Smart Woman Securities

Smart Woman Securities is an organization focused on educating students in finance and investing. The club provides a supportive and welcoming environment for education at an introductory level. Successful chapters exist at Harvard, Yale, and UVA, among other top universities.

The club was approved to become an official chapter and began programming in Fall 2015. Such programs include a 10-week Seminar Series, organized research teams and an investment fund that gives the students of William & Mary practical and hands-on experience with investing.

The faculty advisor for Smart Woman Securities is Professor Osman Nal.

Please contact Grishma Baruah for more information.

Smart Woman Securities is open to any student interested in financial services regardless of race, national origin, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. To find out more click here.

2023 Club Officers

Grishma Baruah

President

Email: gbaruah@wm.edu

Grishma is a junior from Chantilly, Virginia double majoring in Finance and Computer Science, and is the current W&M Smart Woman Securities President. Grishma joined SWS her freshman year because she wanted to build her knowledge in investing and become part of a supportive community of women interested in finance; Grishma previously served as the SWS Assistant Development Officer. Grishma hopes to foster an empowering SWS community on campus and grow financial literacy and career resources for everyone. Grishma was a 2022 Girls Who Invest Online Intensive Program Scholar, and two summers ago, she was a Data Analytics Intern at Dominion Energy. This past summer, Grishma interned at Capital One as a Strategy Consulting Intern. Outside of SWS, Grishma is involved in Women in Business, where she is the Vice President of Mentorship, W&M Debate Society, where she is the Vice President of Education, Society of Women in Computing, where she is the Secretary, and is part of Students for University Advancement and South Asian Student Association.

Cierra Tellen

Executive Assistant

Cierra is a junior from Centreville, Virginia applying to the business school for the 2023-24 school year and is hoping to major in Finance. Cierra joined Smart Woman Securities fall of Sophomore year and is excited to continue her involvement in the club as Executive Assistant. She was involved in the W&M Business School Peer Mentorship Program her Freshman and Sophomore years and her first mentor encouraged her to get involved in this club due to the useful information taught and the great people. Cierra spent the last three summers lifeguarding and continues to do so for Campus Rec throughout the school year. Cierra was also involved with Women in Business her Freshman year and is a member of the running club on campus as well.

Emma Mormile

Co-Chief Investment Officer

Emma is a senior from Summit, New Jersey majoring in Finance and minoring in History. Emma currently serves as the current Co-Chief Investment Officer for SWS, and did so while studying abroad in London during the past spring semester. Emma’s peer mentor during her sophomore year was the former President of SWS, which encouraged her to join. She was excited to learn more about finance ahead of her studies through the seminar series. In the summer of 2022, Emma was an ESG intern at Fidelity Investments in Boston, where she learned more about sustainable investments. This past summer Emma interned at MUFG as a Debt Capital Markets Intern. Emma is passionate about helping other business students, which she does through her roles as a portfolio manager of the Mason Investment Club and a program coordinator for the Peer Mentorship Program.

Sylva Murtinova

Co-Chief Investment Officer

Sylva Murtinova is a current junior at William & Mary who is interested in pursuing a degree in Business Analytics with a Supply Chain concentration. Sylva currently serves as the current Co-Chief Investment Officer for SWS. She is currently exploring the many aspects of business through different clubs and organizations. Sylva is also the Vice President of Student Engagement in Women in Business and a Boehly Center Peer Mentorship Program Coordinator. This past summer, Sylva interned with CGI.

Mairead Stack

Chief Research Officer

Mairead is a junior from Norfolk, Massachusetts studying Finance and Economics. She is the current Chief Research Officer, and is so excited to work with the research teams in the coming semesters. Mairead joined SWS in the fall of her freshman year because she was looking to explore careers in business in an encouraging, informative, and supportive environment. She is grateful for all she has learned from creating stock pitches and research projects with SWS, and looks forward to helping SWS continue to be an awesome resource and community for students at William and Mary. Mairead served as a Teaching Assistant for ECON 102 two semesters ago. This past summer, she worked as a finance intern at AHP, a business and healthcare consulting firm located in Boston. On campus, Mairead serves as Vice President of Finance and Housing for Pi Beta Phi, is a member of Radio Club, and is an Orientation Aide for new students in both the spring and fall.

Barbare Salakaia

Chief Marketing Officer

Barbare Salakaia is a junior from Tbilisi, Georgia. Barbare joined the SWS Exec Board in 2022 as a research assistant. In the future, she wants to apply for the Raymond A. Mason School of Business. During high school she owned a handmade jewelry startup. Her main goal is to contribute to her family’s business in Georgia.

Alanna Leslie

Chief Development Officer

Alanna is a sophomore from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who hopes to major in Finance and minor in mathematics. She is currently the Chief Development officer for W&M Smart Woman Securities. Alanna joined SWS to learn more about careers in business, financial literacy, and to meet other women in the business school. For the past four summers, Alanna has served on the Summer Missions Team at Whitehall Camp and Conference Center in northwestern Pennsylvania where she has learned about team management and hospitality. Besides SWS, Alanna is also involved with Women in Business and W&M InterVarsity on campus.