In this Women’s History Month spotlight, ACA Vice President and Senior Counsel of Federal Advocacy Leah Dempsey shares her insights from working with women and men in the ARM industry at all levels of her career and those who have inspired her along the way.
03/14/2022 8:00 A.M.
6 minute read
Women make up a significant portion of the accounts receivable management industry’s (ARM) workforce, including as leaders, business owners and advocates. In recognition of Women’s History Month, ACA International is featuring some of those members as well as staff in ACA Daily.
Women’s History Month originated from a weekly national celebration in 1981. In 1987, Congress designated March as Women’s History Month to recognize the achievements of women in various U.S. career fields, according to The Library of Congress Women’s History Month website.
In this week’s spotlight, ACA’s Vice President and Senior Counsel of Federal Advocacy Leah Dempsey reflects on the accomplishments of women in the ARM industry and advocating in Washington, D.C., and women who have served as an inspiration during her career.
If you’re interested in learning more about networking, mentoring and events for women in the ARM industry, check out ACA’s Women in Collections Resource Council and its group on The Hub.
Q. What does Women’s History Month Mean to You?
A. I appreciate the special focus this month on the accomplishments of women throughout history. It is a remembrance, and in some cases a celebration, of some obstacles that our mothers and grandmothers faced and overcame. It is also a good reminder to pause in our everyday work and think about other advancements that still need to happen, and how we can support those.
Q. How do you celebrate and honor Women’s History Month on a personal level and/or at your company?
A. Over the past year it has been fun to be involved with the Women in Collections Resource Council (WICRC). During our last fly-in in Washington, D.C., we had a panel focused on the record number of Republican women elected to Congress, which several members of Congress joined. I have also worked to find opportunities for WICRC and other ACA members to participate in opportunities to get to know some of our women lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, as well as to highlight to Congress that our ARM industry workforce is 70% women. I have appreciated the opportunity to speak at several Women in Housing and Finance events and to be involved in other initiatives in Washington focused on the work of women in Congress and the financial services industry. The upcoming election has more diverse candidates than anytime in history, which is exciting to watch and be a part of.
Q. What ideas do you have for companies interested in embracing diversity and inclusion among your team and in the industry, both this month and year-round?
A. First and foremost, I think it is critical to be authentic. Some of the strongest supporters I know of women may not be the people that are using the newest lingo etc. but are people whose actions speak louder than words. I was recently inspired by two diverse keynote speakers at ACA’s Committee of 100 meeting, the first female leader of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Kathy Kraninger, and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. As an industry, I hope we will continue to work to hear from people with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives and that we will continue celebrating diversity. I also encourage all ARM industry women to attend our WICRC Water Cooler Chats. The group dives into a variety of important topics facing women in the industry and they are fun!
Q. What role do you see women playing in the ARM industry today?
A. Our industry is somewhat unique because it is predominantly women but the financial services industry in general is still male dominated, especially at the executive level. I am really proud to be part of this industry not only because there are so many women thought leaders and trailblazers, but also because there are a lot of men in our industry who have our backs and support the women in the industry.
Q. Who inspires you among women in history or in your life? Why?
A. I think I would probably need to take over ACA Daily for a full week for an exhaustive list, but I will name a few. In recent history, I would say watching Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, mother of seven, testify in her Supreme Court confirmation hearing was pretty remarkable, as well as the outpouring of support for the advancements made by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. My mom, a retired college professor, and my sisters, who are both college professors, created big shoes for me to fill not only through their achievements but by keeping life in perspective about what is most important.
In the ARM industry, there are far too many women that I have learned something from or been inspired by to name them all. However, Kim Phan and Lauren Valenzuela stick out because they are two friends I met early on when we were some of the youngest women lawyers in the room. It has been fantastic to watch them both become experts in the field and leaders over the past decade. I have also learned a lot, and continue to learn from, people like Lucia Lebens, Jane Luxton, and women serving on ACA’s Board of Directors, the WICRC and Federal Affairs Committee. I am also so impressed by ACA President-Elect Courtney Reynaud in all that she has already accomplished. Watching Sarah Auchterlonie testify in Congress was also a highlight of the past few years.
Q. What would you like to see for the future of women in the ARM industry and what can we as an industry do to help accomplish that?
A. I would like to continue to see more women get involved in ACA’s advocacy efforts, particularly those who may not yet be senior-level employees. I think all of us who are lucky enough to be in leadership positions need to make sure younger or more junior women get a seat at the table and help them to learn about opportunities to grow in their career. At ACA’s Group 50 meeting last fall in Washington, D.C., Jack Brown’s daughter, Liv, who is a student at George Washington University, came to an event at ACA for U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., who she was interning for at the time. It was inspiring to see someone so young already doing big things. Bianca Sabrkhani, who initially worked with Lucia Lebens and I in a junior role at ACA is another inspirational story. She kept moving up the ladder in each job she took and eventually went back to Florida and has had several executive level roles since then. I see this type of hard work pay off in D.C. all the time, but I also see women who are not getting the face time they deserve or the recognition for the hard work they do, and that is something we all need to keep working to eliminate.
Upcoming Events
The WICRC is hosting a monthly Water Cooler Chat on the second Thursday of the month. The Water Cooler Chat is organized as an uplifting, professional 30-minute networking event fueled by the WICRC. Take this opportunity to recharge by connecting with your industry peers, asking questions, getting feedback or just hanging out. Complete a one-time registration for the online event here.
Do you know a member you would like to see featured in ACA Daily’s Member Spotlight or Collector magazine’s Origin Story? Would you like to share your story? We are also looking to highlight our international members and new members of ACA. Simply reach out to our communications team at [email protected] with your ideas. We’d love to hear from you!
If you have executive leadership updates or other member news to share with ACA, contact our communications department at [email protected]. View our publications page for more information and our news submission guidelines here.