Deysy Ordóñez-Arreola

I attribute my success to seeing the impact I've been able to enable and making sure that impact creates long-standing opportunities for others. The moment that truly crystallized this for me was when I had my first onsite meeting with my direct team members in New York City. We were sitting down at dinner, reflecting on our first day together, and I remember thinking, 'Wow, this is my team. We're here to build my vision.' That feeling was incredible because I realized I was creating a legacy, but most importantly, I was creating opportunities for folks who otherwise would not have been in the room. We are a minority woman-owned business, and I am very proud of that. I try to hire in a way that exemplifies diversity and provides paths for people with non-linear backgrounds. Looking around that table and hearing what people thought their pluses and minuses were for the day gave me this overwhelming sense that this is what I'm supposed to be doing - not just supporting organizations, but building and developing people who are here to cheer on the vision of my firm while also supporting their own sense of success and opening new doors for them to succeed in the future.

The best career advice I’ve received comes from observing the incredible women in my life. First and foremost, my mother an immigrant raising two children taught me resilience, strength, and the importance of staying grounded in your roots while reaching for opportunities. Her example shaped my values in ethics and perseverance. I’m also grateful for my close friends from college and beyond, including a remarkable OBGYN at Lenox Hill Hospital and a friend who rose to Director of Admissions at Princeton. Their support, encouragement, and achievements have profoundly inspired me and reinforced the importance of surrounding yourself with people who uplift and advocate for you.

I would say be your authentic self, but allow that version of yourself to grow over time. I encourage people to be curious and invest in their continuous learning, which means investing in their continuous evolution, and this will likely change you for the better. For me, that has meant learning across industries, learning different languages, living in different communities, living abroad, and engaging in different cultures and environments without staying rigid to one path. Those experiences have truly shaped how I think, how I lead, how I enter a space, and how I build relationships while remaining grounded. I would also say don't be afraid to step into spaces that are unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable, because they can be ultimately very transformative. I threw myself into learning Mandarin at the age of 18, and the way that came about was through my first-year roommate at Columbia, who was from Shanghai, China. She was extremely homesick, so I agreed to have her mom stay with us for two weeks in our tiny dorm room because I wanted her to feel comfortable and connected to her family continents away. So I decided I was going to learn Mandarin. I spent a year studying and then flew out to Beijing and did an immersive program where I truly immersed myself in the culture while living in China. My head would throb after each class, but that throbbing reminded me that I was growing. So my advice is: be who you are and recognize that each path you take will be transformative. Your roots will stay the same - be proud of your roots, be proud of who you are - but your branches will grow, and it's really up to you where they reach.

In my field, one of the biggest challenges is navigating constant change while maintaining high standards of ethics and resilience. At the same time, there are incredible opportunities to innovate, mentor, and expand networks, especially for women leaders. I’m inspired by the mentors, friends, and family who have supported me along the way, particularly the remarkable women who continue to model strength, encouragement, and excellence. Beyond work, I find joy in reading, volleyball, spending time outdoors, and connecting with my community. My goal is to make a meaningful impact in my field, empower other women, and inspire readers by sharing lessons from my journey and celebrating the accomplishments of those who uplift us.

I consider myself a nerd, and my biggest thing is continuing to enjoy learning, whether it's at work or just in general. I love being a part of different experiences and different cultures. I enjoy practicing languages and exploring new environments while staying connected to a sense of curiosity. I also deeply value time with family, especially as I think about the foundation of where I come from and what I'm building forward. More specifically now, I'm expecting a child, and I'm even more excited about the prospect of learning about becoming a mother. When I walk down the street, I find myself looking at all these women and thinking, 'Wow, you've done all of this and you're a mom.' It's a choice that's different for everyone, but this has been such a unique experience for me personally. Before pregnancy, one thing that brought me a lot of joy and grounding was powerlifting, though I've been trying to maintain it during pregnancy, which gets harder in the later stages. What matters most to me is continuous growth, nurturing myself and fulfilling my own needs, while also creating opportunities for others and staying grounded in who I am and where I come from.