Episode 279: The Value of Mentors, Transparency, and Diversity of Thought with Dominica Ribeiro, Chief Marketing and Distribution Officer at Breckinridge

Be Fearless, Be Bold, Be You. This is a mantra that Dominica Ribeiro shares with us in today’s podcast, and it is one that she herself has lived. Dominica started her career in finance when she walked into a firm after graduating high school and asked for a job. 27 years later, she is Chief Marketing and Distribution Officer at Breckinridge, a leading asset manager firm. Dominica is as wise as she is brilliant. She gained her fierce independence and work ethic from her mother who taught her to work hard and not to depend on anyone else for what you want.

Dominica shares how she nurtures the ideas of those around her at every level, and how her experience seeking mentors who don’t look like her, has paid dividends for her career.

She is a leader who is adept at building her own brand and is always focused on the positive. She shares how her dual roles of Executive and parent have taught her lessons about communication, negotiation, and strategy. We learned so much from this conversation and we hope you will too.

Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Dominica.

Highlights: [04:09] Leveraging data [06:36] When the data proves you wrong [09:16] Expressing your opinion no matter what your role [12:25] Dominica’s vision of being a leader [14:16] Building a brand [19:36] When your mentors don’t look like you [23:10] Finding confidence [27:21] What led Dominica down her career path [29:39] Habits of success [32:06] Dominica’s background and story [36:20] Lightning round questions

Quotes: “Be fearless, be bold, but be you.” - Dominica Ribeiro

“If you layer your opinion or thought process on top of the data, that is the power behind the decision or the conversation.” – Dominica Ribeiro

“I’ve never had somebody who looks and acts like me and has my experience be a mentor to me, and I think that’s the beauty of diversity of thought.” - Dominica Ribeiro

Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you? - “Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying? - “Leadership is not about being in charge, it’s about taking care of those in your charge.” – Simon Sinek

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself? - Mom, and empathetic.

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better? - Weekly therapy.

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage? - “Roar” by Katy Perry

About Dominica Ribeiro:

Dominica is Breckinridge’s chief marketing and distribution officer. In her role, she leads the firm’s strategic distribution, including sales and relationship management, as well as the marketing plans and initiatives. She is also a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. Dominica has been with the firm since 2020 and has over 27 years of industry experience.

Prior to Breckinridge, Dominica was head of institutional marketing at State Street Global Advisors where she was responsible for the development and execution of their overall marketing strategy. Campaigns focused on the promotion of State Street Global Advisors thought leadership, investment strategies, and gender diversity initiatives – notably, the Fearless Girl installation on Wall Street in New York City which helped raise awareness around the globe of the power of women in leadership, as well as the connection between increasing gender diversity on boards and long-term company performance.

She began her career at Putnam Investments where she spent five years before joining the marketing and communications team at Fidelity Investments where she rose from communication analyst to director of institutional marketing, and then to vice president of institutional marketing.

Dominica currently serves on the Board of Directors for Crispus Attucks Children's Center, a Boston-based childcare and development center, and as a Corporate Trustee for the Trustees of Reservations, the nation's oldest preservation and conservation organization. She also serves as a teen mentor for the Attleboro  Community Academy, a state accredited high school diploma program, which provides an alternative path to graduation for struggling students and high school dropouts. She is a member of 100 Women in Finance, Boston Women in Finance, Women in Pensions Network, and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA). She previously served on the leadership committee for the 50/50 Women on Boards Boston chapter. Dominica holds a B.S. and a M.S. in Business Management from Lesley University.

Links: Website: https://www.breckinridge.com/ LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominica-ribeiro/