I have been at CME Group for 15+ years and credit that to the people and the culture. No matter how challenging the work, you can always count on your colleagues to respond with creativity, collaboration and camaraderie. To me, there is nothing more meaningful at work than watching people come together to solve business problems. It's very rewarding to be a part of a group that does that each and every day.

There are many ways to connect. There are structured programs like the coaching circles and Employee Resource Group events. There is also more spontaneous bonding over lunchtime banter which is my personal favorite. During some lunches, the Pricing team has discussed the latest breakthrough in quantum mechanics and speculated on the longevity of celebrity relationships. It's nice to be able to balance being laser focused on work with having a little fun.

My time at CME Group has exposed me to various external and internal learning opportunities. This includes rubbing elbows with tech luminaries at external conferences like Grace Hopper and GOTO and participating in the lightning talks and Exchange Tech that our internal colleague plan. I've taken a lot away from all of these opportunities.  Within our team, we also strive to keep learning and information sharing front and center through regular training sessions and office hours.