Shannon O’Leary is “way too outspoken” — at least, that’s what she said her mother thinks. Her daughter is not afraid to “say it out loud,” which is also the title of her “irreverent and (often) funny” newsletter on the investment industry.
Having grown up in Minnesota — where “people have a very hard time talking about money” — O’Leary invites people to share their stories, hot takes and some humor — what she called “the best tool to have in your toolbox.”
But the newsletter is on break as O’Leary prioritizes her work as chief investment officer at the $1.8 billion Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.
Ahead of her, she’ll discuss topics including DEI and ESG at the annual conference for the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment, of which the community foundation is a signatory.
Behind her is the belief that she’d “end up in academia,” having started her studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in its physics department. She said she didn’t want to spend her life working in a “pretty tough environment with all-male hypercompetitive researchers competing for poorly compensated roles.”
A course on the history of banking led O’Leary to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in economics with a specialization in physics, and to work 20 years at wealth management firms including Dearborn Partners and The Advocate Group, before switching to nonprofit work in 2019.
While she can present with humor, O’Leary noted she’s “a deeply serious person.” What she has learned to do over time — as she got older, managed people and accumulated experiences — is to be more confident, and early career women need to do that much sooner.
“If you’re kind of fearful and not trusting in your own abilities, it really puts you at a disadvantage when it comes to … moving forward … having that self confidence and showing it to people,” she added. “That’s kind of the whole ball game.”
