“Committee service provides the privilege of meeting inspiring women and guiding them on their road to success.”
“I like the feeling of making a difference and the extra boost of energy it can bring to support my FWSF team members even after a long day of work.”
“Being part of the board is an opportunity to see the hard work of many dedicated members to make FWSF possible. Board members are supportive and active in all aspects of FWSF. The experience has helped me to grow professionally.”
Path to the Board: Co-Chairs Speak Out
By Anne Evers, Membership Committee
In our last article, Path to the Board: First Step ─ Maximize Your Membership by Joining a Committee, current FWSF committee members talked about why they participate in an FWSF committee, or as Krystle Chow, co-chair of Mentorship for the scholarship recipients says, “I highly recommend checking out a committee to maximize your membership. FWSF is an organization full of supportive and passionate women and you get to understand at a deeper level by serving alongside them on a committee.”
The path to the FWSF board starts with raising your hand and volunteering for a committee (see info at end of the article about whom to contact). After gaining experience about the inner-workings of the organization on a committee, the next step is a board position as a committee co-chair. Your co-chair role would most likely be related to the committee(s) for which you initially volunteered. Each year the board Nominating Committee meets to consider the next year’s board and major factors driving the nominations are a member’s interests and contributions as a committee member. Board co-chairs then lead the committees and serve a two-year term.
Connections got some input from current board co-chairs about their first involvement with FWSF and their current board roles. Read on…
Krystle Chow, Spott, Lucey & Wall, International Tax Partner
Advice for someone looking to maximize her membership, get involved with a committee and/or eventually join the board?
I highly recommend checking out a committee to maximize your membership. FWSF is an organization full of supportive and passionate women and you get to understand at a deeper level by serving alongside them on a committee.
Tell us about your current role.
My current role is co-chair of Mentorship for the scholarship recipients.
How did you first get involved?
I first got involved in my current role when another board member reached out to me to see if I was interested in the position opening up. Although I didn’t have experience on this committee, it sounded like a good fit and the next step for me.
How long have you been on the board?
I’ve been on the board for two years as co-chair of Mentorship.
Have you held other co-chair positions or been on other committees?
Prior to joining the Mentorship Committee as co-chair, I served with Membership as a committee member.
What do you like best?
I like the feeling of making a difference and the extra boost of energy it can bring to support my FWSF team members even after a long day of work.
Any surprises?
Not exactly a surprise, but I have developed a deeper appreciation for all the effort that the board and committee members put into running the 100% volunteer organization.
Lysa Wollard, Fehr & Peers, Controller/Deputy CFO
Advice for someone looking to maximize her membership, get involved with a committee and/or eventually join the board?
Membership with Financial Women of San Francisco is like anything else we get involved with—the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. When I first joined FWSF in 2012, I was making a career change, mother of a teenage daughter and helping my husband grow his business. I looked to FWSF for networking events and as a way to stay up to date with industry trends. I did not have a lot of time for additional involvement. Fast forward a couple of years, my daughter was off at college, my husband hired a bookkeeper and I was feeling more established in my career. Getting involved with the FWSF East Bay Programs Committee gave me the opportunity to meet incredible women with similar interests and to learn more about the board and where I might be able to contribute the most.
Tell us about your current role.
I am currently the co-chair for the East Bay Programs Committee. While I enjoy participating in putting programs together, my real motivation comes from the women I meet at our events. The presenters and attendees, other board members and scholarship recipients are all some of the most inspiring women I have ever met.
How did you first get involved?
In 2012, the company I was working for was acquired by a much larger company. We brought in temporary staff from Robert Half to help out with the transition. Shannon Tatum, in addition to being my contact at Robert Half, was the co-chair for the FWSF East Bay Committee and she invited me to attend a wine-tasting event. I joined the organization the next week—I also happened to meet my future boss at that event.
How long have you been on the board?
I first joined the East Bay Programs Committee, then joined the board in 2017 to co-chair the Membership Committee. Being a part of the Membership Committee gave me the opportunity to meet with potential new members and being the liaison for the East Bay Committee was quite convenient for attending events on my side of the Bay.
What do you like best?
For me, FWSF has inspired me in multiple ways. When I was in the throes of an unanticipated career change, I was inspired by women who were living examples of what could be. As I settled into my career, I was inspired to give more of my time to this amazing organization. Being a part of the Programming Committee and the board has opened my eyes to the effort put forth by our committee and board members and I am even more inspired by the dedication and commitment of the women involved with FWSF.
Aside from the Financial Woman of the Year and Scholarship Luncheon, my favorite event would have to be the International Women’s Day that is held in March. I was moved by the passion of the speakers and the audience in their collective efforts to advance the success of women.
Tamarra L. Brown, Alameda County, Supervising Financial Services Specialist
Advice for someone looking to maximize her membership, get involved with a committee and/or eventually join the board?
Take some time to look at various committees and think about what interests you. Reach out to someone on the board or the committee and ask them for information about that particular committee or event. If she isn’t the best person to answer your questions, she should be able to help you find the person who can. From there, if the committee sounds like a fit, get involved at the committee level.
If you are newer, try to attend a few events to get the flavor of FWSF. With so many online events it’s easier than ever. The events are always well organized, which takes lots of work. If you hear about an upcoming event and you have the bandwidth, volunteer to help—you don’t always have to be a committee member to get involved.
Tell us about your current role.
I’m currently a Scholarship Committee co-chair. The Scholarship Committee coordinates our scholarship program and all related outreach to women pursuing careers in finance or related fields at colleges and universities across the greater Bay Area. The team works with Bay Area colleges and universities to encourage submissions, review applications, conducts first round interviews and provides recommendations for second (final) round interviews. Committee service provides the privilege of meeting inspiring women and guiding them on their road to success.
We’re actively recruiting team members for our campus outreach. This is an exciting time to serve on one of our campus teams because we are looking for ways to increase diversity and inclusion in our applicant pool. Our goal is to make this exciting opportunity available to more women.
How did you first get involved?
I got involved with the Scholarship Committee by serving as a team lead for a couple of campus teams. Team Leads coordinate outreach and first round interviews on the campus. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the scholarship applicants and envisioning how FWSF could help them achieve their goals both academically and professionally.
How long have you been on the board?
I have served on the board for one year as a Scholarship Committee co-chair.
Have you held other co-chair positions or been on other committees?
Prior to working on the Scholarship Committee I was an East Bay Programs Committee member, which is not a board position. I have also volunteered to help with various events.
What do you like best?
I have enjoyed the privilege of giving back through the Scholarship Committee. Being part of the board is an opportunity to see the hard work of many dedicated members to make FWSF possible. Board members are supportive and active in all aspects of FWSF. The experience has helped me to grow professionally.
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Want to Get Involved?
Interested in joining a committee or learning more? As we approach year-end, our committees will be looking for new members. We hope you’ll consider joining one if you haven’t already. As you will hear over and over, getting involved is truly the best way to get the most out of your FWSF membership. Relationships deepen and you can showcase your knowledge and skills.
Contact Alyson at info@FinancialWomenSF.org and she can put you in touch with committee co-chairs.