Celebrating the Women of Washington DC


By Christine Lee, Liquidnet

2024 STA WIF Vice Chair

Thank you to all who attended our Washington DC Spring Update earlier this month! Hosted in person for the first time since its 2020 debut, we were thrilled to welcome our sponsors along with legislative and business speakers who offered valuable insight on the latest in markets and regulation.

On behalf of STA and our Women in Finance Committee, we’d like to extend a special recognition to the women who contributed to our Washington DC Spring Update and who shared their unique perspectives with our attendees in their respective areas of expertise:

  • Stephanie Dumont, Executive Vice President, FINRA
  • Mahlet Makonnen, Principal, Williams & Jensen
  • Nicole Pursley, Director of Public Policy, Cboe Global Markets
  • Kirsten Wegner, CEO, Modern Markets Initiative

At STA, we aim to serve as a bridge between our robust and liquid markets and our leaders in Washington DC. This, of course, could not be accomplished without the contributions of the women on our STA Board, as well as the many women who play critical roles in the regulatory ecosystem. To name just a few, we’ve had the privilege of working with leaders such as SEC Commissioners Hester Peirce and Caroline Crenshaw, Subcommittee on Capital Markets Chair Rep. Ann Wagner, Rep. Brittany Pettersen of the House Financial Services Committee, and many more.

From a sheer numbers perspective, inequality persists throughout our industry. We applaud these women, as well as those among our broader membership, for their willingness to set an example and share their knowledge, lifting up other women along the way. Our WIF Committee, and STA as a whole, wouldn’t be where it is today without the influence of the many women in Washington DC who serve with the best interests of our markets in mind.

Read the full newsletter here.