Pride at TD Securities: Dan Bosman and Jacqueline Cavuoto

Pride month may be coming to an end, but we can celebrate the wonderful contributions and progress we've made in the 2SLGBTQ+ space all year long. In our Pride at TD Securities series, our talented colleagues are sharing their insights on the importance of leading with pride, what being a part of the community means to them, and what advice they would give to other 2SLGBTQ+ colleagues and industry professionals.

In our final profile, we speak to Dan Bosman, our Chief Information Officer and Head of Technology Solutions, and Jacqueline Cavuoto, Director and Head of our Institution Dealer Desk in New York for all fixed income products.

DB: The people – through events like our Skip Level Mentoring or participating in the employee resource group, I find the energy and passion of our people to be amazing. Having such strong visible support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community and our amazing network of allies across every part of the bank is fantastic. We have a great speaker series where we've gotten to meet folks from outside of our industry to learn about their journey, and hearing the parallels to the financial industry is always very interesting to me.

JC: Volunteering on the Forever Proud committee has been the most rewarding part for me. In 2012, there was only one person on the U.S. committee. I joined shortly after and helped grow the platform to what it is today – it was truly a grassroots effort. Over the years, we helped TD Securities achieve a 100% Corporate Equality Index ranking from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for the past seven years, worked alongside the Ali Forney Center doing community outreach, and actively recruited 2SLGBTQ+ candidates across our business.

DB: I was closeted through the early parts of my career – it was only when I joined TD Securities that I felt comfortable coming out and being my authentic self. Part of that was owed to the visibility of senior leadership, giving me the confidence to come out to my family and then ultimately to my work colleagues. My only regret is that I wasn't in this environment sooner. I can say that coming out at work has been a turning point for my happiness and mental health. Holding onto that nervousness all those years impacted me in ways I couldn't imagine but being myself at work was a weight lifted.

JC: When I first joined TD Securities, I was lucky enough to have a conversation with Bharat Masrani at a Women in Leadership event. He told me that, being a minority himself, he wanted TD to have an inclusive workplace where everyone, no matter their differences, was treated equally. I thought to myself, "wow, if the President and CEO of the Bank is saying it's okay to be myself and not be penalized for it, then it must be okay". I came out at work shortly after this conversation; something I had not done before joining TD Securities. I'm lucky enough to have great allies as managers, who are very supportive. That’s all I ever wanted. It helped me also grow as a person outside the firm. In 2020, I got married and we have had two small children together. My managers were even at my wedding!

DB: I am able be my authentic self when I'm comfortable being myself at work, in an environment where everyone is treated with respect and feels included. Put simply, I like to think it's about treating people as you wish you would be treated and being open to everyone to make sure they all have a seat (and a voice) at the table.

JC: All I ever wanted was for being gay to be a non-issue at work. Being comfortable at work, sharing my personal life with my coworkers and not having to think twice about it is a much healthier way to live mentally. Ultimately, I feel more fulfilled, perform better at my job, and I'm much happier and more present.

DB: Engage your employee resource group and connect with others – either as a member or an ally. If you are out and proud, get involved, but if you're not, we still have a place for you. Many others have been through this journey and we are all here to help! Remember that visibility goes a long way. When I shared I was a 2SLGBTQ+ tech executive, I had folks message me saying how important that was for them to hear that and it meant a lot. If I can pay it forward and help any of our members or allies, then it's a win in my book.

JC: My advice to someone considering coming out at work would be to do so as soon as possible. Not being out at work compartmentalizes your life. Be honest with yourself, and the rest will fall into place. It will help you get out of your head, giving you more peace walking in the door at work every day. Consider joining your employee resource group: you'll find it so rewarding, fun and a chance to socialize with upper management. Finally, remember to be a good listener and ask how you can help new members.