Alma Calcano, Esq., CRCM, CAMS
Alma Calcano is a compliance professional, attorney, and regulatory consultant with more than a decade of experience in the financial services industry. Currently serving as a Specialized Consulting Manager at Wolters Kluwer, she helps financial institutions navigate the increasingly complex and constantly evolving regulatory landscape. With broad expertise across consumer compliance, Alma is known for her generalist approach and her specialized focus on Bank Secrecy Act compliance, anti-money laundering regulations, OFAC requirements, and fraud prevention. Her work centers on helping organizations remain compliant while adapting to new risks, technologies, and regulatory expectations in a rapidly changing financial environment.
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Alma began her legal career after earning her law degree and becoming licensed to practice law in her home country, where she worked in criminal law early in her career. After relocating to the United States for family reasons, she faced the challenge of rebuilding her professional path from the ground up, including earning her LL.M. in U.S. Legal Studies from St. John's University and successfully passing the U.S. bar exam. She considers this transition one of the defining accomplishments of her life and career. As a millennial woman navigating a new culture, language, and legal system, Alma steadily advanced through the industry, earning professional certifications in compliance, anti-money laundering, and regulatory management while establishing herself as a respected leader in her field.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Alma is deeply committed to integrity, resilience, and community. She is affiliated with organizations including ACAMS, the Dominican Bar, the Missouri Bar, and Women in Housing and Finance. Outside of work, she enjoys arts and crafts, cooking, and spending time with her twins, activities she describes as both grounding and restorative. Alma also supports charitable causes, including contributions to Pecho, and remains passionate about encouraging other women to pursue ambitious goals despite obstacles. Her guiding message to the next generation is simple yet powerful: trust your inner voice, block out discouragement, and never give up on the future you want to create.
• Certified Compliance Officer
• Credit Union Compliance Expert
• Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager
• Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist
• Licensed Attorney
• St. John's University
Master of Laws (LL.M.), U.S. Legal Studies
• Universidad Iberoamericana
Bachelor of Laws - LLB, Law
• Member of ACAMS
• Dominican Bar
• Women in Housing and Finance
• Missouri Bar
• Currently obtaining Certified Crypto Asset Anti-financial Crime Specialist
• Contributes to TECHO
• A non-profit that builds emergency housing for people in need around the world
What do you attribute your success to?
I would attribute my success to my resilience, and the support of my family.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
When I moved to the States, I felt very conscious about my accent and how in law school it was competitive, and every time that I pretty much opened my mouth, I would get, like, giggles from others trying to bully me or make fun of me. I'll always remember my ESL teacher pulled me aside and said, Every time they make you, or they're trying to make you feel ashamed, just think that probably only 2% of them speak another language, and have the guts to actually move to another country, and be studying in a second language and be getting the same grades or better than they are. So, don't let them discourage you, because you're braver and smarter. So, all of that to say, my best advice was don't feel less, because probably you're in a better place and are braver than them.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Probably mute the noise out. Because I got a lot of advice that was discouraging throughout my journey. And I decided to pursue what I wanted. My mantra is, she believed she could, so she did. So, probably that. Mute out the noise and listen to the voice inside of you, and don't give up.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Well, the challenges are we're living in a deregulatory environment. A lot of companies are deciding to maybe wait and see what the landscape's gonna look like. And so they maybe aren't as worried about compliance and risk like they should. And then, as far as opportunities, there's always new things to learn, and as technology advances, so does law. So, keeping up with the times, and staying relevant and prepared to grow with the evolving technologies. I think there's a lot of room there, hence my new certification.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I'll probably start with integrity. And then my professional ethics, reliability, and communication for sure.
Locations
Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory US
Chester, DC 21619