From the Boardroom to the Upper Room: Why This Catholic CEO Left the Corporate World to Lead with Faith

Stepping away from prestige and career for faith and family when her children were born, Annette came to find an even better path through surrender.

(Photo provided)

By Mariana Pimiento

When Annette Bergeon began her professional journey, she was driven, ambitious and deeply committed to excellence. With undergraduate and master’s degrees in engineering, followed by an MBA, she was laser-focused on what the world told her would bring fulfillment: prestige, financial success and career advancement. She worked for global corporations like Chrysler Motors and BASF, poured herself into high-level projects and thrived in international business.

But God had other plans.

“Everything came to a halt,” Annette recalled. “I realized I couldn’t be the employee I wanted to be and the mother I wanted to be at the same time.”

After the birth of her twin sons and later her daughter, Annette stepped away from the career she had spent years building. For many, that might have looked like defeat. For Annette, it began a deeper, more transformational kind of leadership — one not defined by boardroom success, but by surrender, service and spiritual clarity.

The Unexpected Path to Leadership

During her nearly two decades focused on motherhood, Annette wasn’t actively seeking a return to work. But she did find something that would change the trajectory of her life again: an Endow group.

“What began as a small gathering of women to study the writings of the Church turned into a transformative community,” she said. “It was a journey of self-discovery, of faith and of finding a group of women to do life with.”

Through those conversations and friendships, Annette began to fall in love with the Church in a new way. She encountered the teachings of Pope St. John Paul II, discovered the beauty of her identity as a Catholic woman and began to see her gifts in a new light.

Ten years later, when Endow offered her the role of CEO, she wasn’t looking for a title or a new resume entry. But the mission had taken root in her heart, and the call was unmistakable.

“When the board reached out, I wasn’t looking to go back to work,” she said. “But I couldn’t say no. I knew the fruit this apostolate could bear, because I had lived it myself.”

Discernment as a Daily Discipline

Annette’s journey didn’t come without tension. Her story reflects a challenge familiar to many Catholic leaders: how do we balance vocation, family and the desire to lead with integrity?

“The biggest challenge throughout my professional journey has been finding balance,” she admitted. “I’m driven by nature. I want to give my best to everything I do. But that same drive can pull you in too many directions if you’re not discerning carefully.”

She spoke candidly about how many women, especially those gifted with a desire to give, can fall into the trap of trying to “do it all.”

“It’s one of the downsides of the feminine genius,” she said. “Because of our generosity and receptivity, we want to pour ourselves out for everything — and everyone.”

Her advice to other leaders? Lean into prayerful discernment.

“Ask the Lord what he is calling you to in this season,” she shared. “It might be different from last year or five years from now. And then, once you know, follow it wholeheartedly.”

Faith That Redefines Success

When Annette stepped back from corporate life, there were voices who warned her she was making a mistake.

“People told me I’d never reach my full potential, that I was giving up too much,” she remembered. “But I’ve learned that we often don’t know what will bring us true joy. God does.”

In her role at Endow, Annette has poured her leadership into forming other women, helping them discover who they are in Christ and what God is asking of them.

“We talk to women every day whose lives have been changed by this apostolate,” she said. “Once you know who you are, once you know that God has a plan for your life, your first instinct is to pursue that with everything you have.”

One of the most powerful moments of her leadership came at Endow’s 20th Anniversary Gala, which brought together board members, founders, donors, clergy and religious to celebrate the mission's impact.

“The Holy Spirit’s presence was palpable,” she said. “It was a celebration not just of Endow’s work, but of the dignity of women as expressed in the writings of John Paul II. I felt so humbled to carry on what our founders began.”

Why the Catholic Church?

For Annette, the Church is not just where she practices her faith; it’s where she found the truth of who she is.

“I think a lot of people still see the Church as restrictive, as a set of rules. But that hasn’t been my experience at all,” she said. “The more I’ve followed the Lord’s call, the more joyful and fulfilled I’ve become. And the opposite is also true, the more I’ve chased what the culture promotes, the more unfulfilled I felt.”

She points to John 10:10 as the verse that grounds her vision of faith and leadership: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Abundant life, she’s learned, doesn’t mean ease or prosperity. It means purpose. And it means trusting God to write a story that is even better than ours.

Leadership Rooted in Identity

Annette is quick to credit the people who helped shape her along the way: her immigrant parents, who taught her to pursue excellence without limitations; mentors and spiritual directors who helped her integrate her faith and gifts; and her husband of over 28 years, who has supported her in every season.

“Throughout our marriage, whether I was working or not, he always asked, ‘What’s best for you and for our family?’ That kind of support changes everything,” Annette said.

But perhaps the most consistent influence in her life has been God’s gentle, guiding voice.

“It’s never been a big epiphany for me,” she said. “It’s been a steady tuning into what the Lord is asking. That’s what real leadership is.”

Wisdom for Fellow Legatus Members

To her fellow Legatus members — men and women striving to integrate faith, family and leadership — Annette offers both encouragement and challenge.

"Leadership isn’t just about achievement," she said. "It’s about forming others. It's about knowing your identity and helping others discover theirs. It's about saying yes to God — even when the path looks nothing like what you expected."

Forming the Next Generation

Annette’s gaze is firmly set on the future. One of the projects she’s most excited about is Endow’s Quinceañera Formation Program for young Latinas — an initiative that introduces teenage girls to their dignity and identity in Christ at a pivotal moment in their lives.

“So many women tell us, ‘I wish I had found Endow sooner” she said. “We’re working to make sure the next generation does.”

A Story Still Unfolding

Annette’s life hasn’t followed the path she once envisioned. But looking back, she sees the thread of grace running through it all.

“I could never have scripted this story,” she said. “But the Lord knew. And it’s been far more beautiful than anything I could have imagined.”

Her story is a living answer to the question, “Why be Catholic?” Because the Church is not just where we find truth; it’s where we learn how to live it.

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A version of this article originally appeared on the Legatus blog, and is reprinted here with permission. Legatus is a national organization of Catholic CEOs and executives committed to integrating faith, family and business.