Great Women in Compliance

Lisa Fine and Hemma Lomax
  • 4.9 (57)
  • BUSINESS
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For a long time, compliance was perceived as a part of the larger legal world. Today, compliance is its own profession—a place where people work tirelessly to make the world a better place, one where doing the right thing is the standard for everyone. There are a lot of amazing and inspirational women who have helped the compliance field develop into what it is today, and women are joining this field every day. They are leading the work on cutting-edge issues and breaking barriers for women. Join Hemma Lomax and Lisa Fine as they talk with women in compliance who are making a difference. This podcast is part of the Compliance Podcast Network.

  1. DOJ’s New Fraud Division: Practical Insights for Compliance Professionals

    MAY 6

    DOJ’s New Fraud Division: Practical Insights for Compliance Professionals

    In this episode, Lisa and Ellen speak with Leigha Simonton and Jennifer Beidel, former prosecutors and now partners at Dykema Gossett. They discuss the changes in the U.S. Department of Justice, focusing on the National Fraud Enforcement Division and shifts in enforcement priorities. They discuss the spotlight on fraud involving federal funds, especially in healthcare, PPP loans, and other government programs. They discuss the new structure of the criminal fraud division and how that may change the government’s approach to prosecuting cases. At the same time, they also note that many experienced prosecutors and agents have left the DOJ, creating a gap between stated priorities and capacity and expertise. Leigha and Jennifer also provide practical guidance for ethics and compliance professionals.  They confirm that a risk assessment is critical and that any company that received federal funds, such as PPP loans, should remain vigilant for possible exposure under the current enforcement trends. Even with these changes, they reiterate that effective, well-tested compliance programs do matter if the U.S. government is considering (or engaging in) prosecution. A proactive program—not the tick-the-box type—demonstrates implementation and remediation, increasing the likelihood of a declination. This is a great episode for those of us trying to understand the US DOJ’s current enforcement landscape amid uncertainty.

    44 min
  2. Risk as a Leadership Discipline: Lessons from Internal Audit

    APR 29

    Risk as a Leadership Discipline: Lessons from Internal Audit

    Guest Bio: Michelle Wagner is Vice President and Head of Internal Audit at DocuSign, where she leads global audit strategy and helps the organization strengthen governance, risk management, and internal controls while supporting a culture of integrity and accountability. With more than 25 years of experience across consulting and industry, Michelle has held leadership roles at Deloitte, Costco, and SAP, where she led large audit portfolios, built high-performing teams, and drove governance and risk transformation initiatives across complex global organizations. Michelle is known for her practical, people-centered approach to risk leadership and for translating complex risk insights into clear, actionable guidance. She is passionate about mentoring emerging leaders and helping organizations move from reactive risk management to proactive, insight-driven decision-making. Show Notes: Risk is often framed as technical work, but at its core, it is deeply human. In this episode of Great Women in Compliance, Dr. Hemma Lomax sits down with Michelle Wagner, Head of Internal Audit at DocuSign, to explore how curiosity, empathy, and partnership help organizations manage risk more effectively and build stronger ethical cultures. Michelle shares insights from a career spanning consulting and global leadership roles, reflecting on the moments that shaped her leadership philosophy and the lessons she has learned about influencing without authority, building trust, and helping teams see risks as opportunities to improve rather than problems to avoid. Together, they discuss the evolving role of internal audit, the importance of collaboration across risk functions, and how emerging technologies such as AI can help leaders identify patterns and generate insights while reinforcing the need for human judgment. This conversation is a reminder that great risk leaders don’t just protect organizations — they help them succeed. Episode highlights: Why risk management is fundamentally a leadership discipline Lessons from moving from consulting to executive leadership roles What makes an internal audit function truly valuable How audit, compliance, and business teams can partner effectively The role of curiosity and psychological safety in surfacing risks Michelle’s perspective on AI and the future of risk management Leadership lessons from mentoring and building teams

    48 min
  3. Culture Check: Are Your Speak Up Channels Effective?

    APR 22

    Culture Check: Are Your Speak Up Channels Effective?

    Ever wish you could benchmark your Speak Up channels against more than volume, types of issues raised, and time to close?  The Speak Up Self-Assessment (SUSA) was designed to help you go deeper by assessing organizational infrastructure—including reporting channels, confidentiality safeguards, follow-up processes, and governance of whistleblowing systems. In this roundtable episode, we speak with guests:  Professor Jessica McManus Warnell Dr. Mary Gentile  Allison Narmi  about the work they are doing to bring a free, anonymous diagnostic tool to self-assess speak-up channels. Building on the work done in the EU, our guests today are members of the project team that has developed an American version of the tool, with support from the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership. Link to the EU version here – https://edhec.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eleMjkHraHzw6Hk U.S. version coming soon.

    31 min
  4. Clarity, Confidence, Results: Women Over 50 at Work

    APR 15

    Clarity, Confidence, Results: Women Over 50 at Work

    In this episode, Sarah Hadden and Caveni Wong explore the unique strengths women over 50 bring to today’s workplace—and why those strengths are often overlooked. Drawing on a career that spans consulting, sales, and ethics & compliance leadership, Caveni reflects on the power of experience, the value of judgment and relationship-building, and the kind of leadership that doesn’t rely on title or authority. They talk candidly about nonlinear career paths and what it means to reach a stage where you can choose what’s next with clarity and confidence. Along the way, they find an unexpected metaphor in sourdough bread—patient, resilient, and built over time—much like the careers and capabilities we develop across decades.

    32 min
  5. Pretty in Pink: Inside the World of Women Fraudsters

    MAR 25

    Pretty in Pink: Inside the World of Women Fraudsters

    Listen in to hear from two renowned fraud experts, Kelly Paxton & Professor Kelly Richmond Pope, talk about pink collar crime: What is it Why it happens How to spot it and What we can do to stop it  With our guests, Sarah Hadden and Ellen M. Hunt, explore whether there are differences between women and men fraudsters, what tools are available or may become available in the future to detect fraud before it happens, and whether biases or preconceived stereotypes hinder our ability to prevent and identify pink-collar crime.   Hear from two of the most experienced fraud professionals by tuning in on your favorite podcast platform, on Corporate Compliance Insights, and the Compliance Podcast Network.

    37 min
  6. SCCE ECEI 2026 - Berlin Highlights

    MAR 18

    SCCE ECEI 2026 - Berlin Highlights

    Lisa Fine and Ellen Hunt were at the SCCE ECEI in Berlin earlier in March and asked some members of the #GWIC community to share their experiences and insights from the event. They asked people to reflect on something that stood out from the presentations, a takeaway to apply when they return home, and something memorable to them. And, no surprise, the answers were insightful and thought-provoking. Their reflections highlighted themes including the growing importance of behavioral science, third-party risk, and AI, as well as creativity and engaging our audience. Everyone mentioned the sense of community - from conversations over lunch to reconnecting with global peers, both inside and outside the sessions. Whether it was hallway discussions, shared meals, or cultural experiences in Berlin, the conference underscored the energy and innovation that come from the global ethics and compliance community, as well as the meaningful relationships built in person at the event.

    22 min
  7. Reflections on Investigations, Culture and the Future

    MAR 11

    Reflections on Investigations, Culture and the Future

    In this episode of Great Women in Compliance, Lisa Fine speaks with Becky Rohr, Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Investigations at Ericsson. Becky talks about how her career journey led her to join Ericsson during a monitorship to strengthen their investigations function. To do that, she focused on conducting fair, thorough, and efficient investigations, enhancing investigator training, and improving processes for collecting and reviewing digital evidence within a global organization. This led to her being named Chief Compliance Officer at Ericsson and to the benefits of integrating investigations and compliance.  Not only did this lead to the continued evolution of their compliance function, but it also connected hotline reports, investigations, and remediation by using creative approaches to reinforcing ethics at Ericcson. Lisa and Becky also discuss how the Ericcson team has addressed workplace misconduct globally, sustaining compliance improvements after a monitorship ends, and the importance of leadership communication in maintaining a strong ethical culture. The conversation also touches on culture change, addressing workplace misconduct globally, and how organizations can sustain strong compliance programs even after regulatory oversight ends. Finally, Becky reflects on her decision to leave Ericsson and take a “power of the pause” moment before deciding on her next chapter—an approach that highlights the value of reflection and intentional career choices.

    22 min
  8. Resilience is a Muscle You Can Build

    MAR 4

    Resilience is a Muscle You Can Build

    In this episode of Great Women in Compliance, Lisa Fine talks with Trish Ashman, Senior Director of Ethics & Compliance (AMEA & APAC) at Cushman & Wakefield, about resilience, integrity, and knowing when it’s time to move on. Trish shares her journey from private practice in London to Singapore and into the Ethics and Compliance space. Trish was at Wirecard and then at Twitter, both of which had her working through two major corporate crises – the fraud at Wirecard and the ownership change at Twitter. Trish candidly shares her experiences and lessons learned from both of those roles. At Wirecard, she stayed to support employees during the collapse, focused on fairness and doing what she could to make a difference. At Twitter, after the acquisition dramatically reshaped the company and its compliance function, she considered whether she could still meaningfully influence ethical decision-making and if this role aligned with her values. This episode is an honest conversation about ethics and compliance as a calling, resilience as a muscle, and how these experiences shaped Trish and helped her become resilient and find a role where she would thrive.

    29 min
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About

For a long time, compliance was perceived as a part of the larger legal world. Today, compliance is its own profession—a place where people work tirelessly to make the world a better place, one where doing the right thing is the standard for everyone. There are a lot of amazing and inspirational women who have helped the compliance field develop into what it is today, and women are joining this field every day. They are leading the work on cutting-edge issues and breaking barriers for women. Join Hemma Lomax and Lisa Fine as they talk with women in compliance who are making a difference. This podcast is part of the Compliance Podcast Network.

Information

  • Creator
    Lisa Fine and Hemma Lomax
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    311
  • Rating
    Clean

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