and advocate for yourself. Communicate what you need, your strengths, and your value to the company. It might be out of your comfort zone, but I promise the more you do it, the more familiar it will become.”
Farah Lotia, VP – Risk and Quantitative Analytics
“In the vast world of numbers, derivatives, and valuations, traditionally with very sparse female representation, I’ve found my purpose. As a woman leading the way in this field though, it’s not just about the math, but about shattering gender biased limitations and paving the path for others. Together, we’re not just counting value; we’re creating it for generations to come. Empowerment is not equality with others. It’s about women defining success on their own terms, rather than conforming to pre-defined molds. True empowerment comes when women’s diverse strengths, visions, and ambitions are not only acknowledged, but celebrated, in leadership roles.”
Ashley Pater, General Manager – Hedge Trackers
“One of the most important qualities of a leader is acknowledging that failure is okay. It is how you react to failure or challenges that determines how successful you are as a leader. You can easily feel defeated or deflated, or you can make the choice and become motivated and inspired on how to fix the problem and improve upon yourself and your team.
I also think that there is a difference between being a manager and being a leader. When Orazio retired, his parting words to me in the workplace were, “I have never been a good manager, but I have always tried to be a good leader, so focus on being a good leader and the rest comes naturally.” I believe that the culture you want to instill with your teams is how you act when no one else is around, so if you can cultivate a workplace where your teams feel supported, inspired, and challenged, that sets you up for success.
As a leader, your role is to be the support system for your team. You are not there to take the praise and the glory, but to help make sure your team feels supported and has what they need to execute and ensure that they are empowered to do their job without you. It is very important to me that teams feel empowered to make the necessary decisions to get the job done.
Someone once told me to “take feedback seriously, not personally” and that really resonated with me. When we get negative or constructive feedback, as humans our gut instinct is to get defensive, but I have learned that all feedback, good or bad, has fantastic nuggets of value and opportunity in it, you just need to apply it. That, to me, is key to having a successful team culture. Don’t focus on placing blame, focus on learning from mistakes and new opportunities for improvement.
At GTreasury, it is no surprise that people like Robin Heller and Hilary Norris are huge role models for me. They are great team members and I learn something new from them every day. Outside of work, one of my close friends, Danielle Crane, is a huge role model for me. Danielle is Chief People Officer at OneStream and she has been an incredible friend and mentor on navigating being a young female executive in a fast growth organization.
My advice for fellow women in the workplace is to never be afraid to ask the “dumb” or “basic” questions. Those questions help you get to the core of what opportunities there may be. “Take feedback seriously, not personally” has been a huge change in mindset for me. Process the feedback before you respond, learn, adapt, and change.”
Bobbi Ward, VP – Global Client Support
“I never thought I would be in a management position when I first started out in the working world. Some things I have embraced and have learned:
- You are only as good as the people you work with and manage.
- Utilize your senior management.
- Practice EQ as much as possible.
- You have a voice, let it be heard. Regardless of your role.
- Never let work have a negative impact on your family and friends.
- Your mentors will be mentors for your entire lifetime, never lose sight of that.
Being a person that is trying to obtain her Private Pilot License:
“Women should do for themselves what men have already done—occasionally what men have not done—thereby establishing themselves as persons, and perhaps encouraging other women toward greater independence of thought and action.”
– Amelia Earhart, first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean”
Written by ayla-harvey