FinTech Academic Program Director selected as Diversity and Inclusion Fellow
Amy Corn seeks to promote gender diversity within the financial services industry
The business case for cultivating a gender-diverse workforce is clear – it can lead to notable increases in profitability, better talent retention, creative problem solving, and product innovation.
While recruitment, hiring, retention, and advancement of diverse talent are often top priorities for organizations, progress has been slow, and women remain underrepresented across most industries globally.
As a progressive technology leader for more than 25 years, Amy Corn, academic program director for Georgia Tech’s fintech education program, has seen and experienced the direct impact of the lack of gender diversity.
Now, as one of 35 fellows for Georgia Tech’s Diversity and Inclusion Program, she’ll have the opportunity to identify primary pathways, workforce development, training, and career placement efforts to increase gender diversity in the financial services industry.
“We live in an environment where women account for 8% of the Fortune 500 CEOs and just over a quarter of the U.S. Congress,” noted Corn. “When I look reflect on my two-decade career in corporate environments, I experienced this statistic firsthand. Whether leading a team of 100 or ten, I was typically one of very few women senior leaders. We still have a long way to go, and I want to be part of that conversation.”
With support from Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the ADVANCE Program, the Diversity and Inclusion Fellows Program seeks faculty, staff, and students who share an interest in advancing their actions, research, or teaching objectives while improving inclusivity on campus, in industry and the community.
Running for the 2021-22 academic year, these fellows develop, implement, or evaluate initiatives based on their chosen area of emphasis. As part of the fifth cohort, Corn has chosen to focus her project on promoting gender diversity in financial technology, a focus area she believes is in direct alignment with Georgia Tech’s Strategic Plan.
“Georgia Tech is redefining what it means to be the leading public technological research university, but I would also love to see us as the nation’s leader in women graduates in technology-related fields,” said Corn. “My project will research and define the primary barriers to career advancement, identify opportunities for the Institute to act in overcoming these obstacles, and ultimately make a measurable impact in increasing diversity in the industry.”
In addition to her role at Georgia Tech, Corn also owns and operates her own consulting business, providing strategic resources for the financial industry. She is also an advocate for equity – often volunteering within her industry and local community, serving on several philanthropic and association-related boards, and participating as an active alumna of the Leadership Atlanta program.
Corn also seeks to expand her perspective on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workforce, having led conversations around diversity inclusion in finance and the power of diverse human capital.
“Women face barriers every day in career advancement, access to capital, and crossing boundaries to work in male-dominated jobs, particularly in STEM and financial services related fields,” she noted. “We must equip these professionals with the resources to navigate an industry that has not addressed DE&I efforts historically.”
As a collaboration between Georgia’s fintech industry and the University System of Georgia, Georgia Tech Professional Education (GTPE) is designing and developing FinTechU, a FinTech education program aimed at providing the required training to enter and be successful in the FinTech sector. Want to receive ongoing updates about Georgia Tech's new FinTech professional development program? Join our mailing list.
