Arleas Upton Kea has spent her entire career at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. She was the first woman of color in the FDIC’s legal department and is now the deputy chairman and chief operating officer.

In an email conversation with Corporate Counsel, Kea discussed some of the challenges she faced as a woman of color in law, the importance of having a mentor and the FDIC’s mentorship programs. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.