By Christine Lee, Liquidnet

2025 STA WIF Chair

This past January, I had the privilege of speaking at the STANY Emerging Leaders Ski Trip alongside some incredible industry voices: Lisa Utasi, John Ramsay, and Mark Davies. One of the key discussions centered around the role of your network in career growth. Building meaningful connections — both within your organization and across the industry — is essential for long-term growth and success. As we look back on International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month as a whole, the 2025 theme of #AccelerateAction is particularly important to address in conversations surrounding mentorship.

Your network is more than a collection of contacts. Over time, the goodwill you build and the reputation you establish become your currency in moving up. Women on Wall Street continue to face unique challenges, from underrepresentation in leadership to navigating unconscious bias. When you have mentors and sponsors in your network, you create pathways to new opportunities and career advancement. While the terms mentor and sponsor are often used interchangeably, they serve distinct yet complementary purposes.

Mentors: Your Trusted Guides

A mentor is someone who offers guidance, perspective, and encouragement as you progress in your career. A mentor:

Shares industry insights and career wisdom
Provides constructive feedback
Offers encouragement and support through challenges

Sponsors: Your Advocates for Advancement

While mentors provide guidance, sponsors create opportunities. A sponsor is a senior leader who actively champions your success, using their influence to propel your career forward. A sponsor:

Promotes Visibility: Recommending you for leadership roles
Advocates for Advancement: Speaking on your behalf in key meetings
Creates Opportunities: Connecting you with influential networks
Builds Credibility: Endorsing your abilities to key decision-makers

Mentors help you build the skills and resilience needed to succeed, while sponsors accelerate your trajectory by ensuring you’re seen, considered, and put forward for leadership opportunities. Many professionals naturally seek out mentors, but I challenge you to cultivate sponsors in your career.

Women in Finance Pilot Mentorship Program

In keeping with this year’s theme of mentorship, STA WIF is thrilled to announce the launch of the very first STA Women in Finance Mentorship Program! Formed with the goal of fostering new and meaningful relationships among the women of STA, we’re thrilled to offer this as a means for women in finance to connect with one another and share perspectives.

Interested in being a mentor or mentee? Applications for the WIF Mentorship Program will open in April and will be open to 15 mentors and 15 mentees on a first-come, first-serve basis, so be on the lookout for more info!