Role models are important in developing a career path.  In this section we present women who have achieved high levels of success and influence in their career and personal life.  They are committed to women's leadership issues and helping others through mentoring and sponsorships and are truly great role models.

Martha Boudreau

EVP, AARP

Martha Boudreau is AARP’s chief communications & marketing officer and is a leader in the communications industry.  She brings a wealth of expertise in national and international communications strategies with previous roles as president of the mid-Atlantic region and Latin America for FleishmanHillard, a leading global communications consulting firm. As a member of the global management committee, she was a key figure in growing the firm’s presence in the Middle East and its expansion into Latin America. Martha has also represented FleishmanHillard at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, and was an active participant in regional WEF events as well as the forum’s Global Gender Parity program.

“My career has benefited enormously from key mentoring relationships which, in turn, cemented my own belief in the importance of serving as mentor to other women.  In some cases, I had formalized mentor relationships while at other moments, I mentor through situation specific advice, encouragement during a difficult time or an unvarnished piece of advice.  I believe women create networks differently from men and often women hesitate to build out women-specific leadership traits.  I have found that mentoring relationships create a safe environment for helping other women build their confidence as they create the path forward in their careers.”

Nicky Goren

President & CEO, Meyer Foundation

Nicky Goren is president and CEO of the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, which pursues and invests in solutions that build an equitable Greater Washington community in which economically vulnerable people thrive.  Prior to joining the Meyer Foundation, Nicky served for four years as president of Washington Area Women’s Foundation, which focuses on increasing the economic security of women and girls in the DC region. Her earlier career included senior level roles at the Corporation for National and Community Service—the nation’s largest grant maker supporting service and volunteering

“I have been fortunate in my career to have great mentors and bosses who invested in me – some were men and some were woman. They modeled for me the kind of leadership to which I could aspire. As a woman leader who is focused on advancing equity – in the workplace and in the world -- I believe in leading from a place of caring and compassion, supporting members of my team to achieve their potential, and hopefully passing on what I learned from the great mentors in my life.”

Hilary Provinse

EVP & Head of Mortgage Banking, Berkadia

Hilary is an EVP and Head of Mortgage Banking at Berkadia, where she manages a team of 134 mortgage bankers in 29 offices around the country. Previously, Ms. Hilary was Senior Vice President and Head of Customer Engagement at Fannie Mae, where she was responsible for managing all of Fannie Mae’s multifamily production activities and customer relationships, including the Delegated Underwriting and Servicing (DUS) lending platform, Structured Transactions, Seniors Housing, Affordable Housing, Small Loans and Borrower relationships. Earlier in her career, Hilary spent 10 years in public finance investment banking, working for Goldman Sachs & Co. and Bear Stearns & Co. in New York. 

“Commercial Real Estate and Financial Services have historically been male dominated industries. From my years working on Wall Street in the 1990s, through my leadership roles in real estate today, I have been committed to growing, mentoring and encouraging women in these businesses.  We are fighting the good fight and making progress but not nearly quickly enough.  I am optimistic however that change is possible if we keep pushing.  I’ve been fortunate enough to benefit from the mentorship of others throughout my career, so I am committed to serving as a voice for women in the Commercial Real Estate industry.”