What and where did you study before your Mountbatten internship? I studied Law at Hertfordshire University.

What made you apply for the Mountbatten program? I always loved reading and had a dream of being a newsreader. I opted for a law degree because I assumed this would give me a wide range of career options. While that is true, in reality, I needed experience to broaden my career prospects. I chose to apply for the Mountbatten Program because it allowed me to work in a different country which would bring a cultural dynamic to my CV but also because the program allowed me access to careers in different organisations I would have never heard of coming from a low social economic background.  

Describe your sponsor company and your role within it. I worked as an HR Advisor at UBS Stamford. The role required me to respond to queries from financial advisors on their W2 tax returns, benefits, and reward schemes. The majority of the employees we served were traders, which allowed me the opportunity to experience (at the time) the world’s biggest trading floor.

What was the highlight/most memorable moment of your working experience during this year? I was not used to hearing, seeing, or calculating salaries that were above £30k. That was the highest salary my dad earnt and therefore seeing tax statements, pay statements and remuneration statements, which were 6 figures was mind blowing. I once accidently forgot to add an additional 0 to a tax statement, which caused the biggest complaint the team had ever received. The way my manager and team supported me through the issue, is something I won’t ever forget. It taught me the importance for treating people with kindness and always making sure I work with integrity.  That one moment has shaped how I choose to lead.

What was the social highlight/most memorable moment during this year? I made so many friends who were also on the program, but I also made some lifelong friends with the boys from New Jersey living in the apartment next door, to the work colleagues who taught me about country music. Thanksgiving is always celebrated in our house and where possible I make the effort to go back to New York because it will always be home. 

Please share a little wisdom/philosophy that you acquired during your internship Banking is my passion and I would never have found this without the internship. When I told my parents I secured a role at UBS, they didn’t know what that was and constantly called it USB. I remember my first day on the job asking my manager “what is Wealth and private banking.” Such a basic question that most people from a privileged background would probably know the answer to, but for someone like me, everything was new. The Internship taught me to learn, and learn fast. I have held onto this my entire career. Always curious, always learning, always thriving for a bigger challenge.

Upon reflection, what do you consider has been the biggest impact of your Mountbatten year? The internship put me on a great trajectory for a successful career, however it’s had a wider impact on who I am. Being on the program has levelled the playing field for someone like me with a diverse background. You cannot be what you cannot see, and that one year showed me the possibilities on a global scale.

What happened after completing the year – what did you do next? After completing the year, I came back to London and quickly found a job at Barclays. While this is a brilliant success story, it’s important to share, I came back to my parents who were going through bankruptcy. Mountbatten helped me build a successful banking career, and its only because of that career I was able to buy the family home at 23 and to this day continue to support my family.

Where are you now in your working life and what do you do? I have worked for a number of big firms and am currently at HSBC. In my present role, I support the Bank’s most strategic suppliers to ensure we get the best value from the contract. Alongside my 9-5, I have a 5-9 called Girls Who Bank. Seeing the impact bankruptcy had on my family has driven me to share the importance of finance education in schools and colleges. Last year I created my own non profit with the aim to bridge the gap in the school curriculum, supporting children aged 5-18 with money skills. This in turn will help promote more banking careers for women, changing the diversity stats in a male dominated industry.

Do you have any future plans that you would like to realise & what are they (career & social)? Girls Who Bank just turned 1.  We had an incredible year, teaching money skills to 2,390 children, supporting Girlguiding and donating toys at Christmas. This year we are growing at a pace, with more partnerships with big corporates like KPMG and FCA, more traction in schools and more work experience opportunities for our children. Always looking for sponsors and volunteers so please do get involved!

What would people be surprised to learn about you? I’ve been married for 10 years, have a 7 year old daughter and we have had 3 hamsters in the last 4 years!

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