A Hispanic Heritage Month letter from

Ana Chadwick

Experienced Public Company CFO & LiveGirl Board Member

Letter to a Girl is a LiveGirl series featuring honest letters from women leaders to the girls who may need their words most. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15), Ana Chadwick writes about family, culture, opportunity, and learning that you do not have to choose between where you come from and where you are going.

Querida Niña Bonita,

The sooner you embrace the best of both worlds, the more authentic and confident you will be, and the faster your bright future will begin.

World 1: Family Comes First

Family is everything. Never forget the lessons of community, values, and faith. You will carry these deeper within you than most, and that is a true asset.

Listen to and learn from the wisdom your parents, abuelos, tíos, and padrinos have to offer. Commit to being a lifelong learner: study hard, stay curious, and emulate the role models you admire.

Many girls aspire to be like their mom. In your case, that means a housewife with a beautiful family who passed strong family values down to her two daughters. You do not know it yet, but you can have multiple aspirations, so dream BIG.

During your junior year in college, you will meet your boyfriend, who will become your husband of over 30 years. I clearly remember when he asked about your post-graduation plans and you replied, “I want to work for a few years, get married, have a family, and be a housewife like my mom.”

This is where the best of both worlds come together.

World 2: It Is Okay to Fly Away from the Nest

It is okay to fly away from the nest, seek opportunities, and embrace discomfort.

Expand your circle and learn from the new people you meet and admire, including friends, professors, work colleagues, bosses, and mentors. As you enter new environments, you may feel insecure at times. This is normal, and the faster you embrace the discomfort, the more you will learn and contribute.

A small example is for those of us who have an accent. Spend time concentrating on the meaning and power of the messages you have to communicate, and do not worry about your accent. Once you have important things to communicate, your accent can become your superpower because it makes people listen more closely.

Because you have always been great at learning through observation, your career will blossom quickly. At work, you will realize you can do what your manager does. Once you become a manager, you will see you can do what your boss’s boss does. You will learn to say to yourself, “I belong here, too.”

Always seek feedback and mentors. They will teach you that taking educated risks leads to great rewards, satisfaction, and happiness.

Yes, you can absolutely have the best of both worlds.

You can stay rooted in family, community, values, and faith while also seeking new opportunities, embracing discomfort, and growing into the person you are meant to become.

Surround yourself with family, friends, colleagues, and mentors who will push you to be better.

With love,
Ana

About Ana Chadwick

Ana Chadwick is a C-suite financial executive, public company CFO, senior advisor, and board member. She has held leadership roles across Pitney Bowes, General Electric, GE Capital, and Insulet Corporation, and currently serves as a Director on Dollar General’s Board and Chair of its Audit Committee.

Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ana has built a global career across finance, operations, and leadership, with experience in more than 35 countries, including time living in Switzerland and Mexico. She has also been active in nonprofit leadership supporting the Hispanic & Women’s Network, Norwalk Community College Foundation, and LiveGirl.

Ana received her BA in Economics and Business Administration from American University. She and her husband, Tomas, have four children.