FDIC-Insured - Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. GovernmentCelebrating the Women Who Work for Liberty
March is Women’s History Month, making it the perfect time to share stories and words of wisdom from inspiring women who work for Liberty Bank.
Nearly 61 percent of Liberty’s teammates are women, and Audra Hamel and Fanita Borges are two of them. Successful and confident, Audra and Fanita have had different life experiences, but ultimately both recognize how working for the Bank, and the support they receive, has helped them grow and get ahead in the workplace.
Audra, the Bank’s Chief Marketing Officer, has been part of Team Liberty for 25 years, working her way up from Senior Market Analyst to her current role. Even in a prior position at another company, Audra says she has always been fortunate to have supportive people in her life – including her family, work managers and mentors.
Every step forward came from a combination of great support, dedication and determination.
Audra says she has a strong work ethic and feels it has been beneficial for her to continually make a conscious effort to be present and purposeful, as there is always something to learn. She values supporting her team and working alongside others to move ideas forward. Audra said she is naturally motivated to challenge herself, always looking for ways to elevate the impact of the team and make a difference.
Fanita’s career path wasn’t as linear. As a minority and as a woman, she has experienced her share of setbacks and struggles over the years, but she has not let that stop her. She’s always propelled forward, landing at Liberty in 2021.
Fanita, who is Liberty’s Mortgage Sales Manager, said she started at Liberty a little jaded. Fresh off a disappointing work experience, Fanita said it took her a little time to realize the support she was receiving from Liberty’s leaders and her teammates was genuine and invaluable.
Fanita got to where she is by working hard and advocating for herself. She learned that hard work was the key to success from her mother, a single mom who worked two jobs and did not speak English well. Fanita said her mother, and her mother’s friends, relied on her to advocate for them. “It became a huge part of who I am as a person,” she said.
Audra and Fanita: two different women with different stories. However, they arrive at many of the same conclusions.
To succeed, finding mentors and building strong relationships with teammates and organizational leaders is important. These mentors will believe in you and help you navigate your career, said Audra, who now takes great pride in mentoring others. “Doing it for someone else is so rewarding,” she said.
Fanita echoes Audra’s comments. Get involved in professional committees, meet people and maintain those relationships, she said. “It’s a lot about who you know,” Fanita said.
Having the support of your organization’s leaders is also instrumental, the two women say, At Liberty, they describe Bank leaders as open and great partners. Leaders are rooting for you, they say, adding that the entire Bank is filled with people who show up and do things because they care. “It’s a special place,” Audra said. “We show up. It’s authentic.”
What else do these two Liberty teammates tell those following in their footsteps or trying to blaze their own trails?
Fanita recommends asking yourself the following questions: Where do you see yourself? What are you trying to gain? She adds that job applicants should do their homework before interviewing for a position. Get to know the place where you want to work, and recognize that nothing is permanent, she said, explaining that you can try a job out for a year or two to see if it is a good fit.
“Try to learn as much as you can,” Audra says. “We are each on our own path. Don’t worry about whether someone else’s path is different than yours. Make choices that reflect your hopes and not your fears.”