In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting leaders who elevate the advisory profession, deepen trust with clients, and advance thought leadership across the industry. Today, we’re proud to share insights from Christine Tetherly-Lewis, Partner and Head of ACA Aponix, whose career journey, leadership style, and client-first philosophy embody the impact women continue to make in advisory.
What inspired you to pursue a career in advisory, and what continues to draw you to this work today?
Ironically, this job found me, and I’m forever grateful that it did. I come from a long career in private equity and private debt, and through those experiences, I fell in love with the kind of work we do here at ACA Aponix. Solving the same core problem for different clients, each with unique budgets, constraints, and resource challenges, is a puzzle I genuinely enjoy. That variety, and the opportunity to help clients navigate real operational pressures, keeps me energized every day.
What motivates you most about the work you do today, particularly in the impact you have on clients or the industry?
I always say, “I used to be the client,” and I hope that resonates. I’ve had their job. I’ve had to manage risk, respond to regulators, survive audits and mock audits, and field investor requests. That lived experience gives me a level of authenticity and credibility that many competitors simply can’t offer. I know what keeps clients up at night because it used to keep me up too.
How would you describe your leadership style and your approach to guiding teams and advising clients through complex challenges?
Always show care—always. When managing the ACA Aponix team, I lead with heart first. People don’t leave a job they love; they leave bad managers. My goal is to lead by example and demonstrate genuine care for our team.
I approach client relationships the exact same way. Clients have plenty of cyber advisory options today, but ACA Aponix brings a true “trusted advisor” experience: we lead when asked, and we walk alongside them when that’s what’s needed. Their concerns about cyber, data privacy, and portfolio risk become our concerns. Our job is to carry some of that weight with them.
Are there trends or shifts in the advisory, compliance, performance, or cyber landscape that clients should be thinking about right now?
AI, anyone? It has been the headline topic for the last 18 months. While new technologies are often viewed as exciting or innovative, their risk posture is frequently an afterthought. Our role at ACA Aponix is to think ahead for our clients—what should they be preparing for in three, six, nine, twelve months? Their plates are full today, so we look around the corner. Our deep knowledge of this industry allows us to truly understand emerging technologies and their specific implications for our clients.
What do you see as the biggest opportunity for women in advisory today, and how can organizations better support that growth?
Flexibility. Women are known for balancing many things at once, and with that comes an innate ability to adapt. Firms are not one size fit sall. Many clients want to embrace the trends, regulatory pressures, and peer technology standards, but they also need custom solutions that are flexible now and scalable over time. We bring that balance of structure and adaptability, which is incredibly valuable in advisory roles.
What’s a common misconception about your area of expertise that you often help clients rethink?
That we’re IT [Information Technology]! I always joke about that. In reality, we are compliance professionals, we just speak “cyber.” Clients often assume cyber governance and oversight sit solely with IT. Regulators strongly disagree. Cyber is a firmwide responsibility and increasingly a compliance priority. Our job as trusted advisors is to teach when clients want to learn, and to drive when they’re too busy to steer.
Conclusion
Christine’s journey is a powerful reminder of what women bring to advisory: empathy paired with rigor, experience paired with vision, and an unwavering commitment to elevating clients. Her ability to bridge operational reality with strategic foresight embodies the very best of what advisory leadership can offer.
These stories not only honor Women’s History Month, they also help shape the future of the profession.
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