Hartford Business Journal

4 Hartford Business Journal | March 22, 2021 | Women In Business A s managing principal of OneDigital Connecticut, Bailey enables her team of employee-benefit professionals to challenge businesses with strategic options to help them grow and increase employee engagement. She is an innovator and change-leader. Bailey has extensive experience in providing strategic benefit planning, financial analysis, legislative and compliance guidance, providing innovative and progressive plans to support businesses and the workforces they employ. She is an active contributor on many healthcare and insurance advisory committees, including the Move to Value alliance. In the community, she serves on the board of directors of Healing Meals Community Project. In December 2020, Bailey achieved her Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation. Q: What's been your biggest professional accomplishment so far? Being asked to step into my current role two years ago and lead our team is by far my biggest professional accomplishment to date. I began my career 15 years ago at this same firm as an intern while in college. I am grateful for the leaders and mentors I have had along the way who have allowed me room to take risks, try things myself and not be afraid to make mistakes. What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally? Becoming certified as a leadership coach is my next big goal. I believe that the best leaders spend more time coaching their teams and less time managing or delegating tasks. The more I can employ coaching skills and help my team learn, grow, and succeed in their own goals, the better and stronger we will be as a business. What's one of the biggest professional challenges you've overcome? Finding a way to balance my career commitments as an executive and stick to my professional goals, while being present for my three small children and husband has always been a challenge. I have learned to strive for progress and happiness instead of perfection. I hope that my daughters will someday look back and see that they too can have a fulfilling and successful career while still maintaining their own personal lives. How has the COVID-19 pandemic forced you to adapt as a leader? Navigating and leading a business through a global pandemic is no easy feat, but it has pushed me to accelerate my use of technology in communicating with my team. We have truly embraced video, both by recording messages and making video calls. I have enjoyed being able to stay engaged and in touch with all my colleagues so easily - sometimes even more than before. What are your keys to maintaining business success? Set smart goals and stick to them. I have found that beginning each year with a plan, with a few personal and professional goals that can be measured, has truly helped me to maintain success. I love to learn new things and innovate, but having my own personal plan helps me to stay focused and accountable. C hristine Cappiello leads government relations for Connecticut's largest health insurance provider, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. She drives the company's work to make healthcare more affordable, and plays an important role in reinforcing the value and choices that a well- regulated, competitive healthcare industry provides for people in Connecticut. What's been your biggest professional accomplishment so far? During my tenure with the company, I have had the opportunity to be a part of several historic milestones, such as the introduction of the Affordable Care Act. My mission is to leverage my position to collaborate on initiatives that offer people in Connecticut more choices when it comes to their healthcare, particularly more affordable options. What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally? There's a lot of opposition when it comes to how healthcare should be paid for and delivered. A professional goal of mine is to illustrate how there is more alignment than we realize and there are opportunities to work together to reach the common goal of simplifying healthcare for people. What's one of the biggest professional challenges you've overcome? Healthcare is personal and what that means in my work is that it elicits very heated debates. There are times when that conflict feels real for me and hits home – at the end of the day, I am also a consumer of healthcare. That being said, we're lucky to be in the insurance capital of the world, where we have such great talent thinking about the future of our health. How has the COVID-19 pandemic forced you to adapt as a leader? My job is very personal. It's about making connections. Finding a new way to do that and still have those meaningful connections is a challenge, but it's been eye-opening to see how quickly we've adapted and discovered new ways of working. Who has been your most important mentor and why? I had the pleasure of working for Former State Senator Billy Ciotto, who was a lifelong public servant before running for office. He taught me that every person you meet is carrying something around, and we're all similar in that way, and what that means is that it's important to always treat people with kindness and dignity. S hari Cantor is the mayor of West Hartford, Connecticut, New England's largest town, where she oversees a $300-million budget. As an elected official, Cantor builds consensus, working to use her positive influence, communication and collaboration skills. Her role requires her to be in constant contact with town administration, town council colleagues and state and federal delegations, as well as school system, non- profit, business, and spiritual leaders. On the town council since 2004, she leads with empathy and openness, making connections that solve problems. Cantor, a trustee of the University of Connecticut, is active in many other organizations as well. What's been your biggest professional accomplishment so far? I have prioritized budget elements to minimize increases, saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by creating a novel and strategic plan to address unfunded legacy costs that have increased exponentially over the last two decades in West Hartford. This was done with significant research, analysis and thought and minimizes risk by creating a reserve dedicated to market fluctuations. What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally? There is so much that I want to accomplish professionally that the challenge is prioritizing all the work that needs to be done. We are strategically planning for the next 20 years, building on a sustainable community that is desirable to be in and accessible. We're creating micropolitan districts that incorporate and enhance the work, live and play experience. To do this, we are transforming our transit-oriented corridor and encouraging investment and diverse development in our key business districts. What's one of the biggest professional challenges you've overcome? As an elected official, I'm in the people business. Local government protects people and provides the best services we can. This past year has been so challenging. A health crisis was driving an economic crisis that shed light on a social crisis, that showed us that it is so important to show every person respect. To be an inclusive community, this has to be an intentional area of focus. How has the COVID-19 pandemic forced you to adapt as a leader? The COVID-19 pandemic has required us to constantly reevaluate and respond with agility, caution, creativity and optimism to a changing landscape. Communication – both for information and reassurance – has been especially important. I am so proud of everyone in the West Hartford community for coming together to take care of each other and continue to provide award-winning public education, be flexible to attract and retain businesses, raise diverse voices, meet fundamental human needs and offer all the services that provide an excellent quality of life during the pandemic. What do you like to do outside of work? When you're mayor, you never stop working. You live in the work. Travel opens my eyes to opportunities that I can bring home to make our community better. I love to be outside hiking, running and biking. And of course I feel so blessed to have an incredibly supportive husband who is my best friend, and four wonderful sons and wonderful daughter-in-law. Women In Business Awards 2021 Emily Bailey Employer: OneDigital Title: Managing Principal Shari Cantor Employer: Town of West Hartford Title: Mayor Christine Cappiello Employer: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut Title: Senior Director, Government Relations

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