Power of Women: Leigh Ann Spear
AVP, Branch Officer
March honors Women’s History Month and we are excited to highlight all of the dynamic women in our Power of Women Employee Resource Group to draw attention to the deliberate action that we are taking as a group & as an institution to empower & uplift the women in our community.
Our goal is to be leaders & mentors at Berkshire Bank, and to also model a system of uplift & support for our entire Berkshire Bank community & the banking world at large.
Today we are celebrating Leigh Ann Spear.
How do you define a leader?
A woman who uses her influence to make a positive change in the lives of the people she is working with and for.
Who is your “Shero” one of the biggest influencers/mentor in your life and career? Why?
I don’t have one in particular. I’ve been influenced by all of the women in my life that have helped me along the way, both personally and professionally. We are all Sheroes to someone!
Can you recall a defining moment when you were mentored by your Shero or another woman? What did that experience teach you?
I was a new mother and also a branch manager and having difficulty balancing my career and family and I was very unhappy. As the graduate of a woman’s college, I felt an obligation to “have it all;” however, I didn’t feel very successful.
Another branch manager, Mary Lyons, counseled me saying that “Having it All” meant the ability to make a choice that was best for me and by doing that I gave myself power. I put my career on hold, raised my children for 17 years and have never regretted it.
How do you celebrate the women in your life?
I’m always aware of the how fortunate I am to be able to make my own choices. I celebrate and the women who paved that way and made that possible by never taking it for granted.
Where do you find your power?
I find my power in my ability to choose my own path and to encourage those around me to do the same.
The Power of Women (POW) employee resource group is a safe space for all people who identify as female and their allies. The goal of this ERG is to support women in the workplace by suggesting programming including mentoring and coaching, reviewing corporate communication efforts, elevating important topics to management and organizing celebratory events.
