Today, on International Women’s Day, we’re sharing the stories of Vestwellers who dedicate their time, energy, and passion to making a difference for women everywhere. From local organizations in New York to globe-spanning work supporting women in STEM, Vestwell’s women are striving to leave the world a better place than they found it, all while helping to bring other women up with them.

Allison Brecher - Empowerment Through Reading and Mentorship

General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer

“For the last eight years, my girls and I have been leading a book club for middle school girls at Family Service League, the second-largest homeless shelter on Long Island. We do that every other Thursday and have also run a number of events over the years, including book drives and a diaper drive for new mothers. I’m proud to say that more than 300 children have attended our book club, and we have donated over 2,000 books to the shelter’s library. We also choose books that have women’s empowerment as a theme or that explore other uplifting ideas.”

“I’m also very involved with the Columbia Law School externship program, which gives law students credit for an externship. Vestwell was one of the first companies to participate in the program, and I’ve also made an effort to ensure we’re bringing women into our company through that program. I try to mentor the students we bring on and really incorporate them as an integral part of our business, because I wanted to provide them a stepping stone into the field and meaningful experience.”

Nicole Wood - Supporting Women in STEM, Across the World

Director, PR & Communications

“Throughout my career, I have been driven by two common themes that greatly impact women: mentorship and financial empowerment. As a mentor in the TechWomen program, I am able to connect with and support leaders in STEM fields from Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East. I was part of this program when it was first launched by Hillary Clinton during her time as Secretary of State, and have seen the lasting impact mentorship has on women across industries, professional levels, and countries.”

“I’ve also worked on USAID programs such as the African Philanthropy Forum. During my time there, I was able to connect with leaders across Africa on a variety of issues, including expanding education for women and girls. I witnessed firsthand the impact financial education programs have on women and their communities, and it’s part of why I’m excited by Vestwell’s mission to close the savings gap.”

Michelle Tran - Empowering, Promoting, and Connecting Women

SVP, Head of Enterprise Sales

“I co-founded the organization NYC Fintech Women, where our mission is to empower, promote, and connect women in the fintech world. I love the work we do because there’s no better feeling than hearing someone say, “Hey, because I went to your networking event—or because of a conversion I had here—I was able to increase my pay by 30 percent.” We hear about those stories all the time and it makes me so proud that this organization has been able to help women think about their value and then speak up for it. I’m also happy to say that we’re growing: For International Women’s Day, we’re launching our new San Francisco chapter with an event sponsored by Adyen.”

“I’m also involved in an AAPI (Asian American & Pacific Islander) project that we hope to launch soon. We’re working to create a true support system for Asian women in tech—even going beyond just networking and events. I can’t say much now, but we’re trying to think differently about how we can get Asian women into leadership roles, build strong ally networks, and even de-risk different career paths.”

Amy Ouellette - Shaping Her Industry One Regulation at a Time

VP, Product (Formerly SVP Head of Retirement Services)

“I’ve been part of the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) for 10 years, which is an industry organization that works to educate people about retirement planning and shape retirement-related public policy. As part of my work there, I’m actively involved in shaping our response to new IRS regulations and even influencing the regulations themselves. When the IRS provides guidance on a new set of rules being implemented, the subcommittee I sit on will make recommendations to them on any further guidance we need and how we’d like to see that guidance work.”

“I also participate in the American Retirement Association (ARA) Thrive Program, which facilitates mentoring relationships for women in the retirement space. I’ve been working with a mentee for the past six months and it’s going really well! She runs ideas by me when she has a challenge in the workplace or notices policies that seem off, and it’s been an incredibly gratifying experience to help her build a career.”

Join Our Team of Superstars

Vestwell is hiring, and hiring fast! Whether you're interested in reinventing the retirement space, or just want to surround yourself with smart, fun, driven people like Allison, Nicole, Michelle, and Amy, we'd love to count you as part of the team.

Learn more about the opportunities available at Vestwell by checking our careers page here.