Single Mom Builds a “Totally Different” Life for Her Family, Thanks to New Career at Navy Federal Credit Union

By: Allison Stevens

Jalissa Davis lives to put smiles on other people’s faces.

She worked toward that goal for years in the dental industry—and now does the same, in a different way, in the banking sector.

Today, Davis helps members of the military community achieve financial health, a role that changed her life—and put a smile on her own face, too, as a single mom working for an organization nationally recognized for its support for women in the workplace.

Indeed, Navy Federal Credit Union, where Davis works as a member service representative, is one of the nation’s best workplaces for women, according to an annual list released today by Fortune. It's the ninth consecutive year the credit union has landed on the prestigious list.

“My role at Navy Federal is more than just a job,” says Davis, one of thousands of happily employed women at the credit union. Indeed, two-thirds of Navy Federal employees are women, as are some 60 percent of its leaders—such as Navy Federal’s Chief Operating Officer Kara Cardona.

"Over the past twenty-five years, I have watched women of all ages and stages flourish at Navy Federal Credit Union, thanks in large part to our organization's strong culture of support for all—including women, caregivers and military spouses—and our unwavering commitment to equity, inclusion and belonging,” Cardona said.

“As a military spouse, I am beyond grateful for this support, which has fueled my journey from part-time branch employee through various leadership positions. I've grown up at Navy Federal, and I know from years of firsthand experience that our organization is committed from top to bottom to ensuring that women team members are able to reach their full professional potential. We know that when women thrive, our enterprise thrives."

Best Workplace for Women

Davis, for her part, joined Navy Federal’s ranks two years ago, following a divorce that left her struggling to support her family. Despite education and training in her field, and nearly a decade of experience, she was “living paycheck to paycheck” as a dental hygienist in Pensacola. The global pandemic only intensified her challenges. As a health care professional, she couldn’t work from home—and couldn’t find affordable childcare for her young boys, who were then attending virtual school in their subsidized home in Pensacola. “Something needed to change,” she said.

Change came that year when Davis landed her job at Navy Federal. Virtually overnight, her pay more than tripled and she had access to a slew of benefits that support working parents, and women in particular, such as a flexible work schedule and the ability to work from home; paid leave; and referrals to child and elder care resources.

These benefits are among the many reasons why Navy Federal once again made Fortune’s prestigious list of top workplaces for women, which is developed based on anonymous surveys of female employees about leadership quality, workplace culture, purpose and equity. Also taken into account is a culture of support for women, as evidenced by offerings like Navy Federal’s peer group for women in cybersecurity.

The credit union supports women outside of the organization, too, through support and donations to groups like the Service Women’s Action Network, which advocates for gender equity in the military, and Operation Deploy Your Dress, which helps offset spousal costs of attending formal military functions. Navy Federal is a corporate partner of the Department of Defense's Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), which recommends military spouses for employment and offers them job-hunting tools such as resume assistance and interview preparation as well as career development opportunities.

Further, the credit union runs an internal talent program to support military spouses like Gab Dee, who secured a full-time position as a data analyst after her husband received orders to relocate, and Stephanie Cobb. “Working at Navy Federal gave me a strong sense of ‘this is mine, I can have this career and be a wife and mom,’” Cobb said.

Navy Federal’s Chelsea Pifer is another strong proponent: Reentering the job market after a dozen years as a stay-at-home mom was challenging, she said. But “Navy Federal scooped me up and gave me a chance to show what I can do. Now, I work with people of all ages and stages who support me in my roles as a writer and a working mother.”

When it comes to gender equity, Holly Kortright, chief human resources officer at Navy Federal, says Navy Federal Credit Union walks the walk. “We are deeply committed to supporting women at every level of our organization, from the frontlines to the back office, and our commitment shines through in our recruitment and retention rates and in representation across the credit union. When we support women, we support our enterprise—which helps us serve those who serve us.”

A “Totally Different” Life

For Davis, the culture of support enabled her to build a “totally different” life. “I’m not struggling anymore,” she says. “I’m not working paycheck to paycheck.”

Indeed, in the two years since she joined Navy Federal, she has bought a car and a three-bedroom home of her own. She’s able to work from home when her youngest—born in 2020, during the pandemic—is sick. And she was able to take advantage of paid leave when her father, a retired member of the US Navy, fell ill. “Navy Federal stepped in and took care of everything,” she said, adding that colleagues sent flowers and gifts.

In two short years, her hard work and strong performance earned her "Team Member of the Month"—and promotions, too. All are well deserved, says Davis’s supervisor, Joyce Hill, who notes that Davis “exemplifies the values and culture that make Navy Federal one of the Nation's best workplaces for women.”

The feeling is mutual, Davis responds. “My role at Navy Federal is more than just a job. What motivates me when I wake up is knowing that I can be of help to people in need, people like my dad, who serve our nation. When I walk through Navy Federal’s doors, I smile. And a smile goes a long way.” 

From Fortune. ©2024 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. Fortune and Fortune Media IP Limited are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of, Navy Federal Credit Union.