We know from extensive research, and our own experience as a firm, that diverse teams perform better and drive better business outcomes. But building a diverse team doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentional effort, starting even before the hiring process. Providing internship opportunities in an industry like financial services, which still struggles with a lack of diversity, helps students gain exposure to different career opportunities and lays the groundwork for our industry to build teams that bring diverse perspectives and experience and are positioned to adapt and thrive as our industry and the world around us change.
This summer, we were pleased to welcome four interns — Joel, Mawena, Neziah, and Tiambie — to our team through our partnership with The Posse Foundation. In addition to continuing the program in San Francisco, we were thrilled to have expanded the program to include interns in our Seattle office this year. With the help of The Posse Foundation, we focused on identifying four talented and motivated scholars selected from Posse’s diverse talent pool. We are grateful to Posse for their ongoing partnership and support.
We enjoyed welcoming Joel, Mawena, Neziah, and Tiambie into the Wetherby and Laird Norton Wealth Management family this summer and can’t wait to see where life takes them!
Joel
Joel Martinez is a rising senior at Babson College, where he is majoring in Business Administration. Originally from New York City, Joel discovered a love of hiking while in Seattle this summer, even climbing to the top of Paradise Trail on Mount Rainier.
You had a range of internships that you could have considered. What drew you to Wetherby and Laird Norton Wealth Management?
While I was going through the interview process, the firm seemed to genuinely care about my values and that they aligned with the firm. On campus I did a lot of work to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and people I met with described their work and passion for promoting DEI at the firm and how much care was put into the DEI program all over the firm.
What has been most interesting or meaningful? Is there anything that has surprised you?
The most interesting thing for me has been seeing how important impact investing is at the firm. I had a project looking into sustainable travel, and I enjoyed learning about how entrepreneurs and investors are taking huge leaps to make an entire industry become both profitable and environmentally sound.
What are your biggest takeaways from your time with us? Has anything changed your path going forward?
My biggest takeaway is how important it is to surround myself with a team that collaborates instead of being stuck competing with each other. The firm has established a great culture that’s supportive and collaborative. I was encouraged to make mistakes and ask questions, and each time I needed to be guided in the right direction, there was always someone to help and lead me the right way. It was like being a bench player with several coaches that wanted to encourage you to get into the starting position, helping you work on the things that might be your weaknesses and harness your strengths to give the strongest performance during the game.
What’s next for you?
I’ll be starting my senior year soon and am focused on increasing my financial analysis abilities to hopefully get a position after graduation at a firm that helps invest in companies that do good for our world. After this summer, I have a good sense of what I’m looking for in a team and a firm’s philosophy, and I want to refine my skills to be able to be a “starter” and not just a “bench player.”
Mawena
Mawena Tafa is a rising senior at Babson College, where she is majoring in Business Administration. Originally from New York, she loves making art and spending time at museums, thanks to her artist father. She’s also been ice skating since childhood and still loves it.
You had a range of internships that you could have considered. What drew you to Wetherby and Laird Norton Wealth Management?
One thing that really stood out was the fact that the firm had a lot of expertise in impact investing. It wasn’t something I was very familiar with, but as someone passionate about social justice and diversity, it’s been great to learn how that can be applied to investing.
What has been most interesting or meaningful? Is there anything that has surprised you?
I’m passionate about entrepreneurship, so learning about how the different parts of an organization work together to run the machine and seeing the firm’s inner works was eye-opening. Having the chance to work with trusts and learning about disability trusts and how they work was also incredibly interesting.
What’s next for you?
I’m heading back to campus for my senior year and plan on launching a start-up in the fall that uses college students to help provide childcare for families with school-age kids.
Neziah
Neziah Osayi is a rising senior at the University of Rochester, where he is majoring in Business with a focus in Accounting. Originally from the Washington D.C./Baltimore area, Neziah loves movies and a night at the theater. In fact, his first job in high school was at the movie theater he frequented while growing up.
You had a range of internships that you could have considered. What drew you to Wetherby and Laird Norton Wealth Management?
The culture, first and foremost. I could tell early on that what the firm does is in the service of others and wasn’t about selling or even just about a financial goal. It’s about helping clients. From the beginning of the interview process, I got the sense that people cared about who I am and what matters to me. I could tell this was a place where I could grow and be around people who care more about my personal development than what monetary value I could bring to the firm.
What has been most interesting or meaningful? Is there anything that has surprised you?
The people, particularly how helpful and open everyone was. It meant a lot to feel supported and be comfortable knowing that if I made a mistake, it was an opportunity to learn, not something I should hide. I was definitely surprised by just how varied people’s backgrounds were. It was so refreshing to see how many paths there are beyond just what you major in.
What are your biggest takeaways from your time with us? Has anything changed your path going forward?
Coming in, my goal was mainly to figure out what kind of job in finance I might want after graduation. Majoring in accounting, I thought I knew I was going to do something in that arena. Getting to know people at the firm and how diverse their backgrounds are made me start to think about how much success is really defined by you as an individual. There’s not one way to do it. I also realized just how much time I have ahead of me. For the last four years, my passion for financial literacy has been unwavering, and this fervor has been evident through my brand, “That’s Clearly Wealth.” The internship has ignited a spark within me to pursue my passion for establishing a production company dedicated to creating captivating, narrative-driven content about financial literacy tailored to young adult audiences.
What’s next for you?
With my senior year of college on the horizon, I’d say the biggest focus is to finish strong in my studies. I also want to expand the reach of “That’s Clearly Wealth” by training some of my friends in financial literacy and content creation, with the goal of having more of a positive impact on my campus! After this summer, I have no doubt that the sky is truly the limit in my life.
Tiambie
Tiambie Kone is a rising senior at Babson College, where he is concentrating in Finance and Economics. He is originally from New York. In his free time, he loves to play and watch basketball. He also enjoys being outdoors and seeing nature on hikes, especially during his time in the Bay Area.
You had a range of internships that you could have considered. What drew you to Wetherby and Laird Norton Wealth Management
I was drawn to wealth management because I really wanted to be able to combine my skills in finance with relationship building. The sense of community and family at the firm was noticeable from the beginning, and I appreciated that the end goal is ultimately to do what’s best for clients. You could tell that people on the team had genuine connections with each other and with clients.
What has been most interesting or meaningful? Is there anything that has surprised you?
Most interesting was discovering wealth management as a career path and seeing how all the different parts of the firm work together. Most meaningful would definitely have to be the people. I’ve been able to have so many conversations with people and take away so much insight. People really wanted to get to know me, and I know these are relationships I’ll continue to build as I move into my career.
What are your biggest takeaways from your time with us? Has anything changed your path going forward?
Where you start doesn’t necessarily determine where you end. So many people here started in completely different industries or careers, and they’ve been able to pivot and be successful. Everybody has their own journey, and if you want to be somewhere else, it’s always possible to shift your path. Your interests or your desires may change, and that’s fine as long as you’re moving forward.
I also really saw the importance of being proactive instead of reactive in situations like making a change in your career. You can sit back and wait for something to come to you, but if you want to take advantage of every opportunity, you need to step up and go for it and sometimes even create your own opportunities.
What’s next for you?
I’m headed back to campus and I’m hoping to spend my senior year narrowing down the direction I want my finance career to take. After graduation, I’m planning on traveling for a bit and enjoying what the world has to offer before focusing on my career.
