Hillary Stanfield
Hillary Stanfield is a Senior Vice President in Middle Market Banking within the technology industry at Truist Financial Corporation. She specializes in advising growth-oriented companies across the middle market, with a focus on technology-driven businesses, and is recognized for her ability to build long-term client relationships and deliver strategic financial solutions that support scale and innovation. Her career reflects a strong commitment to leadership, client service, and driving meaningful impact within the financial services industry.
Her professional journey has been highly nonlinear and shaped by curiosity, resilience, and adaptability. She began as a political science major with aspirations of attending law school or working for the United Nations, but ultimately discovered banking through a college internship in New York City. That experience led her to a career on Wall Street, starting at Bear Stearns during a pivotal and volatile period in financial history. Working through the collapse of the firm and its acquisition by JPMorgan provided a front-row seat to risk, market disruption, and organizational transformation, shaping her perspective on composure, decision-making under pressure, and the critical importance of trust and relationships in business.
After five years in New York, she relocated to Atlanta, started a family, and later pursued her Executive MBA at the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business while working full-time and raising her son. This period marked a significant chapter of reinvention and growth, allowing her to deepen her expertise while balancing personal responsibilities. Today, she draws on both her Wall Street foundation and her Georgia Tech network—particularly its strong community of entrepreneurs and tech founders—to bridge finance and innovation in her current role. She is also actively engaged in civic and professional organizations, including the Junior League of Atlanta, and remains passionate about mentorship, leadership development, and helping others navigate their own nontraditional career paths.
• FINRA Series 7
• FINRA Series 63
• Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business - Executive MBA, Global Business
• Spelman College - BA, Political Science
• Junior League of Atlanta
• SHE League
• Alpha Kappa Alpha
• Association for Corporate Growth
• Callanwolde Fine Arts Center Young Professionals Board
• SHE League (mentors college students for careers in corporate America)
• Educational advancement for high school students)
• Callanwolde Fine Arts Center Young Professionals Board (provides arts access to underserved and minority children)
• Member - Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
• Member - The Junior League of Atlanta, Inc.
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a combination of curiosity, confidence, and the willingness to step into environments where I did not initially have a traditional background. I still think back to interviewing for an internship in 2006, when I was a political science major from an all-girls liberal arts school in the South, surrounded by candidates with strong finance, math, and accounting backgrounds. During that process, I focused on being engaged, asking thoughtful questions, and showing genuine interest rather than trying to fit a mold I did not naturally come from. After the interviews, a managing director who was highly respected in the field told me that while I didn’t have the conventional credentials, he found my mindset intriguing and appreciated the way I thought and asked questions. He decided to give me an opportunity, which became a defining moment in my career. That experience taught me the importance of showing up authentically, embracing learning, and being open to being seen for potential rather than pedigree. It ultimately shaped the trajectory of my professional path and reinforced the value of mentors who are willing to take a chance on others.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Ask all the questions, be naturally curious, be inquisitive, make it your passion project. Now that I'm a little bit more seasoned and into my career, I think that's something that is kind of taken for granted. Really just sit back and take the opportunity to ask questions to people who've been doing this for the better part of their career. What a lot of junior talent or younger talent doesn't realize is that typically when you're talking to someone seasoned, and they've been in the role for a while, or been in the career for a while, they love doing that stuff. It's actually not a burden. I just encourage all younger talent to just sit down with someone, ask the questions, don't be afraid to ask, don't be worried about sounding not smart. Ask the questions, because then people will start to see that you're really passionate about whatever role or whatever industry it is that you're in, and they'll see that you're investing in yourself, and they'll want to invest alongside with you. In hindsight, if I could have told myself that years ago, I would have done even more of it, but that's something that I did, and I had to do because my major in college was not aligned with the internship and now the career that I have, and so I don't have the liberty to not ask questions. I think it's often overlooked and taken for granted.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my professional and personal life are mentorship, service, and empowering others particularly young women. I am deeply committed to creating opportunities for growth, confidence, and leadership development, and I find purpose in guiding and supporting the next generation as they navigate their personal and professional journeys. My involvement with organizations such as the Junior League of Atlanta and She League reflects my dedication to community engagement and meaningful service. I strive to lead with integrity, compassion, and intentionality in all that I do, ensuring that my work consistently contributes to uplifting and empowering those around me.