Stories
Breaking the bias
ATB spotlights women in leadership to mark International Women’s Day
By ATB Financial 8 March 2022 about 1 min read
According to recent data, women’s representation in small business and entrepreneurship is moving in the right direction but there’s still a ways to go when it comes to advancing gender equality at the corporate leadership level.
ATB recognizes the need to acknowledge bias and confront barriers to women's career advancement, both in banking and in the business community in general.
This year's International Women's Day theme is Break the Bias. To mark the day, we asked five women on ATB's Strategic Leadership Team to share a few words of wisdom on the theme or a quote from a woman in leadership who inspires them.
These women leaders, who work across a diverse range of portfolios at ATB, shared a few insights and quotes on confronting privilege and the limitations we place on ourselves, that left us feeling inspired.
You can hear from each of them below:
Lisa McDonald - Chief Risk Officer
“Don’t ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility. Make decisions based on what should happen, not what shouldn’t.” – Michelle Obama
Tara Lockyer - Chief People Officer
“Privilege isn't about what you've gone through; it's about what you haven't had to go through. And right now, we are in a time that is calling on us to learn the stories that we don't know.” - Janaya Future Khan, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto
Camille Weleschuk - VP Office of the CEO/Government Relations
“One of the best ways we can encourage more women and men to pursue senior leadership roles in their careers is by being honest about our journey - the struggles and the triumphs. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received is you can have it all in life, just not all at once.” – Camille Weleschuk
Ursula Holmsten - Executive Vice President, ATB & CEO, ATB Wealth
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Denise Man - Chief Technology Office
"The strength of a company comes from the diversity and inclusion that each of us bring. To put forward that strength, we have to have courage to stand in our truth, find comfort in the discomfort that others may not agree or understand, while in parallel, actively listen, internalize and be open to receive the other person's truth." – Denise Man
At ATB, we’re working to help change the game for women in business. We're committed to breaking through the barriers women in business need to access the networks, resources, and funding they require to unleash their full entrepreneurial potential.