Kym is a GRC product leader at Charles Schwab. She started her career early on as an accountant and moved to the operational risk world in 2015. Over the last 6 years at Charles Schwab Kym has switched roles within the risk organization numerous times giving her the ability to learn, influence and inspire the future of GRC tools and programs.

What makes you a Risky Woman?

I am a fierce challenger of the norm. As a risk and compliance product leader I constantly push people to change their way of thinking about risk and using technology driven processes to get results. I ask the hard questions to leaders across organizations and use my experiences to help drive decision making.

Name your top 3 achievements

1. Rapidly promoted from entry level to managing director in 5 years.
2. Being selected as a member of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Women of Influence.
3. Kicking off and leading a new corporate risk Management mentorship program in 2019.

What is the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career?

I had a lot of people in my early career tell me I would never be anything, that I couldn’t grow and would never succeed, especially in corporate America. I was constantly told my strong personality and willingness to ask people tough questions and challenge the we’ve always done it this way mentality would hinder me. The biggest risk I made for my career was to stay true to who I was and continue to push myself and others and put the naysayers behind me which has led me to where I am today. I continue to take the risk everyday of staying true to me and pushing hard for results.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

In my free time I compete in cowboy mounted shooting at a national level and spend most weekends year around traveling the country competing in the sport I love.

What is the best quality for successful leaders in Risk?

Resilience leadership, meaning always being flexible and adapting to change while maintaining the ability to be passionate about what you believe in and continuing to push forward.