From mortgages to money mindset, these women are redefining wealth, leadership, and financial power
By Tina Kapp-Kailea
Women were taught to be careful with money. To budget. To save. To ask nicely. To wait. But no one ever taught us how to claim it. The women featured in this Top 10 Women in Finance feature aren’t here to whisper about wealth or apologize for ambition. They are here to make the damn money, and to change how money is experienced, accessed, and owned by women everywhere.
Our January theme asks a bigger question than income alone. It asks how women are rewriting the rules around earning, selling, investing, borrowing, leading, and building wealth in systems that were never designed with them in mind. These women come from vastly different backgrounds: mortgage brokers, financial coaches, wealth planners, budgeting experts, trauma-informed money mentors, and industry disruptors.
What unites them is not just financial expertise. It is courage, integrity, and a refusal to play small. They do not simply move money.
They make money feel safer.
They translate complexity into clarity.
They advocate when systems fail.
They empower when fear takes over.
They understand that money is never just about numbers. It is about confidence. Choice. Safety. Power. And legacy.
This list celebrates women who sell with integrity, lead with empathy, and build wealth without abandoning their values. These are the women changing finance from the inside out.
a) Raimonda Jankunaite – Founder & Editor-in-Chief
Strengthening women’s economic power requires both personal action and collective pressure:
Know your worth and negotiate it. Equal pay doesn’t happen by accident.
Build assets, not just income. Property, investments, and business equity create long-term security.
Support policies that support women. Affordable childcare, equal-pay enforcement, and better protections for caregivers are economic necessities, not “women’s issues”.
Normalise talking about money. When women share knowledge, everyone rises.
b) Ariane De Bonvoisin – Elite Coach, Global Speaker and Entrepreneur
Ariane de Bonvoisin is a bestselling author, international speaker, entrepreneur, and change optimist whose work resonates deeply with high-achieving leaders and CEOs navigating the pressures of success and personal growth. A former venture capitalist, she built a varied career across media and consulting after completing her MBA at Stanford.
Ariane is a recognised expert in leadership, change, and personal transformation. She has spoken and coached at global organisations including Google, Twitter, Morgan Stanley, Amazon, Nestlé, Red Bull, KPMG, L’Oréal, and the World Bank, delivering practical tools for resilience, energy management, and leading through transition.
Her message has reached audiences worldwide through keynote appearances at Oprah’s Conference, Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference, the Multimillion Dollar Roundtable, and international conferences. She has also appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CNN, CBS Early Show, and ABC News.
She currently coaches unicorn founders and CEOs, venture capital partners, C suite executives, and athletes across the US and Europe. Her 9 Principles of Change workshop is a cornerstone of her work and has received widespread acclaim. Ariane also writes for leading publications and believes deeply that success and fulfilment can coexist.
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram |
c) Lesley Thomas – Money Coach, Mentor, Money Behaviour Expert and Educator
I am the founder of The Money Confidence Academy and a leading voice on financial self trust and money identity. With deep expertise in money mindset coaching and practical financial empowerment, I support women in rebuilding a confident relationship with money so they can lead their families and businesses with clarity and resilience.
I work with ambitious professional women and forward thinking organisations to address the emotional patterns and behaviours beneath financial decision making. Through my signature frameworks and transformative coaching methods, I enable clients to become financially self led and empowered in both work and life.
My bestselling book ‘Parents Let’s Talk Money’, was shortlisted by Investing Insiders for Personal Finance Book 2025. My mission is driven by the belief that every financial legacy begins at home and every parent has the power to model a healthier money future for their children. I’m known for my fearless messaging and warm mentoring style, blending emotional intelligence with actionable financial clarity.
I focus on identity, behaviour, and emotional conditioning, working at the root level where money beliefs and generational patterns are formed shaping a new conversation about money, trust, emotional honesty, and personal leadership.
Website | Linkedin | Instagram |
d) Jayde Lees – Mortgage Broker
I have built my work around one clear mission: to make home loan advice simple, supportive, and truly tailored to each client’s life. As a mortgage professional serving the Macedon Ranges and Sunbury communities, I specialise in helping millennial families, particularly busy mums, feel confident, informed, and in control of their home-buying journey.
I make the home loan process clear, empowering, and human. Through transparent communication, ethical advice, and a strong focus on client education, I model integrity, leadership, and empowerment in every interaction. I transform overwhelm into confidence, such as helping young families understand their loan options in simple terms so they can buy their first home with certainty. I work closely with single millennial mums, supporting them to secure a family home and feel empowered throughout the process.
Beyond my clients, I am a trusted ear and support for other women in the industry who are navigating business, industry, or personal challenges. I offer genuine care, guidance, and encouragement without expectation.
What I bring to this industry is clarity, compassion, and a people first approach that puts real lives, not transactions, at the centre of every decision.
Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram |
e) Karla Ukman – Financial Advisor, Planner and Coach
Karla Ukman is a Wealth Planner, Advisor, and the Founder of Artemis Wealth Management, a firm built to challenge the financial system and equip people with the clarity, strategy, and education they were never given but always deserved.
With more than 12 years of experience, Karla is known for her bold, research-driven, and deeply human approach to wealth planning. She blends technical expertise with a strong understanding of the emotional and behavioral side of money, helping clients build wealth with intention and confidence.
Growing up without generational wealth and navigating early financial hardship, Karla learned firsthand how the system was not designed for those outside traditional wealth circles.
Later, as she advanced in corporate America and sought guidance, she was dismissed and underestimated, told she did not have enough money and encouraged to talk to her husband or father. That moment became the catalyst for her work.
Karla works with women, first-generation wealth builders, and families who want a more intentional and informed approach to building and protecting wealth. By integrating mindset, behavioral coaching, and fiduciary strategy, Karla provides the kind of financial partnership many women have historically been denied.
Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram |
f) Sarah Hayes – Embodied Wealth Coach
I am a trauma-informed financial coach who supports women in transforming their relationship with money through nervous system regulation, breathwork, and intuitive financial strategy.
My Embodied Wealth Method™ empowers clients to make confident, aligned financial decisions without overwhelm or burnout. I bridge traditional finance with emotional and nervous system regulation, transforming how women relate to money. With over 20 years in the financial industry, I help women move out of survival mode and into Embodied Wealth, where financial decisions feel clear, grounded, and aligned. My work especially supports neurodivergent women and mothers who need a calmer, more accessible way to build sustainable wealth.
I demonstrate integrity by being transparent, grounded, and honest in how I teach and support women with their finances. Leadership, for me, looks like modelling regulated decision making and showing that clarity, calm, and emotional safety are powerful financial tools. I empower women to trust themselves, understand their numbers, and make aligned choices that support both wellbeing and long-term goals.
I have created real impact by introducing a nervous system led approach to financial wellbeing, helping women move from survival mode into empowered, sustainable wealth.
Allie was raised in a small business-owning, blue-collar family and understands the value of perseverance, integrity, and community. She brings these values into her work, offering expert financial guidance to business owners who want to grow with confidence.
Valuing community over competition, Allie is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs with practical strategies and clear financial insight, delivered with a personal touch. She knows that behind every business is a dream and believes every entrepreneur deserves professional support and guidance to succeed.
After losing her job due to COVID-19 shutdowns, Allie built a business as a single mom in a one-bedroom apartment. Five years later, she has grown a multifaceted bookkeeping and tax accounting practice that supports everyday working-class people so they feel confident and truly supported.
Allie serves as a board member for Women in Business CT, helping female entrepreneurs who feel confused, alone, or unsure as they start or operate their businesses.
In an industry often focused on production and sales, Allie pushes the envelope with a client-based approach. She prioritizes both financial and mental health, always showing up day or night to help business owners feel less alone.
Website | Instagram | Facebook |
h) Rebecca Davis – Tax Professional
Rebecca Davis is a Dallas-based tax professional, business strategist, and financial advocate with over 20 years in the finance industry. As CEO of TaxTyme Express and founder of Rebecca Davis Enterprises, she has built a multi six figure portfolio grounded in one purpose: helping people truly understand money so they can build sustainable wealth, not just survive tax season.
From a single brick and mortar office, Rebecca has supported nearly 1,000 taxpayers and entrepreneurs to clean up financial mistakes, keep more of their money, and develop healthier long-term habits. She is known for translating complex tax strategy into clear, practical guidance that creates real change, particularly for underserved and overlooked communities.
Beyond her client work, Rebecca mentors and trains new tax professionals through her TaxTyme Tax Academy and serves as Director of Regional Strategy for the Association of Black Tax Professionals, strengthening the industry through education and leadership. Her Unmute Yourself movement and visibility challenges empower women to own their voice, charge their worth, and take confident action in business and finance.
Rebecca’s impact goes far beyond refunds. She builds confidence, capability, and legacy, proving that access to the right information can transform not just finances, but futures.
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn |
i) Carrie-Ann Mclean – Author, Speaker, Budgeting Coach
Carrie-Ann McLean is an author, speaker, and budgeting coach who teaches everyday people how to break free from debt and build healthier, happier money habits. After rebuilding her own life from addiction, debt, and homelessness, she now empowers others through her book Budget Right, her 70/10/10/10 method, workshops, and coaching.
What sets Carrie-Ann apart is that she teaches money from lived experience, not theory. She shares the budgeting systems that helped her recover in a way that feels simple, safe, and genuinely achievable. Her compassionate, practical, and honest approach helps people feel seen, supported, and hopeful about money again. Carrie-Ann leads by example and with transparency, openly sharing the hardest parts of her journey without shame.
She believes real leadership starts with honesty and that people are allowed to start exactly where they are. Through her workshops and coaching, she breaks money down into bite-sized, judgement- free steps, celebrating small wins and building confidence along the way.
A finalist in the 2025 Celebrate Women Real and Relatable Voice Award, Carrie-Ann blends financial education with emotional wellbeing. She does not just teach budgeting. She helps people rewrite their money story with compassion, confidence, and hope.
Website | Facebook | Instagram |
j) Ella Rivkin – Accountant and Business Owner
She is widely described as a wonderful, deeply knowledgeable woman whose discipline and hard work cannot go unnoticed.
A self-built woman who started from nothing, Ella consistently inspires others through her videos, generosity, and openness.
People often speak of how she always answers questions, shares her knowledge freely, and shows up with positivity and integrity. She has sent her book to women at no cost, created jobs, and donated items to nonprofit organisations during COVID, quietly giving back without seeking recognition.
Ella’s story reminds women that success is possible even if you were not born into wealth. She embodies the truth that women can help other women succeed, no matter their starting point or circumstances. Her consistency, generosity, and belief in others make her a powerful inspiration.
At the heart of her work is a deep mission to make money feel safer in women’s bodies. Too many women were raised with fear, shame, or pressure around money, and those patterns still shape financial decisions today.
Ella’s work focuses on breaking that cycle, helping women experience money with regulation, clarity, and confidence. When women change their relationship with money, they change it not only for themselves, but for the generations that follow.
k) Annette Jordan – Mortgage MatchMaker
Meet Ms. Mortgages, Annette Jordan, a trailblazing mortgage broker, single mum, and foster mum making homeownership simpler, fairer, and more human.
Annette Jordan, widely known as Ms. Mortgages, transforms the lending experience into one that is empowering, transparent, and client first. She goes beyond broking to advocate fiercely for her clients, especially women, single parents, and families who feel overlooked by traditional lenders. Her expertise, empathy, and ethical approach redefine what financial service can be.
Annette leads with honesty, compassion, and integrity. She earns standard commissions from lenders and does not accept referral fees or incentives from third party providers, ensuring any negotiated benefits flow directly to her clients. Even as a newer broker, she intentionally challenges industry norms and fosters a culture of ethical, client-focused practice.
Annette uplifts and empowers clients through education, clarity, and advocacy in moments that can feel overwhelming. In one case, she protected first home buyers from a hidden special levy, prioritising their long-term security over closing a sale.
As a mum, Annette champions women navigating financial independence.
