Women's History Month Colleague Spotlight: Aliki Katinas

Our company is shaped by the contributions of so many talented women every day. During Women’s History Month, we’re partnering with our Empowered Women at Actalent employee resource group to highlight a few of our women colleagues and their career journeys. Today we hear from Aliki Katinas , controller. Read on to learn more about her story and the marker moments that have shaped her career.

Are there any women leaders who have inspired you in your career journey?

There have been so many. Two women leaders I’d like to highlight are my mom and my sister. My mom worked alongside my dad as a restaurant owner for 30 years. She taught me the value of hard work, resilience, and taking care of your people. My sister has faced adversity throughout her life, but never let it get in her way. She taught me how to get back up when you fall and to allow the bumps and bruises to become part of your story.

Have there been any marker moments or stories that have helped shape your career?

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) very early in my finance career. I was fearful this diagnosis would get in the way of my goal to continue to advance within finance and one day become a CFO. I thought to myself, “Not only am I a woman in a male dominated department, but now this.” My leadership did not let this stop me in my tracks, but instead provided me with professional opportunities to make decisions and solve problems. The best thing they ever did was allow me to make mistakes, which has helped me develop my confidence and competence as a leader. I, and most women, need to know it’s okay to not be perfect.

How does someone show up as an ally for women in the workplace?

Women need to be seen and heard in the workplace. One way to show up as an ally is to provide us public advocacy and recognition. A great ally doesn’t wait until a meeting ends to tell us they appreciated our perspective. Amplify our voices and ideas IN THE MOMENT! Another way to show up as an ally is to listen and learn from our experiences. Asking this very question is a great starting point.