NYC FinTech Women honors 50 notable females

On Dec. 7, 2020, NYC FinTech Women inducted 50 honorees into the organization's 2020 Inspiring FinTech Females. The second annual award program is designed to recognize women who drive innovation, lead through difficult times and inspire the fintech community, event organizers stated. Judges named winners in five select categories: founders, leaders, money movers, network builders and product builders. 

Michelle Tran, co-founder of NYC FinTech Women mentioned that numerous women work behind the scenes in fintech and deserve better recognition. "It is time to bring change agents to the forefront and celebrate them," she said, adding that each recipient will be featured on the NYC FinTech Women's website for a full year.

Tran told The Green Sheet that nominees are evaluated on how they lead and support women. "On FinTech Innovation, the judges look at how the nominees are driving innovation through leadership, investing, product development and more," she said. "On supporting women, the judges look at how the nominees are championing a shift in gender diversity in the industry through their involvement in women's organizations, mentoring and investing in female founders."

Holistic focus

NYC FinTech Women focuses on how women actively impact the fintech landscape within their own organizations and across the ecosystem, Tran noted. These qualifications mean more to judges than a candidate's number of votes, which she said is not a key decision factor.

"We created the Inspiring FinTech Females to give women a platform for recognition and promotion," Tran said. "There are far too many women who do amazing things, in their fintech role and in support of women, who people don't know about. We want to know about these women and celebrate them." 

Tran additionally noted that diversity and inclusion are core values at NYC FinTech Women. The organization strives to promote and celebrate diversity across all areas: seniority, experience, role, industry focus, and ethnicity, she stated. This holistic approach creates commonality and community, she added, while helping women build their personal networks and brands.

Class of 2020

The judging panel consisted of Jeremy Balkin, head of innovation, HSBC; Ramona Ortega, CEO, founder, My Money My Future; Lindsey Fitzgerald, MD, AMEX Ventures; and Kelly Fryer, executive director, FinTech Sandbox. Awards were given in the following five categories:

1. Founders: She is a tenacious female founder in a male-dominated industry who has an entrepreneurial spirit using her platform to build diverse teams and mentor other women.

2. Leaders: Her mission-led leadership is driving change within her organization all the while championing equality and the inclusion of women.

3. Money Makers: She is actively investing and supporting diverse fintech founders, challenging the current status quo within venture capital and shifting the distribution of wealth and opportunity for all women.

4. Network Builders: She is an industry powerhouse who leverages her network to drive connections across the fintech community to foster a more inclusive ecosystem, enriching experiences, and ultimately promoting better innovation.

5. Product Builders: She is an innovative problem solver committed to building products that power decisions made in fintech and an advocate for increased representation.

Sasha Pilch, co-founder, NYC FinTech Women said, “It was uplifting to see so many brilliant women nominated by both female and male supporters across friends, colleagues, mentors and inspired members of the community. I am thrilled that the community continues to grow and we are able to empower women to advance their careers.”

Tran agreed, stating, "Women are often the ones fighting for equality, and this list not only highlights the incredible talents but also celebrates the change agents working within the industry for us all to someday realize equality."

For a complete list of winners and their profiles, visit www.nycfintechwomen.com/inspiring-fintech-females-2020

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