Diana Allan began her financial career at a regional bank in Maryland after she obtained her MBA from George Washington University. Due to her husband's job, Allan moved to Los Angeles, ultimately becoming vice president and deputy manager of the Los Angeles office of Banque Nationale de Paris—an ideal position for a former French major with a strong interest in international finance. She had two children during these years and worked full-time.
After her husband became a partner at his law firm, the combined pressures of a two-career family were too great, and Allan chose to put her career on hold. "I felt that we were on a collision course," she says. To her relief, life at home turned out to be lively and satisfying. She had a third child, found a stimulating peer group, and engaged in rewarding volunteer activities, including developing the first long-range financial plan adopted by her children's private school. She waited until her youngest child obtained his driver's license before considering full-time work and has turned down several unsolicited offers that were not quite right. "I am looking for a career, not a job." She saw Back in Business as a launching pad for a more thoughtful approach to her reentry into the professional working world.
The career development component of the program, including the women executives in the program's career presentations, inspired Allan to conduct a disciplined search and to activate her existing network in Los Angeles. She has followed up on corporate recruiting contacts made available through Back in Business and contacted an old friend who works for one of the city's Big Four accounting firms to help her identify areas where her skills and interests may fit within the consulting world. Back in Business has helped Allan clarify what she wants: the opportunity to utilize her analytical, client development, and project management skills in an international setting.
