Monday, January 12, 2026 – In this Q&A, The Green Sheet catches up with Dr. Gail Burgos, CEO of PayTech Women, who reflects on her first year at the helm, highlighting financial stabilization, governance resets and renewed trust across the PayTech Women ecosystem. She also shares insights on flagship initiatives, the organization's 20-year Leadership Summit milestone, growing regional and global ambitions, and a long-term strategy focused on sustainability, scalability and shaping the future of leadership in the payments industry.

 

 

Dr. Gail Burgos: My first year as CEO was both transformational and foundational. One of the most meaningful milestones in 2025 was stabilizing and strengthening the organization during a period of transition – operationally, financially and strategically. We successfully closed the year in the black, which speaks to disciplined stewardship and resilience.

 

Equally important was rebuilding trust and momentum across our ecosystem – members, chapters, corporate partners and industry leaders. We clarified governance roles, strengthened internal infrastructure and began modernizing our systems to ensure long-term sustainability. 2025 was about resetting the foundation so PayTech Women can scale responsibly and thrive for decades to come.

 

 

GB: PayTech Women continues to deliver impact at both the individual and industry levels. Our mentoring programs have supported women at various career stages – students, early-career professionals and senior leaders – providing access, sponsorship and guidance that directly influence career mobility.

 

Our Leadership Summit remains a flagship initiative, convening senior executives and emerging leaders to have candid conversations about leadership, innovation and inclusion in payments. Additionally, our chapter programming creates localized access to leadership development, networking and thought leadership, which strengthens the industry's talent pipeline across markets.

 

Collectively, these initiatives are helping organizations retain, advance and elevate women – driving better leadership outcomes and a more inclusive payments ecosystem.

 

GS: You recently celebrated your 20th anniversary at PayTech Women's Leadership Summit. What were some memorable highlights?

 

GB: Celebrating 20 years at the Leadership Summit was deeply personal and professionally meaningful. The most memorable highlights were seeing multiple generations of women – many who grew up with PayTech Women – now serving as leaders, board members, chapter leads and mentors themselves.

 

The energy, authenticity and candor of the conversations stood out. There was a shared sense of pride in how far the organization has come, coupled with urgency about the work still ahead. It was a powerful reminder that PayTech Women is not just a professional network; it is a legacy organization that shapes our community of leaders and the industry itself.