Biography
Hilary leads the advancement and promotion of third-party risk management best practices and solutions through thought leadership, subject matter expertise, and support for Venminder’s customers, Marketing, Sales, and Third-Party Risk divisions. Hilary has served as a senior leader for over 20 years, working in operations management, and risk management roles, with an emphasis on third-party risk. Hilary successfully built, improved, and managed enterprise-wide third-party risk management frameworks and programs for leading financial services companies. She has designed and developed training materials, reference guides, desk-top procedures, job aids, checklists, and templates for a full spectrum of learning environments and learners as well as personally trained hundreds of third-party risk managers, vendor relationship managers, and vendors.
Leadership Characteristics
"As a naturally curious individual, I constantly seek to expand my knowledge and learn new things. Sometimes, this means saying, "I don't know, let's find out together." Or recognizing that collaborating with others is critical to finding the best solution. I want to lead by example, and by admitting my own limitations, I can create a safe environment where others feel comfortable embracing a mindset of continuous improvement and growth. I also adhere to the principle that is its unnecessary to cling to a mistake just because it’s yours. If something isn't working, don't waste time agonizing; put your energy into fixing it instead."
Leadership Challenges
"I am a huge fan of simplicity and practicality, anything that is over engineered or needlessly complex frustrates me. Throughout my career, I have frequently been given instructions to implement processes or initiatives that didn't seem to be thoroughly planned out or well considered beforehand. I haven't always found it easy to navigate these situations but learning which battles to fight can be a game-changer. While some may see pushing back as problematic, I've found that sometimes you must trust your instincts and speak up vs. going along to get along. Honestly, it took a fair amount of time and numerous failed attempts before I was able to correctly identify which battles were worth fighting and how to approach them more constructively. This involved adopting a collaborative mindset, respecting the opinions and views of others, and focusing on achieving the best possible outcome, even if that isn't the outcome I most prefer."
Key Take-a-ways
"Interestingly, the challenges and demands of TPRM can feel painfully familiar to women who have been subjected to traditional gender roles that frequently demand rampant multitasking, a lot of emotional labor, and constantly attending to the needs of others while attempting to balance life's demands. Non-TPRM professionals often find it challenging to comprehend the intricacy of this practice. TPRM professionals are not only expected to be experts in risk management but also excel in process design, project management, relationship management, analysis, and regulatory compliance. And undertake additional other unofficial responsibilities such as being an auditor, facilitator, teacher, coach, and sometimes even a counselor. And as much as I hate gender stereotypes and do my best to avoid perpetuating them, it is a fact that many women, me included, have encountered significant obstacles in the workplace. These challenges often involve being undervalued, overworked, underrepresented, and lacking access to essential resources to perform their jobs effectively. Although TPRM can be a challenging job, as a woman it presented me with the unexpected and somewhat rare opportunity to work with a broad range of stakeholders and demonstrate my diverse skillset every day. There were always problems to solve, which meant there were plenty of opportunities to succeed. And it’s worth noting that the responsibility and accountability that comes with being a TPRM practitioner increased my visibility, often to key decision makers and senior leadership. Considering how difficult it can be for women to succeed in corporate America, if I had understood just how much TPRM would enhance my personal growth, accelerate my career trajectory, and improve my opportunities, I would have pursued the TPRM path much sooner."
Fun Fact
"I recently moved to a new city and had been looking for new and interesting ways to become involved in my local community. As a history enthusiast who loves spooky stories, I’m delighted that I have been recruited to research, write, and lead a weekly history and ghost tour to raise funds to preserve the town’s historic cemetery."