Especially evident since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, work-life balance, or should we say work-life harmony, is a key priority for many of today’s professionals. However, we get that this is probably an area we’re all still trying to navigate regularly. For this reason, we’re thrilled to include AJ Barkley, who serves as head of Neighborhood and Community Lending at Bank of America, on our panel dedicated to this topic during the Women of Influence Forum.
Barkley is set to speak on the panel, “The Good, the Bad, and Things We Need to Talk About – A Real Conversation Around Work-life Balance,” which is happening the day before HousingWire Annual. During the panel, they’ll discuss the challenges of balancing work and life and share insights on how they have managed to build successful and growing careers while attempting to limit sacrifices made in their personal lives. Barkley will be joined by Carrie Gusmus, president and CEO at Aslan Home Lending, and Courtney Graham, chief marketing officer and chief people officer at Princeton Mortgage.
Barkley is an industry veteran who understands better than anyone else the intricacies of balancing work and home life. Not only does she lead Bank of America’s work to ensure broad-based and equitable access to lending and capital for individuals, families and small businesses across the economic spectrum, but also, she holds the titles of mother, wife and grandmother.
First joining Bank of America in 1996, Barkley works with nonprofits, community advocacy groups, real estate professional organizations and industry leaders, advocating for housing stability, affordability and generational wealth creation for under-represented groups. Barkley is a long-time champion of affordable and sustainable homeownership and is responsible for the bank’s Community Homeownership Commitment, a $15 billion program to increase homeownership, particularly among first-time homeowners, underserved communities and multicultural borrowers. These achievements have led her to be recognized as a HousingWire Women of Influence.
HousingWire Annual
She is also the co-executive sponsor of the bank’s Black Executive Leadership Council, supporting strategies that empower and improve career and leadership opportunities for Black professionals. Barkley also serves on the boards of Trinity Park Conservancy and Plano Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Division.
The Women of Influence Forum at HousingWire Annual is a limited capacity, half-day event that offers attendees the opportunity to hear from women leaders in the industry and connect in a candid and real way with their counterparts. When you sign-up for HW Annual, make sure to select the add-on ticket for the forum so you can hear from Barkley and all the other panelists. Register for the forum and HW Annual here.
