The SFNet’s Women in Secured Finance (WISF) Conference was held virtually on July 16 and 23, 2021. The WISF Committee focuses on promoting the advancement of women in the secured finance industry. The Conference served as a continued catalyst for that very commitment with a reimagined platform that delivered a unique experience masterfully emphasizing the empowered mindset.  The Conference was held over a 6-hour interactive and custom format that presented a focus on executive presence, career development and leadership skills. The Conference was a kaleidoscope of topics for purpose, presence and power all under the umbrella of taking steps into your own power. The real impact of the Conference was that of future forward thinking, goal setting and real gaining of traction for opportunities for women.

The Conference this year was led by Corporate Class, Inc. and facilitated by the founder, Diane Craig and co-led by Dr. Georgette Zinaty; both of whom articulated the anthem of owning your authentic self while gaining confidence and career growth in a very relatable environment. The event covered pillars of purpose and offered a space for women (and a few men) to dive in, discover and deepen self-growth to gain a roadmap for success. The facilitators offered an experiential delivery influenced with behavioral change, coaching, and a personable presence. Many of us women are coming off a season of isolation and this Conference quickly hit the mark for delivering collaboration, authenticity, and real balance of self-acceptance and self-challenge. The approach of the Conference was centered on empowerment.  Diane and Georgette boldly bonded the attendees to a core purpose early on and engagement was quickly elevated.

At the heart of the conference were breakout groups geared for greater introspection, togetherness and taking action. Feedback surrounding the sessions deemed them quite inspiring and successful. One attendee, Kristin Maxwell, reflected on the groups by saying, “To be in a group of such accomplished women who are making a change in secured lending makes the future feel more tangible after the uncertainty of 2020.” More than ever, we all ponder the future and aspects of the Conference birthed hope to help us all look to the future with more fortitude. The smaller group allowed for listening and learning and left certain attendees with key takeaways. One male attendee, Mark Fagnani of Clear Thinking Group, candidly shared; “I came away with a greater awareness of the challenges women face in the commercial finance environment and of my own need to be mindful of my actions, behaviors and words.” Breakout groups were selected at random and added a flavor to the format of surprise and self-share. Workbooks were provided as a resource tool and together in smaller teams, participants would take on thought-provoking assessments as well as some sessions where the key emphasis was on continued career evolution or self-care. These small group offerings set aside enough time to take in each person’s experiences, career evolutions and sometimes a shared epiphany. These shared “in the moment” epiphanies made for an added level of excitement to share with others as we rejoined the larger groups.

Another unique aspect of the Conference was that of live polls throughout the two-day session. These polls offered immediate feedback of how your vote or personal experience relates to other women. Once the poll results were shared, a participant could immediately experience a sense of a being part of a global response. Poll results can affirm an alignment of thought or in some cases deepen a belief. One result from a poll taken during the conference confirmed that 52% of the female attendees had no mentor or sponsor. This result further affirms the mission of Women in Secured Finance is truly needed to continue the work necessary for women to find their place as leaders in organizations across the industry.

To round out the revitalized format, a networking event was offered utilizing a platform called  Go Remote. This event set the stage between sessions and inspired interactions bridging the screen divide and offered doses of fun and communal connection. An hour of networking in the form of live hosted game playing offered attendees a variant from traditional networking.

The Conference itself organically brought forth an open invitation for us to gather in cadence for continued choregraphed movement for all women, but it also delivered the purpose for our individual dance. Together we take steps to scale the talent pipeline of women but, as individuals, we must take our self-awareness and allow it to truly awaken our minds to make the moves necessary to make it our own. Confidence is the curator and resiliency is the reflection that we must all carry with us to keep the movement of the mission alive for Women in Secured Finance.

I am sure I speak for all attendees by saying we are thankful for the continued efforts of Secured Finance Network and, in particular, the chair of the committee, Paula Currie of PNC, as well as the planning committee members, for providing opportunities like this Conference.