Frank Coulson - A Man Who Truly Made A Difference

Last Friday I was travelling home from New York City and started a conversation with the man sitting next to me. In short order we figured out that he was a good friend of the daughter of a dear friend of ours. A few minutes later another connection was made. A colleague travelling with him used to work at Goldman Sachs in the Philadelphia office. In chatting with this gentleman the conversation quickly went to someone I knew we both knew well from that office, Frank Coulson.

Frank was a partner in the fixed income division and a truly legendary bond salesman. I told my new friend that I would very likely not be on this plane, not be doing what I am doing now, if it were not for Frank Coulson. I went on to tell him the story about the largest single trade I ever did as a mortgage backed bond trader at Goldman, and that trade was with Frank. The story of that trade is forever captured in the book “More Than 85 Broads: Women Making Career Choices, Taking Risks, and Defining Success on Their Own Terms.”

The story contrasts how two men treated a young woman (me) on the trading floor one particular day, doing her best to be the best trader she could be. Frank was the hero of the story. Frank was the hero because on that day he trusted me, despite my inexperience, to execute a huge trade for his best client when he could have easily gone over my head. That day, that trade, that TRUST truly changed my life. It was that day I realized I could survive and maybe even thrive as a Wall Street Trader.

After sharing that story I went back to my seat, grabbed my journal and started writing about Frank. Today I heard that Frank Coulson passed away. My deepest condolences go to Frank’s family. He was a spectacular man and I am grateful to have known and worked with him. He really did change my life.

Koinonia and a "Luv-o-lu-tion"

Koinonia. Up until this morning I had never heard of this word. It is a greek word that appears in the bible which in translation means deep fellowship. Not fellowship as in “let’s hang out at the bowling alley together,” but rather fellowship as in “I will lay down my life down for you.” It means caring so much about the relationship that it leads to a profound shift in both attitudes and behavior.

Who are you in Koinonia with? God? Your spouse? Your kids? Your friends? Think about what it would mean to our world if we were in Koinonia with everyone. The world is in deep need. People are in deep need. Maybe you are in deep need. The solution to need is easy in principle, but hard in action. The solution is generosity. The solution is a Luv-o-lu-tion. ( noun: A dramatic change in the way love works)

Needless to say I had myself a little church this morning, ( K2 in Salt Lake City to be exact), but this message goes beyond my church. This message goes beyond any church. In a world of injustice and pain and suffering and poverty and us versus them and war and terrorism and “Occupy Wall Street” this is a solution.

My 14 year old son is skeptical. Though he admits we should all try to do something good, to be good, he feels it will not collectively make a difference. I respectfully disagree. If we all “ do what we can with what we have where we are” it will make a huge difference. For me giving up on each other is really not an option. Feeling insignificant is not an option. I aspire to live a generous life which my pastor put this way:
- Take time to acknowledge all you have. Give thanks and live in that “attitude of gratitude.”
- Once you have given thanks, no matter how much or how little, but especially if how much, release your grip on it. We are stewards not owners.
- Try to live in “Koinonia.” Live in fellowship and love with one another and be as generous as you can be to each other. Respond to those in need. “Do what you can……

I am sharing this not as a teacher, but as a student. I am not as generous as I can be. I am not as kind as I can be. I am not alot of things I want to be but I can promise you I wake up every day and try. Greed and fear and privilege and entitlement are demons I reckon with ever day. For me, it will be my love and relationship with God that helps loosen their grip.

May you have a blessed day.

We sang the song “I Will Follow You” by Chris Tomlin at church today. It is one of my favorite gospel tunes. If you want to listen click here.

I'm BACK

What a summer! For the first time in forever I gave myself permission to take some time off and it was wonderful. Honestly, I kept thinking about this blog ( especially after watching the film Julia and Julia with my daughter) wondering how my readers might get along without me. Well I trust you all got along just fine but it is good to be back.

I am soon going to make the big move from BLOGSPOT to www.jackizehner.com so if you have not yet visited my web-site and signed up there, please do. Unlike blogspot you can elect to have my entries emailed directly to you. In addition I am populating the site with some great resources that I hope you might find interesting and useful including a robust library and events list.

So what to expect this fall? Lots more sharing about great people, ideas, organizations and more. Since kicking in to high gear this week I have already had some incredible calls with amazing women I will feature in upcoming entries - Abassador Swannee Hunt ( check out her latest Oped in the Boston Globe appearing today), Jensine Larson of World Pulse, Pat Mitchell of the Paley Center for Media and Lisa Witter of Fenton Communications.

It's good to be back.

Life Lessons and Never Give up!

I have an 11 year old daughter, Allie, who loves soccer. (pictured left as a snowy spring game in Park City )It started at the age of 4 when I began coaching her mixed team. She and her teammates would run around in little packs, sometimes kicking the ball, sometimes not, but they were out on the field as a team and loving every second of it.

Every season since then she has played. It went from mom coaching to now a professional coach in the Park City League. She practices two to three times a week and we drive her all over Utah it for games and tournaments. In her spare time she is often out there with the soccer ball practicing keeping the ball in the air and her power kicks. Her dad is often out there with her as she has long since passed the skill level of her mother. Watching the two of them together, and her out on the field, makes my heart sing.

We have been watching the watching the Women's World Cup Soccer matches as a family, and yesterday's game between the USA and Brazil will be a time I hope I never forget. (read here) The USA was in the lead early but the game was later tied due to a penalty kick Brazil had on goal that involved a very harsh call by the referee. The US then found themselves down a player for the rest of the game, and Brazil subsequently scored in OT to make the score 2 to 1. It was in the last minutes of overtime play that the US scored the most amazing goal I have every seen. It was to be decided in penalty kicks and the US won.

This team never gave up. They did not allow a referee's horrible call to take away their drive to win, but rather it seemed they used the injustice of it to motivate them. They supported one another and gave it their total all to the very end. Their focus, their intensity, their sense of team was one of the most spectacular moments in women's sports that I have every seen. We were all jumping around the living room screaming and in the middle of it all was my daughter Allie. I have no doubt for a very long time to come when she is feeling defeated and down on that soccer field, and maybe even in life, she will remember that moment. I know I will. If you really want something, never give up.

link to video of the game click here.

Mother's Day

I was so fortunate to grow up with a fantastic mother. What made her so great? She was loving, accepting, expected me to do my best but never beat me down when I did not, made Barbie toys with me, worked hard to bring in an income for our family, supported my crazy hobbies like horse-backed riding and body building, had a healthy relationship with my father, did not favor one child over the other, went out of her way to help others, and really never complained about any of it. I was so lucky and I thank God every day for being born in to such an amazing family and pray I am doing the same for my children.

But the reality is that too many mothers no matter how much they may want to, cannot be that for their children. Economic stress might be wearing them down. They may not be fortunate enough to have a husband that was as solid as my dad was. They might not have been raised in a loving household so they in turn do not know how to give love. And for too many they are so poor they cannot even afford to keep their children fed and in medical care. So no presents for me this Mother's Day. Not only am I just doing my job but instead I want my family to commit incremental resources to helping mothers around the world. Without healthy mothers, we will not have healthy children, nor families, nor communities and so the story goes. So today, and every day, honor your mothers, and help make this world a safer and healthier place for all. For ideas on organizations to support please see the list to the right or take the recommendations of Nicholas Kristof in his most recent article.

(pictured my mother Rose with my 94 year old amazing grandmother, Sadie)

PAY IT FORWARD, EASTER, and GRACE

Last night we sat down with our two children, ages 11 and 13, for a family movie night. We were cruising through titles and stopped dead at "PAY IT FORWARD," one my all time favorites that we had not yet watched as a family due to mature content. It was only after it ended when we started to discuss it that I realized what a perfect film it was for the EASTER weekend. EASTER is all about "Paying it Forward" and what a world we would have if everyone acted about in it.

First the movie. IMDB sums the movie up like this. "A young boy attempts to make the world a better place after his teacher gives him that chance." More specifically the new, maimed, social studies teacher asks his 7th grade students to take on this project for the year, to come up with a NEW idea how to make the world better. Our lead character, an 11 year old boy of an alcoholic mother and abusive father, comes up with the "pay it forward" concept and puts it in to action. For those unfamiliar with the film it means to do something hard and incredibly generous for someone else that likely does not deserve it. Our boy Trevor helps a drug addicted, homeless man get a fresh start, tries to help his mother get off alcohol and stay away from the returning abusive husband, he connects deeply with the very wounded social studies teacher and works to reconnect him to the world, and to love, and more. As he plot unfolds he thinks his idea has failed because the short term outcomes do not match his expectations.

What he does not know until the end of the film is that HE has started a movement. A jaded news paper reporter hundreds of miles away is the recipient of one of these random acts of extreme generosity and when told about 'pay it forward' feels compelled to track the source down. Over the course of the film we discover many lives touched by this one idea and 3 single acts of our boy Trevor. He has changed the world. He has succeeded and now, because of this reporter he knows it.

Is it to bad we don't have a reporter tracking our lives to see the outcomes of our actions or rather, is that a good thing? Well as a Christian I believe I do have that reporter. I believe that every thing I have done and will do in my lifetime I will have to account for. Until I became a Christian the thought of that freaked me out, and was so scary that it kept me at a distance from my faith, but not anymore.

There was a moment many, many years ago when I chose to share with a friend my deepest secret that I had been too ashamed to tell anyone that I discovered GRACE. With tears pouring from my eyes, I acknowledged that I, like these incredibly damaged adults in this movie, was not perfect and was in need of forgiveness and acceptance. I needed to not only be forgiven, but forgive myself for the mistakes I had made ( and continue to make ) and that for me, it was my faith in Jesus Christ that allowed both to happen. That moment changed my life as it was the moment I chose to accept the GRACE that has been offered to me, and is in fact offered to everyone.

"Pay it forward" is not a Christian film per se but within it is the message at the heart of Christianity, and that is that we all deserve to be loved unconditionally and have the opportunity for forgiveness such that we can aspire to become our best selves every single day. Being your best self means not living just for you, but living to serve others. Living to 'pay it forward." That is what makes it such a perfect fill for Easter.

But this movie is for everyone. Regardless whether you believe in God or not, isn't this what you aspire to do? Isn't this what makes the world a better place? I love that this film NAMED IT and put it in a conceptual framework to attempt to have a positive impact on individual and collective behavior. It is the best film I have every seen that builds a narrative around a model of how change happens. ( A Theory of Change - frame it, people get it, people change their behavior on an individual then broader scale, it becomes part of our culture and institutions)

(On Monday I am having an article published that I have been thinking about for years. This article is about "Gender Lens Investing" and will it frame how we can use our for profit investment clout to help advance women and girls. Will behavior change follow? I hope so...)

When the teacher gave these children the assignment and asked them what they thought about it they all said it was stupid, dumb, ridiculous as they did not see themselves as powerful. They did not see themselves as having the POSSIBILITY to positively impact the world at large. Wow. Ask you child this question. Ask the neighbors'. Ask anyone. Then discuss it. It is about paying it forward, it is about living the most generous and loving life we are capable of and at the same time, forgiving ourselves when we are far from perfect. In this film 11 year old Trevor shows his family, his community, that everyone can make a difference.

"Be the Change you want to see in the World." Happy Easter.

A Perfect Day...The Sackler Center, Carlo's Bakery, WICKED..

What a day, what a week, what a year, what a ......

Every single part of this day I want to remember. It started off with a breakfast with two of the most amazing women - Elizabeth Sackler, who founded the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art and Ann Kaplan, a dear friend and spectacular human being.

I am honored to serve on the Advisory Board for the center as it has expanded the possibilities for women artists and will continue to do so. If you have not yet visited the center in Brooklyn or browsed there web-site, you must. It was very fitting that the first time I visited the museum was for our celebratory event for Women Moving Millions in 2009 where we recreated The Dinner Party to honor women who were making history with their collective giving. At the time I did not know Elizabeth but let me tell you, she is a force of nature. Our conversation, not surprisingly, was about philanthropy and in particular the power of putting your name on something. Many studies have shown that women are much more likely to give anonymously which makes the impact of women's giving more invisible. Many women I have spoken to who have stepped up to NAME IT do so, not because it is about them, but because it is heightens the attention and awareness of the cause they are supporting. They are using and leveraging their social capital for GOOD! Love it.

Breakfast was followed by a very special meeting and all I can really say is that it could be a dream come true. If 'it' happens I want to be able to look back at this entry and say.. that was the day.

Right after my meeting I rushed to meet my daughter for a trip to Hoboken to visit Carlo's Bakery. Our whole family loves "The Cake Boss" and we wanted to pay Buddy a visit. We waited outside for our turn to go in and was so excited that although Buddy was in Florida many of his family members were there including Mary, his sister. We heard her barking orders, swiftly moving in and out and Allie said "she seemed exactly like she does on TV." Very exciting. Post bakery we went to Herald Square, The Times Square TOYS R US, the M and M Store, and finally to the play WICKED which is a family favorite. At 10:30 we were grabbing a slice of PIZZA before back to our fabulous pad. Although I lived in and around New York for over 20 years, coming back as a visitor experiencing it with my daughter is truly special. It was a perfect day.

The Lack of Women in Finance - A RANT!!!!!!

Women in Finance is a hot topic these days. (click here from FB) I can barely keep up with the articles talking about the lack of women on the street, pay disparities, lawsuits and more. Here is the most recent from BLOOMBERG filled with great stats:

- Women in Finance earn 63.9 cents for every dollar men made in 2000.
- Same stat for 2001 - 58.8 cents

- Biggest gap in any of the 13 industries surveyed by the Government Accountability Office

- Number of women in finance, banking and insurance in the US fell by 537,000 between the second quarter of 2007 and the second quarter this year

- Citigroup does not have any women on their executive committee - 19 men

The reasons as to " why so few" are many and the research paper "Women in Fund Management: A Roadmap to Critical Mass and Why it Matters" addresses this in detail ( click here ), but her is more of my personal take:

- Pipeline issues - Fewer women then in math, science and business programs. Fewer women choose to enter the field out of undergrad or graduate school. That said, when the environment is perceived as not "women-friendly", no wonder.

- Gender Discrimination and Bias - Wall Street and finance in general is still very much a 'boys club.' Some firms are better then others, but all the major institutions are governed by men and many of them bring their personal biases to work place and for some, bad behavior. When I began on Wall Street strippers still made visits to the trading floor in celebration of someone's birthday, and thank heaven those days are behind us. That said, it is naive to think that men who think that it is fine to stuff hundred dollar bills in g-strings of naked women at night, don't bring some of that to the workplace with them in terms of how they manage, mentor, co-exist with women in the work place. On the other hand I think some women bring too much of their sexuality in to the workplace and I have seen them use it as a tool to get ahead. It is a delicate balance and one that women, more then men, will have to manage. More relevant is the reality that we are more comfortable with, and confident with people that look and act like ourselves. If you are a man, that means men. In a male dominated work place it takes a huge effort to move away from that tendency and needs to be driven by a deep belief that talent comes in both genders, and all colors. Great new book on this - Laura Liswood "The Loudest Duck: Moving Beyond Diversity While Embracing Differences to Achieve Success in the Workplace."

- Problems with Diversity Initiatives and Programs - Despite a lot of good intentions and good programs, too many managers remain ill-equipped to manage a diverse population. Many firms have pages of programs, but the numbers are not changing and it is time to ask why. Too many firms are just checking the box with programs rather than creating accountability for their outcomes. Evaluate. Measure. Rewards positive outcomes.

- Fear of law-suits and the challenge in firing poor performers that are women and minorities. This is a big issue that is not being talked about. It is a chicken and the egg thing. Because there are so few women and minorites, if they end up not being good at their job ( and that may be because of bad management) it is hard to fire them. The are 'saved' as one manager said to me and this creates huge resentment by the manager and the team. The effect might well be that managers who have experienced this become reluctant to hire women and minorities unless they feel they are a "sure thing." It is just easier to fire men if they are not good, so why not hire just them to begin with? Think about this scenerio. You are a guy with good intentions who tries to hire the best talent for his team. Most of the hires are MBASs with no real experience and thus it is all about perceived potential. You have men and women candidates. They look the same. You had the experience with a prior hire, a woman, who proved not to be cut out for the job but despite your efforts to train her and HR would not allow you to fire her. You were told to pour more and more energy in to her success and it just was not working. Sure if she is great you get pats on the back and you have a great team member, but the downside is there. If you just hired the guy and he was great, great! If he did not work out, bye bye. It is at this level that we must think about as it is at the heart of WHY so few women I believe. We have to think hard about the personal and organizational incentives and disincentives around creating a more diverse workforce.

-Maternity Leave - Let's be real. This is a big issue. If you have a desk full of 20-30 year old women, they are going to have babies. As a manager if your employee is out on maternity leave, it means more work for the rest of team, likely without additional compensation. In an industry where all employees are worked to the bone, this is an issue. Again it is about incentives. Firms need to take a big look at this issue.

- Work-life Balance. This will always be more of an issue for women then men. Women have the kids and the pressures to be a 'good mom' are big. This may be the ultimate reason why we don't get to 50/50. That said, I have met PLENTY of women who choose not to have kids, have husbands with more flexibility and so on. This challenge can be addressed institutionally with more flexibility in roles, but the cultural issues remain. Men in finance have to want to be more then the funders of their families for things to really change. They have to want to be great dads in the same way that I think most women want to be great moms. It means being there for more then weekends and family vacations. I KNOW there are some amazing dads out there who are also senior organizational leaders, so this is a generalization. There is a win/win here for all if corporate America cared more about supporting families.

- CULTURE CULTURE CULTURE - First institutionally. I worked at Goldman Sachs for 14 years. Their culture prides itself on being a meritocracy. That belief is core to their being. I had this experience years ago at a management committee/partnerhship committee offsite on diversity. We were in a small group discussion about why so few women and minorities at the firm. At my table were 9 men and myself. I asked them "look around this room filled with our most senior leaders. Do you think this room is 90% white men because they are the best, the brightest, the hardest working?" They answered YES. They truly believed it. It was not long after that I left the firm. These are not bad people, in fact most of them are GREAT people. They do not know what they do not know and most of them walk around in the world as privileged, powerful, white men. ( I walk around as a privileged white woman)Most of them do not experience exclusion or discrimination and because of it they have no frame of reference for it. They are immune. They do not personally experience discrimination so it is easy for them to assume it does not exist. That classic well it did not happen to ME so I guess it does not happen at all. Catalyst did a GREAT report about getting men engaged in diversity initiatives and they said that the men most likely to be diversity champions have experienced BIAS PERSONALLY!!!

Our broader CULTURE. We still live in a world that values men and boys more then women and girls. This is the issue I will work on for the rest of my life. This manifests itself in a million different ways in our homes, in the media, in the workplace and in the world in general. We have focused a lot of energy towards building up girls self-esteem which is awesome. Increasingly the world recognizes the need to get financial resources in the hands of women, especially in the developed world. Again awesome. But.. we have a long way to go. We are talking about power and control and changing the status quo so it will be hard.

Bottom line is this. We all have to care about creating a workplace, a world, where access and opportunity is available for all. We have to digest that the world is not fair, and if we made it to a place of privilege we OWE it to others that they have their shot too. We have to recognize that gender discrimination is everywhere and we have to look for it so we can eliminate it. I believe with all my heart that a more gender balanced world is in the best interest of all. In that world there will be more women leading institutions and more men free to be in the home being amazing husbands and fathers. Men and women are suppose to be in it together.

Barbara............

One of my best friends, Barbara, will be undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery today at 12:30 EST in New York City. My husband Greg will be there with Barbara's husband, and I will be praying for her from BC. Barbara circulated a devotional this morning before being admitted that I would like to share in honor of Barbara.

"Hold my hand, and walk joyously with Me throughout this day. Together we will savor the pleasures and endure the difficulties it brings. Be on the lookout for everything I have prepared for you: stunning scenery, bracing winds of adventure, cozy nooks for resting when you are weary, and much more. I am your Guide, as well as your constant Companion. I know every step of the journey ahead of you, all the way to heaven.

You don't have to choose between staying close to Me and staying on course. Since I am the Way, staying close to Me is staying on course. As you focus your thoughts on Me, I will guide you carefully along today's journey. Don't worry about what is around the next bend. Just concentrate on enjoying My presence and staying in step with Me."

John 14:6

I wrote the poem below quite a few years ago and it is one that means a lot to me and has guided my faith. It is about realizing you are never alone. Never. It is the same message and I take it as a sign from God that the surgery will go brilliantly. Barbara I love you. The poem is called "Walk With Me."

I am walking outside alone

And I begin to shake

I stop a sec and look around

Am I dreaming or awake?

The air it seems way too cool

For this time of year

I begin to get a sense

That the cool is my own fear

I keep walking straight ahead

Knowing not which was too turn

Thinking of all I have left behind

And all that I have learned.

I see something ahead of me

A bench is on the road

As if put there just for me

To help relieve my load.

I sit down to rest and think

As I can no longer stand

Suddenly I’m scared and turn

For there is someone holding my hand.

Do not be afraid he says

I’m here to show you the way

I wake up, get out of bed

And get down on my knees to pray. (J Zehner 2002)

Goodbye New Canaan! Hello, Utah!

It has been quite a week. A moving week. For all those people that have horror stories about their moving experiences, well, I have one to add to that list. Let's just say the loading of the truck did not go well and it was not a week where I slept very much. The good news is that the truck is on it's way, my husband and son have battled through the crazy weather to cross the country by car with our dog Sunnie, and I leave with my daughter to our new home tomorrow. I am too exhausted emotionally and physically to write anything worth reading but I just wanted to log this entry as it will by last one from the town I have lived in for the past 10 years. I have learned so much in this process and am looking forward to writing about it.

More from the mountains after we get settled. Wishing everyone a fabulous start to summer 2010.

Auburn Lives of Commitment Breakfast 2010I

Thursday was a very special day for me. Auburn hosted their annual Women's Live of Commitment Breakfast and I was deeply touched to be an honoree. Auburn Theological Seminary is an institute for religious leadership and their new President is the most wonderful Katharine Henderson, author of "God's Troublemakers: How Women of Faith are Changing the World." I want to thank the MANY friends and family who showed up bright and early to show their support, and the many more who sent such lovely notes as well as gifts to Auburn. Please know how grateful I am!!! To watch my acceptance speech on YOUTUBE click here.

Following the breakfast I had the opportunity to participate on a panel with my fellow honorees on the topic of "Women, God and Money." The most spectacular Kathy LeMay, author of "The Generosity Plan," was the moderator, and my oh my did she ask some tough questions. That woman knows me too well and was not about to let me off easy. She asked us all the question, in a world where so many have so little, how much is enough to give? Since this was a faith based panel we all acknowledged that we are called to give, a minimum of 10%. But is that enough? I think we are called to be generous, as generous as we can be not only of our financial resources but of so much more. Why we CHOOSE to be give must come from somewhere, and for me, it is because of my faith. In my acceptance speech ( below ) I spoke about my faith and it appears below. My blog entry on the day I mentioned ( October 28th, 2008) and can be found here in case you are interested. It was the day so much changed for me....

I spent that evening with some of the most incredible women on the planet. Thanks to my buddies who planned the gathering..... love you so much. It truly meant the world to me.

Abundance, Generosity and Friendship

"Show me who a woman's friends are and I will tell you who she is." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last night some of the people I love most in this world had a "leaving but not going away" party for me. It truly was one of the most special evenings of my life. I awoke this morning feeling so incredibly blessed and so moved to continue to try to do all I can to make the world a better place.

Friends. The people you choose and the people who choose you. When I looked around the room last night and rested on each of these amazing women's faces I thought how lucky am I to have these people in my life. The common denominator? They all use their time, treasure and talent to better the lives of others in such a generous and loving way. Ladies you know who you are, you know how much I love you and I ask yet another thing of all of you - please continue to help me be the best person I can be and expect a lot of me, as heaven knows I do not want to disappoint any one of you. Thank you for all you are, all you do, and for giving me the greatest gift we can give each other, love.

Happy Mothers Day! A Shout Out to My Mother Rose.

"Mаkіnɡ a ԁесіѕіοn tο hаνе a child–іt’s momentous. It іѕ tο ԁесіԁе forever tο hаνе уουr heart ɡο walking around outside уουr body.” – Elizabeth Stone

I want to thank my mother Rose for being such an amazing example of what a mother should be. She was always there for me as a child, and continues to be as an adult. She loves, she gives, she serves, she listens, she teaches, she guides, she cooks, she cleans, she creates, she holds. My grandmother Sadie, at 92, is the light of our lives and taught us all how to live a generous life. To my big sister Teri, the mother of two spectacular human beings, you are the best mom ever! I am blessed to have so, so many wonderful women and mothers in my lives. Wishing all the mothers out there a truly wonderful day....Pictured above is my mother Rose with my two children, Matthew and Allie.

A Call From SheWrites - My Heroines...

Deborah Seigel (pictured) of SHEWRITES has started something! She has asked all us bloggers to create a list of our women heroines. Love it. (click here to read more) So here is the problem.. I have way, way, way too many.... So if you are not included in this list, forgive me, and you will be in the next one... Not many on my list are bloggers, but they should be.

1) Deborah Seigel - Back at ya sista! ( girlwpen )I am not sure I would be blogging at all without your support. You are a gifted writer and a spectacular person.

2) Ann Kaplan - Founder of Circle Financial Group. Our friendship goes way back to the early 90's when Ann as a senior women in Fixed Income at GS and I was a lowly associate. She has been my mentor forever.

3) Barbara Dobkin - Barbara is one of the most selflessly generous people I know. She gives and gives and serves and serves and always with humor and joy.

4) Kathy Lemay - Kathy you have rocked my world. She is the writer of the new book, "The Generosity Plan" and since the day I met she has challenged me about who I am and how I can make a difference.

5) My 92 year old Grandmother Sadie, my mother Rose, and my sister Teri - I have the most amazing women in my family and I love them all so much.

6) Helen Lakelly Hunt - For stepping out of her comfort zone and encouraging women of means to step up to fund women and girls.

7) Chris Grumm - President of the Women's Funding Network - She is a force of nature and I am honored be a part of the community.

8) Stephanie Hanbury Brown - Creator of Golden Seeds, and angel investing network that funds women entrepreneurs. She walks the walk.

....... I could go on and on and on. I am so blessed and thank all the incredible women in my life.

International Women's Day - Let's Celebrate and......

Today is International Women's Day and according to Wikipedia "it is a major day of global celebration of women. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements."

It is a day to be both grateful for the advancements that have been made, but also be revolutionary in our thinking about what still needs to happen. I have received countless emails ranging from the announcements of new initiatives, to wonderful reflections from thought leaders, so here is a list of 5 things to share on this very special day!

1) My friend Nic Kristoff writes on "Three Proven Steps to Advance the World’s Women, on International Women’s Day" in the New York Times. He asks himself this question - "What interventions get the most bank for the buck in raising the status of women around the world?" Read his wonderful answers but may I suggest one that does not cost a dime but indeed is an intervention - make this moment, the moment, where everyone who believes in gender equity commits to PERSONAL ACTION every day, in some way, to advance this issue. I want to suggest we adopt this phase as a slogal for the movement - EVERYDAY. IN SOME WAY.

2) I want to give a SHOUT OUT to women leaders that I am honored to know and are a huge inspiration to me. Will someone with a BIG platform please write a piece featuring them all !!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are all GAMECHANGERS.

Kamy Wicoff founder of SheWrites, Gina Bianchini co-founder of NING, Deborah Siegel ( aka Girl With Pen ), Courtney Martin - writer, Stephanie Hanbury Brown - Founder of Golden Seeds, Lisa Witter - Fenton Communications, Mia Herndon - ED of The Third Wave Foundation, Kathy LeMay - Writer, the Generosity Plan, Kayrita Anderson - Creator of A Future Not a Past, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi - Co-Founder and Executive Director of the African Women's Development Fund, Alexa Von Tobel - Founder of Learnvest. And there are so many more............... I honor you all today and everyday!!!!!!!


3) The International Herald Tribune has an ongoing series called the Female Factor - (click here) Please be sure to check back regularly for the latest piece. One particular essay to read is Katrine Bennhold "Risk and Opportunity for Women in 21st Century." Please take the time to read these articles and post comments.



4) A New MS foundation blog launched today (Click here) which will showcase the sharp writing and informed opinions of a community of feminist bloggers from around the nation and the globe.



5) The Glass Hammer is a great new site to visit regularly. It is an online community designed for women executives in financial services, law and business. Visit daily to discover issues that matter, share experiences, and plan networking, your career and your life. ( Click here ) Nicki you and your site rock!!

In closing, again on this special day, I want to thank so many women who have made such a difference to me and especially my grandmother Sadie ( age 92), my mother Rose, my sister Teri, my best buddy in Kelowna Kim, my Goldman Sisters Ann, Mary Ann, Robin, Maria, all my CFG pals, and countless friends........... I love and thank you all.

Canada Wins Gold in Men's Hockey!

I had to capture this moment... my friend and fellow Canadian Mandy and I celebrate an amazing ending to the Olympic Games in Canada! It was so special to be able to go to my home province with my 9 year old daughter, catch a few events, and to be back home in CT to watch this final event. I spent the first 22 years of my life in BC, and 4 in the truly spectacular city of Vancouver. They did a great job hosting! I am left feeling so inspired and grateful. Hope you are too.....

We Are More - Shayne Koyczan

Greetings from the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver! It is really quite amazing to be experiencing this event with my 9 year old daughter, Allie. Yesterday we attended the USA vs Russia womens hockey game, and although it was a blow-out, I truly felt the girl power! Thank you Title Nine! Sadly few other countries dedicate the resources to develop women's hockey and one can only hope that in future years the teams are more balanced. We also saw the men's luge event at Whistler and saw Canadian Skier Alexandre Bilodeau receive the first EVER Gold Medal on Canadian soil.

Though we did not attend the opening ceremonies ( I heard the least expensive ticket was $500!!!) it was spectacular on TV and I had two favorite moments. The first was the poem "We Are More" by Penticton poet Shayne Koyczan. Click here to watch the video. The second was the song Hallelujah by Katie Lang which sadly is not yet available but it took my breath away!

Lots to write about the markets but watching the Olympics on TV with my daughter is a must... Go North America!

Leaving Las Vegas!

Las Vegas is a very interesting city to say the least. I came here for a couple of days to meet my mother and attend a home show. The last time I was here was some 20 or so years ago, and it is truly a sight to behold. The size of the hotels, the number of slot machines, the amount of retail... is beyond understanding. I lost my token $20 bucks which I felt was the least I could do given my hotel room at The Bellagio was only $69 per night. I kept asking the taxi drivers, the servers, how the economy is here and the answer is perhaps obvious.... just not good. There said there was a time when you could not find a hotel room or a place at the craps table, but no more. Even tonight on our way back in at 11am over half the tables were empty. We did see two amazing shows, Jersey Boys and Ka, a Cirque du Soleil production. Both were incredible.

The Tipping Point.....( and yes, it is about WOMEN)

It is has been another one of those days, well two days actually. They were the kind of days that leave my head spinning with ideas, with possibility, with solutions!

Last year around this time I wrote a couple of my favorite entries of the over 300 I have now posted on this blog. If you have time, and you will need some time, please take a look. ( here, here and here) Now these are not the polished opeds you will find listed to the right, but some rants about what I felt was wrong in the world. It was in naming what was wrong, that the system FAILED, that enabled me to truly begin to focus on the solution set. It has been an incredible year. A year of such deep learning and understanding and I feel so grateful to everyone who has and continues to inform my thinking and help me on this crazy journey.

So this is what I am going to do tonight… weave together some words, some themes, from the writings of last year to the events of past two days. Each word, each phrase could be it's own blog entry but since I can't do that this word cloud of sorts will just have to do.

But first. We are at a tipping point. I know it. Last year it was more about seeing the problems then imagining the possible solutions. I knew in my heart that the problems we were facing (financial crisis, economic problems, poverty, violence...) were deeply connected to the absence of women in positions of power, the absence of power in the hands of women, and the underutilization of women’s economic power, but I could not really articulate it, let alone prove it. Now I feel I can do both. The data is out there in a variety of research reports ( old and new ) that I will soon list on my new web-site! (the list is LONG) But there is more to it. What was needed was a logic model that connects the facts, the data, to an investment thesis about why women and why now. ( The Business Case ) Further we needed a framework to capture the wicked problem of gender inequality, and we now have it thanks to the brilliant thinking of Chris Grumm of the Women's Funding Network - The Human Security Framework. Finally I have been imagining how to bridge the gap between the needs and opportunities of the for profit sector, with the non-profit sector. Although that is a very tall older I have ideas on where to begin, envisioning partnerships that make such good sense. These are all pieces of the puzzle that are finding their way in to place. It has taken years, but I am finally seeing it! I said it last year and I am saying it now…. Invest in women. INVEST in women. INVEST IN WOMEN!

Before. FAILED. Financial Crisis. Bad Business Models. Private Equity. Leverage. Risk. Lack of Women. Leadership. Are You Ready for a Revolution. Brokenness. Hope? Invest in Women. Critical Mass and more..

Monday. CNN. Pres. Obama. Fat Cats. Wall Street. Unemployment. Job Creation. Lend. Partnerships. Consulting. The Business Case for Women. The Global Forum for Women and the Economy. Next year? Female Davos. Center for Work Life Policy. Board Meeting. Corporate Engagement. Gen X. Lack of Progress. Economist Magazine. Mathew Bishop. Philanthrocapitalism. Women Moving Millions. Women’s Funding Network. Partnerships. Shared power. The Democratization of Philanthropy. Grassroots leadership. Scaling up not Trickle Down. Tuesday. Gary Haugan. The International Justice Mission. Human Slavery. Rescue. Persecute. Aftercare. Structural transformation. On the ground expertise. Human Security Framework. UBS. Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Women of Wealth. Social Change Philanthropy. Business Week. Why women? Why now? Management as a Social Innovation. Female Entrepreneurship. Lack of Capital. Barriers to entry. The Economic Power of Women. TARP. Job creation. Partnerships. Change the Paradigm. Subway. 73rd street. Party. Learnvest. Start-up. Financial Literacy. Feminism. The Feminine Mistake. Gloria Steinem. Destiny. Wonder Woman.

Womens Forum, Gloria, BCRF, The Gentlemen's Fund, and What if?

I'm back! After 10 days of travel in Europe and two days reconnecting with my family, the week started off with a bang! Although I promised not to continue to make this blog a report on the activities of Jacki Zehner, please allow me to comment on the important events of this week. First, on monday evening I celebrated 35 years of the existence of the New York Women's Forum with a roomful of the most incredible women in the city ( and a few good men!). I am honored to a member of this diverse group of educators, non-profit leaders, writers, business women, donors and more. It was created to offer a space for women to gather, connect, share, and help one another achieve their life goals, and serve the community. Their education fund provides scholarship funds to women over the age of 35 achieve their academic goals. Truly an inspiring evening.

Last night I co-hosted a party for the Ms. Foundation in continued celebration of the 75th birthday of their founding member Gloria Steinem. What was so special about this gathering was that in the room was a an incredibly diverse group of people - from a 14 year old young man, to a 60 year old iconic hedge fund manager. Gloria shared stories from her life of activism and focussed on the effects of the 'gendered' world we live in. We all imagined living in a world where all people where not inhibited by expectations and limitations, but rather came to be their full selves.... A very special evening indeed.

I am now dashing to the Breast Cancer Research Luncheon and then to GQ magazine's Gentlemen's Ball - founded by our good friend Pete Hunsinger ( picgtured) , publisher of GQ. As I wrote last year Pete created this fund to raise awarenenss and funds for important causes, including the one mentioned below. I thank and honor all the amazing men in the world that are using their resources - their time, their treasure, their talent - to make a better world.

I would love to call your attention to an amazing organization and an amazing person that I have featured previously on this BLOG. Lamont Hiebert is an abolitionist, a singer/songwriter, and one incredible human being. "Love146 ( his non-profit) combats child sex slavery and exploitation with the unexpected, and restores survivors with excellence". In a recent blog he calls us to imagine if it where white males being trafficked, instead of women and girls, would more be done? This is one of the most important issues of our world and we all need to think deeply about how we can be part of the solution. Thanks Lamont for all you do to make this world a more just place.