Shertina Mawuenyega, CVP Enterprise Data Governance Leader, Synchrony, speaks with Asha Saxena, Founder and CEO, WLDA.tech, in a video interview about the diversity women bring in teams and leadership, and her takeaway advice as a leader.

Synchrony is a public company that offers financing, co-branded cards, savings products, and online banking across various industries.

As a woman in leadership, Mawuenyega emphasizes how women bring different perspectives than their male counterparts. She adds that since women have experienced things differently, their ideas are different, which leads to better decision-making and improved outcomes.

For instance, when it comes to data, women leaders can look at it holistically by having diverse perspectives and find out if the data is biased, says Mawuenyega. Referring to her previous role, she recalls being responsible for establishing the initial set of risk metrics around AI models, ensuring they were regularly evaluated for bias.

Further, Mawuenyega states that there must be diversity in the people who create the models and know what the data is. Having that diverse group of people, in addition to having metrics in place, will lead to successful outcomes.

Speaking of WLDA, Mawuenyega shares that attending WLDA’s Nashville forum has been monumental for her. The face-to-face interaction with fellow women leaders expanded her learning scope and resulted in more solid connections, she adds.

Adding on, Mawuenyega appreciates the combination of knowledge sharing, thinking outside the box, and focusing on the important aspects.

As a takeaway piece of advice, she urges data practitioners and enthusiasts to stay lifelong learners and have a growth mindset. The field is not stagnant and one might be left behind if they are not curious or keeping up with emerging trends, she notes.

Concluding, Mawuenyega states that the jobs will become much more interesting as technology evolves. Also, she reiterates the need to keep women at the forefront because women’s skill sets, values, and knowledge are growing exponentially.

CDO Magazine appreciates Shertina Mawuenyega for sharing her data and leadership insights with our global community.

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