News & Press

Green Sheet Interviews PayTech Women's Dr. Gail Burgos

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 21:36:00 GMT

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.

The Green Sheet: As you reflect on your first year as CEO of PayTech Women, what are some meaningful milestones of 2025?

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.

GS: What examples can you share about PayTech Women's initiatives and their positive impact on individuals and the payments industry?

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.

Read the full article in The Green Sheet.

MPC Interviews Dr. Gail Burgos of PayTech Women

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 19:40:00 GMT

MPC Blog - April, 24, 2025

Please tell us about yourself, your background in the payments industry and the work that you do at PayTech Women.

I’m Dr. Gail Burgos, and I currently serve as the CEO of PayTech Women. I bring over 25 years of experience in the banking industry, with a background rooted in conversions, IT, HR and leadership. Throughout my career, I’ve remained focused on product development and, most importantly, people. I’ve always had a passion for building strong teams and harnessing the unique talents each individual brings to the table—leading to successful outcomes and the achievement of ambitious goals.

At PayTech Women, an industry non-profit celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, I lead a dynamic team dedicated to advancing women in the payments industry. We offer a thriving community, meaningful education, and essential resources that empower women at every stage of their careers. By collaborating with industry partners, we’re working to drive systemic change. My focus is on not only cultivating the next generation of leaders but also shaping a payments ecosystem that is more inclusive, innovative, and equitable.

In your opinion, what is the most notable trend in the payments industry today?

One of the most notable trends is the acceleration of embedded finance and real-time payments. The ability to integrate seamless, secure payment capabilities into everyday platforms—whether it’s ridesharing, e-commerce, or social media—has completely redefined customer expectations. This isn’t just a technological shift; it’s changing the very nature of how we interact with money. It’s also creating space for new players, new partnerships, and new approaches to compliance, security, and user experience.

In your opinion, what is the largest opportunity for organizations that process payments today?

The biggest opportunity is inclusive innovation. Organizations that prioritize unique perspectives in their design and decision-making processes will be better positioned to create products that serve broader markets. There’s a tremendous opportunity to tap into broad populations...

Most Influential Women: Gloria Colgan

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 17:32:00 GMT

Presenting the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business 2024

San Francisco Business Times

Name: Gloria Colgan

Title: SVP, Global Product Head, Commercial and 2017 PayTech Women, formerly Wnet, Board President

Company: Visa

Born: El Paso, Texas

Residence: Sausalito

Education: Bachelor's, Bradley University; MBA, University of Chicago

Resume: Velo Payments, PYMNTS, Discover Financial Services, JPMorgan Chase, Sears, McKinsey

Boards: How Women Lead, How Women Invest, PayTech Women, Bradley University, Foster College of Business

What experience, person or thing had the biggest impact on your life?
My mom was my early influencer and role model. She was a trailblazer by working, volunteering, continually learning at the college level and somehow making time for her family. Her determination, humility, and caring for others while investing in herself was a constant guiding light. She was and always will be my true inspiration!

How do you feel about AI?
It's an enormous capability which could fundamentally transform our world. I'm extremely energized by it's potential and the incredible opportunity it can bring.

What's your biggest motivation?
To continually learn, stretch and apply myself and then help others on their own journeys. I am fortunate to have incredible mentors, advisors and colleagues throughout my career. These men and women have, and continue to, inspire, guide and challenge me. I hope I can give back a fraction of what I have received.

See all the Bay Area honorees: Read original article.

MPC Interviews Wendy Holliday, CEO of PayTech Women

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 15:03:00 GMT

MPC News and Views - September 2023

Please state your name, title, company, and email address to provide to prospective partners and customers interested in receiving more information.

Wendy Holliday, M.Ed., CAE, Chief Executive Officer

PayTech Women, wholliday@paytechwomen.org/.

How are you different than other brands in your space?

PayTech Women is the only non-profit serving women in the payments, paytech and fintech space. We engage women from the senior-most levels through new hires, helping them navigate their organizations and the industry addressing barriers to success. PayTech Women partners with our corporate members offering resources and programs that strengthen and augment internal Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for the betterment of their employees and the companies. Our cohort of senior-level women across the spectrum of payments companies offers a rare peer group for those that have achieved at the highest level in payments to learn and help their individual organizations succeed. We invite all to join us in our mission to create a stronger and more diverse industry by empowering and investing in women.

With our corporate partners' amazing support, we can offer members and non-members free access to all chapter events.

How would you describe your value proposition to prospective customers and channel partners?

Empower the potential of your whole team with PayTech Women. We help businesses empower female employees through a supportive network of cross company peers and mentors, along with hands-on learning and growth opportunities that prepare women at all career levels to assume increased responsibilities and take advantage of leadership opportunities.

Backstage with Wendy Holliday, CEO, PayTech Women

Thu, 8 Dec 2022 16:10:00 GMT

Wendy Holliday, M.Ed., CAE
CEO, PayTech Women

November 16, 2022 -- MPC Show Times

Q>What inspired Wnet’s rebranding and how does the new name and brand reflect your vision and mission?

In 2005, the founders of Women’s Network in Electronic Transactions (Wnet) created a unique space for hundreds of women in the payments industry to connect, network and share objective advice. Wnet inspired thousands of women during those years, and their loyalty and passion are still on display every day.

Much has changed in payments in the past 15 years and much has changed with respect to the needs of all women in this field. We wanted to examine who is served, highlight new opportunities and create even more meaningful inclusion and programming that is truly impactful for our now 5,000+ members.

Helping women rise in payments means attracting and engaging women at all levels in our industry. Being intentional about a message and a brand is critical to connect in the right way with influential and priority audiences. After surveying our membership and working with our board and stakeholders to examine the Wnet brand and messaging, we knew the time was right to evolve the legacy of Wnet while recognizing the future of the organization.

With the assistance of PR and marketing expert Jennifer Tramontana, Founder and President of The Fletcher Group, we conducted in-depth interviews with Wnet Founders, the executive team, corporate partners and sponsors, members and regional representation. Our strengths and the opportunities were captured as we explored the competitive and industry landscapes. After an intensive year of collaborative work, new messaging pillars were created to capture the spirit, value and affinity of Wnet but speak directly to our different audiences.

However, the messaging was only part of the brand journey. We asked ourselves what name, brand marks, colors and design elements would best represent the tone and spirit of the evolved messaging. We introduced – and celebrated – the new brand at our 15 th annual Leadership Summit, EmPowered by FIS, in Atlanta on September 28 during a special luncheon: PayTech Women Make Their Mark.

Our new name and logo, PayTech Women (PTW), is modern, clear and powerful. The font has clean lines and perfect circles. The peak in the W represents the summit or peak that we help each other reach through our network of dedicated and driven, professional women. The circles represent connection and inclusivity.

Our colors are bold, strong, and full of energy: Trailblazer Teals, Innovative Oranges, Elevation Greys. Our tagline is simply our mission stated concisely in three present tense, action words: Rise. Thrive. Connect.

While our mission – to create a stronger and more diverse industry by empowering and investing in women – has not changed, our laser focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) will enable us to better improve the working environment and opportunities for all women in payments by propelling meaningful change.

PayTech Women, formerly Wnet, is the ONLY non-profit, professional network that helps women break through barriers to achieve their ambitions in the payments industry – however high those ambitions reach. We are a place for every woman in payments – and their advocates – to RISE, THRIVE and CONNECT.

Read more of MPC Show Times interview with PayTech Women CEO Wendy Holliday.

Wnet Board Member Cindy Knowles Retires from FIS

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 16:18:00 GMT

2018 Silver Stevie^® Winner for Marketing Executive of the Year Will Continue to Work for Gender Equality in the Workplace

Cynthia Knowles
VP, Head of Business Administration
FIS

Interview By Erin Barbeau, Business Process Manager, FIS

After being a part of FIS for more than 34 years, senior leader, female advocate and Wnet Board Member Cynthia (Cindy) Knowles officially retired on July 1. During her impressive career, Cindy held a variety of roles in marketing, strategy and business administration for the office of the president, while always staying true to her north star of advancing the mission of gender equality in the workplace.

Cindy was, and continues to be, a mentor, sponsor and coach to many individuals in the fintech and payments industry. She is a genuine, empathetic leader who gave opportunities to her colleagues, no matter how early or late they were in their careers, and was always ready to lend a helping hand and some great advice.

What are your most important learning insights from your career?

Cindy: Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want and what you deserve – whether it is salary, position, title or having a seat at the table – what is the worst thing that can happen? Don’t be discouraged by the word no – think of it as more information that is needed in order to get to yes! Ask and understand the “why” of what you are doing and understand your purpose.

How has Wnet helped your career progression?

Cindy: I wish that I had known about Wnet 15 years ago! The networking, comradely, friendship and inspiration from diverse woman has truly enriched my life for the better. There is no jealousy, competition or politics – purely women lifting up and empowering other women to be their best, however they define it.

What advice would you give to women earlier in their careers?

Cindy: My answer is similar to the first question, but I’d also say get involved with Wnet and other groups in your organization that are encouraging you to grow; honor yourself and your family by keeping your priorities in line. Work will always be there. Take care of your mind, body and soul as well as your family and friend relationships – to me, that is most important. Lastly, think about what you want your legacy to be. As Maya Angelou so wisely said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

What are you most looking forward to in retirement?

Cindy: My retirement is a little different and came about faster for me due to my health and making the deliberate decision to step back and focus on reducing overall stress so that I can concentrate on my next steps towards a kidney transplant. Apart from that, I am looking forward to recharging my brain and soul; and I am also looking forward to spending more time with my new granddaughter. After that, who knows what is next! I plan to stay involved with Wnet through the coaching platform that is being launched in the fall and being able to continue executive and career coaching to rising professionals and stars in the industry! That is most rewarding and exhilarating for me, to see woman grow in their confidence and make a difference in their lives.

Congratulations on your retirement, Cindy! You have touched so many of our lives and we are so grateful for you!

Additional Reading and Ways to Help:
Life-Changing Story of Wnet Board Director Cindy Knowles' Journey with Chronic Kidney Disease

Amy Parsons Retiring from Discover

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 18:23:00 GMT

Three-time Most Influential Women in Payments Reveals Insights about the Evolution of Wnet, Women Leaders and the Industry

Amy Parsons
Senior Vice President
Discover

Interview by Discover’s Brianna Frost, Product Manager, and Joanna Hanner, Director, Corporate Strategy and Development

After an impressive 25⁺-year career at Discover, Amy Parsons, Senior Vice President, is ready to spend more time with her family and in her garden, nurturing the things she loves. The three-time recipient of PaymentsSource’s Most Influential Women in Payments will retire from Discover in July 2022.

Known for representing the global nature of the payments industry, one of Amy’s biggest career accomplishments was building a global ATM network from scratch within a year to serve Discover's acquisition of Diners Club International.

Brianna Frost and Joanna Hanner, other accomplished women at Discover, sat down with Amy to explore her career, her connection with Wnet, and her hopes for the industry and the women who are helping it grow and prosper.

You were one of the original members and proponents of Wnet? Why was it important to you to get involved?

Amy: I was invited to Wnet’s first Career and Leadership Summit in 2006 and I was curious about this new group of women. There was a small group of us at that first event as compared to the hundreds who attend today. I explored their new views of the payments industry and spent much of my time simply listening – to the speakers, like ETA Hall of Famer Pam Joseph, and those around me. I started to make connections and could see the value of networking with these innovative women.

Soon after joining Wnet, I knew it was important to get Discover involved. I became our Corporate Champion of engagement because I realized that women helping women was so powerful and an endeavor that Discover should support. I wanted us to make a difference in the lives of women in our organization and beyond.

How have you focused on empowering women as it relates to your career?

Amy: During my career, I’ve been a mentor, sponsor, advocate, coach and leader – all the important support roles to help others not only in their careers but in their daily lives too. The goal is to make a huge difference without the person ever knowing that you were involved. I think coaching and advocating are probably the two I’ve spent the most time on recently to help women understand what’s going on behind the closed doors.

Our environments are becoming a very critical aspect of something that we have to take care of and feed. The pandemic opened up a world of opportunity and knowledge. Women took on most of the work at home while still needing time to do their jobs well. The challenges made it very clear that we need to have changes in corporate environments. I think it's very important for anyone in a leadership position to be a big advocate of changes like flexible work schedules. With the pandemic we have a great catalyst to create a shift and that shouldn’t be wasted. We have to be the voice for change so we don’t slip back to the traditional workplace way of life.

We need to support each other, root for each other to keep moving forward. It can be peer-to-peer support and also employee-to-manager and leader-to-employee. Back in 2017 after I won the award for Most Influential Women in Payments from PaymentsSource, I received a promotion. Wnet women started talking to others about my successes…and with me…and around me in ways I never experienced before. It was such a sense of power knowing that I wasn’t alone and there were people wanting to see me succeed.

It's not all about career advancement. It's about helping each other in our daily work, all the time. Women can sometimes have competitive relationships with their peers. If you think about each other as being advocates instead of competitors, you can frame your relationships around how you can empower each other. There are more spaces at the table now, and we can create even more space so we don't have to compete. We can make a difference, together.

Historically, there was a belief that women had to behave like men in order to be successful. Do you believe that thinking has evolved?

Amy: It’s a question of what a company sees is valuable in a leader. Or what's required to be successful in that environment. I’ll use sports as the easiest example. While “growing up” in my career, and even as recently as two years ago, most meetings started with the men talking about sports. Now, I like sports, but I don't like sports that much and I definitely don't know players or stats. However, I think the dimension has changed in meeting rooms today. If you think about the conversations that are happening now, they are much more diverse, especially when you have 35% women in the room – or on the call – and it's definitely different when there are more than 50% women included.

The style of conversations has also changed. The pandemic triggered a dimension shift. It became very clear that empathetic leaders were critical. As you start thinking about moving forward in a corporate environment, that empathy must be there. And research has shown that women leaders during the pandemic tended to be more empathetic than their male counterparts.*

In the past, being an aggressive leader, was an important trait that many corporations valued. I could give you an example of an organization where it’s still true: to get ahead, you would need to have more of the traditional male traits. But I could also give you 10 other examples where that is not the culture.

I think the most important thing is to be who you are, period. And I'll use myself as an example. I am a more aggressive, assertive go-getter. I can come in punching pretty hard when I want to and sometimes, I don't even recognize I'm doing it since it’s just my natural tendency. Some people are like circles. Others are more like a square with pointy edges. I have sharp edges on occasion and I know that, but I also know that in our environment, I have to sometimes round out my edges. It doesn't mean that I'm a square turned into a circle; it means I'm a square that took off the sharp edges when needed.

We must know who we are and be very deliberate about that when we show up as leaders. If it's authentic, it feels right for you, it feels right to the people around you. They will appreciate that. And that is what people follow.

It's very important for people who are empathetic to use that trait. It's so valuable. Play to your strengths. Similar to branding, it's not just about knowing who you are, it’s about sharing who you are to the people around you. And then find others who are your counterpoints and get them to be your advocates. Let them show up for you.

*Forbes.com: Women Leaders Have Shown During the Pandemic: Men Take Note

Are there any key strengths that you see women leaders frequently display that you think are helpful in their success? Are there any common behaviors that women leaders display that you think hold them back?

Amy: These are huge generalizations, but I believe women tend to be good team builders and we look for different types of people to join a group because it creates better balance. Women generally tend to look for success as a “group,” not for just themselves.

I already mentioned empathy as a strength. Another is efficiency. We want to come into a meeting, get the points, create action items and then move on to get it done. We don’t want to repeat what others have said just to be heard.

However, not being heard can hurt us from a leadership perspective. Being the “voice,” even if it's repeating something already said, is an important dimension that women must pay attention to during meetings, especially virtual calls where you don’t have that physical presence. We need to understand the environment and what people value in order to say the thing that will get people to be highly engaged.

Another behavior that can hold us back is competing with each other. I don’t hear about this issue as much as say five years ago. I think women are helping each other more now, empowering each other more, which is wonderful.

How has the industry changed for women over the course of your career?

Amy: Number one, we are not the only women in the boardroom anymore. We're at large double-digit percentages, depending on where you are – 30 to 50% in some companies!

Number two, many Wnet women, and women in our industry, are creating successful startups or are in startups being led by women. I don't know the stats, but I'll bet if it we looked back 10 or 15 years there was probably just one. And now there are many with limitless opportunities.

Number three, there's an acknowledgment that diversity is now important. Research drives it and confirms it. As a corporate leader, you really have to lean into DE&I because it's been proven that successful companies are more diverse companies.

What would your hope be for women in the industry as you look ahead – is there work you’ve started that you would like to see women in payments continue to build on?

Amy: I think it’s just continuing so much of the work that's already in motion today. Now is the time for us to help each other and I think there's nothing more powerful than that, whether it's behind the scenes or publicly. We need to invite other women to join us at the table – push out our elbows to make space.

Once there, I hope they can create a space to do what they want to do instead of what they had to do, like in the past. And I hope to help nurture these spaces since I’m not disappearing after I retire. You’ll see me around because this group is too important and I want to see it continue to flourish.

If you’d like to congratulate Amy on her new path, please reach out to her via LinkedIn.

Making a Difference: Interview with Linda Rossetti of Payroc

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 20:57:00 GMT

Interview by: Nicole Carpenter, Director of Strategic Operations, Payroc

Payroc's Diversity & Inclusion Committee strives to highlight women's journeys in and out of the workplace. It is with honor that the committee interviewed Linda Rossetti, a successful businesswoman, industry pioneer, and trailblazer for women's voices in payments.

Question #1: Linda – Please tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in payments to where you ended up today?

After graduating from college, I was hired by Citicorp. They were forming a nationwide sales team to sell credit cards to merchants before electronic payment processing was widespread. I was blessed to enter a relatively new industry early in its growth cycle. I developed a passion for the industry that has only grown over the years.

For the majority of my career, I worked for major processors like National Data. A few years later, I assumed the role of President of Global Payments Indirect Channel focused on sales and strategic management.

I was an accidental entrepreneur twice, once in 1980 as a co-founder of Elavon (then known as NOVA), and a second time in 2007 when I started my own ISO, Bluestone Payments. I never set out to be an entrepreneur, especially since there were few female-owned businesses in the payments industry I simply followed my passion for payments, and life led me to each of these great opportunities at different times in my career.

I have had a long-standing relationship with the executive management team of Payroc. I sold Bluestone Payments to Payroc in late 2020 and have continued in my role as President of Bluestone and EVP of Strategic Initiatives for Payroc. I see great growth opportunities in the future.

Question #2: What were some of the biggest hurdles that you had to overcome in your career and what did success look like to you?

Empowering women in payments

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 17:11:15 GMT

Tuesday 26 October 2021 09:04 CET | THE PAYPERS Editor: Alin Popa | Interview with Grace Klopcic, Partner, McKinsey & Company

Don't know how to achieve greater personal success, influence, and professional parity? Grace Klopcic, Partner, McKinsey & Company, speaker at Wnet 2021 Leadership Summit reveals how

On 3 & 4 November 2021, Wnet will be celebrating its 15th anniversary at the 2021 Leadership Summit. Could you please share more about this year’s theme ‘Make the Investment’?

‘Make the Investment’ is all about the mission of Wnet: to create a stronger and more diverse industry by empowering and investing in women. I see it as a call to the industry and to each individual to invest the time and resources in the professional and personal success of women, because we believe more women leaders is better for business and the world.

Grace, in your role at McKinsey’s Denver Office, you support financial services and technology players in transformational growth. How can this be achieved while making sure no one is left behind?