In Celebration of International Women’s Day: Get to Know Katherine Rojo

In the past weeks, we have celebrated International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month by highlighting several female voices who make up the Jeanne D’Arc team. Throughout the month we will highlight Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Robin Lorenzen, Vice President-Branch Administration, Kate Dame, Vice President-Commercial Lending, Kara Doyle, Vice President Member Contact Center, Anexis Sanchez, Branch Officer, Gaby Regan, Assistant Branch Manager, Runny Huoth, and Operational Risk Specialist, Katherine Rojo as they share with us their professional journey, advice they would give to their younger self, valuable lessons they’ve learn along the way, and more.

Today, we spotlight Katherine Rojo, Operational Risk Specialist.

What was your journey that led you to join Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union?

My journey that led me to joining Jeanne D’Arc, again, as an Operational Risk Specialist started with a deep interest in understanding risks within the operational processes. Through my academic background and experience, I developed a keen eye for identifying potential vulnerabilities. I loved the culture here when I worked as a teller in 2020, and joining again in this role was a new and exciting opportunity to apply my skills and learn more.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

One piece of advice I would give my younger self is to not be afraid or pay attention to what other people may think of you, that holds you back from going after what you want in life. I used to always overthink doing many things that I wanted to do because I was afraid of what people would think of me and was afraid of not being able to fit in until I joined VibeCo. If I never pushed myself to join this cycling studio, I wouldn’t have met and connected with so many wonderful people. This experience has introduced me to The Collective Studios! I am now creating a path for myself to become a cycling instructor in the future to inspire and connect with like-minded people, which is stepping out of my comfort zone and not letting that negative mindset I once had determine what I truly want for myself and going after it.

What are the most valuable lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned throughout my career is to never ever give up on pursuing your goals and to keep pushing yourself until you are able to accomplish whatever it is that you have been emotionally, mentally, and physically preparing for. With effective communication, continuous learning, and hard dedication, you are able to achieve a lot of things.

Have you drawn professional inspiration from other women? Tell us about someone personally or professionally who has inspired you.

There are multiple women who have truly inspired me all my life, but my mom has always been my biggest cheerleader and one of my biggest inspirations. I don’t give up easily and she is the reason behind it. Whether it is participating in something or being confident about something, she has always encouraged me to follow my dreams and never give up on myself, even when times get tough. Growing up, she would always say to me, “If you never try, you will never succeed”. She has taught me the importance of hard work and determination. Without my mom I wouldn’t be the strong and successful woman I am today.