Speaker Series 10/2/18

by Jessica Wong

On October 2nd, Women in Business hosted its first event of the year, a fireside chat-style talk with Vanderbilt alum Bridget Blaise-Shamai, VP of Loyalty at American Airlines. Blaise-Shamai spoke with Vanderbilt alum and former President of Vanderbilt Alumni Association, Carroll Kimball, about her road to success, women in the workplace, and her recommendations for young women interested in the business world. The event was attended by over 150 students from across campus.

As VP of Loyalty, Blaise-Shamai oversees American Airlines’ renowned customer loyalty program, though she explained that she has not always had so much autonomy in her career. After graduating from Vanderbilt, Blaise-Shamai found herself in primarily male-dominated environments, where she worked to prove her worth across various fields including finance, sales, and management.

Blaise-Shamai emphasized the importance of pursuing a career to be passionate about, which includes finding the right people to work with. This combination is what led her to the satisfaction and enjoyment she has in her current position. Blaise-Shamai also reminded attendees that they cannot always accomplish everything that they want to, and that it’s perfectly okay.

The talk was concluded with an audience Q & A, and followed by a private dinner reception for members of Team WIB.

To hear more from WIB, follow @vanderbiltwib on Instagram and check out Vanderbilt Women in Business on Facebook!