Kathryn
Kaminsky
Chief Commercial Officer at PwC US
"Navigating the C-Suite as a Working Mother: Making work-life choices"
"Navigating the C-Suite as a Working Mother: Making work-life choices"
Don’t miss out and join visionaries, innovators, and thought leaders from all over the world at the Women in Tech Global Conference.
Vote by Sharing
Unite 100 000 Women in Tech to Drive Change with Purpose and Impact.
Do you want to see this session? Help increase the sharing count and the session visibility. Sessions with +10 votes will be available to career ticket holders.
Please note that it might take some time until your share & vote is reflected.
Session: Navigating the C-Suite as a Working Mother: Making work-life choices
The demands of motherhood are challenging enough, but how do you navigate the complexities of the C-Suite while also managing a family? Kathryn Kaminsky, Chief Commercial Officer at PwC, is not only a seasoned executive but also a mother of three who commuted from California to New York every week for over seven years to achieve her professional goals.In this session, Kathryn will share her personal journey and how, for her, it’s not about achieving perfect work-life balance—which can be elusive—but about making deliberate choices that align with values and long-term goals. She will discuss the unique challenges women face as they pursue leadership positions while raising a family, and how women often they have to work harder to prove themselves. Kathryn will delve into her experiences working in a male-dominated industry, where technical skills, relationship management and the courage to speak up are essential to earning a seat at the table—regardless of gender.
The foundation for her perspective is based on a pivotal moment when she had to make a decision that would impact not only her life at PwC, but her personal life as well. Living in New York, Kathryn was on track to meet her career goals when her husband was offered his dream job, which happened to be in California. It was clear that the location Kathryn worked in would make a difference to getting her dream client, a major bank. Through soul-searching and deep conversations with her family and mentors, she chose to commute weekly between coasts—a commitment that allowed her to achieve her professional aspirations without sacrificing her role as a mother. Join Kathryn to learn how you can view work and life as complementary parts of a whole, where the skills and support from one can enhance and uplift the other.
Key Takeaways
- Deliberate decision-making: Learn how making informed, deliberate choices that align with personal values and long-term professional goals is more sustainable than chasing the elusive "work-life balance."
- Navigating career progression in a male-dominated industry: Technical skills and expertise, building strong relationships and the courage to speak up are essential tools for breaking through gender barriers.
- The power of mentoring: Mentoring plays a critical role in leadership development. Kathryn will share how being both a mentor and a mentee has shaped her journey, providing valuable insights, support and opportunities for growth.
Bio
Kathryn is a 31-year PwC veteran whose biggest passion is serving clients. She is a trusted advisor to many and brings extensive experience in business transformation, complex accounting, regulatory and strategic business matters, and tech-led innovation. She has deep experience leading engagement teams to deliver quality and help clients meet their financial reporting, regulatory, and transformation needs.Most recently, Kathryn served as the Vice Chair and Co-Leader of Trust Solutions, where she brought together the firm’s combined Audit, ESG, Digital Assurance and Tax Reporting capabilities to help clients as they seek to build trust with their stakeholders. Prior to that, Kathryn served as the firm’s Tax Leader where she worked with clients to shape business strategy through an understanding of the impact tax events can have on an organization’s goals, as well as the opportunities policy changes can present for cross-functional efficiencies.
Kathryn is a certified public accountant in New York and New Hampshire and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Western Ontario. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and serves on the board of the Ronald McDonald House New York. She is a wife and mother of three and proud of her Canadian roots. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her boys and is an avid snowboarder and hiker, as well as a Pilates enthusiast.
