Education as the Equalizer
Bauer Welcomes EY Partner Regina Balderas, 2026 Women on the Rise Speaker
Bauer College alumna Regina Balderas (BBA '95) shared her journey to becoming a partner with EY during a conversation with Bauer College graduate students at the 2026 Women on the Rise event.
Organized by the college's Office of Graduate & Professional Programs, the event invites women from the Bauer community, including alumni, faculty and staff, to share their stories and how their experiences shaped them into the person they are today.
Balderas is a first-generation student who found equal ground with her peers through education. A mentor she met in her first year at EY helped guide her so she would be on the best possible path for success, which led to her promotion as partner at the company.
Now, she says, it is her mission to pay it forward to the next generation of leaders by supporting the college’s Rockwell Career Center and opening the door for others to take that next step into their futures.
How do you empower those around you as a leader?
It's very important to me to make sure they know that I trust them.
I want them to know that I’m there for them as an advisor and a role model; I’m not there to micromanage them. They should feel empowered to make decisions that best motivate their team.
True leadership is about leading by example. It’s what you demonstrate in your actions that guides, motivates and inspires others.
What are some experiences in your professional career that have shaped you into the woman you are today?
I believe so strongly in sponsorship, and I believe we have an obligation to bring people along with us as we advance. My sponsor who helped support me in my career was Paul Hammes.
I’m a first-generation college graduate. I’m the first in my family to be employed in a corporate setting. I had a lot to learn — how to dress, how to act, how to express my thoughts in meetings. I learned through observation, but it’s better to have someone close to you, like immediate family, to coach you and provide feedback. Paul was that person for me.
"I feel so much of an obligation to pay it forward and be that person for someone else."
He really helped shape me into the person I am today. He helped me get to the point where I was able to be promoted to partner at an incredible firm like Ernst & Young.
I feel so much of an obligation to pay it forward and be that person for someone else. The next generation of leaders come from a similar place; maybe they’re first-generation college students, or they’re the first in their family to work an office job.
With that type of investment, you are providing people with an opportunity they might not otherwise have if it weren’t for you taking them under your wing.
How did your education help you accomplish your goals?
I firmly believe that education is “the great equalizer.”
Earning a degree in accounting from Bauer put me right there in the competition with all the other candidates I was competing in the job market with.
Over time, I’ve had the privilege to see how many more candidates we now bring in at EY that are UH alumni. It makes me incredibly proud. There are a lot of first-generation graduates that come out of this school, and they’ve had to work their way through life’s challenges to come out the other side stronger.
I value everything Bauer has given me. I regularly donate to the Rockwell Career Center to support the college. I think there are many students like me who need that guidance and coaching to help make sure they’re putting their best foot forward.
It’s not just about the degree; it’s making sure you’re prepared to face whatever life throws at you.
How has the book Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes inspired you?
Her story resonates with me.
In the book, she talks about how early in her career, and even in her personal life, she didn’t really venture outside of her comfort zone. She recounts this conversation with her sister where she tells Shonda, “You never say yes to anything.” She really internalized that and made her take a step back. She realized her sister was right, she did say no to a lot of things.
A lot of the things she writes about in the book I have similar experiences with. I think about the word “yes” and how that’s manifested itself into my career. I’ve always been very aspirational. So, whenever I was offered any kind of opportunity, I immediately said yes without asking all the questions I needed to first.
In the book, she emphasizes that it’s important to say yes to things that fulfill you. I’m very fortunate to be asked to do a lot of different things, but I have to be a lot more selective about it now.
The other side to that too is, maybe you say no to something, but that gives you a great opportunity to recommend someone else to do it and suddenly you’ve opened a door for that person.
What advice do you have for those who are just starting out on their journey?
What has always guided me in everything I’ve done is by staying true to my values.
Be your authentic self. Don’t be afraid to ask questions that no one else in the room is asking. Often times, I’ve been the only woman in the room or the only Hispanic in the room.
I have to remind myself I’m coming in with a different lens than everyone else. What might feel like an obvious question to me won’t be the same for everyone else. It’s hard not to feel a little self-doubt sometimes.
You have to ask the question, and you really have to lean into your point. Remind yourself that you earned your place in that room. You deserve to be there.
"What has always guided me in everything I’ve done is by staying true to my values."
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