Green Sheet interviews PayTech Women's Dr. Gail Burgos

In this Q&A, The Green Sheet catches up with Dr. Gail Burgos, CEO of PayTech Women, who reflects on her first year at the helm, highlighting financial stabilization, governance resets and renewed trust across the PayTech Women ecosystem. She also shares insights on flagship initiatives, the organization's 20-year Leadership Summit milestone, growing regional and global ambitions, and a long-term strategy focused on sustainability, scalability and shaping the future of leadership in the payments industry.

The Green Sheet: As you reflect on your first year as CEO of PayTech Women, what are some meaningful milestones of 2025?

Dr. Gail Burgos: My first year as CEO was both transformational and foundational. One of the most meaningful milestones in 2025 was stabilizing and strengthening the organization during a period of transition—operationally, financially, and strategically. We successfully closed the year in the black, which speaks to disciplined stewardship and resilience.

Equally important was rebuilding trust and momentum across our ecosystem—members, chapters, corporate partners and industry leaders. We clarified governance roles, strengthened internal infrastructure, and began modernizing our systems to ensure long-term sustainability. 2025 was about resetting the foundation so PayTech Women can scale responsibly and thrive for decades to come.

GS: What examples can you share about PayTech Women's initiatives and their positive impact on individuals and the payments industry?

GB: PayTech Women continues to deliver impact at both the individual and industry levels. Our mentoring programs have supported women at various career stages—students, early-career professionals, and senior leaders—providing access, sponsorship and guidance that directly influence career mobility.

Our Leadership Summit remains a flagship initiative, convening senior executives and emerging leaders to have candid conversations about leadership, innovation and inclusion in payments. Additionally, our chapter programming creates localized access to leadership development, networking and thought leadership, which strengthens the industry's talent pipeline across markets.

Collectively, these initiatives are helping organizations retain, advance and elevate women—driving better leadership outcomes and a more inclusive payments ecosystem.

GS: You recently celebrated your 20th anniversary at PayTech Women's Leadership Summit. What were some memorable highlights?

GB: Celebrating 20 years at the Leadership Summit was deeply personal and professionally meaningful. The most memorable highlights were seeing multiple generations of women—many who grew up with PayTech Women—now serving as leaders, board members, chapter leads and mentors themselves.

The energy, authenticity and candor of the conversations stood out. There was a shared sense of pride in how far the organization has come, coupled with urgency about the work still ahead. It was a powerful reminder that PayTech Women is not just a professional network; it is a legacy organization that shapes our community of leaders and the industry itself.

GS: The recently launched Regional Impact Leadership Series with the NYC Chapter was well attended. What inspired PTW to launch this new satellite series?

GB: The Regional Impact Leadership Series was inspired by the need to bring the impact of our Leadership Summit closer to where our members live and work. While our national event remains critical, we recognized an opportunity to create high-impact, localized forums that address regional market dynamics while maintaining national alignment.

As I began to share the idea and concept with many of our chapter leaders, New York was a natural starting point given its concentration of payments, financial services and technology leaders. It also speaks volume of the PTW New York Chapter Leadership Team who took the concept and executed.

There was strong attendance, high engagement, which validated the concept and reinforcement that our members are eager for deeper, more frequent leadership touchpoints beyond our flagship event.

I am very proud of the New York Chapter and its leaders who volunteer to organize meaningful and impactful events for their community each month and look forward to other PTW Chapters hosting the Regional Impact Series in their community in 2026.

GS: Do you have any plans to expand beyond the United States, and if so, which regions are you considering?

GS: Yes, international expansion is part of our long-term vision. As payments is inherently global, PayTech Women must evolve to reflect that reality. We are currently exploring opportunities in regions with strong payments innovation ecosystems, including the UK and parts of Europe, as well as select markets in Asia-Pacific.

Our approach will be intentional and partnership-driven, ensuring cultural relevance, local leadership and sustainable execution before launching in new regions.

GS: What factors are contributing to PayTech Women's exponential growth?

GB: Several factors are driving our growth. First, the relevance of our mission has never been stronger—organizations recognize that advancing women in leadership is not optional; it's a business imperative. Second, our programming and value proposition continues to evolve, offering tangible value through leadership development, mentoring and executive access.

Third, we've increased our visibility and storytelling through digital platforms, which has expanded our reach and engagement. Finally, our corporate partners are not just sponsors; they are collaborators invested in long-term impact. The Power of 20 campaign is a strong example of how collective commitment can translate into measurable results.

GS: As you look ahead, what are your near-term and long-term plans for PayTech Women?

GB: Near-term priorities focus on operational excellence and revenue stability—finalizing governance alignment, strengthening our technology infrastructure, expanding corporate partnerships, and ensuring consistent, high-quality member experiences across chapters.

Long-term, over the next three to five years, our strategy is centered on sustainability, scalability, and growth:

• Sustainability: Diversifying revenue streams, strengthening sponsorship models, and ensuring financial resilience.

• Scalability: Standardizing chapter operations, expanding regional and international programming, and leveraging technology to support growth.

• Growth: Expanding our leadership pipeline, increasing board-level representation of women and positioning PayTech Women as the definitive leadership authority in payments. Our goal is clear: to ensure PayTech Women not only thrives for another 20 years but continues to shape the future of leadership in the payments industry—globally, inclusively and impactfully.

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