Women executives in finance share insights at Women's History Month Luncheon
The Women’s History Month luncheon on March 25 started with Dr. Narges Rakin, dean
of Humanities and Social Sciences, thanking the Women's History Month Committee for
organizing the month's events and highlighting the importance of recognizing women's
contributions. President/Superintendent Dr. Jose Fierro shared thoughts about his
niece, Sarah, who is pursuing a career in international business, and asked what is
being done to secure leadership opportunities for the next generation of women, promising
to support their education and careers. Sonia Deer, chair of the Women and Philanthropy
Committee at the Cerritos College Foundation, talked about the Foundation's support
for the college as it nears its 50th anniversary, focusing on funding priorities like
student support initiatives and emergency grants.
Moderated by Dr. Rakin, the panel featured three leading women executives in the financial industry: Laura Mather, Katherine Jacobson, and Ashley Estrada. The panelists shared their personal journeys, highlighting the challenges they faced in a male-dominated field and the extra effort needed for recognition. They also discussed essential financial lessons, including starting to invest early, understanding compound interest, contributing to retirement accounts, and budgeting.
They also discussed issues like the gender pay gap, lack of salary transparency, and workplace challenges faced by mothers. They encouraged women to advocate for themselves, negotiate salaries, stay informed about their finances, and never pass on financial decisions to others.