Remembering Sandra Villena

Authors: Steve Moreton, Global Head of Product Management at CJC.

Source: WatersTechnology - In Absentia: Remembering Sandra Villena

In October 2022, CJC received the devastating news that a treasured member of our firm, Sandra Villena, was tragically murdered.

In 2017, Sandra commenced her journey with CJC as an integral part of our New York Support Center. It didn't take long for Sandra to quickly become an instrumental and valued member of the US and global operations teams. Her unwavering commitment led her to continually place herself at the forefront of exciting technical projects. In 2022, Sandra notably worked on a high-profile and long-term upgrade project for a client which took 3 months to complete. Over the course of 12 consecutive weekends, Sandra executed the project entirely from co-ordination to the upgrades of the servers themselves. This was a very significant achievement that all at CJC, and Sandra herself was proud of. Following the completion of this project, Sandra took annual leave to visit Ecuador. 

It was here on this trip that Sandra fell victim to an act of domestic violence, resulting in her senseless murder. A year has passed since this incident and Sandra is still without justice.

In January 2023, WatersTechnology announced the Women In Technology and Data Awards. Across CJC globally and with the blessing of her family, Sandra’s name was put forward. It was important to us that any nomination would be based on her work and nothing more.

Upon learning of Sandra’s story, WatersTechnology reached out to propose if Sandra’s family and colleagues would consider the following:

• The creation of a new award, named after Sandra, that would honor individuals who, like her, have made significant but often overlooked contributions — the "Unsung Heroine" award.
• The publication of a tribute article to commemorate Sandra's work and legacy, while also shedding light on the broader issue of domestic abuse and finding justice.

Sandra’s family, friends, and all at CJC are extend our heartfelt gratitude to WatersTechnology for their dedicated efforts in creating this article over the course of the past six months. We appeal to our global network to take the time to read and share this article. Equally, if you know of any way, or anyone who can assist or support in the search for justice, please reach out. The article outlines the charities that Sandra’s family and friends have recommended if you wish to donate.

If you or anyone you know have been impacted by domestic abuse and would like to support a charity, or speak to someone, details of a few organisations that can help include:

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For more information, contact:

The Communications Team

Tel: +44 (0) 203 328 7600 | Email: [email protected]

About Crown Jewel Consultants (CJC)

CJC is the leading market data technology consultancy and service provider for global financial markets. CJC provides multi-award-winning consultancy, operations support (OaaS), cloud solutions, and professional services for mission-critical market data systems. CJC is ISO 27001 certified, enabling CJC’s partners the freedom to focus on their core business.

About WatersTechnology

WatersTechnology is a leading publisher that focuses on data & technology challenges facing the capital markets; incorporating Inside Market Data, Inside Reference Data, Buy-Side Technology, and Sell-Side Technology.