Meet Casey Christopher, Chief Empowerment Officer at Quontic Bank. We had the pleasure of hearing from Casey, recently, on LinkedIn Live, where she shared her expertise in empowering others to impact change, innovation in promoting inclusive, diverse customer and talent acquisition, and passion in advocacy of women in banking. Read more below on Casey’s day to day and how she became a leading lady in the Fin(Tech) realm.
Q:Â How did you end up as a leader in the FinTech industry?
A: Am I one? Ha! I’m constantly questioning norms and processes. How can we rethink what we do and then rethink that, too. I’ve applied the skills that I’ve learned in other areas of my life to my profession and being relentless in advocating for myself and what I bring to the table.
Q:Â What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?
A: I advocated for paid parental leave at my past employer, CenterState Bank in Florida and my current employer Quontic Bank in NYC. I have the emails announcing both policies framed on my home office wall. Something so impactful on our employee’s lives needed a champion that understood how this would be beneficial for both our employees and the bank. I feel that a safe and supportive culture cultivates innovation.
Q:Â What advice would you give to young women today looking to start a career in the industry?
A: Find mentors and allies that understand what your personal goals are, but are not afraid to push you out of your comfort zone and initiate difficult conversations. I always advise to reach out to folks you follow on social media – I think you would be shocked at how many respond and set up a time to chat. I ALWAYS do!
Q:Â What are you most excited about with new advances in technology today?
A: Data. Data. Data. Artificial intelligence. The pandemic accelerated innovation and there was a huge surge to transformation in banking.
Q:Â As a female leader, how do you start your day? What are your tips for productivity in the midst of a busy schedule?
A: I try and get on the treadmill every morning even if it is just for a mile walk. I wake up and say three things I am grateful for and I give myself some compassion and grace if I am having a rough day. I have a brilliant career coach that I meet with 2x/week that is beyond helpful personally and professionally.
Q: What are some of your favorite ways to spend your time when you aren’t working? Any tips for relaxation and destressing?
A: I love to read, practice yoga and snowboard, as well as spend time with friends and family. I don’t cook EVER, so I love dining out, too!
Q:Â Is there one piece of technology you cannot live without?
A: Iphone – I have two. One phone has all of my professional contacts and my work email, while the other has friends and family and my personal email. It is the only way I have found that I can truly disconnect and be present during non-working hours. If work emails are coming through – I WILL ANSWER THEM, so I have to literally remove myself from the source.
Q: Anything else you would like to share.
A: If you are reading this and want to connect, please feel free to reach out.  I love learning about folks and new tech. Connect with me on LinkedIn!
