Mentor: Natalie M. Alvarez

What inspired you to want to work in the corporate arena? I feel like I fell into the corporate arena by pure accident. Not knowing what career path I wanted to take, I began working for a temporary placement agency. I was placed at a bank for over 8 months and realized that I really enjoyed the work, the individuals and the culture. As you can see I never looked back.
What advice do you have for women that want to spark change? Progress is impossible without change, so put both feet on the ground and move forward and be a change agent in your community, because without change we have no growth.
What do you feel is the single most pressing issue facing women today and why? Gender equality in the workplace such as equal pay for equal work, double standard in leadership, and work/life imbalance. Despite the significant advancements and progress towards equality there still is much disparity.
Tell us about a women mentor that had helped your journey. I have had the great fortune to work with many female mentors throughout my career and through my involvement in many organizations. However, I would have to say that Debra Vasilopoulos, Regional President for Sabadell Bank & Trust Palm Beach & Broward Counties was one of my very first mentors which helped me recognize that I could do and achieve anything I wanted to with the talents and skills I possessed. This was back in the late 1990’s.