Perspectives from the C-Suite: Women’s Leadership Panel

Perspectives from the C-Suite: Women’s Leadership Panel

In partnership with MassMutual, the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts presents a panel discussion as part of the Women’s Leadership Series on International Women’s Day 2021.

These leaders with vast experience in corporate industries and higher education will share their expert knowledge on how to lead with strength, resilience, and perseverance.

Pia Kumar, co-owner and chief strategy officer from Universal Plastics Group, invites three leaders to the panel: Betsy Ward, the chief financial officer of MassMutual; Tammi Wortham, senior vice president of Human Resources at Sun Life Insurance; and Gloria Lopez, vice president for student affairs at Westfield State University.

Register below to join for this free, engaging discussion with a Q&A for attendees to follow. (Please review our Event Policies as this event will be recorded.)

Registration will close on Friday, March 3 at 4:00 PM. If you would like to attend the event but have missed registration, you can still join us on International Women’s Day by watching via Facebook Live on the Women’s Fund Facebook Page. You do not need a Facebook account to watch via Facebook Live and the direct link to the video will be available on our home page on Monday, March 8.

Meet the Moderator and Panelists

Pia Sareen Kumar

Pia Sareen Kumar is the Co-Owner and Chief Strategy Officer of Universal Plastics Group, which represents a family of five plastics manufacturing businesses located in the Northeastern and the Midwestern United States.

Pia started her career as an investment banker at JPMorgan Chase and was a global director of strategic partnerships at American Express.

Pia holds an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and a Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University.

Pia is a proud resident of Western Massachusetts and feels grateful every day for being part of this great community, for her extraordinary employees, and for her three curious children.

Elizabeth A.Ward, FSA, MAAA, PRM

Betsy Ward is the Chief Financial Officer of MassMutual, a leading mutual life insurance company with over $605 billion in assets under management as of September 2020. A member of MassMutual’s Executive Leadership Team, Betsy currently leads MassMutual’s financial organization including Controllers and Accounting, Financial Planning & Analysis, Corporate Tax, Corporate Actuarial and Business Analytics, Strategy, Corporate Development, and Consumer & Market Insights areas. Before assuming the role of Chief Financial Officer in June 2016, she held the role of Chief Enterprise Risk Officer leading the enterprise risk management and actuarial division across all of the insurance and asset management companies. Prior to joining MassMutual affiliate Babson Capital Management in 2001, Betsy worked in investment portfolio management roles at American Skandia, Charter Oak Capital Management, and Aeltus Investment Management, a subsidiary of Aetna Life & Casualty.

She holds a B.A. from the University of Rochester in Economics and Spanish and is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, holds a Professional Risk Manager designation from the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association, and is a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Betsy currently serves on the Federal Advisory Council on Insurance to the Federal Insurance Office of the U.S.Treasury. She has led several other industry groups in insurance and risk management.

Active in her community and with not-for-profits, she is a Director on the Board of Trustees at the University of Rochester (NY) and a Director on the board of the Community Music School of Springfield (MA).

Tammi Wortham

Tammi Wortham is senior vice president, Human Resources, for Sun Life U.S. Tammi oversees a team of strategic human resource professionals focused on continuing to grow the business, enhancing the employee experience, and attracting top talent. She has extensive experience in building client-focused culture and talent development.

Previously, Tammi was vice president, Group Benefits Client Services, leading the largest unit in the U.S. business for a wide range of operational functions and a team of more than 700. In that capacity, she introduced a number of strategies to deliver an integrated and seamless client experience, including digital “click to chat” capabilities, a robotics center of excellence, and a client-centric culture focused on Sun Life’s Client for Life business approach.

Prior to joining Sun Life, Tammi held senior leadership roles in retirement services and group insurance at Prudential and led annuities operations at The Hartford Financial Services Group. She has a master’s degree in organizational psychology from the University of Hartford and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Missouri –Columbia. Tammi serves on the board of the Hyde Square Task Force, an organization that empowers and supports youth as they explore, master, and celebrate Afro-Latin culture through art. She is licensed by FINRA.

Gloria Lopez

Gloria Lopez is currently serving as the Vice President for Student Affairs at Westfield State University in Westfield, Massachusetts. Previously she served as the vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students at Hampshire College in Amherst. Prior to Hampshire College, she served as a senior-level administrator at Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania and assistant dean of special programs at North Shore Community College in Lynn, Massachusetts. Before transitioning into the field of higher education, she held various progressive roles at regional and national non-profit and youth development organizations.

Dr. Lopez obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Dartmouth College, a Master of Social Work from Boston University, and a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She was also selected as a Leadership Fellow with the National Community College Hispanic Council. She is currently a 2020-2021 MillenniumLeadership Initiative Protégé.