Celebrating women in leadership: Kate Reichenbach

March marks Women’s History Month. It’s a month to reflect on the trailblazers who broke barriers, to acknowledge the achievements that might have been overlooked, and to inspire future generations to continue pushing the boundaries of possibility. Women’s contributions span every field, from science and politics to arts and technology, shaping the world in unique and disruptive ways.

In the spirit of this celebration, we turn our focus to an inimitable WEXer, Kate Reichenbach, VP of digital strategy and operations at WEX whose strategic insight and leadership is driving the company forward in powerful and ground-breaking ways. As a leader within the office of the Chief Digital Officer, Reichenbach plays a role in shaping the company’s overall strategy and enabling advancement toward greater operational efficiency and a more engaging and satisfying customer experience. Her achievements and leadership position at WEX are not just a testament to her talent, hard work, and expertise but also to WEX’s dedication to fostering an environment inclusive to women in technology and leadership roles. 

A personal touch coupled with professional excellence

Reichenbach has developed an approach to her work over the years, combining strategic acumen with a deep commitment to personal engagement. Reichenbach’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that the best leadership involves not just guiding the direction of projects but also nurturing the growth and potential of the people driving those projects. As Reichenbach puts it, “Leadership is about recognizing greatness (what I like to refer to as someone’s ‘superpower’) and it’s my job to create a space where they can maximize that superpower.” This blend of strategic foresight and personal investment in her staff mirrors the cultural ethos of WEX. Reichenbach refers to a Leslie Kilgore quote, “Lead with context, not control” to help illustrate what this means to her. 

Specific to Reichenbach’s digital strategy and operations team, she notes that empowerment is key. “I believe it’s my team’s job to make things happen. It’s my job to make SURE they happen and then celebrate and champion those successes.” Key to accomplishing this is being transparent, sharing information, and ensuring everyone knows they are part of something bigger than their job title. If team members lead the work, Reichenbach wants to ensure they get the credit, and at the same time it’s important to her that she creates a culture of fun, trust, and openness. “Ultimately, we win and lose as a team.”

Finding a seat at the table and building bridges as a woman in finance and technology

Throughout her career, Reichenbach has encountered obstacles common to women in both finance and tech. Reichenbach’s resilience in the face of these challenges sets her apart. “I’ve always believed that every challenge is an opportunity in disguise,” Reichenbach remarks, underscoring an ability to transform potential setbacks into stepping stones for growth and innovation.

Her career started at Bank of America and then turned to strategy and operational consulting. Early in her consulting career, she found a passion for bridging the commercial aspects of the business with the digital and technological side. “At the time ‘digital transformation’ was the hot topic in the strategy and analytics world. No one was calling it ‘artificial intelligence’ but I was often working on projects that involved machine learning, predictive analytics, and in some cases, prescriptive analytics.” 

Reichenbach thrived in her consulting work and continued to be curious and open to what more she could learn and how else she could grow her career. “I absolutely loved consulting but wanted to learn how to operate, not just advise, a business.” This led her to join a private equity roll-up of footwear brands where she wore multiple hats. She led merger integration and change management and then brand marketing, ultimately finding her home overseeing the portfolio company’s digital growth transformation. She found the brand marketing work fascinating but learned she was more at home back in digital, which brought her to WEX and her current role.

While Reichenbach’s career has included moments where she found herself face-to-face with the complexities of a male-dominated industry, she was able to find her voice and assert her place at the decision-making table. “Particularly in financial services and then consulting, there were many times where I was the only female in the room. My superpower is being a connector and integrator. I’m very direct but I do so coupled with empathy. My goal is to find common ground with others, regardless of gender. That allows me to collaborate, influence, and challenge the status quo even if I don’t have stated authority.”  

Mentorship as a path to career growth and lifelong learning

Mentorship has been instrumental in shaping Reichenbach’s career trajectory. She attributes a significant part of her growth to the mentors who have guided her, teaching her not just the nuts and bolts of how a business can succeed but also the importance of empathy, understanding, and building strong relationships within and outside the workplace. A self-professed extrovert she says she’ll talk to anyone, and this has proven advantageous at touchpoints along the way: She landed her first job in consulting from talking to the person sitting next to her on an airplane who turned out to be a partner at a consulting firm. “He asked for my resume at the end of the conversation which led to my first consulting job and he also became a lifelong mentor to me.” 

Reichenbach’s leadership style has been influenced by what she’s learned from mentors. She has an open-door policy, with a goal that team members feel valued and heard. She empowers her colleagues by entrusting them with responsibilities and supporting their decisions, fostering an environment of trust and mutual respect. This approach has enabled her to build a cohesive team aligned with WEX’s vision and committed to the company’s success. Reichenbach comments, “I love, with a capital ‘L’, the team I have built at WEX. I feel strongly that great talent begets great talent. If I hire someone great, they’ll hire someone even greater! Everyone on the team has a different, but complementary set of talents and skills, and combined, we are a force.”

Reichenbach’s career has been fortunate to include mentors who have left indelible marks on her methods and leadership style. From early in her career, she connected with colleagues who recognized her potential and invested time in cultivating her development. Reid Matthews, on assignment at the London office of Bank of America where Reichenbach worked in her early career, saw her potential and took her under his wing. It wasn’t merely happenstance that he came across her work, she had questions and fearlessly strode her 23-year-old self into his office and fired off a range of them to him and that sparked a years-long professional relationship helping shape Reichenbach’s success at Bank of America and impactful to her to this day. “Mentorship has been pivotal for me. It’s more than just guidance; it’s about having someone believe in you, challenge you, and push you to think bigger,” Reichenbach reflects. 

Matthews went on to teach her how to lead in ways that Reichenbach still relies on today: the biggest lesson being to set the strategy, let your people execute, and lead with a light touch and a whole lot of trust. “I want the members of my team to feel ownership of our work. If I can set the map and the direction of the ship appropriately the team should be able to captain the ship and Reid Matthews taught me that. You need to know the details and have the facts, but you need to empower your teams to take accountability and drive the work. Overall he said to me, ‘Kate, there’s no magic formula, you just have to treat people with respect and let them run with it.’”

Another mentoring relationship for Reichenbach began with an elevator conversation with a different Bank of America executive, John Fandel, who was leading a part of the business Reichenbach knew nothing about at the time – operational risk. She peppered him with questions and by the end of the elevator ride they’d made a plan to get coffee. She learned a great deal in those coffee sessions and it all came about as a result of Reichenbach’s confidence, friendliness, and curiosity.

Reichenbach also discussed the impact Karen Stroup, WEX’s Chief Digital Officer, has had on her career. Stroup’s strategic insight and leadership style are a source of inspiration for Reichenbach. “Karen taught me the importance of thinking big and embracing innovation, but also the value of empathy and understanding in leadership.” In Stroup, Reichenbach found not just a boss but a mentor whose strategic vision and innovative mindset provide a constant source of inspiration. “Karen challenges me to think beyond the conventional, to see the bigger picture, and embrace the potential for innovation in every challenge.” Stroup is also an innately compassionate and empathetic leader and Reichenbach describes her ethos as encapsulated in a Maya Angelou quote displayed front and center in Stroup’s office which says, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” As Reichenbach shares about Stroup, “She lives and breathes that philosophy, which I appreciate. I remember in my early days at WEX hearing Stroup tell an anecdote about a customer, with such passion and understanding of their needs and the value our products brought them. I have always been extremely customer-centric but Stroup’s mentorship continually reiterates the importance of understanding who they are and how we can help simplify their workflows.”

As she advanced in her career, Reichenbach began mentoring others, mirroring the mentorship she was fortunate to receive from people like Karen Stroup. “Karen is the kind of leader who will say your name in a room full of opportunities. She cares about others’ success, believes in your potential and is eager to connect the stars for you.” Reichenbach found a new dimension to her professional life as a mentor herself, one that allowed her to share her experiences, insights, and lessons learned with the next generation of leaders. “Mentorship is a cornerstone of a vibrant, dynamic workplace. It’s how we build each other up, share knowledge, and create a legacy of leadership and innovation. My role as a leader is not to create followers, it’s to create more leaders,” Reichenbach asserts. 

Inspiration from an early age from strong women in her family

Behind every successful individual are figures of inspiration and support, shaping their aspirations and guiding their journey. For Reichenbach, this rings especially true, and beyond Karen Stroup there are key women in Reichenbach’s life providing a foundation of inspiration influencing her professional path and leadership style.

Reichenbach’s mother stands as a central figure in her life, whom Reichenbach describes as embodying resilience and grace. “My mom navigated a career while raising a family and giving back to the community. She instilled in me the belief that with thoughtful organization and dedication, I could achieve anything I set my mind to.” When Reichenbach came into her own, she found a supportive partner who also believes in equal division of labor and strong communication, leading to equity and teamwork in the relationship. Both Reichenbach and her husband prioritize investing themselves in their work in meaningful ways while also acting as engaged parents and partners when not working.  Beyond modeling for her how to have a fulfilling career and be a mother at the same time, Reichenbach acknowledges that she’s in this position (both at home and work) because of those who broke the glass ceiling before her. “Yes I have a fantastic partner but I also think we’re in this post-glass ceiling era of ‘work like we aren’t mothers and mother like we don’t work.’ It’s NOT easy and every day is a balance and only achievable by putting the right systems in place.”

Reichenbach’s aunt, another formidable influence, carved out a successful banking career during a time when the industry was predominantly led by men, telling Reichenbach,“Kate I was making thirty thousand and the men – doing the same work as I was – were making 50.” Her aunt’s stories of perseverance and advocacy for equality in the workplace left a lasting impact on Reichenbach. “My aunt faced significant disparities in pay and recognition but never let that diminish her drive or commitment. She taught me the importance of advocating for myself and others.” This lesson in advocacy is a cornerstone of Reichenbach’s leadership philosophy. 

She remembers being in college and going to hear her aunt speak professionally. “She was speaking at a conference and she invited me and I watched her in front of I don’t know 400 people and I was so impressed. I had never been to a corporate event, and what I observed was that the room was silent: they were all intently listening to her. I found this inspiring and it was a moment for me when I saw a path forward for myself. It was then that my aunt took me under her wing and showed me what the options were for my own career.”

The impact of these relationships on Reichenbach has imbued her with a blend of resilience, strategic thinking, and a deep commitment to fostering an empowering work environment for others under her leadership. “The lessons I’ve learned from these incredible women resonate in every decision I make, in every strategy I devise, and in how I lead my team,” Reichenbach shares.

The power of female friendships for career support and advice

Reichenbach’s friendships weave a pattern of support, guidance, and mutual growth in her life, and these relationships are not just a source of joy but a critical component of her professional success. “My female friendships form a cornerstone of my resilience and achievements,” Reichenbach explains. “I call this group of women my personal board of directors.”

Reichenbach’s friendships form a support system around her, a place of empathy and understanding. These relationships — including a group of ten women from Reichenbach’s MBA program – provide a place for open and honest dialogue, where challenges can be discussed without judgment and successes celebrated with joy. An example of how this works for the group was when Reichenbach was considering joining WEX. She texted the group to ask for advice if she should take the job. One friend who leads investor relations jumped in with a positive perspective on WEX’s stock price and positioning, another who is a Chief Product Officer provided perspective on WEX’s products, another chimed in asking some inquisitive questions about the culture. Their input ultimately led Reichenbach to WEX. “There’s an incredible strength in knowing you have a network of women who not only understand your struggles but also champion your victories,” she notes.

Professionally, these friendships also serve an important purpose for Reichenbach with many of her friends similarly situated in leadership positions globally. Her friends offer her diverse perspectives and experiences. These perspectives help her approach challenges with a broader, more informed viewpoint. “Whether it’s a strategic decision at work or a personal dilemma, I know I can rely on my circle of friends for honest, thoughtful advice,” she says.

A message to the next generation of women joining the workforce

For young women just starting out, Reichenbach recommends developing a mindset of exploration and curiosity. “Don’t be afraid to try something new. Every role, every project, and every challenge is an opportunity to learn more about what drives you and where you can make the most impact,” she advises. In that same light Reichenbach encourages young women to seek diverse experiences, whether through internships, volunteer work, or side projects. “Diversifying your experiences is key to understanding the array of opportunities available to you. It’s through this exploration that you’ll discover what you are most passionate about and what you’d be most successful at doing.” Reichenbach strongly believes that “following one’s passion” as a standalone principle isn’t all you need to find success. The key is finding something you consistently love and at the same time are good at. She also advises a philosophy of lifelong learning to keep engaged in your field. “Stay curious even after you’ve found your niche. Industries evolve, passions change, and staying informed and adaptable is key to long-term success,” she notes.

Reichenbach’s journey to her role at WEX was not a straight line but a series of explorations where she gradually honed her interests and skills. “I explored various fields before finding my niche in fintech. Each experience, whether it aligned with my initial expectations or not, taught me something valuable about myself and my professional aspirations,” Reichenbach recalls. This process of trial and reflection allowed her to understand where her strongest interests and strengths lay, guiding her toward a career that made the best use of her passions and skills.

Lastly, Reichenbach shares that her guiding principles are aligned with Ikigai, a Japanese concept that translates to “a reason for being.” Ikigai is the belief that a sense of purpose comes from the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.  “Find what drives you, what excites you, and what makes you want to get up in the morning. Let that passion be your guide, and don’t lose sight of why you started on this path in the first place.”

Celebrating a leader at WEX during Women’s History Month

Reichenbach’s career story involves personal and professional growth, underscored by the profound impact of mentorship and the strength of female friendships. Her success is in part about the value of individual resilience but it is also about the support systems that foster growth and learning along the way. She has been given opportunities to grow and at every turn she replied with a “Yes. I’m all in.” Reichenbach’s eagerness to continually learn and her respect for the wisdom of her mentors brought her to where she is today.

Reichenbach’s journey also underscores the importance of embracing one’s own path with confidence, an open mind, and a generous heart. It is a reminder that career trajectories are rarely straightforward and that the detours and unexpected turns often lead to the most rewarding destinations. WEX is fortunate to have Kate Reichenbach, a generous, confident, and inspiring leader, and a shining star on its bench. 

WEX is a leading global fintech solutions provider, simplifying payments and back-end business processes in the fleet management, benefits management, and corporate payments areas.  WEX values diversity and equity and is an equal opportunity employer. Search jobs on our careers site.