If we want to democratize finance, we need to start with practical initiatives. As women in the industry, what can we do to expand our reach to end-users or entrepreneurs who would be the last to embrace this technology? How can we improve our search for talent to cover universities and geographies that we wouldn’t normally look to?
Comparatively, there are relatively few women and people of color in the C-suite of blockchain companies or inside institutions leading their blockchain journey. According to a report by Deloitte, the global fintech founder community is still dominated by men, with women making up just 7% of the total pool. Women in tech are leaving at a 45% higher rate than men.
Shailee Adinolfi is the director of business development in the Americas at ConsenSys. Shailee works on central bank digital currencies, digital assets and blockchain-based consortia for trade and commerce globally. Prior to joining ConsenSys, she was the vice president at BanQu Inc., a decentralized digital identity and supply chain technology company. She spent over 10 years on USAID-funded projects in economic growth, trade, financial services and mobile payments in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. She has her Bachelor of Arts in business administration and Master of Arts in international affairs from American University.