After discovering an early interest in markets, Seema Hingorani spent decades in investment management. Along the way, she noticed a persistent problem: investment teams lacked women. When firms said they couldn’t find enough candidates to hire, she responded, “I’ll go find them and then you hire them.” That idea led to founding Girls Who Invest. Tune in to this episode for more of the story.

Seema grew up believing that a good career meant becoming a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. She studied psychology and philosophy in college, intending to become a corporate lawyer, but she entered investment banking despite having no finance background. She would eventually oversee $160 billion in retirement assets. 

When she founded Girls Who Invest, she combined her training with opportunities in the investment industry. She wanted women not only to see that this career was an option, but also to succeed in it. The results include more than 4,000 women participating in the programs, with 75 percent remaining in investment management.

She doesn’t require a financial background; she looks for grit, kindness, and coachability. She also wants people to understand investing: simply put, you’re not buying a symbol, you’re becoming an owner of a business.

See the transcript and listen to the episode to learn more about our conversation with Seema and her mission to close the gender gap in investment management.

Join Speaker Series Live this Week with Amanda Geiger of the St. Louis Fed

Many people know the Federal Reserve for monetary policy, but the Fed has been investing in K-12 financial education for decades, building one of the deepest libraries of no-cost, classroom-ready personal finance resources available anywhere. 

Register to join us tonight (October 15, 2026) at 4pm PT/7pm ET to learn more from Amanda.

About the Author

Zach Mann

Zach recently graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Sociology. Zach is a Communications Intern for NGPF, assisting with content creation for NGPF's various platforms. He enjoys contributing to communications that support a mission with a tangible impact.

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