Equipment finance industry leader Deborah Baker, head of worldwide leasing and financing at HP, will lead a Master Talk on Pivotal Points in My Career — A Personal Leadership Story for STRIPES Leadership Program, the professional and personal leadership development program designed to challenge and inspire best-in-class leaders within the equipment finance industry in partnership with Monitor.

It is important to learn from others’ experiences, both the achievements and the missteps. This Master Talk will help you understand potential pitfalls and opportunities and gain insight on optimizing your career journey.

“Sometimes a career feels like a full-fledged expedition with pitfalls to avoid and lessons to learn, recognizing when and how to pivot or when to stay put and double down,” Baker said.

STRIPES Leadership Program is a 10-month, rich and unique leadership development program for the equipment finance professional. Master Talks, like the one being led by Baker, are just one component of the comprehensive program tapestry, which includes a three-day Breakthrough Intensive Program, Master Workshops, a Mentor/Mentee Program, STRIPES Living Leadership Development Plan and more. Launching in September 2021, the program will cultivate a transformative journey to leadership advancement. The curriculum is designed to present opportunities for participants to expand both personally and professionally and to enhance their leadership potential.

“Inspiration for people and in organizations is best stimulated and energized through shared learning and experience,” Lisa Rafter, CEO and founder of STRIPES Leadership Program, said. “In Deb’s Master Talk, she shares real life experiences, challenging crossroads and exciting opportunities. Participants will learn how to balance being competent and comfortable with the risk of becoming complacent.”

As head of worldwide leasing and financing at HP, Baker is responsible for driving contractual business growth through an optimized, profitable multi-vendor leasing and financing go-to-market (GTM) solution.

Baker is a finance veteran with almost 30 years of experience supporting captive and vendor financing. She joined HP from Cisco Systems Capital, where she served as senior director of global portfolio services, supporting a $12 billion global portfolio of approximately 5,000 lease and loan customers in more than 100 countries, maximizing sales enablement and ensuring fiduciary responsibility.

Prior to joining Cisco Systems Capital in 2011, Baker spent 10 years with Hewlett-Packard Financial Services at its headquarters in New Jersey supporting end-user financing products in the U.S. and Canada and U.S. public sector as well as internal (embedded lease) financing products. Prior to Hewlett-Packard Financial Services, she held a variety of roles with CIT (formerly AT&T Capital), including roles in business development, sales and operations. As a Six Sigma Champion and Talent Ambassador, Baker is passionate about process improvements, learning and development and talent management

Baker is a member of the board of directors for the Equipment Leasing and Financing Association, the chair of the ELFA Women’s Council and a member of ELFA Equality. In addition, Baker is a former member of the editorial board of Monitor. In 2019, she was named one of the Top Women in Equipment Finance by Monitor.