From a former helicopter pilot to an emergency-room nurse, past winners of Markets Media Group’s Women in Finance Awards have taken very different paths to successful careers in financial services.

As Markets Media prepares for its 12th annual U.S. Women in Finance Awards on November 16, the stories of past winners show that there is no single route into the industry.

For Heather Burns, Senior Vice President at Jefferies and recipient of the 2025 Salute to Service award, that path began in the U.S. Army. Burns served as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot from 2002 to 2007 before pursuing an MBA at Notre Dame, where she became interested in sales and trading. She went on to build a career in electronic trading and securities lending, drawing on the discipline and experience gained during her military service.

Barbara Comly of Miami International Holdings (MIAX), winner of the 2024 Excellence in Regulation award, took a similarly unexpected route. Comly worked as an emergency-room nurse before becoming a securities lawyer and eventually moving into a senior leadership role at MIAX. Her career has included navigating complex regulatory issues and helping develop new market models.

For Carly Maher of Park Avenue Securities, the journey was one of working her way up. Maher started her career in the mailroom and eventually rose to Head of Wealth Management Strategy and Business Operations. The 2024 Excellence in Wealth Management winner has credited her willingness to take on new opportunities, whether she felt confident or not, as an important part of her success.

Meanwhile, Alba Cholula traces some of her early interest in trading to her childhood in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her mother owned a shoe store in a local market, where Cholula grew up watching her negotiate prices with customers. She later studied applied mathematics and joined Franklin Templeton Mexico in 2021. In 2025, she received the Excellence in Trading award at the inaugural Women in Finance Latin America Awards.

Although their backgrounds are very different, each found opportunities to apply her experiences and skills in financial services.

The Women in Finance Awards continue to recognize women across a wide range of disciplines and career stages. This year’s U.S. ceremony will take place on November 16 at Gotham Hall in New York City.