23 Oct Power 100: Female leadership matters

Meet extraordinary women leaders who are making their mark

by Eddie Lee & Erin Chan Ding

Ensuring women hold leadership positions—in business, politics, and the community—is so important to a thriving society that the United Nations (UN) has made it a focus under its goal of achieving gender parity and empowering all women and girls.

“Women’s equal representation in leadership matters—not only for achieving gender equality, but for making sound decisions in politics, the workplace, and every area of public life,” noted the United Nations when outlining this goal as part of its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted eight years ago by all UN member states.

The UN report also points out that women hold just 28 percent of managerial positions. McKinsey & Company, a management and consulting firm, drives home the disparity in its Women in the Workplace 2022 report, pointing out that only 87 women (and 82 women of color) are promoted from entry-level to managerial positions for every 100 men.

The UN emphasizes that a lack of female leadership often means gaps in planning and decision-making. Because of the gender headwinds female business leaders themselves may have faced, they tend to be highly attuned to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Even with historic challenges in gender parity, remarkable female leaders have burst into leadership positions in every business sector in the United States and continue to fill a pipeline of talent. In Diversity Woman’s third annual Power 100, we found 100 emerging, rising leaders in technology, transportation, finance, retail, and medicine who not only have visionary ideas for their organizations but also want to make them more multiracial, gender diverse, and equitable.

These 100 are just a small sampling of the multitudes of women on the rise who are making their mark in their companies and also in Corporate America. With their talent, innovation, leadership, and perspective, they are changing minds by challenging preconceived notions of how a company can be both equitable and highly profitable.

Note: All titles and companies are accurate as of September 2023.

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Our Methodology

To compile our Power 100 list, Diversity Woman selected talented, high-potential women across all races, cultures, and identities who have been identified by their organization as being on the fast track to leadership and executive roles.  

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Sophia Majeed

Principal Clinical Scientist, 23andMe

As a principal clinical scientist, Majeed has been leading 23andMe’s clinical efforts in oncology, including the advancement of its wholly-owned anti-CD200R1 immuno-oncology antibody from discovery into Phase 1 and 2a clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. While at 23andMe, Majeed co-founded 23andShe, an employee resource group. She joined 23andMe’s Therapeutics group in 2019. Prior to 23andMe, Majeed worked as a clinical pharmacologist at Gilead Sciences, where she contributed to the development of medicines for HIV treatment and prevention and for hepatitis B in adults and children.

“We created 23andShe, an employee resource group that aims to highlight women’s issues and celebrate our accomplishments while recognizing our distinct experiences based on our racial and ethnic identities. We know how important networking is for career progression, and we organize social events where our members can connect with senior leaders at the company. We also highlight the accomplishments of our members throughout the year to both internal and external audiences to showcase their talents.”

Karen Chong

VP of Audience Strategy, Age Inclusion, AARP

Chong leads AARP’s initiatives to break through the clutter and engage more diverse audiences. She also leads an enterprise-wide strategy to tackle ageism and age discrimination, empowering us to choose how we live as we get older. Prior to AARP—the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, serving 38 million members—she led partnership and content marketing teams at leading organizations, including PBS, The Washington Post Company, and Pearson PLC.

“As the US 50-plus population grows in size and diversity, AARP will double down our commitment to promote age inclusion as a core element of DEI, continue to fight age discrimination in the workplace, and empower all of us to choose how we live as we age.”

Jackie Dacanay

Director of Culture & Belonging at Fairmont San Francisco, Accor

Dacanay began her career with Fairmont Hotels in 2006. Her pivotal role as director of Culture & Belonging at Fairmont San Francisco focuses on connecting more deeply with employees and, in turn, one another. She has a robust background in human resource expertise, a deep desire to serve the community, and a passion to ensure guests continue to enjoy an exceptional San Francisco experience through authentic interactions.

“In the next five years, my aspiration is to further advance my position within the Fairmont brand. Through increased representation at the executive/senior level, I aim to inspire others by demonstrating that they can pursue a similar career path and achieve growth within the organization.”

Rachelle Chapman

Director, The Adecco Group US Foundation

A longtime employment advocate, Chapman cares about helping veterans and military spouses like herself succeed in the workforce. She leads the Adecco Group Military Alliance program, an initiative aimed at boosting employment, education, and career development opportunities for military-connected talent. She is also the military liaison to military bases and veterans service officers around the country and across the Adecco Group. Chapman joined Adecco in February 2005 as a recruiter. She has also served as its government relations manager and senior manager for the company’s Athlete Career and Education Program, which helps Team USA’s athletes with career counseling, job placement assistance, and employment opportunities.

“The Adecco Group US Foundation is passionate about closing the gender leadership gap in the military spouse and women veteran community by investing in programs and partnerships like Dress for Success Worldwide that champion economic independence and the advancement of women through education and employment opportunities.”

Vykky Howard

Director of Social Media and Content Marketing, Advance Auto Parts

Howard oversees the organic social media and content strategy, influencer marketing, and copy production. Prior to her time at Advance Auto Parts, Howard had stops at VMware, Red Hat, Duke Athletics, Arizona State Athletics, and Disney.

“Advance Auto Parts is committed to developing female talent. I am currently participating in a leadership development program that is geared toward advancing female talent. In this program, we’re paired with executive leadership who provides monthly mentoring and coaching.”

Wanda Dryman

Director of Client Solutions, Aflac Group Insurance

Dryman joined Aflac in 1997 as a customer service representative and has held several leadership positions with oversight on business processes, operations, analytics, and execution of direct sales strategies. She was
appointed to her current role as director of Client Solutions in 2019. Dryman is also actively involved with the American Heart Association and Curing Kids Cancer. She is a member of Aflac’s philanthropic committee and serves on the board of directors for Prisma Health Midlands Foundation.

“As a Latina leader, my goal is to influence people to bring out their best by building on their strengths and developing opportunities. In five years, I envision my role at Aflac as a servant leader. My heart for people both professionally and personally is the driver of my passion and success.”

Naba Banerjee

Director of Trust Product and Operations, Airbnb

Banerjee’s focus is to ensure that guests and hosts have peace of mind as they live, travel, and host on Airbnb. She spearheads Airbnb’s efforts to fight fraud on its platform and preserve trust between Airbnb hosts and their guests. Banerjee has extensive experience creating innovative, customer-centric solutions. She is the first female engineer in her family.

“Airbnb’s initiatives include setting long-term representation goals for women at every level company-wide. Each executive has a diversity plan for their organization, including diverse representation goals for underrepresented groups as well as growth and development plans with a specific focus on diversity in leadership, including women.”

Evita “Evie” Garces

VP, Line Maintenance, American Airlines

Garces leads American’s line maintenance professionals and oversees all line maintenance operations for the airline’s mainline fleet. She has long been a champion and mentor for other women interested in building a career in aviation. Garces is a member of the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance and, in 2019, was named among the Top 10 Corporate Latina Executives of the Year by LATINA Style.

“American Airlines was the first airline to be certified by Fair Pay Workplace, a nonprofit organization that recognizes businesses committed to identifying and remediating pay equity issues. Our Women’s Leadership Program is a resource for women leaders and pilots across the company to connect, engage, and grow their network at American.”

Ta Jané Nolen

Director, Product Management, American Eagle Outfitters

Nolen is a dynamic leader in AEO’s technology organization, supporting the American Eagle and Aerie brands’ customer acquisition strategy to deliver a best-in-class shopping experience.
She is a passionate advocate for career advancement as a member of the Women@AEO associate network. Nolen also serves on the steering committee of AEO Real Parents, working to influence company decisions and policies that support the unique needs of working parents and their families.

“I aspire to be a leader who passionately cultivates native genius within my team. My goal is to foster a holistic, healthy environment that empowers everyone to develop and grow, enabling them to reach their full potential and collectively achieve remarkable results.”

Crystal Files

VP of Enterprise Marketing Solutions, American Family Insurance

Files leads enterprise brand strategy, the enterprise creative services team, and operational excellence for American Family’s marketing organization. In addition, she heads up several strategic initiatives for the company, including defining American Family’s enterprise purpose and identifying ways to leverage the company’s business as a platform for good.

“We are committed to the difficult work of building and advancing a diverse workforce. I am empowered to advance equity and truly put DEI at the center of our business. We are focused on hiring, retaining, and developing a diverse workforce that reflects our customers, including more women in leadership.”

Tamika Jean-Baptiste

VP and Chief Diversity Officer, Amgen

Jean-Baptiste is responsible for developing, operationalizing, and evaluating the execution of DEI strategies and initiatives in alignment with Amgen’s mission to serve patients. Throughout her 22-year career at Amgen, Jean-Baptiste has been an integral part of the leadership team that launched the first field-based employee resource group, Women Empowered to be Exceptional (WE2), which is now a model for Amgen’s other field-based ERGs.

“Aligning my passions with my purpose has always been important. From a young age, I was taught the importance of advocating for myself and others, and I feel like I have been a champion of diversity, inclusion, and belonging throughout my career. It’s work I see continuing professionally and in the community.”

Kisha Modica

Head of Inclusion & Diversity for Apple Retail, Apple

In her role as head of Inclusion & Diversity for Apple Retail, Modica and her team design and deliver I&D programs that support Apple’s retail business and team members around the world. Prior to joining Apple, she served as vice president, head of Equality & Belonging for Gap, where she led the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion 2025 commitments and managed teams responsible for employee, customer, and community belonging.

“Five years from now, I want to be known as a positive disruptor and multiplier of good and hope to continue expanding my capacity for intrinsically connecting to our teams and communities.”

Jennifer Zumek

VP, People and Places, AppLovin

Zumek is a collaborative, action-biased human resources leader with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations of all sizes implement progressive talent strategies and build great human resource teams. Prior to joining AppLovin, which makes technologies that help businesses connect with their ideal customers, Zumek was global HR leader at Amazon Web Services, where she shaped Amazon’s organizational design; cultivated a culture of excellence and diversity, equity, and inclusion; and established operating mechanisms for rapid scale for North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. She mentors and develops others in the HR profession and speaks frequently on how it can drive impact and return on investment in business.

“At AppLovin, we believe the strength of our company is our people. A top priority is to continue attracting and retaining the best talent, and we are proud of the fact that AppLovin’s C-suite includes three female leaders and [that] over 40 percent of our employees globally are female.”

Deborah Goldschmied

AVP Human Resources Business Partner, AT&T

Goldschmied has more than 23 years of experience at AT&T in various HR roles. She is an inspiring leader who is committed to identifying and developing talent and creating a cohesive workplace culture that produces high-performing teams and is a great place to work. Goldschmied is currently responsible for implementing strategic HR initiatives, including talent management, succession planning, workforce planning, employee engagement, and diversity and inclusion for the Integrated and Partner Solutions organization and Public Sector and FirstNet organization. She started her AT&T career in Mexico, where she worked for over 10 years supporting the company’s Latin American operations.

“Five years from now, I envision myself continuing to lead multicultural teams, achieving even greater results. My focus will remain on sustaining a work environment that nurtures talent, fosters collaboration, and promotes diversity and inclusion. I will actively adapt to evolving business priorities, ensuring that strategic people initiatives consistently drive high performance, employee engagement, and a positive work culture. I will contribute to the organization’s growth and success, while also mentoring and developing the next generation of leaders.”

Tejuana L. Edmond

VP, Plastic Additives Americas, BASF

Edmond is responsible for technical, sales, and commercial activities across North and South America for the plastic additives business within BASF’s performance chemicals. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Houston Area Urban League, an affiliate of the National Urban League, and is a member of the external advisory board of the University of Texas at Austin’s McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering.

“BASF is committed to the development, progression, and promotion of females at all levels of the organization. With our goal of achieving 30 percent female representation in top leadership positions by 2030, complemented by our 30 percent minority representation goal by 2030, we are holding ourselves accountable to ensuring an equitable workplace.”

Courtney Robinson

Head of Regulatory Affairs & Policy Development, Block Inc.

At mobile payment company Block, Robinson works on issues critical to historically underserved communities and financial services policy development, particularly related to equal access to the economy and global financial system. She is also a financial services policy expert and attorney based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Block, she served as senior counsel for the US House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services, where she was responsible for legislative and regulatory matters that affected financial institutions and consumer credit. In addition to her work at Block, Robinson serves on advisory boards for the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking; Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; George Mason University Center for Retail Transformation; and Association for Enterprise Opportunity.

“Five years from now, I’d like to be further empowering populations who have been historically excluded from the banking system. No matter where my career may take me, I hope to continue breaking down barriers to ensure everyone has equal access to participate in the economy.”

Lee Hatton

Financial Operations & Global Expansion Lead, Cash App

Hatton oversees global partnerships, payments, and investments, as well as global expansion for Cash App. She has more than 20 years of international experience in the financial services industry and has held senior executive roles in marketing, strategy, and risk in large-scale customer-facing businesses. Prior to joining Cash App, Hatton was part of the global executive team at Australia’s leading buy-now-pay-later brand, Afterpay, and was the chief executive officer of UBank, a digital bank in Australia.

“At Cash App, building a culture rooted in inclusion and diversity is paramount to achieving our mission of redefining the world’s relationship with money. Within our workplace, we’re focused on transparency and embed checks to combat bias and advance fairness in promotion and compensation.”

Kristen Shanley

Director and Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Cerberus Capital Management

Shanley is responsible for leading Cerberus’s strategy and programming to support and advance the progression of women and traditionally underrepresented groups in the financial services industry. She also leads the firm’s corporate social responsibility efforts. Since joining Cerberus in 2018, Shanley has been instrumental in positioning Cerberus to become the top corporate sponsor for multiple nonprofit organizations across New York.

“I launched Women @ Cerberus, a professional development and networking group supporting female talent through leadership workshops, executive coaching, mentorship programs, and more. I’ve implemented enhanced parental leave, family-forming benefits, childcare subsidies, and return-to-work strategy for maternity leaves. These resources and the community we’ve built help support, advance, and attract female talent at all levels.”

Candace A. Sue

VP of Academic Relations and Executive Director of Chegg’s Center for Digital Learning, Chegg

Sue works with education and policy leaders on ways to use technology to support student learning and success. She is also the executive director of the Center for Digital Learning, the company’s think tank for research and policy issues impacting the future of learning in the digital world. Her decades-long career has spanned multiple sectors, including higher education, transportation, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, and banking. Sue serves on the boards of the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation and The Children’s Home Society of California.

“Chegg creates a family-friendly culture that gives working parents the flexibility they need to do their best work. Also, Chegg’s innovative Equity for Education program helps employees pay off their student loan debt. These benefits support all employees and can be particularly beneficial to women, who statistically hold the highest percentage of education debt.”

Dee Brown

Head of Branded Cards and Lending Business Delivery Office, Citi

Brown is responsible for Citi’s Centralized Program Management Office, Technology Book of Work Investments and Prioritization, as well as Partner Integration efforts. In addition, she manages execution of regulatory changes and end-to-end systemic conversions processes. Brown is a certified project management professional (PMP) with over 29 years of expertise in leadership roles across Citi and has helped forge a path for diverse talent, championing DEI efforts, and advocating for mentoring and sponsorship across the firm.

“In five years, I hope to be with Citi working closer with our amazing clients while helping to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. I would also like to be part of an initiative to drive conversations focused on helping educate women on how to save money, reduce debt, and build wealth. My goal is to continue educating myself and helping women of color become more financially empowered and secure.”

Shabana Walker

VP, West Division Customer Experience, Comcast

With more than 18 years at Comcast, Walker has relied on her natural curiosity and a start with yes philosophy to propel her through increasing levels of responsibility in the company’s Care organization. Today, she manages the business processes, tools, and teams that drive exceptional customer experiences.

“In five years, I see myself continuously building the breadth and depth of business acumen needed to make positive business impacts, while at the same time sharing the table and collaborating with those I’ve had the privilege to bring along and share in my success.”

 

Namrata Kripalani

VP, Customer Data and Marketing Technology Transformation, Dell

Kripalani and her team are focused on enabling the business and its customers through high-quality data, with transparency and privacy as key to growing customer trust. These goals are further enhanced by use of automation and real-time intelligence capabilities. Her team accelerates the company’s digitization by driving the innovation, build, and adoption of the technology platforms that fuel modern marketing.

“I am grateful to have a career built on driving innovation and influencing change to solve difficult business problems. I would like to continue to grow and develop leadership talent who are not afraid to challenge the status quo and are ready to influence others to drive a transformative point of view, all while creating a collaborative environment for success.” 

Jomy Tan

Director, Meetings & Events, Delta Dental Plans Association

An experienced events and hospitality professional, Tan leads the strategic implementation of all annual meetings, conferences, and events for Delta Dental Plans Association, which leads the nation’s largest dental benefits brand. In her more than 15 years of working in the events industry, she has given back to the community through volunteerism, service on advisory boards and committees, and as an adjunct faculty member of the hospitality and tourism program at the College of DuPage.

“Delta Dental is committed to continually advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Delta Dental Institute supports female researchers and recently launched a campaign to drive greater diversity in the oral health workforce, which will help address industry gender leadership and other equity gaps.”

Carly Britton

Development Events Officer, Detroit Institute of Arts

Britton manages the logistics and planning for the Detroit Institute of Arts’ largest fundraisers and other fundraising-related events and activities. In 2022, events under her purview raised more than $2 million. Prior to joining the DIA, Britton served as the assistant director of alumni, engagement, and events for the University of Michigan’s athletics department. A former NCAA track athlete at the University of Michigan, Britton also works as a personal trainer and nutrition coach through the company she founded three years ago, Diligent Fitness, which is a virtual community focused on women’s lifelong fitness and strength.

Enna Zarate

VP, Chief Information Officer, DHL Express

Zarate is an experienced executive with over 25 years of experience in the consumer goods and logistics industries.
She has a track record of implementing successful IT strategies and innovation projects that help drive cross-functional business goals and improve customer experiences. Zarate is active in two of DHL’s programs focused on the environment and society, GoGreen, which promotes environmental conservation, and GoHelp, which promotes disaster preparedness.

“In five years, no matter the role, I hope to embrace innovation while providing an inclusive environment where individuals from different genders, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and abilities can contribute their unique insights, challenge the status quo, and drive transformative change.”

Magdelena Mak

Director, Financial Planning & Analysis, Dine Brands

Mak is an accomplished finance professional with 20 years of experience in accounting and finance. Prior to joining Dine, she dedicated over 15 years of her career to the entertainment industry, specializing in financial planning and analysis. Currently, Mak leads the IHOP finance team, collaborating closely with the brand. In addition to overseeing financial functions, she serves as a trusted finance advisor, providing valuable analysis and support for strategic business decisions.

“At Dine, I am given the flexibility I need to balance my work life and family life. Senior leaders are supportive and understanding when it comes to personal responsibilities. These things help female professionals like myself to advance into leadership positions.”

Madelyn Jordan-Davis

Senior Director and Associate General Counsel, Employment & Litigation, DocuSign

As head of DocuSign’s E&L team, Jordan-Davis oversees employment law advice and support for the company’s global workforce and manages its portfolio of litigation. She has over 20 years of litigation experience specializing in representing private and public employers in workplace-related claims. Most recently, Jordan-Davis led Twitter’s Global Employee Relations team, was a trusted member of the People Leadership Team, and provided advice and guidance to Twitter employees at every level.

“DocuSign is narrowing the gender leadership gap by actively removing obstacles that have historically prevented women from reaching the upper ranks. Nearing a fifty-fifty employee gender split, we aim to achieve the same for our leadership team by recruiting with intention and investing in development opportunities for prospective and current leaders.”

Joi Bass

Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Dollar General Corporation

In her role at retail giant Dollar General, Bass ensures that the company’s employees feel safe, respected, and connected in the workplace. She’s responsible for fostering an environment where employees can bring their whole selves to work. Bass has about 20 years of experience in retail and operations with companies such as Cargill and Target. She also serves on the board of directors for Longview Queens United, which focuses on uplifting communities through collaboration among women, and on the advisory board of the Applied Engineering Technology Program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

“Dollar General is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace with talent readiness programs designed for women, such as the Women in Leadership Program, the Ignite Mentorship Program, and the Leadership Excellence & Empowerment Program. Dollar General ensures fair hiring and promotion practices, striving for gender balance in all roles and at all levels.”

Rachel Dorcelien

Head of Employee Experience & Development, DoorDash

Dorcelien oversees the design and delivery of company-wide experiences and development programs.
She leads global functions, including Learning & Development, Internal Mobility, Employee Experience, and Workplace Strategy. During her four years at DoorDash, Dorcelien has scaled several functions and programs that help form the employee experience today, from founding the Internal Communications and Employer Brand teams, to leading the global employee experience for the company’s initial public offering, to launching three new employee resource groups in as many years.

“In five years, I’d like to be in a similar seat to today’s, helping shepherd an ever-evolving culture of invention, belonging, and continuous learning. My role grows more complex and dynamic as our company grows. As long as I’m building great things that help employees thrive, I’ll never get bored!”

Ishita Majumdar

VP, Data Analytics Platforms, eBay

Majumdar leads a diverse team of data engineers, scientists, and software developers to ensure efficient collection, organization, access, and interpretation of all of eBay’s transactional and behavioral data. She is highly respected in eBay for her vast technology expertise, proactive customer engagement, and execution prowess. Majumdar is a champion for diversity and inclusion and actively invests in growing girls and women in tech.

“In 2022, eBay achieved gender pay equity. We have also made strides for increasing representation of women and underrepresented minorities in leadership and across the company as a whole—important progress to ensuring the eBay community is a richly diverse, truly equitable place for everyone.”

Victoria Crain

VP of Global Compliance Governance and Business Ethics, Experian

Crain leads the team responsible for designing, implementing, and promoting a culture of compliance with laws and regulations, as well as assessing and mitigating risks across the enterprise. Crain is also the co-executive sponsor for Experian’s Black Professionals employee resource group.

“Over the next five years, I’ll diversify my background to evolve our compliance program through specialized training in financial crime, payments, and ESG programs. As Experian builds financial wealth and health initiatives, our Black Professionals ERG will be a partner to drive the innovations that can help the Black community.”

Amy Bernier

Senior Director, Multifamily Product Management, Fannie Mae

Bernier manages Fannie Mae’s Multifamily Loan Product Development team and has spearheaded the development of social impact initiatives to create and preserve affordable workforce housing, increase the supply of units available to Housing Choice Voucher renters, and address inequities for renters across the United States. Bernier started her career as an architect working on affordable multifamily housing communities and has continued this path as a community-based affordable housing developer. Prior to her current role, she worked with lenders and borrowers to further Fannie Mae’s mission of providing liquidity to the market.

“Fannie Mae is committed to creating a more equitable housing finance system by finding innovative solutions to housing affordability, a core part of our mission. I hope to continue supporting programs like our Positive Rent Payment pilot that has helped over 350,000 households by reporting on-time rent payments to help build credit.”

Rita Cowans

VP of Internal Audit, FedEx Services, FedEx

Cowans is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the audit activities for FedEx US Domestic Operations for FedEx Express, FedEx Freight, FedEx Ground, and FedEx Logistics, as well as Audit Special Projects Fraud Investigations. Her commitment to excellence has earned her the FedEx Five Star Award (the company’s highest honor) and Internal Audit All-Star Team Awards. Cowans serves on the FedEx Services Executive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee and is the executive sponsor of FedEx’s Black Professional’s Network.

“At FedEx, diversity, equity, and inclusion is the fundamental building block of our cultural DNA. We strive to create opportunities to connect people to possibilities. We ensure women are actively considered for all levels of leadership by offering extensive development and mentorship opportunities. These programs are designed to build the pipeline of female leaders and promote diversity of ideas; inspire innovation; and create a culture of belonging.”

Carley Desillier

VP, Branch Leader, Fidelity

Desillier is a vice president, branch leader in a Fidelity Investments Investor Center. In this role, she co-leads a team of advisors and advocates for them by fostering a culture that motivates, inspires, empowers, and challenges their development so they can pursue their personal and professional goals while providing a world-class planning experience for the families they support. Desillier is a cochair for Aspire, Fidelity’s Latinx and Black employee resource group, where she provides strategic direction and partnership on diversity and inclusion initiatives across the enterprise.

“I want to be in an executive role model and be a leader of leaders. As a passionate advocate of inclusion and the customer experience, in this executive position, I could have a multiplier effect and impact more people. I could help people meet their goals while being a figure of representation for up-and-coming women of color.”

Karinya Verghese

VP and Chief of Staff, FINRA

Verghese provides strategic support to the executive vice president in various functions that advance FINRA Enforcement’s operational effectiveness and strategic goals. She also manages the Operations team within Enforcement. Verghese joined FINRA in 2016 and served as an associate regional director for FINRA’s Office of Dispute Resolution until 2020. Prior to joining the government-organized not-for-profit, she worked as a commercial mediator and conflict resolution consultant in Los Angeles and also spent eight years as a corporate lawyer with major Australian law firms in her hometown of Sydney.

“Breaking through age, racial, and gender stereotypes has made me passionate about helping other women do the same. In five years, I hope to still be advocating for diverse women in the workforce–particularly in the context of negotiation. Despite our incredible progress, there is still more work to do.”

Natalie Flanders

SVP, Investor Relations Officer, First Horizon Corporation

In her current role at the financial services company, Flanders leads the company’s investor relations strategy, maintaining and building relationships with investors and analysts, and effectively communicating the company’s financial performance and strategies to deliver shareholder value. Flanders’s 15 years of experience at Horizon includes asset liability management, corporate development and forecasting, and liquidity and securities portfolio management.

“I am committed to seeing our communities thrive, and a strong financial system is critically important. We help our clients purchase their first homes and safeguard their deposits. We support entrepreneurs with loans to start new businesses, expand existing ones, and create local jobs. My goal over the next few years is to help drive the strategies that keep our bank strong and stable so that we can continue to share in the growth and success of our communities. Eventually, I would like to serve as the CFO. In the interim, I am focused on strengthening our organization, including developing the next generation of talent and helping ensure the soundness of our financial system.”

Ruby Muñoz Dang

Director of Marketing and Client Services, Garcia Hamilton & Associates LP

Dang and her team are responsible for fulfilling client inquiries and providing portfolio information. They work closely with the consultant community and co-coordinate the firm’s participation in educational forums and conference presentations. Dang first joined Garcia Hamilton & Associates in 1994 as a portfolio administrator. Since then, she has held various investment positions, including equity trader, equity research analyst, and assistant equity portfolio manager. She became a partner in 2014. Dang currently serves on the investment advisory committee for the Employees Retirement System of Texas and mentors college and high school students.

“Closing the gender leadership gap for women, especially women of color, is what we do every day at Garcia Hamilton. We do this by hiring talented women, mentoring them, promoting them to leadership positions, compensating them generously, and welcoming them to the partnership. Approximately 70 percent of our GHA team are women, and over 52 percent of the firm is owned by women partners. The key to our firm’s success has been the inclusion of women in every area and at every level of the firm. We’re just getting started!”

Rita Wong

Executive Director, Head of Parenteral Launch and New Technologies, Genentech

Wong has spent more than 30 years in biotechnology, focusing on development and commercialization of life-saving therapies in oncology, immunology, and other complex disease areas. She leads a team that leverages engineering capabilities to develop and implement new manufacturing processes for Genentech’s commercialized medicine. An advocate for developing early-in-career talent, Wong started the Process Development Rotation Program at Genentech in 2006 and champions US biomanufacturing workforce development as industry cochair for Workforce Talent at the National Institute of Innovation in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing.

“Having a good start to your career is so important. It can be daunting to navigate your first role. That’s why my goal is to have successfully scaled a hands-on practical approach for early-in-career technical talents, especially focusing on underrepresented groups. And I want to write my first novel!”

Valeisha Butterfield Jones

VP of Partnerships and Engagement, Google

Butterfield Jones has made diversity and inclusion central to her two-decade career. In addition to serving as the global head of inclusion for Google, she has worked as copresident and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer of the Recording Academy, which oversees the Grammy Awards; as national youth vote director of the 2012 Obama for America campaign; and as national director of diversity and inclusion for the Alzheimer’s Association. She has special expertise at the intersection of tech, entertainment, and politics.

“I am committed to using my influence to uplift future leaders, close the gender gap, and create opportunities for the next generation of women. I believe everyone deserves to reach their full potential, regardless of gender. That is why I have set a personal goal to inspire at least 50 million women to live their best lives and reach for the highest version of themselves over the next five years. Diversity of thought and experience are essential for success, and I am devoted to creating a world where everyone can thrive.”

Amber Jones

Audit Senior Manager, Grant Thornton

In addition to her role as audit senior manager in Houston, Jones serves as the local office champion of Grant Thornton’s Black Professionals & Allies business resource group, which helps develop, advance, and retain the firm’s Black professionals. She is also actively involved in the company’s diversity recruiting efforts and has over ten years of experience serving private and public companies in the energy industry.

“I’m very passionate about mentoring and inspiring the future leaders of the world. Five years from now, I hope to make partner, continue to help the firm develop a more diverse workplace, and do whatever I can to help those around me continue to excel.”

Lauren Lacey

VP, Deputy General Counsel, Assistant Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer, The Hershey Company

Lacey has over 17 years of in-house experience, including two tours at The Hershey Company and one at US Foods Inc. She began her career in Baltimore, Maryland, as a litigator before moving in-house at Hershey. During her first 10 years, Lacey led legal support for litigation, regulatory, marketing, sales, and global businesses (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil), including the global Chocolate and Sweets & Refreshments SBUs.

“Hershey has a long legacy of advancing gender leadership that is a key element of the company’s enterprise DEI strategy. We have set a goal to have women occupy 40 to 42 percent of all people leader roles by 2025.”

Monica Oliverio

VP, General Administration, American Honda Motor Co., Honda

In her role, Oliverio oversees regionalized services including Facilities, Corporate Services, Company Vehicle Administration, and Indirect Procurement. She began her career at Honda in 1994 as a parts buyer for the Motorcycle Purchasing Division of Honda of America Mfg. Inc.

“Honda has allowed me to take on new roles and continue learning from my associates and our suppliers. No matter where I am in Honda, my true role is in mentoring associates and helping them reach their full potential. In the future, I see myself holding the door wide open for the next generation.”

Chequetta Dessources

VP of Procurement, Openings & Renovations, Americas, IHG Hotels & Resorts

After joining IHG in 2014 as FF&E procurement manager, Dessources worked as a finance manager and then rejoined procurement as a director working with various IHG brands, brand supply chain, mainstream brand design, and hotel openings in the Americas region. She was promoted to head of Hotel Procurement Strategy & Support in 2020, and most recently served as regional vice president of Hotel Purchasing Service, Americas, building a critical new capability for IHG’s owners to manage turnkey solutions that include sourcing, purchasing, shipping, and installing furniture, fixtures, and equipment. Dessources has been part of three IHG leadership programs—Leading in Finance, Pathways Live, and Ascend—and cochair of IHG’s Black Employee Resource Group.

“My five-year plan revolves around transforming into my best self. I enjoy developing high-performing teams and want to be an integral part of IHG’s growth journey. I will champion diversity, mentor, and sponsor actively. Lastly, I will prioritize my personal well-being as I pursue my professional endeavors.”

Shireen Braun

Head of Client Services, Insurance Quantified

Braun delivers innovative client onboarding, professional services, and client success programs to clients. She and her team enable clients to adapt to new market conditions while driving insights for underwriter decisionmaking. Braun is passionate about customer success and leveraging technology and talent programs to drive original service solutions. Prior to Insurance Quantified, Braun held various leadership positions at Bloomberg LP for 14 years, and most recently was managing director, Global Client Success at IHS Markit.

“Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace is an ongoing effort that requires commitment, dedication, and a willingness to adapt. By taking a holistic approach centered around the women themselves, we can successfully develop and maintain female diversity, leading to a more inclusive and innovative work environment. We do the usual things—ensuring our recruiting, development, [and] policies are equitable and attractive to all—and we do it with a lot of heart. The real difference is in how we operate day-to-day—how we support the mom that needs to walk out to pick up a sick kid, how we deliver feedback, and the collaborative work culture we’ve built to foster an environment where everyone is empowered to have a voice.”

Carol Tate

VP, Chief Compliance Officer, Intel

Tate leads Intel’s global ethics and legal compliance team and global network of ethics and integrity champions. She co-chairs Intel’s ethics and compliance oversight committee and periodically reports to the audit and finance committee of Intel’s board of directors. Before joining Intel in 2016, Tate served as the chief ethics and compliance officer of McCarthy Building Companies Inc., the vice president of compliance and investigations at Flextronics, and senior counsel at Motorola Inc. She has also served as a senior attorney in the US Securities and Exchange Commission and worked as a commercial litigation attorney in the law firms of Wildman Harrold and Thompson Coburn LLP.

“The future I envision is one in which I have the privilege of being a driving force to not only grow and groom thought leaders within Intel but also to cultivate new pathways for those whose diversity of thought and innovation unleash the power and promise within themselves [and] within each other, and serve the professions and communities they choose.”

Humera Shahid

Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Talent Development Officer, Intuit

Shahid has over 20 years of experience in the talent field focused on growing companies fueled by highly engaged talent. Her aim is to build great leaders who drive powerful cultures and business impact. Her passion lies in building a diverse and inclusive environment where individuals are supported and can do the best work of their lives by learning new skills, taking on challenging assignments, and growing their career in a thriving organization.

“In the next five years, I hope our workforce continues to reflect the diverse communities we serve, where all employees experience Intuit as a place where they can do the best work of their lives. As a senior leader, my goal is to have our diversity fuel advancements in generative AI and technology innovation in a transformational way for our customers.”

Tracy Joshua

VP, External Supply Chain, Kellogg Company

Joshua oversees Kellogg’s network of roughly 50 co-manufacturers, co-packers, and third-party value-added service providers. She is known for her transformational and collaborative leadership style and for her advocacy for greater female presence across the entire supply chain. Passionate about service to the community, Joshua serves on the board of Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council and was appointed to the Michigan Women’s Commission by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2021.

“I’m proud to be part of an organization and leadership team that is committed to everyone feeling fulfilled and having a seat at the table. As part of its Better Days Promise ESG strategy, Kellogg has set an aspirational goal of fifty-fifty [gender] parity at the management level globally by the end of 2025—and we’re on track to achieve it, reaching 45.7 percent at the end of 2022.”

Jyoti Mishra

VP, Marketing Analytics, Kohl’s

Mishra is responsible for using data and analytics to better serve the needs of Kohl’s large and diverse customer base. She leads a group of highly talented, highly skilled data scientists and insights specialists and prides herself on building and nurturing diverse and inclusive teams. Before joining Kohl’s, Mishra held leadership positions at American Express and PwC.

“At Kohl’s, we are committed to increasing BIPOC members and women in senior roles. We continue to make progress by investing at the recruiting stage and ensuring we cultivate and develop underrepresented talent through development opportunities, mentorship programs, and sponsorships.”

Ashleigh Gibson

Director, Marketing and Strategy–Mac and Cheese, Kraft Heinz

Gibson leads the $2 billion Mac and Cheese retail business at Kraft Heinz, where she is responsible for delivering both the short-term financial goals and long-term vision for brands in her portfolio. She is also cochair of the company’s Black Business Resource Group. In 2022, Gibson was recognized by the Brand Innovators Women in Marketing—Industry Innovation Awards for her thought leadership in CPG–Food and Beverage marketing.

“Kraft Heinz is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing women at all levels and in all corners of the organization. Five years from now, I plan on being in an executive leadership position where I’m solving problems and creating meaningful impact for different stakeholders—consumers, customers, shareholders, employees, and society.”

Marissa Vargas

VP and Director, Global DEI Strategy, Planning, Operations, and Messaging, Liberty Mutual

Vargas and her team support and develop the DEI enterprise strategy and plans and lead DEI messaging and team operations. Through DEI practices and principles, she helps leaders connect more effectively with their teams so they can achieve their business outcomes. Her dedication to the DEI mission in the workplace stems from her early commitment to promoting business leadership in the Hispanic/Latinx community.

“We’ve been intentional in building an inclusive workplace that strives to meet the needs of the whole woman, with offerings to support work-life integration, development, expanded family benefits, and more. [The] Liberty Mutual [workforce] is now 54.5 percent women, and we’re committed to sustaining progress and ensuring equitable opportunities for women at all levels.”

Semoine McCray

Senior Finance Director, Shared Services, Lowe’s

McCray joined Lowe’s in 2021 and is responsible for providing financial leadership and strategic decision support for human resources, finance, legal, and the office of the CEO. She leads the shared services finance team in managing the spend by each of the areas while driving the most value. Before joining Lowe’s, she served as senior finance director over merchant enterprises and Canadian accounts at Fiserv. She also previously held roles at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Equifax, and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young.

“I am very proud that Lowe’s is intentional about including women in leadership teams across all functions and levels in the organization. My favorite experience is the annual Women’s Leadership Summit, which is a full day dedicated to celebrating the success and journeys of women internal and external to Lowe’s and [is] fully supported by our male allies, who are also in attendance.”

Dominique R. Jenkins

Assistant Director, Author Events, Macmillan Publishers

As part of Macmillan’s author events team, Jenkins supports bookstores and other venues and 60-plus publicists throughout the event process, including tour and event strategy, recommendations, best practices, and tracking and troubleshooting book orders. She provides strategic data to help publicists plan tours in new markets, identifies and shares author event trends and strategy with internal and external event stakeholders, and manages industry-facing trade shows in partnership with the sales, publicity, and marketing teams. She is an active participant in the Macmillan Latinx Voices and Black African American Group employee resource groups, where she helps to amplify the voices of authors of color and create an atmosphere of inclusion.

“I would like to be on an expanded team where I can continue to create opportunities of discoverability for BIPOC and Latinx authors for bookstores, venues, and readers, using the platform of author events to give the new voices the stage to showcase their work in spaces of inclusiveness.”

Lola Fawole

VP, Global Human Relations Strategy, Technology and Operations, McCormick & Company

At global food industry giant McCormick, Fawole is responsible for the vision, strategy, governance, and metrics necessary to continue strengthening the company’s HR operating model in partnership with global enablement hire-to-retire. She oversees the continued development of the company’s HR data analytics and technology strategy and teams as she leads streamlined, standardized, and global end-to-end processes. She is also responsible for enterprise organizational effectiveness, as well as HR global policies, procedures, and risk mitigation. Fawole oversees centralized and administrative facilities and related real estate to ensure an optimal employee experience. She is a member of McCormick’s Global HR Senior Leadership Council and has also served McCormick as vice president of its global human relations operations. Previously, Fawole held HR leadership positions with Moen, Energizer, and Johnson Controls.

“My five-year vision includes leading people and driving global transformational change that has a positive impact on our workforce, customers, consumers, and the communities in which we live, work, and operate. I want to continue to enjoy work that is in service to others and propels inclusive engagement.”

Ingrid Millán

Partner, McKinsey & Company

Millan is a leader in McKinsey’s digital supply chain practice, focused on unlocking supply and leap-frogging operations in consumer goods and life sciences companies. She also leads diversity, equity, and inclusion talent attraction efforts and co-leads McKinsey’s Hispanic and Latino Network in North America. Millan cofounded McKinsey’s Hispanic and Latino Economic Forum and is currently leading McKinsey’s Hispanic and Latino Executive Academy, a training program offered, at no cost, to help organizations make demonstrable progress on inclusion and equity, improve talent pipelines, and unlock the full potential of Hispanic and Latino leaders within companies.

“I aspire to expand my impact for the next generation of Latina leaders through opportunity creation, apprenticeship, and the continued expansion of structured programs and a network of change agents.”

Melissa Mims

AVP and Head of US Medical Affairs Oncology, Merck

In over 25 years of pharmaceutical experience across several therapeutic areas, most notably oncology, Mims has
led several cross-functional teams, managed complexities, and developed talent. In her current role at Merck, she provides strategic direction and oversight for the US gastrointestinal oncology field medical team. Mims has lead medical affairs D&I initiatives and has been instrumental in coordinating and implementing new ways of working across the company.

“In five years, I want to be impacting global health by leveraging my extensive experience, unique voice, and influence to challenge the status quo and [extract] the power of our people for the benefit of patients.”

Adrienne Hughes

Managing Director, National Client Experience Executive, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

An experienced builder and leader of global financial teams, Hughes has long been recognized for successfully bringing people together across functions, geographies, and generations and for leveraging her teams’ diversities in the United States, United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirates. Prior to her current role developing and overseeing national client experience strategy at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, she led Merrill’s Chicago West and Central Florida markets. Hughes has worked on numerous initiatives focused on women and children, people of color, millennials, and gen Zers and is currently on the board of directors for After School Matters, a nonprofit serving more than 19,000 Chicago-area teens.

“It is a privilege and responsibility to shepherd the wealth of a generation—one I take with the utmost care. Regardless of what we may have been told, our money, our finances, our businesses are personal. Respecting and honoring that and every personal connection is true success.”

Fatima Kardar

VP, Chief Advisor, and COO of the Office of the CTO, Microsoft

Kardar has a passion for technology, for making a positive impact on the world, and for building innovative products that solve real problems. She is a seasoned technology leader who has experience building and overseeing large, diverse cross-functional teams. Kardar is the D&I executive sponsor for her division at Microsoft and supports various industry-wide diversity programs, such as the LEAP Apprenticeship Program and Pakistani Women in Computing.

“AI has the potential to transform lives, empower millions of people, and address some of the most pressing challenges in education, health, agriculture, and more. I hope not just to witness this AI-driven prosperity but [also] be part of driving this positive and lasting impact on the world in an equitable manner.”

Carla Vinals, PhD

VP, Head of Regulatory Strategy for Infectious Diseases, Moderna

Vinals has been active in vaccine development for her entire career and played a crucial role in the authorization and distribution of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. She has been a leader in managing regulatory issues for more than 16 years, during which she has provided scientific evidence to health agencies worldwide. Born and raised in Spain, Vinals studied biology in Belgium and was exposed to the early days of computational biology and human genome sequencing projects. She has led cross-functional project teams in creating vaccines for such devastating diseases as pediatric diarrhea and tuberculosis. She continues to lead efforts in originating new mRNA vaccines and pandemic preparedness programs.

“In five years, I hope to be actively engaged in learning and contributing to the development of new medicines that have a meaningful impact on people’s lives. I also aspire to continue building and leading diverse teams, fostering company growth, and promoting equity beyond gender and labels.”

Clara Sierra

Senior Director, Business Development and Global Sales, Moody’s Analytics

As senior director, industry practice lead for Moody’s Analytics’ asset management segment, Sierra, a proven leader in strategic planning and marketing, leads the company’s C-Suite Client Conversations and builds on existing client relationships to expand the firm’s brand and sales efforts in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Moody’s, Sierra served as senior vice president and senior business development officer at Amundi Pioneer and held leadership positions at Sentinel Investments and AIG Advisor Group.

“What I want to see myself doing five years from now is continuing to shine a positive light on the financial services industry. It’s a wonderful industry for those who are unafraid to do more and be more and be the change that this industry needs. . . . I want to continue to build my craft, continue to grow in this space but allow other men and women to see me, to see my work—a Latina, an Afro-Latina, a working mom thriving in this industry. If you can see it, you can be it.”

Wenli Wang

Partner, Moss Adams

Wang leads Moss Adams’s China Practice, serving as cultural ambassador and business advisor for clients across various industries. She is also responsible for the firm’s brand building, culture, and team growth and development at its Silicon Valley and Salinas locations and has been involved in numerous firm initiatives, serving on the tax committee, Forum W advisory board, and partner admission committee. Her greatest passion is coaching and mentoring professionals inside and outside of Moss Adams.

“I am committed to paying it forward and building a legacy. Five years from now, I want to be focusing my impact across the broader firm, developing and empowering a diverse set of partners and senior leaders through intentional advocacy and coaching.”

Mamta Patel Nagaraja

Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, NASA

In her more than 20 years at NASA, Nagaraja has served in a variety of roles, including program scientist for space biology, deputy division director for science communications, lead mechanical engineer for scientific instrument design, and instructor of astronauts for space missions. Today, she advises NASA’s chief scientist on exploration and biomedical and physical sciences performed by humans in space. Nagaraja is passionate about increasing diversity and inclusivity in science and enjoys mentoring others to help them find their best career pathways.

“In five years, I hope I’ll be in a role where I am able to help people more directly. That could be a leadership role at NASA where I guide a team to be their best selves together as a unit and individually. That could be an opportunity in my community leading teams who are bridging the access gap for clean water. Or maybe a chance to develop low-cost medical equipment for areas around the world, perhaps using NASA technology as a foundational design.”

Julia Metcalf

AVP, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Navy Federal Credit Union

Metcalf has over 15 years of leadership experience in the financial services and machine manufacturing industries and is a proud United States Air Force veteran. Her passion is creating a culture where employees are inspired to bring their whole selves to work and to reach their full potential. Since November 2021, Metcalf has led the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging team at the not-for-profit, member-owned Navy Federal Credit Union, which strategizes and implements programs and communications for a workforce of over 24,000 employees.

“Five years from now, I would love for our DI&B initiatives to be embedded throughout every stage of our Navy Federal employees’ careers. Supported by strong allyship, this will allow them to grow into the best professional versions of themselves and reach their potential.”

Charlene Polite Corley

VP, Diverse Insights & Partnerships, Nielsen

Polite Corley is passionate about representation in the media. After joining Nielsen in 2009 as a member of the Emerging Leaders Program, she grew her career through roles in local and national television client service. Today, as a part of the DEI team, she is responsible for thought leadership and leveraging Nielsen data that enables the perspectives, needs, and value of historically excluded groups to be more fully understood. In this role, she regularly collaborates with media industry and advocacy organizations to drive equity and awareness for diverse communities. Outside of Nielsen, Polite Corley is an event speaker, career mentor, adjunct professor, and founding member of the Washington, DC, chapter of Chief, the private network for women leaders.

“I would like to lead a dynamic team of researchers to deliver insights that guide a more inclusive media industry. I’ll be able to do my best work on the job and at home, bringing creativity, energy, and excellence to my organization, my family, and my community.”

Nikki Kodama

VP and B-2 Spirit Program Manager, Northrop Grumman

For more than two decades, Kodama has worked at global aerospace, defense, and security giant Northrop Grumman. Today she oversees all areas of the B-2 program, which includes the development, sustainment, and modernization of the long-range stealth bomber. Kodama is the executive cosponsor of Women in Science and Engineering,
an enterprise-wide program that encourages women to pursue technical career paths.

“Northrop Grumman invests in developing women leaders at various career levels through skills building, mentorships, and networking. Our Women in Leadership and Women in Science and Engineering programs and [our] Women’s International Network cultivate inclusive communities of support. Knowledge is power, and organizational empowerment is critical to closing the gender gap.”

Karena Brown

Patient Care Nurse Manager, Northwestern Memorial Hospital

As patient care nurse manager, Brown has piloted various initiatives on her unit and is often looked to when hospital rollouts occur. In fiscal year 2022, her unit was asked to lead a length-of-stay improvement pilot project. Under her leadership, Brown’s team identified five solutions to improve length-of-stay on her 30-bed medicine unit, which resulted in building a case for additional full-time social work employees. She was also granted approval to work on a health equity project titled Setting the Tone: Improving Early Identification of Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries Wounds in Darker Skin Tones, and is currently developing a tool to support skin assessments and pressure injury identification for patients of color.

“When I think about my future self, I envision myself working in the lane of health equity. I have a passion for creating a more diverse workforce and supporting, growing, and developing the underdogs. In order to provide quality equitable care for patients, you need to have a workforce that is diverse at every level and committed to the mission. Health care is always changing, and if we want to be at the forefront, we have to do things we haven’t done before.”

Cassady Crawford

Senior Data Analyst, Nuveen

Crawford oversees data distribution across all departments at Nuveen, a TIAA investment company. In her role as senior data analyst, she uses her extensive background in data analysis
to guide the transformation of raw data into meaningful insights that will optimize business operations and enhance customer experience. Crawford enjoys using data to solve complex challenges and tell compelling stories that drive organizational growth.

“I am currently studying to become a chartered financial analyst. Five years from now, I plan to be a portfolio manager. I am looking forward to breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry.”

Angie Vinez

Inside Sales Manager, Panel Built Inc.

As inside sales manager for Panel Built Inc., one of the fastest growing companies in the modular building industry, Vinez trains and motivates her team members to provide the best possible solution for their customers, set and reach personal and team sales goals, quote large and complex projects, and ensure customers are given superior service. Vinez started at Panel Built’s front desk six years ago and quickly worked her way into management. Her passion is leading others and helping them reach their life and career goals.

“In the past five years, I’ve seen Panel Built almost triple in size. We are currently on target to just keep growing! Five years from now, I would love to be heading up a larger sales division and doing what I love most: training salespeople to solve our customers’ needs with excellence and great customer service. That’s what Panel Built was founded on, and that’s what makes this company so great. If I can lead a larger team to do what I am passionate about, I’ll be thrilled.”

Hui Wang

VP, Global Analytics and Data Science, PayPal

Wang manages the analytics and data science team developing insights, data mining, and machine learning technologies for PayPal. Her team is responsible for the fraud and risk models that are the backbone of PayPal’s risk management and for various AI markup language solutions to support personalization and recommendation, among other areas. In her previous role at PayPal as director of Global Risk Sciences, her team won a ComputerWorld 2015 Data+ Editor’s Choice Award and she received the 2016 Women in Payments USA Innovation Award.

“I hope to continue the work my team and I are doing—leveraging AI and machine learning to create better and safer experiences for people. I’d also love to devote more time to improving diversity in AIML fields, as it has been a passion of mine for several years.”

Lorna Bryant, EdD

Head of Career Education, Pearson

Bryant has spent 25-plus years working to identify and create the most effective educational and postsecondary options for children regardless of geographic, socioeconomic, or other circumstances. As the first woman in her family to receive a high school diploma, Bryant understands the power of connections and relationships in setting young people on the path to successful and fulfilling careers. Facilitating those connections and relationships has been Bryant’s primary professional focus for the past decade, including in her current role as head of career education for Pearson Virtual Schools, notably its Connections Academy online schools for grades K through 12. Bryant’s career in education began in the classroom as a middle and high school English and history teacher.

“I hope to see education transformed such that every young person—regardless of who they are or where they come from—can pursue the career that’s most fulfilling to them. And I hope to say that I played a part in opening minds and doors that made that possible.”

Alletta Brenner

Partner, Perkins Coie

Brenner focuses her practice on complex product liability litigation, representing clients in court as well as advising companies on how to think strategically and manage risk before a lawsuit is ever filed. She works with clients in a variety of industries but with an emphasis on the aviation and high-tech sectors and emerging technologies. Brenner also has an active pro bono practice that ranges from representing families seeking asylum in the United States to defending and protecting the rights of people who identify as LGBTQ+.

“Perkins Coie has long recognized that increasing the number of women in firm leadership is essential to building stronger teams, enhancing workplace culture, and delivering better solutions for clients. In some of our most prominent offices, the majority of partners are women, and firm-wide, approximately half of our executive committee members and practice group chairs are women.”

Montserrat Fuentes-Edwards

Regional VP, Pacific West Region, PetSmart

A proven leader with a passion for both people and pets, Fuentes-Edwards has been with PetSmart for more than 27 years, starting out as a senior store director, moving up to district manager and regional director positions, and now serving as regional vice president for the Pacific West. She has chaired the company’s D&I field committee for a decade, and in 2021, she was named PetSmart’s regional vice president of the year.

“We are closing the gap with deliberate steps. About 70 percent of PetSmart associates are women, so intentional leadership development and empowerment is [a] natural priority. Our Women Inspiring Strength & Excellence associate resource group is one of the many resources we offer to foster direct mentorship and development.”

Angela Riemer

VP, Global Policy and Public Affairs, Oncology, Pfizer

Before assuming her current role, Riemer led Pfizer’s Federal Government Relations team. She began health policy work at Medco Health Solutions as a director in the company’s government affairs division. Riemer is a member of the Silver Spring (Maryland) chapter of The Links and the Montgomery County (Maryland) Chapter of Jack and Jill of America. She also serves on the board of directors of the Public Affairs Council.

“Pfizer has parity goals for women at the VP and above levels attached to specific metrics. I am proud that we address gender leadership with this kind of rigor and focus. Pfizer Women’s Resource Group provides support, developmental opportunities, mentoring, and networking events to help its members enhance their skills and advance their careers.”

Helena Yoon

Trust Solutions Partner, PwC

Yoon brings her deep knowledge and understanding of technology, risk, and trust to some of the firm’s premier clients. She also leads and advises internal DEI initiatives, including the PwC DEI Partner Council, which guides the PwC US leadership team by bringing diverse thinking and insights to the execution of PwC’s DEI strategy. Her passion and aspiration is to foster a culture of belonging and maximize potential in talent and teams.

“I’d like to continue fostering PwC’s culture as a model of DEI in professional services and beyond. As a Korean woman and mother, I’ve experienced PwC ‘walk the talk’ and hope to amplify this work of cultivating inclusion and trust. In the 1960s, only 18 percent of employees entering the workforce had underrepresented backgrounds, and today it’s 48 percent.”

Reva Shakkottai

Financial Advisor and Branch Director, RBC Wealth Management

As a financial advisor and branch director of the Manhattan Beach, California, office of RBC Wealth Management, Shakkottai harnesses her extensive background in finance and economics to strategize growing and protecting wealth. She also serves on the Anderson alumni board of directors of the University of California, Los Angeles, and is a member of the Beverly Hills Estate Planning Council.

“In five years, my goal is to have used my leadership platform to influence equitable access to financial advice and products. Women control over half of the wealth in the US, yet they are underserved by the wealth management industry. I would like to change that and put women’s needs front and center.”

Carla H. McIntosh

VP of Global Talent Acquisition, Reddit

McIntosh is responsible for strengthening and scaling Reddit’s global workforce. With more than 24 years of experience leading talent organizations, she brings a genuine passion for people and a proven record of building world-class recruiting practices and teams. McIntosh most recently served as the US Head of Talent Acquisition for Google’s first-ever US Operations Center and previously held several roles across People Operations. She is also a US Air Force veteran and founded a technical recruitment firm.

“Reddit is committed to empowering our women employees as part of our community-based culture. Over half of our executive team are women, and we offer a curated professional development curriculum, mentorship programs, and women-focused ERG groups that are all geared toward the development of our women employees.”

Aisha Fletcher

VP, Communications, US Brands, Restaurant Brands International

Fletcher leads communications for iconic RBI brands, including Burger King, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs. She brings a multifaceted skill set to her strategic approach with expertise across many functions of her role, including franchisee, executive and internal communications, and public relations. She is passionate about building and retaining high-performing teams and understands the importance of the infusion of diverse perspectives and inclusion in the brands she supports.

“I see myself working with a team who is diverse and whose unique perspectives go beyond guiding how something is communicated. Instead, we are communicators who use our deep understanding of audiences to influence leadership teams on what problems to solve and where time should be spent that takes storytelling and culture to the next level.”

Sandhya Rawal

VP, Strategic Initiatives and Corporate Development, Elixir, Rite Aid

Rawal is an innovative leader dedicated to improving patient outcomes by focusing on efficient care delivery. She previously worked at McKinsey, supporting a variety of health-care companies on strategic and operational transformations. Rawal then joined Rite Aid’s leadership team, partnering with executive leadership on Rite Aid’s “whole health” mission for their patients.

“In five years, my goal is to continue to further our US health care system in its service of patient access, outcomes, and experience. In addition, I hope to continue to support diversity in leadership across health-care and serve as a mentor for the next generation of leaders.”

Ursula Worth

VP, Channel Sales and Strategic Partnerships, Samsara

Worth is a channel and alliances executive with more than two decades of experience across various industries, including mainframe technologies, distributed applications, Cloud/SaaS, MarTech, artificial intelligence/machine learning, transportation/logistics, and IoT. An accomplished leader who is passionate about partnerships, Worth has expertise in channel development, channel management, direct sales, marketing, strategic planning, partner enablement, operations, and global e-commerce strategies. Worth is also an award-winning singer/songwriter.

“Samsara takes proactive measures to increase the representation and retention of women and underrepresented individuals in leadership positions by strategically recruiting from a pool of talented candidates at the leadership tier and by running a company-wide mentorship program that caters to women at every level and promotes professional development.”

Dominique White

Engineering Lead, LCLS-II HE Project, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

White is an engineering lead for the LCLS-II HE Project, the first X-ray free-electron laser facility to be based on continuous-wave superconducting accelerator technology, at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. A strong believer in promoting STEM education, she was a founding executive committee member for SAGE-S, a camp that gives high school students a look into the world of the National Labs.

“I’m excited to see SLAC continue to invest in the Women@SLAC Employee Resource Group mentorship program. For years, it has connected women across the lab. It teaches early-career employees how to advocate for themselves and shape their careers, putting more women on track for leadership positions.”

Ali Minnick

General Manager, Global Business Advisory Services, Slalom Consulting

Minnick is responsible for setting the global direction for the 3,500-plus business advisory consultants
at Slalom, accelerating customer impact and market growth by driving innovation. With nearly 20 years as a strategy consultant and business leader, she pushes the boundaries of what is possible for herself and those around her. Outside of Slalom, Minnick is a founding member of Chief, a private group for C-suite women that is committed to supporting female leaders.

“We’ve made a commitment to achieve gender parity across Slalom by or before the end of 2025. As of 2021, 44 percent of our new hires were women, and in total, we are at 40.2 percent female employees. Our most recent executive hires—including our CTO, CMO and chief of people—are women.”

Chantal Randolph-Schall

VP of Operations, Sodexo

Randolph-Schall’s international hospitality experiences range from fine-dining restaurants to hotel catering to aviation lounges. Her career started in West Africa, where she first discovered her passion for the culinary arts. Randoph-Schall’s dedication to food service and to service in general is reflected in her time both inside and outside of Sodexo. She is an avid participant in her community, supporting local community farming practices and refugee career placement in the food and beverage industry.

“In five years, I would like to be preparing for my next role. My team’s communal goal is to support our businesses that are evolving in the food and beverage landscape. I want to be the sort of mentor that gave me priceless advice, cheered me on, and told me to be fearless.”

Melissa Andrews

DoD Sales Engineering, Splunk

Andrews leads the Department of Defense sales engineering teams at Splunk. She is a career sales engineer who entered the field through a training program at Oracle Corporation. A skilled technical presenter and facilitator, she is adept at working with customers to discover their pain points and helping them use technology to address them, as well as keeping them informed and trained about advances. Andrews is also the vice president of Splunk’s Black employee resource group, BEAMS.

“We must increase the numbers of women of color in leadership. Not only will it help inspire others, it’s important that the perspective we bring to leadership is heard in our companies. I’d like to be a senior leader in a technical sales organization or an executive chief of staff.”

Arnita Curtis

VP, Product Management, Sprout Social

Curtis has played an instrumental role in scaling the product team at Sprout Social and has been integral to the company’s growth, from Series B funding to initial public offering to more than $300 million in annual recurring revenue. She helped build a world-class product team that expanded sevenfold, increasing headcount from 30 to 350-plus full-time employees across key product functions, such as engineering, design, and product management. Thanks to her strong leadership, the product management team has also grown from two people to 50-plus during this period. Currently, Curtis leads the company’s largest product line and oversees other key departments, such as product operations.

“In five years, I want to continue prioritizing quality time with my family. As for my career goals, I aim to lead large products at a successful company with over $1 billion in revenue. And on top of that, I want to give back more to the community by volunteering and participating in philanthropic efforts.”

Cherizza Lundy

VP of Strategy and Chief of Staff to the CEO, Stitch Fix

Lundy is responsible for developing and driving Stitch Fix’s wide enterprise strategy, overseeing the overall execution of the company strategic plan through objectives and key results, and cascading the strategy to the organization and the board. In addition to her role leading strategy, Lundy manages the day-to-day operations of the Stitch Fix executive team, provides direct support to the CEO, and leads corporate internal communications. Prior to joining Stitch Fix, she worked as a cross-functional strategy and operations individual contributor in the office of
the CEO at Google, where she co-led Google’s 2020 racial equity commitments.

“In five years, I would like to be doing much of the same as now, which is being in a leadership position at a company during a time of transformation. I am passionate about working for organizations that are in service to their clients—helping them do something better, smarter, or faster.”

Lindsay Williams Hirsch

VP, Strategy & Portfolio Governance, Sysco

Williams Hirsch oversees Sysco’s end-to-end strategic planning process and governance of the company’s strategic initiative portfolio, the Recipe for Growth, delivering programs on time, at budget, and with expected benefits. She works closely with the executive leadership team to ensure progress and focus on Sysco’s strategic priorities. While attending Harvard Business School, Williams Hirsch led Manbassadors for the Women Student Association, which engaged men on campus to actively promote gender equity at the business school and beyond.

“At Sysco, everyone has a seat at our table. This is demonstrated by the diversity of our executive leadership team; Sysco’s longtime sponsorship of Women’s Foodservice Forum, which provides unparalleled development and networking opportunities; and our strong Colleague Resource Group network, including the recent addition of Mothers Offering Mentorship, launched to support working moms.”

Alisa Dalton

Senior Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Culture & Belonging, Target

Dalton leads the team responsible for Target’s DE&I progress and strategy, focused on building a diverse workforce, equitable work environments, and inclusive guest experiences while driving positive societal impact. She reports directly to Target’s chief diversity and inclusion officer and SVP of Talent & Change. With more than 15 years of experience, Dalton has built high-
performing teams and driven progress across Target’s business. She is passionate about creating cultures of belonging and support that help every team member achieve their full potential.

“Having spent 15 years at Target across Operations, HR, and now DEI, I have a profound appreciation for our frontline team members and leaders. In the next five years, I want to advance a sense of belonging in a way that has reach into the communities we live and operate in.”

Whitney Pennington Rodgers

Current Affairs Curator, TED

Pennington Rodgers is an award-winning journalist and media professional. Prior to joining TED, she was a producer for Dateline NBC, NBC’s primetime newsmagaizne. During her time in the media industry, she earned both an Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award and a News & Documentary Emmy for her contributions to the Dateline special “The Cosby Accusers Speak,” an exclusive, in-depth group interview with 27 of the women who accused actor and comedian Bill Cosby of sexual misconduct.

“TED is the archetype for promoting world-changing ideas like closing the gender gap. From amplifying women’s voices in our content to philanthropically supporting initiatives that empower women to appointing women as leaders in our own organization, TED is doing the work every day to make true gender equity a reality.”

Tieisha Smith

Head of Tech Partnerships, Acceleration, and Culture Transformation, TIAA

In her role, Smith builds strategic partnerships with leading tech companies, industry alliances, nonprofits and academic institutions. She also drives TIAA’s culture transformation and acceleration initiatives. She shapes and leads the TIAA Technology Guild Network to advance technical craft-based collaboration and speed innovation and partners with TIAA India to integrate and globalize best practices and tech culture accelerators. A champion of DEI in technology, Smith has developed strategic technology partnerships from the ground up with such organizations as Year UP, Girls in Tech, and Blacks in Technology.

“Closing the gender leadership gap at TIAA starts with our CEO, Thasunda Brown Duckett. In her role, Thasunda has prioritized gender equity, which is visible within our Executive Committee and the Client Services & Technology organization leadership team—more than 50 percent are female—of which I am a member.”

Nanditha Vijayaraghavan

Chief of Staff and Marketing, Trusted Family

Vijayaraghavan has a foundation in marketing and brand communications that allows her
to bridge stakeholder silos and foster cross-functional collaboration. She is a values-led leader with a proven record for creating high-performing international teams, leading strategy, and managing change across physical and digital environments. A passion for continuous improvement helps her hustle between people leadership, growth marketing, and organizational efficiency. She also serves on the DEI Committee of European Women on Boards, a consortium of national organizations that aim to build a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“In five years, I envision myself continuing to drive meaningful change as a DEI practitioner. My goal is to have played an active role in creating more inclusive workplaces and communities, where diversity is celebrated and equity is a reality. Also, I aspire to be a thought leader in the field, sharing insights and best practices, and advocating for policies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion on a broader scale within the tech ecosystem in Europe.”

Sue Collard

VP, Strategy and Operations for Belonging, Equity, and Impact, UKG

Collard establishes divesity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B) as a business imperative that aligns with the values of UKG’s global customers and partners. She leads strategic programs—including UKG’s DEI&B foundational learning curriculum, ambassador program, and sales enablement/customer engagement program—while focusing on increasing DEI&B engagement, transparency, and accountability across the business. With more than 30 years of experience, Collard is breaking down non-inclusive and non-equitable patterns of thinking and developing sustainable processes to drive social and business impact at UKG.

“Beyond the clear and compelling goals we’ve set to increase equity of representation for women in leadership roles at UKG, we’re helping to level the equity playing field for all people through our purpose-driven partnerships, social impact campaigns, and products—like the UKG Great Place To Work Hub—that empower companies to lean into the business imperative of DEI&B.”

Jessica Muench

Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, United Airlines

Muench leads transformational change through a holistic strategy to embed DEI throughout the business and enhance relationships with employees, customers, communities, and commercial partners.

“We’ve set aspirational goals and built in accountability for progress, including growing senior leadership representation for women and people of color, interviewing diverse slates of candidates, and maintaining pay equity. We’re developing leaders from within and recruiting for greater opportunities and access to long, lucrative careers at United.”

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Daphne Hoytt Dickerson

VP of Global Communications, UPS

Hoytt Dickerson oversees social impact, human resources/operations, and brand communications at UPS. In her previous role, she was group director of strategic communications for The Coca-Cola Company North America Operating Unit, where she oversaw external brand communications. Her career spans more than 20 years in in-house communications roles and at global communications firms. Hoytt Dickerson has delivered award-winning campaigns, crafted innovative communications strategies, and managed corporate communications efforts.

“Led by one of the few women Fortune 50 CEOs, UPS is working toward 30 percent women in global full-time management by 2025. Alongside our 71 chapters of women’s business resource groups, we’re building development programs that support women’s advancement. We’re also reviewing employee survey results, hiring initiatives, succession planning, and more.”

Tiana Carter

AVP, Human Resources Strategy and Planning, USAA

Carter is a visionary and execution architect who moves the business and people forward with innovative solutions and measurable results. Reporting directly to the chief human resources officer, she serves as chief of staff, using over a decade of human resources and client services experience to drive a high-
performing team through a culture of connectivity, innovation, and collaboration. Carter oversees board operations, change management, HR’s budget, and business operations.

“My ultimate career goal is to become a CHRO at a Fortune 500 organization. When you consider the evolution of the global workforce—advancing technology, increased life expectancy resulting in longer careers—knowing how to manage, motivate, and move a multigenerational, ethnically diverse workforce is going to be critical to the success of future CHROs.”

Renu Blankinship

Chief of Staff, Versana

Now chief of staff at industry-backed fintech Versana, Blankinship joined the company in March 2022 as director of marketing and talent to spearhead these initiatives and cultivate company culture. She started her career at JPMorgan Chase & Co. as a salesperson on the structured credit and secondary loan trading desks, covering hedge funds and proprietary trading desks for par and distressed bank loans, high yield and investment grade bonds, credit derivatives, and structured credit instruments. Blankinship then served as a senior relationship manager for evaluated pricing and data license solutions at Bloomberg. Most recently, she founded a creative event planning company serving the New York area.

“Versana is a female-led fintech with a 47 percent female team—a great example of how diversity at the top leads to an inclusive culture throughout the organization. We are committed to closing the gender leadership gap by actively recruiting female talent, promoting women to leadership positions, and fostering a collaborative culture. At Versana, diverse perspectives are not just welcome but vital to our efforts to transform the syndicated loan market.”

Geny Doss

VP, CMC Small Molecule Operational Quality, Vertex

During her time at Vertex, Doss has led the buildout of the quality assurance CMC development, and commercial and distribution functions to support the company’s products. She has advanced in her role to build many new functions in quality assurance regulated areas to accommodate Vertex’s growing pipeline and commercialization of its cystic fibrosis products. Prior to joining the Vertex team, Doss worked in a range of manufacturing, analytical chemistry, and quality-control roles supporting pharmaceutical product development and manufacturing.

“In my 17 years at Vertex, I’m pleased to see how much progress we’ve made in increasing representation of women at the director and above levels. Vertex has taken a thoughtful and intentional approach to ensure our talent processes are fair and equitable. For example, we require diverse interview panels for all roles and diverse slates for director and above roles.”

Anita Patel

VP, Pharmacy Services Development, Walgreens

Patel joined Walgreens from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she led the COVID-19 response and vaccine distribution across the country and supported seasonal influenza efforts in ensuring access to vaccines and medications. She has 19 years of experience in the health-care industry and, bringing a breadth of immunization knowledge to her role, serves as an expert resource on the subject.

“Walgreens’s community pharmacies serve about 100 million patients across the country annually. In five years, I will continue striving to advance our pharmacy services as the needs of our patients and pharmacists continue to evolve. In the process, we will continue reimagining how local health care improves societal health and well-being.”

Marta Codina

SVP, Branch Banking Customer Experience Leader, Consumer and Small Business Banking, Wells Fargo & Company

A veteran of more than 40 years in the financial services industry, Codina serves in an enterprise level role at Wells Fargo with the National Advice & Acquisition team and is responsible for strategies and execution around customer experience across all branches. She leads the team responsible for governance of Voice of Customer surveys and feedback. She started her career as a teller during high school in Houston and also worked as a regional manager for US Bank, leading the retail banking division across several states. She joined Wells Fargo in 2001 and has served in the company as a regional development manager for Iowa, area manager for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, and region bank president for Wells Fargo Bank, overseeing retail and small business banking branches in four midwestern states.

“I see myself using my voice in even bolder and more impactful ways. Lifting up and supporting women–especially diverse women–has been my mission. Having started my career at a time when women were not supported, I have seen and lived the disparities. Whether it’s in professional or social settings, I will use my voice to educate and advocate.”

Lauren Gellhaus

VP, Wilshire

Gellhaus is a vice president serving on Wilshire’s client solutions team, focusing on pension plans and sustainability. Prior to joining Wilshire in 2022, Gellhaus was the head of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing at the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, where she developed the ESG strategic vision and road map for the investment management division’s initiatives. She is a chartered alternative investment analyst. In her spare time, Gellhaus serves as a court-appointed special advocate, advocating for children in the child welfare system.

“While closing the gender leadership gap takes time, progress is expedited through intentionality and leadership buy-in, of which Wilshire has both. Wilshire seeks to maintain a workplace that values diversity, inclusion, mentorship, and belonging, holding itself publicly accountable through an annual report illustrating its internal commitment and external engagements around diversity.”

Thamara Subramanian

Equity Audit and Strategy Manager, The Winters Group Inc.

Subramanian is passionate about tackling the root causes of inequities and creating opportunities for all to thrive. At The Winters Group, she conducts diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) audits and facilitates strategy planning for clients. She is a frequent speaker and coauthor of the book, Racial Justice at Work: Practical Solutions to Systemic Change. Subramanian is an AmeriCorps alumna, a former Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and an avid volunteer with Girls on the Run and Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City.

“I hope to continue learning and growing in my leadership by propelling meaningful and sustainable social change that serves all communities, particularly those historically marginalized. Ideally, I hope to move the needle and shift our thinking on what it means to create social impact, partner with communities, and foster a world where everyone can prosper.”

Maria Juliana Moraes

Senior Director, Product, ZipRecruiter

Moraes leads the matching (search and recommendations) and job-seeker apps (messaging, mobile, and home) for ZipRecruiter’s product teams. She has a passion to do more of what she’s currently doing—to inspire her teams to push and succeed in disrupting the job search market, make it a reality for people to get hired and for businesses to hire great candidates, and see leaders on her teams grow and motivate their teams to become even more mission driven and passionate about what they do.

“I feel inspired by the decisive and intelligent women in leadership at ZipRecruiter. Representation matters, and I hope that witnessing women leading our product team—a traditionally male function—encourages more of us to pursue leadership roles.”

DW