In October, Amerant Bank launched its first-ever women’s development initiatives panel, “Gather and Grow with Grit and Grace.” This groundbreaking initiative brought together remarkable female leaders to share insights, strategies, and wisdom for professional growth.
The distinguished panel featured senior executives, including Madelayne Cordero (SVP Head of Trust), Ivonne Dorrego (SVP Deputy Chief Credit Officer), Mairena Emiliano (VP Financial Reporting Manager), Claudianna Rivero (FVP Head of Digital and PMO), and Jessica Villar (FVP Rewards and Employee Relations Senior Officer). Kristy Amaro, SVP, CDIO, Head of Education moderated it.
The event highlighted Amerant’s commitment to fostering female leadership. Kristy noted, “There is no time that we should ever feel, at least within the four walls at Amerant, not proud to be a woman and that women are not celebrated.” This sentiment echoes throughout the bank’s culture, where women comprise 51% of the workforce.
Making an Impact on Women Leaders
As part of their sustainability program, Impact, Amerant has launched comprehensive women’s development initiatives that include executive training through Exec Online. This 12-month program includes coaching sessions and management courses from prestigious institutions like Columbia Business School, Yale School of Management, and Stanford School of Business. Investing in female talent demonstrates the bank’s dedication to increasing women’s representation in senior leadership and board positions.
Developing a New Mindset
Throughout the panel, leaders shared invaluable insights on professional growth and development. On building confidence, Ivonne emphasized that “practice and preparation […] is what helped [her] find confidence,” while Kristy added that “confidence has to be constantly reignited and refueled.” The discussion touched on the importance of embracing discomfort as a sign of growth, with Kristy advising to “get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
On overcoming barriers for career advancement, Mairena emphasized having a positive mindset while doing work that goes beyond people’s bias, “observing closely those behaviors of the people you admire and trying to mimic their behavior,” adding value to junior peers, and having the willingness to help.
On developing confidence as a leader, Ivonne says, “practice and preparation” and “getting used to uncomfortable situations” are good for challenging oneself and building confidence in presenting and speaking to others, plus “getting support” when you don’t feel it.
The panelists offered practical wisdom for those pursuing leadership roles. Jessica addressed the challenge of work-life balance, encouraging women to “let go of perfectionism and strive for consistency.” She emphasized the importance of aligning oneself with supportive people and not hesitating to ask for help. Mairena advocated for risk-taking and embracing diverse leadership styles. At the same time, Kristy Amaro reminded participants, “You can’t always control the outcome, but you CAN control the effort and input you put into your work.”
Growing Leadership Skills
The panel particularly emphasized the vital role of mentorship in career development. They encouraged women to seek professional and personal growth mentors and develop strong interpersonal and communication skills. As Madelayne said, “We can support each other and […] help each other succeed. It’s a rebellion, and it’s about time we spread this rebellion to everybody.”
On staying resilient on the leadership journey as a woman, Jessica says showing oneself grace is vital because obstacles and setbacks can cause disappointment, and it is easier to show others compassion “rather than ourselves.” She says to ask yourself, “What can I do with positive intent to give… [me] a quick win?” to help boost your energy.
Through initiatives like Grit and Grace, Amerant Bank continues demonstrating its commitment to fostering female leadership and creating an inclusive workplace where women can thrive and succeed. The program stands as a testament to the bank’s belief in the power of women supporting women and its dedication to developing the next generation of female leaders in finance.
Final Thoughts on Women’s Development Initiatives
Madelayne says her vision of the future for these programs is that “we no longer need these programs” because women are equally among men in leadership roles. She hopes women will be able to live truly as they are without it seeming “like a weakness” and ends with the best advice she received from another female client who states: “Leap off the mountain, you’re going to learn how to fly on the way down” emphasizing that women need to own their beliefs while ignoring others on the road to success.
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