This book contains advice and direction for women who are either seeking a career or who have already embarked on a career in financial services.  The book first aims to help the female reader gain clarity on her motivation in pursuing a career in finance. It then identifies potential gender-specific challenges that could create problems if she is unaware or unconscious to her surrounding work environment.  Lastly, it provides insights and exercises to develop a strategy for career accomplishment.

Written by a former Senior Financial Executive for several fortune 500 firms including M&M Mars, a Wealth Manager/Owner of a fee-only Registered Investment Advisory firm, and Professor of financial planning at the University of South Florida, the book will help women identify pitfalls, create game plans to transcend the limitations of their workplace cultures, and learn how to collaborate with their peers to create healthier work environments.

Told through personal stories, anecdotes from other women and academic research, Gender on Wall Street helps women identify the internal and external obstacles to their success.  This book will also provide a means of overcoming these obstacles through conscious engagement, personal reflection and strategy-building exercises at the conclusion of each chapter.  The reader will be guided into creating their own personal career planthe STAR planwhich will help them achieve career success.

Laura Mattia, PhD, MBA, CFP® is a professor, researcher, author and adviser. Her financial expertise is a unique combination of advanced financial degrees and certifications and over 30 years of financial leadership experience as a CFO/Controller for fortune 500 companies and Wall Street firms; as a Wealth Manager/Owner for individuals preparing for retirement, and as a Finance Professor at universities. Dr. Mattia is the founder of Womens Money Empowerment Network, a community of women engaged in mastering money to improve their lives.  The network provides education to women and mentorship to female financial advisers.  She hosts an internet radio show,Womens Money Empowerment Network with Laura Mattiaand she is the author of a financial news column and financial workbooks used to educate women.  Dr. Mattias workshops focus on teaching women how to make effective financial decisions and support female financial advisors to plan for success.  Her research explores the gender gap in financial literacy and in financial leadership. Dr. Mattia is also the Program Director of a newly created Personal Financial Planning Program at Muma College of Business, University of South Florida where she has designed the degree to train a new breed of competent and ethical financial advisors.  She received her Ph.D. in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University, a Masters in Business Administration in Accounting/Finance and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Montclair State University.  

Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: The Rewards of a Career in Finance.- Chapter 3: The Win for Financial Services.- Chapter 4: The Power of Your Beliefs.- Chapter 5: The Magic of Self-Confidence.- Chapter 6: The Prevalence of Unconscious Bias.- Chapter 7: The Gender Trap.- Chapter 8: The Pain of Isolation.- Chapter 9: The Fragility of the Female Network.- Chapter 10: Strategic Framework Build Your Brand.- Chapter 11: Technical Skills Fortify Your Brand.- Chapter 12: Advocacy Board Develop Your Brand.- Chapter 13: Relationships Share Your Brand.- Chapter 14: Conclusion.