By Hailey Eisen

In 2017, Rebecca Ehrlich took a significant step forward in her career: her first position as Vice-President at Scotiabank. That same week, two of her three school-aged children were diagnosed with mental health.

“I had this incredibly demanding assignment and I often worked under tight deadlines at work, and at the same time I had to do all of this research to find the support and treatment my children needed,” Rebecca recalls. “Some people in my life actually expected me to take time off, but knowing myself, I knew being busy at work would be a good distraction from my worries at home.”

She credits her leadership team and the support of the bank – allowing her to work when and where she could – with her ability to get through this difficult time in her life. “No one gives you a playbook to support your family when they are struggling, and it often takes a lot of time and energy to find the right tools and resources,” she says. “Looking at their resilience has given me a better understanding of other people going through similar struggles and the impact that great support can really have. I still want to be able to provide that support from a leadership perspective. ”

This wasn’t the first hurdle Rebecca faced in her 20-year career in financial services. “I have been visually impaired since I was six years old and that has always made things even more difficult. From not being able to spend long periods of time staring at a screen to needing to find other ways to view presentations and documents, Rebecca had to adjust her work accordingly. “When things are projected on a screen, I have to come close to see them, which can be awkward.”

But Rebecca’s own struggles didn’t stop her – they made her a more empathetic and better leader. She had the opportunity to work on a number of large transformative projects that involved bringing diverse groups together, with a focus on people and what each individual can bring to the table. That’s what really turns Rebecca on. She is committed to understanding the views of individuals and ensuring that they are heard.

“By recognizing people’s differences and the challenges and disadvantages they may face as a result, we are better able to support them throughout their professional journey. ”

With now over 14 years at Scotiabank, Rebecca has held a number of positions in various industries – from risk, audit and security to information and data management, to development. strategic opportunities. In July, she began her current role as Vice President, Financial Crime Risk Management, and in early 2021, Rebecca joined the Scotiabank Employment Equity Committee, this which allows him to consult on strategies around the equitable representation of people with disabilities in the bank by amplifying their voices. , reducing barriers and increasing opportunities for improvement.

One of the major themes of the committee this year is intersectionality, a term first introduced in 1989 by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw to explain how black women experience layered layers of discrimination based on their race and gender. . Today the term has developed to represent how each of us holds an individual range of identities – such as race, disability, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, identity gender, sexual orientation, and more – some conferring benefits, others resulting in disadvantages. This multidimensional understanding of identity is fostered at Scotiabank because it allows individuals to be fully dedicated to work – and that’s when inclusion happens.

“By recognizing the differences in people and the challenges and disadvantages they may face as a result,” says Rebecca, “we are better able to support them throughout their career path. ”

Sharing her personal experiences, she says, often allows others to open up to her and share about themselves, their experiences and their struggles. “As a leader you often want to solve problems for others, step in and find solutions, but sometimes the best thing you can do is listen, validate their emotions, understand their needs, and then work together. to take action. ”

Understanding that no one will ever have the same experience, Rebecca says the key to creating more inclusive workplaces is making those connections. “I always make time for one-on-one meetings where I invite others to share information in a safe environment,” she says.

“I love the complex aspect of problem solving in business, but what’s even more important to me is the impact I have on people, making them feel included, empowered, prosperous and happy ”.

Helping others has been a passion for Rebecca for a long time. In fact, when she applied to college, Rebecca says she was torn between a career in mental health and one in business. Unable to focus on a single goal, she opted for a double major in psychology and economics. While she pursued a career in business and worked in the financial services industry for 20 years, she says her biggest passion is people.

“I love the complex aspect of problem solving in business, but what’s even more important to me is the impact I have with people – making them feel included, empowered, successful. and happy, ”says Rebecca.

She has also found a way to connect her professional life with her personal passion for fitness and wellness. Having always relied on exercise as a way to balance her own mental health and well-being, she recently earned certification as a group fitness instructor to share her passion with others. Now she runs virtual fitness classes morning and evening with her team at work. “It was a great way for us to get together while we were all out of the office. ”

Beyond the workplace, Rebecca works as a Parent Engagement Volunteer with Lumenus, a non-profit organization that provides families with mental, developmental, autistic and early childhood interventions.

“My family is very lucky and privileged, and I know that not everyone has the same opportunities that we have had to access support,” she says. “There were times, even still, when I felt helpless, heartbroken and alone and so I wanted to help others overcome these challenges and contribute and make a difference in a real way.”