Meridian CEO Jay-Ann Gilfoy shares lessons from the C-suite
Women Leaders23.06.2025
When Jay-Ann Gilfoy began her career in human resources, she wasn’t aiming to become a CEO – let alone one in the financial sector. But looking back, the signs were there.
“I was a business person in an HR role,” she said. “I was fascinated by strategy, performance and growth. I was always curious, always nosy – I wanted to learn how everything worked.”
That relentless curiosity, paired with a deep understanding of people and performance, laid the foundation for a career that would see her rise through the ranks of a traditionally male-dominated industry, break barriers, and redefine leadership on her own terms.
Now, as president and CEO of Meridian Credit Union, Gilfoy says that same curiosity continues to drive her.
“The more I know, the less I know,” she laughed. “If you really want people to follow you, you have to work on leadership the same way you work on all your other skills and abilities. It’s a never-ending project.”
Navigating a new kind of leadership
But Gilfoy’s road to the C-suite wasn’t without challenges and learning curves.
“In my first executive role, I was the first woman on the team,” she recalls. “Most of the men had wives who stayed home. I had little kids and a husband who worked. I didn’t have the same flexibility.”
That experience helped shape her leadership philosophy. She became an early champion of flexible work – not just for herself but for her teams.
“Flexibility is so critical to high performance, for both men and women,” she says. “And not just for parents. So often, women carry the load for aging parents or whatever life is throwing at them.”
She’s also experienced the subtle ways women in leadership are often underestimated or scrutinized – whether through backhanded remarks like “Oh, she’s just the CEO of a small financial institution” or having her frustration perceived negatively compared to her male counterparts.
It’s part of the reason she is so committed to uplifting other women and ensuring they feel supported in their own leadership journeys. Today, she helps lead a cross-mentorship initiative within the credit union system and pushes for greater accountability around diversity and inclusion within her organization.
“I didn’t fully understand the symbol of being a woman in a CEO job,” she said. “I underestimated the power of that. But to make things better for the women coming up behind us, it comes down to mentorship, sponsorship, and monitoring. We’re always looking at diversity in leadership roles, salary increases, and making sure we have a balanced scorecard.”
Balance and boundaries
Gilfoy is also candid about the emotional toll leadership can take – particularly for women.
The pressure to prove yourself, the subtle double standards, and the ever-present mom guilt can all make finding work-life balance challenging. But her advice is clear: ask for what you need.
“It’s an ongoing struggle,” she said. “It’s more about compartmentalizing your life so that you feel like you have the balance. And also setting clear boundaries. When my kids were little, I always made sure I was home in the morning to send them to school and closed my laptop in the evening until they went to bed.
“Being clear on what you need and not feeling guilty about it was also a big lesson for me. People are often afraid to say, ‘This is really important to me.’ I think the clearer you are, particularly as a woman, the more free you will be, and the better you perform.”
The power of saying ‘yes’
One of the other most transformative lessons of her career has been the power of saying yes.
“You need to be okay living in that slight state of panic,” she laughed. But embracing those moments of uncertainty, she adds, requires more than just courage. It takes clarity.
About a decade ago, she sat down and asked herself: What am I here to do?
The answer became a north star.
“I’m here to help others succeed,” she said. “Whether it’s companies, people, my kids – that’s what fuels me.”
A look at the future
With nearly four years under her belt as CEO of Meridian, Gilfoy remains energized by what lies ahead.
As always, her goals are clear: to grow the business, adopt emerging technologies like AI without compromising the human-centred culture, and ensure that there is another woman ready to step into her role when the time comes.
“I want to leave behind a stronger organization and a pipeline of diverse leadership,” she said. “That’s the legacy I would love to leave.”
And when she’s not leading her team or behind the CEO desk?
“Lots of movement! Every day I try to do something physical, even if that’s a morning walk,” she said. “I’m also trying to read more, so I always have my Kindle around. I’m on the final book of A Court of Thorns and Roses, actually! And I’ve always got some business books on the go to keep me busy.”
