Women’s Leadership Council Helps Foster Fiscal Fitness Among Students

Meredith Zamperini ’22, vice president of the University of New Haven’s Women in Business Club, said she was looking forward for some time to attending the University’s Women’s Leadership Council’s event on March 4 that focused on educating the University community about managing personal finances.

“This was a good opportunity to learn from experts about ways to budget and manage our finances,” said Zamperini, a business management major. “I am grateful for the Women’s Leadership Council, and I’m hoping the Women in Business Club can work with them in the future.”

The event, which was part of the University’s celebration of Women’s History Month, brought prominent women to the campus to share their experiences and wisdom as leaders in finance.

In a panel discussion, Mary Barneby, CEO of Girl Scouts of Connecticut and former executive director of UBS Wealth Management; Amy Raymond ’93, executive vice president chief retail banking officer, and CRA officer at Salisbury Bank; Mary Landsfield, a financial advisor at Barnum Financial Group; and Sandra Davis ’86, vice president at JP Morgan Chase weighed in on topics such as budgeting, building credit, and the job market in finance.

In her keynote address, Debra Abbott-Walker, growth and development director at Northwestern Mutual, offered her advice to students.

“If you write down your financial goals, you’re more likely to stick to them,” she said. “Know your credit score – it affects every element of your financial lives.”

“This was the second event held by the Women’s Leadership Council, a group that provides inspiration, guidance, and opportunities for women at the University. It was first conceived in 2018 when Josephine Moran ’01 M.S., ’19 EMBA became chair of the University’s College of Business Advisory Board in 2018.

Moran, who moderated the panel discussion, says that educating students on how to appropriately understand their budget and manage their finances is crucial.

“It is our hope that the tools and strategies students walked away with will enable them to make informed choices and understand their options,” said Moran, a member of the University’s Board of Governors and executive vice president and head of retail banking at Provident Bank. “I hope they also gained the knowledge to manage their money, which will, in turn, enable them to have a financially successful future.”

The event was an opportunity for members of the University community to enhance their fiscal fitness and to network.

“These speakers are evidence of how far women can go and what we can achieve,” said Jacqui Boccarossa ’21, a business management major. “It’s important to learn from them. These are great women to look up to.”