PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Ariel Meadows
Senior Credit Analyst, Bridgeway Capital

Ariel Meadows believes that she can’t do her work without understanding the needs of the community around her.

As an underwriter for small-business and community-development loans for companies and nonprofits throughout southwestern Pennsylvania, her work directly helps benefit underserved communities. “I understand how these funds can impact communities that have been underserved for many years,” she says.

In many of her past roles, Meadows has been the only woman or person of color on her team, so she believes it is important for young people to see her and know that they can achieve anything. Meadows is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Get Involved! Western PA Rising Star Award, and also has served as a mentor for Reading is Fundamental, Girls Inc. and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“Ideally, my goal is to leave Pittsburgh better than [how] I found it,” she says.