WCM Alberta Steering Committee

Why I'm involved with WCM
Throughout my career in capital markets, women in senior leadership roles have been scarce. I’m always astonished by how frequently I am the only woman in a boardroom full of men. This lack of diversity is not only harmful to our performance as an industry, it’s destructive to the future participation of women in these industries. The CEO of Girls Who Code, Reshma Saujani, said “you cannot be what you cannot see” and I truly believe this notion. When we lack female representation in finance and executive positions, we are signalling to young women that they are not suited for these roles.

I want to build a future where young women can look at any field of work and see role models who look like them. Through WCM, we have established a strong network of female business professionals throughout Alberta which has allowed us to support women as they achieve their full potential while building out the talent pipeline of future female leaders. It’s my hope that the community we have created and the programming we provide will allow women to lean in to their ambitions and result in increased female leadership across corporate Canada.

Why you’re involved with WCM
Women who work together tend to share common interests, challenges and professional goals, so having a community for women to come together in a variety of settings has far-reaching benefits both professionally and personally.  Working in a satellite office for RBC makes networking with mentors and colleagues more challenging.  For the majority of my 14 years, I have been one of the only women working in Sales & Trading on the Calgary trading floor – an experience not uncommon for many professional women in Capital Markets. I am really excited to be a part of WCM Alberta, where women in diverse roles can network, build bridges and promote gender diversity and inclusion. As one of two senior Capital Markets females at RBC locally, I am passionate about working with WCM to pave the way for younger females to embrace their confidence and secure the tools they need to achieve their career goals.

Why I’m involved with WCM
I believe that we are helping realize a very important vision – for women to have equal opportunity and fair representation in all the important institutions of our world. I am thrilled to work with the inspiring and tenacious women at WCM.

Why I'm involved with WCM:
I'm excited to engage with like-minded, driven women and to have the opportunity to help empower other young professionals.

Why do I want to be involved with WCM:

WCM is a vitally important organization within the current capital markets landscape because of its advocacy and its ability to bring like-minded women together. I have personally benefited from the connections made with women in similar roles throughout my career, and am thrilled to work with WCM to continue advocating and connecting women in capital markets. Through this I am hopeful more women will be emboldened to step into these rewarding careers and we will see a more diverse set of voices being represented in the corporate world in the future. 

Why I'm involved with WCM

Since I started my career in financial services, I have seen a significant change in the number of women around me, in both sales, and leadership roles. From my time working in support roles through to my current role in leadership our industry has started to understand both the importance and strength of championing gender diversity in our workplaces. There is still work to do.
At S&P 500 companies, women make up just 21% of board members and 27% of executives[i]
At BMO we have 40% women representation in senior leadership. That diversity of thought in our workforce leads to innovation, better decision making, and growth.
I am passionate about increasing the representation of women in leadership roles in the financial services industry and empowering the next generation of women to feel welcome in our community. Through Women in Capital Markets, we can leverage our collective experiences to build our next generation of female leaders, and talented professionals, and give them the tools, insights, and support they need to succeed.






[i] Catalyst, Pyramid: Women in S&P 500 Companies (January 15, 2020).
https://www.catalyst.org/research/women-in-sp-500-companies/.

Why I want to be involved with WCM
Finance is an empowering and rewarding industry in which to work, but is also, unfortunately, one from which too many women self select out.  Women in Finance have a responsibility to be role models and mentors for younger women who are potentially interested in working in Finance.  One of my inspirations for working in finance came from my mother, who was an early pioneer on Wall Street and I, in turn, hope to inspire my three daughters to also consider working in this sector.  As an organization dedicated to accelerating gender equality and diversity within the industry, Women in Capital Markets allows me lend my support and voice to this important initiative in a more formalized way. 

Why I'm involved with WCM

I believe everyone has the right to equal opportunities in their career, support throughout life’s various challenges, as well as a feeling of community and belonging in the workplace. My goal is to help WCM continue to offer and improve programing, events and other opportunities that work towards this common goal.

WCM provides a forum and tools to build bridges for women in finance across Canada by leveraging the connectivity, education, and collaboration. With these bridges, we can ensure stronger learning and growth opportunities for women across capital markets at any stage of their careers and, over time, build a more diverse, resilient workforce. Being located in Calgary, the women out west have a special bond with an entrepreneurial spirit that energizes and WCM Alberta Chapter provides a forum in which to share that energy.

Why do I want to be involved with WCM:
During my time in the energy sector and previously in investment and corporate banking, I have often been one of only a handful of women in my field. In these positions I have observed the unique hurdles facing women as well as the challenges organizations encounter recruiting and attracting women. I am looking forward to working with WCM and meet other women in Alberta and across Canada so together we can advocate for women and improve gender diversity both in capital markets and in the energy sector.

WHY DO I WANT TO BE INVOLVED WITH WCM?
Being a member of WCM has been an excellent resource for me personally since I joined. Having a safe space to bring your triumphs and tribulations to the table to be met by like minded women – without judgement - is incredibly empowering and encouraging.

I am truly passionate about the capital markets and women’s success in this industry and I think it is extremely important to have a peer group that shares those passions. That is why I am excited to be part of the team that creates this safe and exciting space for women to come together and leverage each other’s experiences to create a stronger industry. I look forward to helping foster an environment that motivates and supports women to not only participate in this industry but, to be successful leaders and visionaries in it.

BIOGRAPHY:
Skyelar has been a member of WCM since the chapter started. She has been working in the Capital Markets industry for 7 years with the majority of her career being at Hemisphere Capital Management Inc. 

Skyelar joined Hemisphere Capital Management in 2015 as a Portfolio Administrator. Over the next four years she would move into an analyst role, onto an associate role, finally becoming a Portfolio Manager in 2018. In 2019, she became a Partner in the firm. She is also the Chief Compliance Officer and sits on the Investment Committee. She holds a BA (Commerce, Organizations and Entrepreneurship) from Brown University where she played on the NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey team. She also holds the Chartered Investment Manager designation. In addition to her Portfolio Management duties, Skyelar plays an integral role in the performance analysis and reporting procedures at Hemisphere. She led the firm’s GIPS verification process in which historical composite returns were verified for the past 25 years. Skyelar is the centerpiece to the firm’s succession plan and actively manages half of the firm’s assets and clients. In her free time, Skyelar enjoys trying new restaurants and cooking new recipes with her boyfriend Logan, staying active by hiking, golfing, or working out and spending time with her rescue dog Chip.

Why I'm involved with WCM

WCM provides women with opportunities to connect, mentor one-another, and develop professional skills to help enrich their careers. I look forward to supporting these initiatives, and to assisting with the outreach of the WCM events and opportunities for women in capital markets. 

It is exciting that WCM has specifically created a Alberta Chapter – having been born and raised in Calgary, I am especially proud of the energy and capital markets industry that has been developed and stands here today.

I believe we owe it to the pioneer women of the industry who paved the way for the business opportunities that women have today in Alberta, to our current industry colleagues, and to future generations to continue to develop our professional skills and industry knowledge, and to support and propel one another in our careers.

Why I'm involved with WCM
I am excited to join an organization that can make a difference in achieving greater diversity in the workplace.  I believe that by facilitating networking, mentorship and recruitment of talented young individuals we can challenge the status quo. The WCM network has had a positive impact on my young career and I am hopeful that my efforts will result in the same for others.

Why I'm Involved with WCM

Encouraging more women leaders is a focus that I integrate into everything I do, joining WCM was a natural fit. Within capital markets, WCM is the leader in creating opportunities to connect and develop talented women, and build partnerships with all colleagues in the industry. It is a remarkable organization and one that I have been eager to participate in.

The lack of women in leadership roles is not unique to the finance industry, there is a deficit of diversity in many sectors of our economy. Being apart of WCM means being apart of positive change in one of Canada's most important industries. Through education, relationship building, and partnerships we can help create more space for women in capital markets.