Being successful at this level, I got promoted to a Director at a National and shortly after - a Director at the International Board, with its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. All that while studying allowed me to understand different cultures, build a very valuable network, lead international group of people at a young age, organize and manage multiple tasks, deliver workshops and travel around Europe driven by different projects. Most importantly, it allowed me to grow at an accelerated pace.

Soon after starting my practice in law I realized that I am more passionate about business and can pursue the same goal of creating a lasting impact in the world outside of law. I worked with different legal and consulting companies managing a variety of projects, teams and met fascinating people along the way who helped me understand where and how I want to grow. My activity in early years of my growth helped me gain priceless experience, so as a next chapter in my career, I took a position in a corporate world in the finance industry - investment banking.

Working with investment banking clients and processes turned out to be a great platform my growth. I have demonstrated my potential quickly and the company asked me to move to their other branch that I can help develop in the United States. So, 2015 opened up a new chapter for me, I moved my life and career to America. As many other decisions I have made - this one was also risky and not easy, but worth it - definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made both in my personal and professional life.

Over the past several years, as I've worked on a global arena of finance industry, I've honed my leadership skills by focusing on people from a variety of cultures around the world. I have managed change through them, helped them find their passion and determine their goals. I have worked with them to help them understand their strengths and weaknesses. I have helped built their careers. Witnessing success of people who grew under my leadership, seeing their passion, growth, their contribution to the culture I strive for, watching the teams I have built being setup for success and excelling at an accelerating pace, I consider one of my proudest career accomplishments.

Continuously cultivating those in my sphere of influence, I've maintained an unwavering commitment to my own learning journey. At the core of my capabilities lies my pride in Harvard-educated expertise - an education steeped in management consulting and problem-solving. This equipped me to approach every facet of partnership with my clients with a strategic and informed perspective.

Originating from the finance and banking sector, I've collaborated with industry giants, consistently delivering excellence in service to top clients. This extensive exposure gave me a wealth of experience and a profound understanding of even the most demanding clients’ needs.

As you can see, all these years of my career so far have been full of success stories, but those would not be there if not many challenges I have gotten exposed to over time. They allowed me to learn from mistakes I made and understand that success is not about the destination, it’s about the journey. “Our greatest story is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” (Confucius). I went through experiences that built me, shaped my character and gave me the strength I have now.

Throughout the journey filled with all of those experiences I discovered my passion for leadership mentoring and consulting. I knew I want to make a lasting impact and now, thanks to my company Klaudyna Smit Consulting I am following my mission. At the heart of it is the commitment to creating and nurturing exceptional leaders and fostering cultures that inspire greatness. I aim to leave an enduring imprint on both businesses and the world through the transformative power of leadership. By collaborating with leaders who embody emotional intelligence and genuinely care about people, I tailor my approach to craft world-class leaders and cultivate the highest-performing teams. This isn't just about leadership; it's about orchestrating a positive ripple effect that transcends organizations and contributes to a better world.

My hobbies - I have had many of them throughout my life - playing piano, violin and reading. The one hobby that remains unchanged is reading. Until today I read almost every morning while waking up with a cup of coffee to start my day and in the evening, right before going to sleep. Currently, I am also pursuing my new hobby, horseback riding.

In my spare time I volunteer to help homeless people and immigrants - bring hope to their lives and help them achieve what they think is impossible. I recently also engaged in volunteering at animal shelters.