Looking to improve your credit score but not sure where to start? Watch our recent 3-part workshop series designed to help you take charge of your financial future, led by credit expert, Catherine Dolsen and budgeting enthusiast, Martina Davis from Synchrony. Over the course of three sessions exclusive to the Savvy Ladies community in the Fall of 2025, they broke down how to understand and build your credit, use it wisely, and tackle debt with confidence. Watch the three recorded versions below.
Synchrony is proud to partner with Savvy Ladies to help equip women and their families to take control of their finances.
Part 1 – Understanding Your Credit Score
In this first session, credit expert Catherine Dolsen from Synchrony guided us through the essentials of credit, including:
- Why credit matters and how it affects your financial journey
- What is a credit report and how it’s used
- What’s in a credit score
- How to build and maintain a good credit score
Whether you’re just starting to build credit or want to improve your score, this session is packed with practical insights to help you feel more confident about your financial future.
Part 2 – Smart Ways to Use Your Credit
In this second session, credit expert Catherine Dolsen of Synchrony walked us through the key concepts everyone should know to use credit confidently and wisely. Topics covered include:
- Debit vs. credit products
- Understanding different types of credit products
- How interest rates work
- Credit-builder products
- Credit counseling services
- Tips to use credit wisely
Part 3 – Taking Control of Debt
In the third and last session of the workshop series, Martina Davis from Synchrony outlined a debt management and budgeting roadmap guided by the following questions:
- Where is my money going?
- What can I cut back on or stop?
- How should I allocate any surplus?
- Can I increase my income?
- I still can’t afford to pay off my debt, now what?
About the Speakers
Martina Davis, SVP, Senior Counsel – Corporate & Securities at Synchrony
Martina Davis is a seasoned attorney with over a decade of experience serving as in-house counsel offering strategic advice on general corporate matters and governance, securities law, capital markets and various corporate transactions. Martina currently serves as Senior Vice President, Corporate and Securities at Synchrony Financial, a leading consumer financing company. Prior to joining Synchrony, Martina held various legal roles at Silicon Valley Bank, TIAA, JPMorgan Chase, Time Warner Cable and Intralinks.
Martina has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from New York University and a Juris Doctor from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
Catherine Dolsen, SVP, Credit Leader – PayPal and Venmo at Synchrony
Catherine Dolsen is SVP, Credit Leader – PayPal and Venmo at Synchrony, a leading financing partner for many of America’s most iconic brands serving tens of millions of consumers and hundreds of thousands of businesses. In this role, Catherine leads the credit and fraud strategies for the PayPal and Venmo revolving credit products issued
through Synchrony.
With over 30 years of experience in consumer finance, Catherine has held various leadership roles at several prominent consumer lending companies. Prior to her current role, she was responsible for credit strategy decisions for all Synchrony consumers as SVP of Credit Account Management Strategies. She has also led teams that develop data science and analytics models for credit scoring and has expertise across a wide range of consumer lending products including credit cards, auto loans and mortgages.
Catherine has an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, a Master’s Degree in Applied Statistics from The Ohio State University, and a BS in Applied Mathematics from Saint Mary’s College.
Synchrony is proud to partner with Savvy Ladies to help equip women and their families to take control of their finances.
