About
PATHWAY
Improving Risk Management through People-First, Positive Organizational Leadership, Data-Driven Resources, and Technology
As a non-traditional, first-generation, and low-income student, I've had to work for most of my life. Having worked 12 jobs throughout 10 years in the workforce, I've gained much experience and have been grateful to explore many different fields, from education, medicine, the financial industry, & more. I've learned first-hand that the foundation of any company or organization is the people within it, and that risk management is prevalent in any role. I’m interested in better understanding people, how they interact with one another, the rationale behind their choices, their role within organizations from the macro and micro levels, and how to utilize People-First management/ positive leadership style, data, and technology to help organizations’ risk management and effective decision-making. Despite working in the medical field for 5 years, completing 2 medical research fellowships, and obtaining my associate’s degree in science, I still wasn’t sold on medicine as the best career path for me. However, I found myself at Comerica Bank and worked in Market Operations for a few years until coming back to school in January 2024. I loved my role, and my time at the bank helped me decide to officially change my major. I acted as team lead and we were considered a “first line of defense” in protecting the bank against fraudulent customers and potential criminals. We worked directly with 0-tolerance federal regulations involving anti-money laundering laws on a daily basis, and had little to no errors thanks to my manager’s effective, unique managerial style. My manager’s People-First approach and adamant focus on risk management led to repeated success of my team, and she inspired me to decide on this pathway. People-First is a people-centered approach to leadership that takes account of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs of all employees/ people so that they can do their best work. My time in the workforce, and especially at Comerica, taught me that when the people of an organization are taken care of, given the right technology, and have their work supported by data, the best results are produced. When people perform their best, they're less likely to make errors, and therefore, risk is reduced. My pathway in Organizational Studies will be guided through coursework in business, economics, strategy, psychology, sociology, and history. This coursework will allow me to further understand people as the foundation of all organizations, how they interact with one another, the reasoning behind their choices, their role within their organization from the macro and micro levels. Additionally, this pathway will help me better understand how to utilize positive, People-First leadership, data, and technology to help organizations' risk management and effective decision-making. I plan to return to the banking industry and utilize my skills gained through Organizational Studies in fraud, enterprise risk, and/or an anti-money laundering role, or a leadership role within these departments.
