Whatever you do, don't talk to Cania Infante about fate. According to her, she has been carving out her own destiny since moving to the United States from the Dominican Republic with her family when she was 10 years old.

“Something that has resonated with me for a long time is the notion that there is a direct correlation between mindset and capability,” she said. “So, my advice to anyone is to not limit yourself. Others may try to limit you, but you cannot limit yourself. “

While still in high school at age 17, the latest Trailblazer 40 Below had her first child and still graduated on time with her class. Infante made the most of the educational opportunities provided to her while working for the $6.1 billion Bethpage Federal Credit Union in Bethpage, N.Y., completing her bachelor's degree in business management and earning an MBA.

While she always recognized the value of furthering her education, she didn't begin to make the shift from a job to a career until she started working at the credit union some 15 years ago.

“When I first started working as a teller at another financial institution, my ultimate dream was to become a branch manager,” she said. “It was a safe, set path and it was feasible with regular promotions as long as I worked hard.”

She distinguished herself early in her career at Bethpage. As a branch manager in a new location, she grew branch clientele and boosted shares to $40 million in less than two years. In another role as a business services relationship manager, she successfully cultivated, developed and maintained strategic relationships with small business owners, community stakeholders and policymakers with the goal of positioning the credit union's business products through various channels and before prime stakeholders. She went on to serve as the youngest assistant vice president and regional manager for Bethpage. Infante led a staff of 50 employees across six branches and was responsible for managing portfolio growth, strategic planning and implementation, member service and satisfaction, and employee relations. Always on the lookout for the next challenge and hoping to better understand the bigger picture, she eventually landed in her current role as assistant vice president of marketing.

While she believes she's found a home in marketing, Infante has never been one to close the door on an opportunity. Over the years, she said, she's had many mentors who encouraged, supported and challenged her. She said she is grateful for these experiences and often pays it forward by helping others advance their careers. When possible, she noted, every professional should identify and connect with a mentor or advocate from all walks of life, both within and outside company walls.

An active member of her community, Infante currently serves on the board of the SUNY College at Old Westbury College Council as an appointee of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, as well as The De La Salle School, a tuition-free middle school comprised of boys primarily from immigrant families and economically disadvantaged communities. Her career advancement tips stem from the idea that becoming an influencer within an organization doesn't require a big title, but rather a mix of curiosity, hard work and a determination to look for opportunities beyond your current scope of responsibilities. She advised others to not be afraid to speak up at meetings, ask for mentorship or volunteer for leadership opportunities that may be outside their comfort zone, she said.

“I learned a long time ago that there are only three answers to a question – yes, no or maybe,” she said. “I would rather get a 'no' than go on with life thinking about the 'what if.' Create opportunities for yourself and demonstrate that you can add value every day. I didn't have a marketing background before transitioning to this role, but I was willing to learn and do the work, and I think it's been great so far.”

Three of Bethpage's marketing campaigns were recognized as 2015 CUNA Diamond Award winners. One of them, the Youth Savings Account World Cup Campaign, targeted parents and leveraged interest in the FIFA 2014 World Cup by providing a free, branded flag soccer ball with every youth savings account opening. The three-month summer campaign resulted in the opening of 3,650 youth savings accounts, 1,646 youth checking accounts, $9.3 million in new deposits and $8 million in new loans. In addition, the average number of services per household with a youth savings account grew to 2.72.

Drawing from her own family's experience immigrating to the U.S., Infante has also helped shape Bethpage's Hispanic marketing initiative. She said the team has focused on reinforcing the credit union's infrastructure by ensuring bilingual staffers are on hand, translating onboarding kits and brochures, partnering with local organizations and providing financial education seminars designed to help members realize their goals – such as buying a home, building credit or learning how to budget.

An internal data review revealed Bethpage already had a connection with Hispanic communities in its field of membership, so the initiative focused on fine-tuning and deepening those relationships further, Infante noted. Given that even those who are fluent in English may feel more comfortable discussing financial matters in their native language, Bethpage has been experimenting with a direct mail piece that includes the photos, names and phone numbers of bilingual staff members at area branches. This component aims to remove a barrier and make members feel more at ease with walking into a branch and asking to speak with a specific person, rather than searching for someone who speaks Spanish. It's sometimes the smallest of details – such as taking home materials written in their native language to friends and family – that can make the biggest difference for members, she said.

“I'm very big on communication,” she said. “We have the products and services that speak to many segments, whether it's the small business market or Hispanic market. In all cases, we need a comprehensive strategy across all channels to craft unique messages that resonate with each target audience. People need to feel that you're speaking directly to them. The one size fits all model of the past doesn't work anymore.”

She said it's more important for the industry to serve members who are in need of credit unions' unique offerings than to do nothing due to a fear of failure.

“There is no one way and you don't always get it right,” she said. “I love the word calibrate, which essentially means to adjust. When the scales are not balanced, you adjust. I believe true innovation will always lead to growth, so if something isn't working, get back to the drawing board and figure out what went wrong.”