Sandra Lopez Rivera is a Senior Auditor at Travelers in New Britain, Connecticut. Much of her success she credits to the support of her mother and mentors throughout her career. Lopez Rivera grew up surrounded by family members who were professionals in the accounting field and developed an early passion for it. Her mother’s dream job was accounting, and it became Lopez Rivera’s as well. She got inspiration from her high school teachers at New Britain High School NAF Academy of Business and Finance who offered her practical learning and networking opportunities, which assisted her in getting a full scholarship and her first job.

Lopez Rivera realizes that she got unique opportunities along the journey to success but knows many others, especially women and minorities, face barriers preventing them from making strides forward in professions like accounting and finance. Within an industry where females only account for 34 percent of its employees and are oftentimes lacking within leadership ranks, Lopez Rivera is dedicated to altering that narrative. Of the 107 largest financial institutions in the United States, only six are headed by women, and that gap – between genders and races – is massive.

Having had a role model in her mother, she wants similar support for others, most especially from women of color. She emphasizes the importance of mentorship and sponsorship in helping individuals navigate their careers. Her experiences at the NAF Academy and with mentors at Travelers have shaped her understanding of the critical role of guidance and connections in career progression.

Through her own efforts, Lopez Rivera is working to open doors for others by offering career advice, sharing opportunities, and making introductions to influential contacts.

According to Lopez Rivera, sponsorship plays the key role in closing all gaps related to gender and race in finance. Statistics clearly indicate that only 21% of Latino/Hispanic employees have a sponsor in their workplace, in contrast to this sponsorship benefit, which really pushes the careers forward. She has worked closely with many people through mentoring and sponsoring, understanding firsthand how a mentor and/or sponsor can make huge differences in people’s professions and their ascension and flowering in those chosen fields.

Lopez Rivera is committed to mentoring and sponsoring “the underrepresented in finance” toward an inclusive and friendly culture in which future generations can shine. With these efforts, she will shape a sustainable network of professionals who will further sponsor each other up the career ladder.