Bank of America VP ANNETTE ANDERSON

s vice president and private client advisor at Bank of America Private Bank, Annette Anderson connects high-net-worth individuals and institutions to solutions that can help them reach their financial goals. She serves on the boards of the Parkland Foundation, Dallas Arboretum and Booker T. Washington High School, where her 16-year-old daughter is a student. Anderson serves on a Cattle Barons’ committee to raise money for cancer research — a topic she is passionate about because her father is a survivor. She is a member of the Dallas Assembly and The Links, Incorporated, which is a volunteer group for AfricanAmerican women who give back to the community by educating and inspiring girls, particularly in the areas of STEM or STEAM.

Most challenging career moment: In the private- and investment-banking world, there are very few African Americans and African-American women. I feel as though I’m establishing myself. I’ve had to stay the course. Some excellent women helped, and I’ve had wonderful support systems. I love the business.

On gender discrimination: Earlier in my career, a person who was supposed to train me had some biases against women. He just wasn’t sure that I was as smart as I was. Fast forward about six years after that, this gentleman told me how proud he was of me. You have to show up and do the best that you can. I think that proved to be a real help for me in the long term.

What she looks for in employees: I look for people who are coachable and enjoy what they do. Private banking is all relationship based. People have to buy into that we’re all there to help the client. It’s not about you or me. It’s really about the team.

Advice to her younger self: Don’t be so concerned with what others think because at the end of the day, this is my journey. Each stage that you’ve gone through is preparing you for the future. Trust your intuition. It’s a gift.

Most proud of: I went through a divorce several years ago, and I am proud that my daughter and I made it through. We did not miss a beat, which I have so much gratitude for. We had excellent support systems and good friends.

The best advice she’s ever received: There’s always good that can come out of every situation. That has shaped how I navigate and move through my life.

How she defines a strong leader: An individual who sees the end goal, but also understands that you can’t do everything by yourself. A strong leader is one who can bring those parts together to accomplish the end goal while listening, coaching and helping for the greater good.

Advice for achieving work-life balance: My work doesn’t feel like work. I love what I do, and I call it a lifestyle business. At this phase in my life, I look at what the return is on what I’m doing. If I don’t feel as though there’s an imminent return, then I feel as though that time is better spent with my family or improving myself. How she would spend $1 million on her neighborhood: Given that our neighborhood has had some of the highest cases of COVID-19, I would utilize the money to partner with Parkland Hospital with a focus on public health.

The biggest pr oblem that our community faces: Affordable housing and education. At some point, we really are going to have to address the southern sector. We need to deal with issues there, such as food, education, housing and jobs.

What she’s learned from her work on various boards: Dallas is a hugely philanthropic community, and there are so many wonderful things that this city offers.

How she would like to be remembered: As someone who was passionate about what they did, loved life and lived the best life ever. I also want to be remembered as someone who made an impact in her community and on her family.

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Congenital heart surgeon KRISTINE J. GULESERIAN

ristine J. Guleserian, director of the Congenital Heart Surgery Program at Medical City Children’s Hospital, is the first woman to lead a congenital heart program. She is board certified in general surgery, thoracic surgery and congenital heart surgery. Originally from Boston, she earned her medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine after graduating from Harvard College with a degree in the classics. After her residency and fellowships, she served as a surgeon and director at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami and at Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She is a founding member of the World Society of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery and serves as a member of numerous national and international professional societies and committees. She has two miniature schnauzers, Gigi and Gus.

Work accomplishment she’s most grateful for: Being able to do what I do every day — to be able to, hopefully, make a really positive impact on families by taking care of their newborn babies and their children. I love to teach our nurses and cardiology, ICU and anesthesia colleagues. I’ve been involved in many societies with putting together publications. We most recently met in a Zoom meeting to put together several papers about COVID and management of congenital heart disease.

What she’s most grateful for besides work: Family and friends. My younger brother has a congenital heart defect, and we’re very close in age. I didn’t know a lot about what was going on at the time because I was just 4, but that certainly made a big impact on my career choice. I was so grateful to the surgeons and cardiologists who helped him that I feel my purpose in life is to make a difference for somebody else’s child and give that gift back.

they were the leader of the team. It probably doesn’t help that I’m 5 feet tall either. Her leadership style: I was always hanging out with my brother and his friends. We would do crazy things like go skiing on trails that you weren’t supposed to be skiing on. I was always one of the guys. It’s probably helped me in my career to be a little tough because it is a tough field. They always say with women in surgery, you’re either a bitch or a pushover. I want to be feminine. At the same time, you’ve got to be firm in a way that people, hopefully, are going to follow your lead.

Her influences: I try to model my position as a physician, as a surgeon, after many role models in my life. Dr. Alec Patterson, who is one of my thoracic surgery mentors, was wonderful. Dr. Aldo Castaneda, my brother’s congenital heart surgeon, took me under his wing when I was just a medical student. He was a gentleman, scholar, scientist and he had a very calm demeanor. He was motivated, passionate and funny.

On her role as the first woman to lead a congenital heart program: I applied to 22 different programs, hoping one or two of them would accept me for an interview. I ended up getting interviews at all of them. But I was usually the only woman in the mix. When I would go in for these interviews, I think they assumed I was the wife of another candidate because they’d say, “Oh, you know what? The staffers are over here.” And they would direct me off to another area. I said, “Oh, actually, no. I’m the applicant.” Today, what’s really nice is that there are so many more women in the field. One of our societies is called Women in Thoracic Surgery. It’s a great outlet for women who are interested in the field to find mentors. My feeling is you need to become that for somebody else. Past experience: Back in the day, when I was with my young medical students, patients would look to the medical student and say, “OK, doctor,” and I’m thinking, “Wait a minute. This guy’s not even a doctor yet.” They would just make the assumption that because they were male,

What she does for fun: I have this passion for the ocean. I also grew up living on the beach, and I think my best job ever was when I was 15, and I was a lifeguard. I love to fish. One of my cardiac ICU colleagues and I just booked a trip to Belize in the fall to go fly fishing there. Also, I dream of my dream kitchen. I’ve been looking for homes recently, so the kitchen is always the focal point. I have a garden that I’ve been growing.

Advice she’d give to her younger self: Follow your dreams and never give up. I may have chosen one of the most difficult pathways in life in terms of career. There are lots of obstacles, but you have to persevere.

How she’d like to be remembered: As somebody who made a little contribution in life. We can all participate in some way to help change the world. Helping a baby live to be an adult when they otherwise wouldn’t have that opportunity because of heart disease, that’s always a wonderful legacy.