My Story

Before becoming a full-time wife and mother, I had a thriving career in finance with a goal of attending Harvard Business School. Then, when I was six months pregnant and had a two-year-old at home, I was asked to board a four-seater Cessna to check out a deal in rural Alabama. I knew something had to give. My husband traveled over 150 nights a year. One of us had to be home. The very next day, I quit. I put my career on hold and, despite my financial aptitude, eventually left all money matters to my husband. What I did not realize then, as a young mom and madly-in-love wife, was that these choices also caused me to relinquish my independence and become a passive observer in my eventual financial downfall.

My remorse was exacerbated by my loss of purpose and an urgent need to regain my financial independence. I remember thinking, What am I going to do with the rest of my life? How in the hell will I be able to support my kids after being out of the workforce for 13 years? But I also knew I didn't have a choice. I had to re-create my life and restart my career because the alternative was too bleak to contemplate. 54 percent of older women can't afford to pay for their basic needs.  I was not going to become one of those women.

Regaining my economic security was one of the hardest challenges I've ever faced. I stumbled countless times before finding my way back to happiness, self-respect, and financial stability. But as painful as the experience was, it ultimately became a gift that transformed the trajectory of my life.

In the midst of it all, I couldn't help but wonder, If I, with my financial background, feel this lost and overwhelmed, how must women without that same knowledge feel when thrown into similar circumstances? How many women, unknowingly, are making the same mistakes I did—setting themselves up for future devastation? And, most importantly, how can I help women understand the urgent need to take control of their financial future—right now, long before a crisis ever strikes?

I took the lessons I learned during that difficult time and added my financial expertise with a newfound unwavering passion for educating and empowering women to take charge of their money. This journey led me to build a national consulting business as a divorce financial strategist, specializing in helping women who find themselves unexpectedly single—particularly those who were the "nonfinancial" spouse: the one who wasn't in charge of the money and now must navigate her financial lives on her own. I then went on to build an educational platform that has helped thousands of women across the country expand their financial literacy.

Seven years later, I became the National Director of Women & Wealth at Northern Trust, one of the largest and most respected financial institutions in the world. Today, I lead the firm's advisory practice for women and oversee all creation of content, curriculum, and programming through its Elevating Women platform.

By the time you get to Northern Trust, you already have considerable resources. But no matter how much money you have or don't have, here's what every woman needs to know: If you're not used to dealing with your own money, it doesn't matter whether you've got $2,000 or $20 million—many of the emotional challenges are the same. You fear making the wrong move. You trust yourself too little or others too much. If you have less than you're used to, you're scared about how you'll manage. If you have more than you're used to, you may worry about the additional responsibility and whether you're up to the job.

When you're living in fear and avoidance, it's hard to think beyond money. But once you conquer that fear, you gain control of not only your finances but also the direction of your life. And as you move toward living a more genuine and meaningful life, your options and opportunities begin to multiply exponentially.