MWAA 2026 Ep 9: Melissia Fernander | Empowering Women in Fintech

In this episode of our Paycast Network series live from Chicago, Melissia Fernander, Vice President of Business Development and Corporate Development at PayTech Women, joins us to discuss the organization's 21 year legacy of empowering women across payments and fintech.

Melissia shares how PayTech Women drives education, advocacy, and mentorship for over 6,000 members across the United States and Canada. She breaks down the impact of their 20 local chapters, details for the upcoming Annual Leadership Summit in Atlanta, and why male allyship is becoming a vital part of supporting women in executive leadership. Plus, stick around for a lively Chicago history trivia round covering local architecture, the 1893 World's Fair, and city founder Jean Baptiste Point du Sable.

In this episode, we cover:

• The 21 year origin story and evolving mission of PayTech Women.

• How PayTech Women supports 6,000 members through mentorship, education, and networking.

• Local chapter growth across 17 US cities and 3 Canadian regions.

• Details for the upcoming Annual Leadership Summit in Atlanta.

• The critical role of male allies and Gen X advocates in fintech.

• Chicago history trivia covering the 1893 Ferris Wheel and Jean Baptiste Point du Sable.

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