ACAMS Pittsburgh Chapter: Janine Lepidi on her AFC Career

Janine Lepidi is an anti-money laundering (AML) sanctions specialist with over 14 years of experience in financial crime compliance, enhanced due diligence and regulatory investigations. She has held senior roles at PNC Bank and BNY Mellon, consistently delivering high‑quality results, mentoring colleagues and supporting complex AML, sanctions and know your customer (KYC) reviews. Lepidi is known for her strong analytical skills, accuracy and collaborative approach to risk management. 

In addition to her anti-financial crime (AFC) background, she brings several years of client‑facing experience as a licensed real estate agent, further strengthening her communication, organization and stakeholder management skills. Lepidi holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, an Associate Degree in Accounting and ACAMS’ Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) certification, reflecting her deep commitment to compliance excellence and continuous professional growth. 

When not working, Lepidi loves to spend time with her husband and daughter. 

ACAMS Pittsburg Chapter (APC): Do you have any role models/mentors and if yes, please describe how they have shaped the professional you are today? 

Janine Lepidi (JL): I have been extremely lucky to have fantastic role models/mentors both personally and professionally. My husband has an incredible work ethic which has been so inspiring to me. He has won numerous awards over the years and continues to excel in his career as a manager of communications. I have also worked with several professionals that have multiple backgrounds in the AFC field who guided me from when I started out as an investigative assistant to where I am now, an anti-money laundering (AML) sanctions specialist. I have seen firsthand how important it is to keep a positive attitude, while juggling different aspects of the job as it can be very stressful at times. These professionals have also exposed me to different areas of financial crime detection and prevention which have helped contribute to my well-rounded knowledge of AFC. 

APC: How do you manage stress and maintain a work-life balance in such a demanding field?  

JL: To help manage stress and maintain work-life balance, I attend boot camp classes at a gym nearby. That is my 45 minutes to just forget about everything and leave it all on the gym floor. In addition, my family is extremely important to me. Once I am done with work, I make sure to fully shift my focus to my daughter and my husband. I have learned that it is not helpful to stress over things you cannot control at that moment. That it is best to only control the controllables. 

APC: What led you to a career in AFC and compliance? What personal qualities or experiences have shaped your approach to financial crime prevention?  

JL: I went to school for accounting and business. I was interviewed and accepted a position at The Bank of New York Mellon, as an investigative assistant. This role entailed reviewing low-dollar potential check fraud cases. I really enjoyed the work and was instantly hooked. In accounting, it’s crucial to have strong attention to detail as well as good problem-solving skills, which really helped me to thrive in this field. In addition, I am not afraid to ask questions if I do not know something, which is extremely helpful in this field. 

APC: What advice would you give to someone considering a career in AFC and compliance?  

JL: If you want a career where every day is different, then you should consider a career in AFC and compliance. It is such a fulfilling profession. There are always new trends and topics to learn about. It is an incredible feeling knowing that you are helping to prevent serious crime from occurring. Another benefit to this field is the diversity of roles from being an investigator, to a quality control analyst and a compliance analyst to name a few. There are many different directions you can take, while all have the same goal of prevention and detection. Overall, it is great to make such an impact. 

APC: What skills do you believe are essential for success in the AFC field?   

JL: Attention to detail, having a sense of good judgment, problem solving and to be an effective communicator. These skills will set you up for success in the AFC field. From an overall career progression and development standpoint, these skills will enable you to become a versatile, overall team member.   

APC: How has your role evolved since you started in the AFC field, and what are your future career aspirations within the AML field?   

JL: I started as an investigative assistant working on potential check fraud cases and I’ve had several roles over my career, including a due diligence analyst, an AML investigator, as well as my current role as an AML sanctions specialist where I perform quality control reviews of beneficial ownership forms against KYC profiles. I’ve developed extensive research skills. These skills have helped me mentor multiple individuals just starting out in their career. I recently passed the CAMS exam, which is exciting. In the future, I would like to continue to learn as much as possible, especially when it comes to the technological aspect of this field. 

ACAMS Pittsburgh Chapter