April Vinciarelli is the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, and a Wealth Advisor at Jacobi Capital Management in Pittston. In 2008, she was part of the team which registered Jacobi Capital Management with the Securities Exchange Commission as a Registered Investment Advisory, stepping forward in their commitment to serve their clients as Fiduciaries and working in their best interest. April’s passion for helping others has pushed her to elevate the client experience at Jacobi and develop strong client relationships.  Her methodical approach to problem solving helps her to develop and implement processes in a thorough and efficient manner.

April graduated from Dickinson College with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies. She currently serves as Board Chair of Northeast Sight Services and Board Treasurer of The Cancer Wellness Center of NEPA, and also supports numerous other local non-profits. April was presented with the Sister in Success Award by Dress for Success Luzerne County in 2023. In her free time, she enjoys the beach, hiking, reading, and spending time with her family. April resides in Plains with her husband Baldino and their son.

What makes a woman powerful? Do all powerful women have the same characteristics? Is there room for different kinds of power?

Independence. Choices. Resilience. Support. But so much more. No two women are exactly alike and that is the beauty of all they can offer. Power comes in so many different forms. And all of them are so vital to support each other in our communities. For instance, there is power in advocating for others and there is also power in someone advocating for you.

What does “inspire inclusion”  mean for you and how can you use your voice to help inspire inclusion?

Working in an industry that has historically been occupied by a male majority, and more specifically as a Wealth Advisor, in this industry, I hope to be a visible example for young women who aspire to work in this field. And I hope by my experience with others they learn to be more open to the idea of a female Advisor and invite more women to the table.

Who were your female mentors in your career, and how would you suggest growing leaders identify possible mentors for their growth?

Of my time in the financial services industry, I have had wonderful experiences with other women in the business. However, I have been fortunate enough to have a male mentor who has helped guide me through my career. Talk about inspiring inclusion! He offered me a seat at the table. And he sincerely values the thoughts and input I offer in our work engagement. I have learned so much from him and work to incorporate all of that as I grow. I think you need to look for someone who suits you, who values you and who is truly interested in your growth. You may find that in a female or a male mentor.

What barriers have you faced in your life (professionally and/or personally that you feel comfortable sharing) and how did you overcome them?

Everyone has personal and professional struggles that they may share or keep private. And with any of those situations, there is no right way to navigate them. You need to choose what is best for you and be true to yourself. Professionally, there have been many times I have been considered an assistant to a male colleague. Or, at times, others may copy a male colleague on communications because they believe I am not empowered to engage in the subject matter at hand on my own. Every bit of time and experience is needed to help move forward with confidence and resiliency when you encounter situations like this.

I have also encountered difficult situations with other women through my career, which I did not expect. I have to say these situations may be more difficult to overcome than those other experiences with men. It is an awful state when women cannot support each other. We have enough to try to overcome just getting to the table. We need to be more kind. We need to be each other’s cheerleaders. We need to empower and lift each other up instead of pushing each other down.

As a powerful woman, what would you tell a woman who is struggling in her career and/or having a hard time finding her own voice?

I think I would tell them the same thing I tell myself. You have to have passion. And if you have passion for what your mission truly is, you can overcome anything. I read this quote recently and I actually printed it and keep it on my desk. I don’t have any particular opinion on the man who said it, but it resonated with me.

“There’s nothing better than being the underdog. The more people count me out, the more I count myself in. I don’t like to show all my cards too early, and that gives me two distinct advantages: my opponents often get the wrong read on me, and I push myself longer and harder. When it looks like you should pack it in but you still dig in anyway, you also pick up a lot of support.” — T. Boone Pickens

About Dress for Success

Dress for Success ® is an international not-for-profit organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to nearly 150 cities in 30 countries. To date, Dress for Success has helped more than 2,000,000 women work towards self-sufficiency.

Since Dress for Success Luzerne County became operational in December of 2010, the program has reached 2,500 economically challenged women from the area by providing clothing, job interview support and workforce guidance. Dress for Success Luzerne County continues to create programs to enhance economic and social development, encouraging self-sufficiency through career development and employment retention.