Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of Sacramento for 2024. Known as the “City of Trees,” Sacramento is a beautiful place to live and thrive. Combine warm weather with a diverse economy led by top industries, and it’s easy to see why it’s a popular destination for some of the world’s most talented women.
In a city fueled by technology and innovation, a few of the most prominent industries in Sacramento include education, healthcare, agriculture, fintech, clean energy, and state government. It’s also a terrific business climate for startups and entrepreneurs.
As we honor the top women leaders of Sacramento, we recognize the storied career of fintech executive Stacey Larsen. As a Managing Director of Deloitte, an industry-leading professional services company, Larsen has in-depth experience with financial system implementation and earned value management.
A state government leader who also excels in the technology sector, we honor Shaw-chin Chiu, the Managing Client Partner for the State of California at IBM, a multinational technology company. In this role, Chiu leverages her extensive experience in global business transformation and digital innovation with emerging technologies.
Finally, we celebrate the career of healthcare leader Trish Rodriguez, the Senior Vice President of Clinical Services and area manager for Kaiser Permanente, one of the leading healthcare providers and nonprofit health plans in the United States.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Sacramento for 2024.
1). Alicia Moody
Head of Content Management, Google
Alicia Moody began her professional career 15 years ago. Today, she is the Head of Content Management at Google, a California-based multinational technology company that offers internet-related services, such as a search engine, online advertising, and cloud computing. Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
A seasoned and accomplished sales excellence leader, Moody boasts a proven track record of improving sales performance through a strategic, modern, and innovative approach. She possesses a strong passion for helping organizations enhance their ability to enable, train, communicate, and serve sales effectively. Recognized for her contributions, she has cultivated top-performing global teams.
Moody was honored to join the Google Cloud Club in 2023, and she received the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Culture Champion award in 2020 and the Seismic Shift award in 2019. Committed to nonprofit endeavors, she is the founder of The Bay School, serves as a board member for Dientes, and holds the position of Communications Officer for Rising International. Moody graduated from California State University, Chico with an undergraduate degree in journalism and communications.
2). Shaw-chin Chiu
Managing Client Partner, IBM Consulting, State of CA
As a Managing Client Partner, Shaw-chin Chiu leads the IBM Consulting government portfolio across California state, local, and education agencies. She brings 18 years of extensive professional experience in global business transformation, digital innovation with emerging technologies, such as AI, analytics, and blockchain, process re-engineering, and organizational/change management. She has supported clients in the government, healthcare, life sciences, consumer, and retail industries spanning North America, Europe, APAC, and Latin America.
She had the pleasure of serving the State of California early on in her career as an HR Business Partner at the California Judicial Council in Sacramento. She is a two-time recipient of IBM's North America Innovation Delivery Excellence Award (IDEA). Some of her notable innovations included infusing design thinking methodologies to drive more human-centricity through "IBM Garages" and IBM's blockchain-based COVID digital credential platform.
She graduated with an MBA in Finance, Marketing, and Health Sector Management from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and a BA in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of CA, Berkeley. Chiu is a best-selling published author of a book dedicated to the power of working mothers called Integrating Me in Motherhood: A Mom's Guide to Preventing Burnout and Unleashing Her True Essence. When she's not at work or spending quality time with her young daughter, her husband, and other loved ones, she works on writing her next book, is an avid cross-format athlete, builds communities to support the health and well-being of moms, including Pamper Pass, and plays piano.
3). Phillis Ing
Head of Legal, the Americas, SMA America
Phillis Ing is the Head of Legal for the Americas at SMA America. SMA Solar Technology AG is a German solar energy equipment supplier founded in 1981 and headquartered in Niestetal, Northern Hesse, Germany. SMA is a producer and manufacturer of solar inverters for photovoltaic systems with grid connection, off-grid power supply, and backup operations.
Ing leads a team supporting the leading solar inverter manufacturer and distributor with $350 million in annual revenue. Her goal is smart business growth while minimizing financial and legal exposure. The focus is on supporting company profitability with a strong attention to financial performance through collaboration with and counseling of different organizations.
As a successful strategic leader, Ing exemplifies professionalism, creativity, and collaboration to develop successful teams, build partnerships with executive management, and define and execute strategies focused on profitability and risk mitigation. With a proven record of mastering new roles and responsibilities in various industries and organizations, she adopts innovation to resolve complex issues and technology to create efficiencies, reduce costs, and focus lean resources on high-impact/value work. Ing graduated from the University of Houston with a JD in law and from Claremont McKenna College with an undergraduate degree in political science and history.
4). Jennifer Hall
Managing Director - Client Account Leadership, Accenture
Jennifer Hall is the Managing Director of Client Account Leadership at Accenture, a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments, and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth, and enhance citizen services, creating tangible value at speed and scale.
Hall has worked in consulting for more than 20 years and started her career as a supply chain consultant at Accenture. Her skills include extensive and significant experience in guiding C-level executive teams in defining and establishing a culture. Through strong discovery and probing skills, she brings an understanding of emerging trends and technologies, which allows her to advise clients on the most relevant and impactful approaches to driving their business goals.
Currently, Hall is focused on driving ideation and creativity as the Innovation and Value Lead for one of Accenture’s largest client accounts. She brings new ways of “working and doing” to their clients and their partners with a focus on showing- rather than telling. Through co-creation, MVP, rapid prototyping, and other methodologies, she designs custom approaches for digital transformation. Her strategic thinking skills are focused on results, business outcomes, and delivering value. Hall graduated from the University of Notre Dame with an undergraduate degree in finance and history.
5). Stacey Larsen
Managing Director, Deloitte
Stacey Larsen is the Managing Director of Deloitte. Deloitte drives progress and invests in outstanding people of diverse talents and backgrounds and empowers them to achieve more than they could elsewhere.
Larsen has over 14 years of consistently achieving revenue growth, building business in new markets, and identifying and managing risk both internally and for clients From winning new business in a previous white space to negotiating contracts with the government and other businesses, she has positioned her business to be scalable and profitable while continuing to grow at a double-digit pace. Larsen’s technical experience includes advising clients on and implementing risk-based solutions to achieve financial integrity and transparency in their operations and management. Her experience includes assisting clients and her firm in strategy, organizational, and finance transformation efforts with a specialty in risk-based approaches to transformation and accountability, board governance and management reporting, forecasting, budgeting, business and accounting process enhancements, and training strategy and development.
Before joining Deloitte, she spent four years with aerospace and defense companies. In the last three of those years, she was redesigning the financial project management and line of business management reporting and forecasting. Larsen also has in-depth experience with financial system implementation and earned value management. Her training combined with her industry experience allows her an exceptional perspective to uniquely serve clients, both internally and externally. Larsen graduated from the University of San Diego with an undergraduate degree in business and managerial economics and art history.
6). Patricia Rodriguez
Senior VP - Clinical Services - Northern California, Kaiser Permanente
Trish Rodriguez is Senior Vice President of Clinical Services and area manager for Kaiser Permanente in South Sacramento and Elk Grove, California. In this role, she oversees health plan and hospital operations, including a Level II Trauma Center, and she is responsible for the provision of healthcare to more than 213,000 Kaiser Permanente members in the South Sacramento County area. Kaiser Permanente covers more than half of the commercial market in this area and employs almost 5,000 employees and physicians.
In a career that spans from Calgary to Hawaii to California, Rodriguez has more than 30 years of broad experience in healthcare operations. In 1991 she joined the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan facility at the Moanalua Medical Center in Honolulu as a charge nurse. She then accepted the position of community medical auditor, was promoted to operations manager and director of emergency services, and ultimately served as assistant hospital administrator/chief operating officer and chief nursing officer. In 2009 she transferred to the Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Medical Center as its chief operating officer. She was named to her current position in 2011.
Rodriguez is a registered nurse with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta and a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Hawaii. Rodriguez also attended the Kaiser Permanente Executive Leadership Program at Harvard Business School. Her community leadership roles include past chair of the American Heart Association and the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Currently, she serves as vice chair of Align Capital Region and as a board member of Linked Learning Alliance, the Crocker Art Museum, and Valley Vision. She is also a member of the Sacramento Host Committee and the Mayor’s Commission on Climate Change.
7). Elise Hymes
Global Program Director - CX, Oracle
With over 16 years of experience as a cross-functional marketing leader, Elise Hymes has honed her expertise in enterprise B2B marketing, specializing in events, web, demand generation, and sales enablement. Her career spans diverse roles in reputable organizations, where she has consistently demonstrated her ability to drive impactful marketing strategies and initiatives. Currently, serving at Oracle as a Global Program Director, Hymes takes charge of cross-functional messaging and product content development for the CX organization. She orchestrates internal and external communications while overseeing the execution of customer and partner enablement events, including a Hackathon spanning multiple global teams and more than 300 employees. Notably, she coordinates CX content and ancillary event execution for Oracle Cloud World, the company's largest CX global event, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
In her previous roles, Hymes has held directorial positions at leading tech companies, such as Gamalon and Jethro, where she led marketing functions encompassing digital marketing, content creation, demand generation, and sales CRM management. She played a pivotal role in driving tradeshow participation, building marketing automation systems from the ground up, and nurturing leads to facilitate sales growth.
Hymes’ career journey also includes impactful stints at Always Hired, Aviso, Kerio/Samepage, Karmasphere, and Actuate Corporation, where she consistently delivered results-driven marketing solutions. Her accomplishments range from achieving significant lead volume growth and organic website growth to successfully launching collaboration offerings and restructuring SEM programs for enhanced performance. Hymes holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with double majors in Marketing and Management from the University of San Francisco, graduating cum laude from the Business Honors Cohort Program.
8). Sophia Davis
Senior Director, Legal Operations Programs & Analytics, Oracle
Sophia Davis is currently the Senior Director of Legal Operations Programs and Analytics at Oracle, reporting directly to the VP of legal operations. Oracle is a California-based computer technology company that provides services, such as IT infrastructure, operations management, analytics, and data management for businesses.
Before joining Oracle, Davis spent the majority of her nine years at Symantec as a senior analyst in legal operations. In this role, she supported the centralized operation of its legal and public relations teams. Davis was also responsible for executing significant expense reductions through preferred outside counsel programs, as well as implementing an e-billing system, automated accrual process, and company-wide records retention policy and program. Before Symantec, Davis held a variety of analytical and support positions working cross-functionally and globally in collaboration with executive leadership, to administer and execute operational strategies spanning over 15 years. She has implemented a variety of tools and programs, policies, and processes to achieve objectives that contribute to process efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced capabilities, which support corporate and business partners.
She currently co-leads Oracle’s Legal Diversity and Inclusion Committee, is an active volunteer of Oracle’s OPEN Allies group, as well as a member and assists the leadership team of CLOC, Corporate Legal Operations Consortium.
9). Leslie Duran
VP, Senior Business Initiatives Consultant, Wells Fargo
Leslie Duran is the VP and Senior Business Initiatives Consultant at Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo & Company provides a diversified set of banking, investment, and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance.
Duran has 26 years of experience. Before joining Wells Fargo, she was a theater arts teacher and director at ICDA Charter High School. Earlier in her career, she worked with Arlington High School as a theater arts teacher/director.
Duran graduated from the University of Denver with a Master's in Professional Studies, Organizational, and Professional Communications with concentrations in organizational development, training, and learning, from Roosevelt University with an MA in Directing, and from California State University, Fullerton with an undergraduate degree in theater education.
10). Annette Lorenzi
System Senior VP, HR Operations, CommonSpirit Health
Annette Lorenzi began her professional career 29 years ago. Today, she is the System Senior Vice President of HR Operations at CommonSpirit Health, a health system based in the United States, the country's largest Catholic hospital chain and its second-largest nonprofit hospital chain.
An experienced human resources executive with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and healthcare industry, Lorenzi is skilled in HR operations, organizational development, strategic design, employee and labor relations, business process improvement, and succession planning. Her first management role was as a human resources manager at Communications Systems Development. From there, she went on to Schaefer Systems International Pte Ltd, before eventually rising to vice president of learning and organization development at Dignity Health, her most recent position before joining CommonSpirit Health.
Lorenzi graduated from the University of the Pacific with an undergraduate degree in human resources management.
11). Caitlin Anderson
VP, Sales & Marketing, General Manager Client Computing Group Sales, Intel
Caitlin Anderson is the Vice President and General Manager of Client Computing Group Sales for Intel Corporation. She currently leads the sales strategy and execution across all client computing products and segments globally. Anderson joined Intel in 2001 and has held a variety of positions across sales and marketing, supply chain planning, pricing, and operations. Intel’s mission is to shape the future of technology to help create a better future for the entire world. By pushing forward in fields like AI, analytics, and cloud-to-edge technology, Intel’s work is at the heart of countless innovations.
Before this role, Anderson led the commercial client sales team responsible for large enterprises, the public sector, and small and medium businesses. Her organization was made up of technical sales specialists and commercial experts who accelerated sales and brought Intel technology to end customers and partners around the world. Anderson has also served as the director and senior sales manager of the Dell Global Account Sales team and the chief of staff for the senior vice president of sales and marketing at Intel. In this capacity, she was a key contributor to the sales and marketing leadership team and was responsible for all aspects of executive communication, keynote production, strategic planning, and organizational development. Anderson has been a leader at Intel for more than 15 years and has been a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion serving on the Sales and Marketing Women at Intel Board for many years.
Anderson graduated from the University of California, Davis, Graduate School of Management with an MBA in business administration and management and from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo with an undergraduate degree in business and marketing.
12). Victoria Jenness-Sharrow
Director, Operations, Keller Williams Realty
Victoria Jenness-Sharrow is the Director of Operations of Keller Williams Realty. Austin, Texas-based Keller Williams has more than 1,100 offices and 183,000 agents. Since 1983, the company has cultivated an agent-centric, technology-driven, and education-based culture that rewards agents as stakeholders.
Known for her ability to deliver results through generating operational efficiency and the promotion of innovation, Jenness-Sharrow places a strong emphasis on optimizing processes, harnessing the power of data analytics, and making informed decisions through data analysis. With a steadfast dedication to driving operational excellence and utilizing technology to fuel growth, she is committed to being a key contributor to the success of dynamic and forward-thinking teams.
Jenness-Sharrow accepted her first supervisor role in 2017, an office manager position at SkySlope. From there, she eventually rose to director of operations at WorQFlow, her most recent position before joining Keller Williams Realty. Jenness-Sharrow graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with an undergraduate degree in data analytics.
13). Jonnie Massey
Senior Director, Special Investigations Unit, Blue Shield of California
Jonnie Massey is a dedicated and result-driven professional with a proven track record in leading investigative teams. She is passionate about fighting healthcare fraud and protecting patients and vulnerable populations. She relocated to California in 2012 and is currently the Senior Director of the Special Investigations Unit at Blue Shield of California.
A strategic thinker, Massey possesses extensive experience in developing and implementing protocols to mitigate risk. Skilled in managing complex investigations, she excels in collaborating cross-functionally to achieve organizational goals. Massey has extensive experience in the healthcare industry primarily working for Blues Plans Special Investigations Units. She is an Accredited Healthcare Fraud Investigator (AHFI) and holds four certified coding credentials from AAPC, including Payer, Auditor, and Instructor certifications, in addition to the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) credential.
Massey is the immediate past chair of the National Healthcare Anti-Fraud Association Board of Directors, and past co-chair of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) National Anti-Fraud Advisory Board. She continues to be actively engaged on both boards. Massey also served two individual terms on the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) Board of Directors. She has presented at numerous national and local conferences for several organizations on topics, including healthcare fraud, foreign claims fraud, coding, auditing, medical identity theft, ICD-10, and RAC audits. Massey serves on numerous healthcare fraud-related work groups for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, the National Healthcare Anti-Fraud Association, and AAPC. She is currently co-chair of the BCBSA Training Committee.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as hiking, biking, rafting, kayaking, and working with dog rescue.
14). Abby Liske
Director of Innovation Operations, Elevance Health
Abby Liske is the Director of Innovation Operations of Elevance Health, a lifetime, trusted health partner fueled by its purpose to improve the health of humanity. The company supports consumers, families, and communities across the entire care journey, connecting them to the care, support, and resources they need to lead healthier lives.
Liske has 17 years of experience. Before joining Elevance Health, she was a VP of technology strategy at Full Cycle. Before that, she was a senior director of finance and strategy at The Wonderful Company. Earlier in her career, she worked with Watson Wyatt as a senior compensation analyst.
Liske graduated from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, with an MBA and from Duke University with an undergraduate degree in political science and international comparative studies.
15). Tyna Plemmons
Chief-of-Staff, Director, Cisco
Tyna Plemmons is the Chief-of-Staff and Director of Cisco. Cisco hardware, software, and service offerings are used to create the Internet solutions that make networks possible, providing easy access to information anywhere, at any time.
Plemmons is a well-known expert in digital transformation, customer service and support, and supply chain. With an AB in Economics from Ateneo de Manila University and an MBA in Production and Operations Management from San Diego State University, she has studied extensively in various fields, such as scaling for excellence, artificial intelligence, and the power of stories to fuel innovation. Plemmons has served in multiple prestigious positions, such as business architect director at Salesforce. With her extensive experience in service cloud, sales cloud, and social media, she has been able to help businesses transform many aspects of their operations, allowing them to become more efficient and effective in their service delivery.
Through her vast professional experience, Plemmons has honed her skills in digital transformation, customer 360, customer service and support, service cloud, sales cloud, social media, and supply chain. She possesses interdisciplinary knowledge and practical experience, making her an asset to any company looking to improve performance, extend reach, and achieve scalable excellence. Whether it's through managing logistics, developing marketing strategies, or teaching at the university level, Plemmons has proven to be a versatile and valuable asset to any team.
16). Melanie Dutt
Director, Partnership Success, SoFi
Melanie Dutt is a transformational leader, boasting over 15 years of experience is marked by resolute leadership, unyielding confidence, and a profound grasp of government and enterprise intricacies nationwide. Her career trajectory is a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence, trustworthiness, and loyalty, consistently achieving remarkable outcomes across all endeavors.
Beginning her journey amidst California's governmental landscape, Melanie swiftly ascended the ranks, showcasing her adeptness in navigating intricate regulatory frameworks and fostering unwavering trust through robust partnerships. Her tenure in diverse environments illuminated her exceptional ability to understand the nuanced operations of various sectors, setting the stage for her future triumphs rooted in success.
Melanie's global acumen flourished during her international tenure in New Zealand, where she excelled in fostering impactful collaborations that led to significant achievements in the telecommunications sector working with NEC New Zealand and Spark New Zealand, juggernauts in their respective industry. Her capacity to seamlessly adapt to diverse cultural milieus while delivering unparalleled results cemented her stature as a global leader of immense trust and loyalty. Returning to the United States, Melanie spearheaded transformative initiatives that drove growth and increased overall outcomes for our nation's state and local Governments primarily focusing on California being her home state. Her dedication to leveraging technology for enhanced results continued to help drive success in various capacities, where her strategic foresight and adept relationship-building strategies paved the way for significant achievements. Keeping this in mind, Melanie became a founding mentor and member of two organizations focused on Women in Customer Success. "Working with organizations where women are inspiring one another is an incredible honor. We must help one another rise up both professionally and personally. Her success can be our success together."
Melanie's educational foundation from California State University, Chico, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a focus on Legal Studies, further enhanced her understanding of complex governmental dynamics. During her time at Chico State, Melanie actively engaged in various extracurricular activities and societies, including the Community Legal Information Center, Pi Sigma Alpha, and Legal Services of Northern California, instilling in her a deep sense of community involvement, leadership, and a passion for advocacy.
Melanie's illustrious journey culminates in her current role as the Director of Partnership Success at SoFi, where she leads with an unwavering commitment to excellence, trust, and innovation. Her visionary leadership and cross-functional prowess have been pivotal in cultivating impactful collaborations that fuel mutual success and propel organizational advancement. "I have deeply valued leading with empathy, we are all human," she says. Melanie's ability to inspire teams, navigate challenges, and deliver impeccable results underscores her status as an industry trailblazer and a driving force in the dynamic realms of technology, government, finance, & partnership success.
17). Mui Zandt
VP & Global Head Data Strategy, Access & Enablement, IQVIA
Mui Zandt is the Vice President and Global Head of Data Strategy, Access, and Enablement at IQVIA, leading global real-world data/real-world evidence innovation strategy. IQVIA is a leading global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions, and clinical research services to the life sciences industry. IQVIA creates intelligent connections across all aspects of healthcare through its analytics, transformative technology, big data resources, and extensive domain expertise.
Zandt brings over 14 years of experience across the real world, payer-provider, and commercial segments. Her expertise includes extensive knowledge of real-world data (RWD) globally, an understanding of different EMR systems, RWD standardization, ontology harmonization, and the use of RWD for retrospective/prospective studies. In her role, she develops new innovative strategies for accessing real-world data for real-world late-phase studies and clinical trials. Additionally, she creates and implements strategies to build a network of healthcare provider sites for the use of patient recruitment, site-less studies, direct-to-patient, and other real-world data-related needs within real-world late-phase and clinical trials. As the lead for Real-World Alliance, she provides feedback to draft government guidelines globally. Moreover, she creates strategic initiatives to build a tighter connection between technology capabilities and business needs. Finally, she provides input into corporate real-world data strategies through various working groups.
Previously, Zandt was a senior manager at IMS Health. Before that, she was a business analyst at Strategic IT Staffing, LLC. Earlier in her career, she worked with Logicon as a business analyst. Zandt earned an undergraduate degree in management information systems from California State University-Sacramento.
18). Suzanne Soper
VP, Secure Power National Sales & Software, Schneider Electric
Suzanne Soper is the Vice President of Secure Power National Sales and Software at Schneider Electric, a French multinational company that specializes in digital automation and energy management. It addresses homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure, and industries, by combining energy technologies, real-time automation, software, and services.
Soper has 24 years of experience. She excels in sales excellence, business development, business planning, talent development, employee engagement, channel leadership, operational leadership, cost optimization, program management, communications, and product lifecycle management. Before joining Schneider Electric, Soper held multiple senior positions at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
Soper graduated from California State University, Chico, with an undergraduate degree in management information systems option; accounting.
19). Kelly McKenzie
Senior Director, Learning Design Planning, Salesforce
Kelly McKenzie began her professional career 21 years ago. Today, she is the Senior Director of Learning Design Planning at Salesforce. In 1999, four Salesforce founders launched Salesforce, a customer relationship management (CRM) system with a groundbreaking twist. All the software and critical customer data would be hosted on the internet and made available as a subscription service. This pioneering “software as a service,” or SaaS, model quickly spread across the technology industry.
McKenzie started at Salesforce as a director of partner learning. In this role, she fostered an agile approach to learning design. Before that, she was an Agile coach for Accenture, where she partnered with Fortune 500 clients and colleagues to drive strategic technology transformations and facilitate related cultural and organizational change efforts. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and Main Street Launch, where she collaborated with the board and CEO to prioritize strategic initiatives focused on improving customer engagement and increasing operational efficiency.
McKenzie graduated from the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business with an MBA and MSW and from Stanford University with an undergraduate degree.
20). Robin Fitts
Executive Director, HR Business Partner, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Robin Fitts is the Executive Director and HR Business Partner at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. She first joined the company in 2009 as an HR management associate program. Hewlett Packard is the global edge-to-cloud company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere.
Fitts is a strategic HR leader who is results-driven and innovative with a proven track record of high-impact business outcomes in transformation environments. She has over 12 years of experience in various global HR roles, preceded by 10 years in IT Consulting. Fitts is skilled in coaching and partnering with C-suite executives to develop solutions for a range of people and talent needs. Fitts is passionate about developing talent and culture strategies focused on long-term value creation.
Previously, Fitts was a global ERP development manager at Amgen (Abgenix). Before that, she was a senior consultant at IBM. Earlier in her career, she worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers as a principal consultant. Fitts earned an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, and an undergraduate degree in general business and Spanish literature from the University of Arizona.
21). Janna Jones
VP, Strategy & Business Development, Mineral
Janna Jones is the Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Mineral, the HR and compliance leader for growing businesses. Mineral’s flagship solutions, including the Mineral Platform, Mineral Intelligence, and Mineral Experts, combine data, technology, and human expertise to take the guesswork out of HR and compliance and give clients peace of mind.
As a highly strategic sales executive, Jones drives business results at the intersection of healthcare and SaaS. Collaborating with C-level teams, she defines new strategies to build SaaS solutions revenue across customer and partner ecosystems. Committed and energetic, she relentlessly pursues improved outcomes across all product lines and KPIs. With a knack for building connections, she excels at engaging with executives, partners, customers, and employees. Her track record includes consistently surpassing growth expectations at both publicly traded and private businesses.
Prior to joining Mineral 2021, Janna held multiple strategic-level positions at Optum. Previously, she served as the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Optum’s Specialty and Infusion Pharmacy business. In her earlier career, Janna held multiple sales roles at healthcare companies, such as Apria Healthcare, Rotech Healthcare, and Medicomp. She studied computer science engineering at American River College, complementing her academic journey with courses at Stanford University and Harvard Business School Online.
22). Rukmini Bose
VP, Financial Consultant, Fidelity Investments
Rukmini Bose is the Vice President and Financial Consultant of Fidelity Investments. Fidelity’s mission is to strengthen the financial well-being of their customers and deliver better outcomes for the clients and businesses they serve. Fidelity’s strength comes from the scale of their diversified, market-leading financial services businesses that serve individuals, families, employers, wealth management firms, and institutions.
Bose has 20 years of experience. Before joining Fidelity Investments, she was a vice president and financial advisor at Morgan Stanley. Before that, she was a financial solutions advisor at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Earlier in her career, she worked with Kotak Life as a manager of corporate products.
Bose graduated from Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development with an MBA in Finance and Marketing and from Mount Carmel College, India, with an undergraduate degree in mathematics, statistics, and economics.
23). Nora Low
Senior Director, Global Enterprise Architect - CRM, Siemens Healthineers
Nora Low began her professional career 21 years ago. Today, she is the Senior Director and Global Enterprise Architect of CRM at Siemens Healthineers, a leading medtech company with over 125 years of experience. They pioneer breakthroughs in healthcare, and their portfolio, spanning in vitro and in vivo diagnostics to image-guided therapy and cancer care, is crucial for clinical decision-making and treatment pathways.
An experienced commercial operations leader with a demonstrated history of working in the biotechnology and medical device industries, Low excels in sales operations, service operations, marketing operations, market research analysis, public speaking, leadership, biotechnology, and demand/lead generation program strategies. Low started her career as a market research analyst at UC Davis Medical Center. From there, she went on to Stryker Endoscopy, before eventually rising to director of commercial platform operations at Varian, her most recent position before joining Siemens Healthineers.
Low graduated from San Diego State University with an MA in Mass Communication and Media Studies and from the University of California, Davis with an undergraduate degree in sociology and communications.
24). Phyllis Baltz
Hospital President, Methodist Hospital of Sacramento, Dignity Health
Phyllis Baltz is the Hospital President at Methodist Hospital of Sacramento of Dignity Health. She first joined the company in 2011 as chief operating officer of Mercy San Juan Medical Center. Dignity Health provides quality, compassionate healthcare at more than 40 hospitals and care centers that serve communities across California, Arizona, and Nevada every minute of every day.
An experienced healthcare executive with a demonstrated history of working in community and academic hospital settings, Baltz has led the integration of two hospital facilities, strategic and facilities planning, labor negotiations, process improvement, and day-to-day operations in complex and ever-changing hospital environments. Skilled in healthcare consulting, payor strategies, service line leadership, change management, Joint Commission, healthcare industry, and physician relations, she is a strong business development professional.
Previously, Baltz was a chief operating officer at Community Regional Medical Center. Baltz earned an MA and MBA in Hospital and Health Administration and an undergraduate degree in business/managerial economics from the University of Iowa.
25). Hillary Rupert
Senior Director, Programs, GNA (a TRC Company)
Hillary M. Rupert is a Senior Director at TRC, a leading global consulting, engineering, and construction management firm that provides environmentally focused and digitally powered solutions. As a strategic sustainability professional with a strong emphasis on climate solutions, Rupert showcases her dedication to advancing sustainability and clean energy initiatives to drive impactful partnerships on mission-critical programs, adding significant value as a thought leader in sustainable systems for more than a decade.
Rupert builds and leads cross-functional teams, generating multi-departmental alignment, with significant experience navigating across government, high-tech, regulatory, and nonprofit entities, and has a strong ability to influence, mentor, and empower colleagues, and business partners. As a calculated risk taker, she communicates across all aspects of organizations, boards of directors, regulatory agencies, and public advisory councils to drive strategy and vision that advance organizational objectives.
Before joining TRC, Rupert was an expert program manager of clean energy transportation at Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) where she led two electric vehicle infrastructure programs and the development of a sustainability curriculum for over 1000 schools in PG&E’s service territory. Prior to joining PG&E, Rupert was the founder and principal consultant at Pulse180. This social and environmental sustainability consulting firm created market-based solutions to some of the most pressing sustainability issues of our time. Rupert has been at the cutting edge of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives such as conflict minerals, vehicle electrification, business solutions to poverty, environmental health, and food systems. Rupert graduated from Presidio Graduate School with an MBA in sustainable systems and an undergraduate degree with honors in social science from Portland State University. She has traveled through over 40 countries and never stops learning.
26). Kim Clarke
Managing Principal, Business Consulting, EPAM Systems
Kim Clarke is the Managing Principal of Business Consulting at EPAM Systems. Since 1993, EPAM Systems, Inc. has used its software engineering expertise to become a leading global provider of digital engineering, cloud, and AI-enabled transformation services, as well as a leading business and experience consulting partner for global enterprises and ambitious startups.
Clarke has over 30 years of proven experience in organizational and operations, IT strategy, human-centered organizational design, talent management, organizational effectiveness, and change leadership and management. Her passion is collaborating with clients and partners to operationalize innovative, bite-sized change that unleashes creative potential, cultivates well-being, and grows capability to achieve business strategies.
Before joining EPAM Systems, Clarke was an administrative director of human performance strategy and talent at Adventist Health. Before that, she was a principal of organizational strategy at North Highland. Earlier in her career, she worked with Accenture as a manager of human performance consulting. Clarke graduated from Williams College with an undergraduate degree in political science.
27). Melissa Brendt
Chief Contracting Officer & VP, Sutter Health
Today, Melissa Brendt is the Chief Contracting Officer and Vice President of Sutter Health. Sutter Health is a not-for-profit health system in Northern California, headquartered in Sacramento, California. It includes doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare services in more than 100 Northern, California cities and towns. Brendt has over thirty years of experience in various leadership roles within healthcare organizations, including health plans and integrated healthcare delivery systems.
Brendt is currently the Chief Contracting Officer and Vice President for the Managed Care Contracting Department at Sutter Health. She is responsible for Sutter Health’s provider network contracting with health plans, insurance companies, and other payers totaling over $8 billion in annual revenue from commercial payers. Brendt is also Sutter Health’s representative on the Managed Care Committee at the California Hospital Association and supports regulatory and legislative efforts related to managed healthcare activity.
Brendt began her career with Sutter Health as part of Sutter Preferred/Omni Health Plan as the Director of Provider Contracting. Brendt later joined Sutter Health’s Managed Care Department in 1997 and held a Vice President role until she was promoted to Chief Contracting Officer in 2014. Brendt earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno.
28). Sheila FitzPatrick
President & Founder, FitzPatrick & Associates
Sheila FitzPatrick is President and Founder of FitzPatrick & Associates, a strategic global data privacy and protection compliance consulting firm. She has over 39 years of experience in global data privacy, data protection, and sovereignty compliance. FitzPatrick is an award-winning data privacy professional, considered one of the world’s leading experts in data privacy laws in over 160 countries, and works closely with the US Government, Council of the European Union, European Data Protection Board (EDPB), country-specific data protection authorities in Europe, Asia/Pacific, and The Americas. She provides expertise and hands-on experience in the areas of global data protection compliance, data sovereignty, cybersecurity regulations and obligations, issues associated with cloud computing, big data, AI, and new technologies, data breach compliance and management, and records management.
FitzPatrick has been recognized by Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) around the world for her depth of comprehension and commitment to data protection laws. She speaks regularly at global conferences and panel discussions and publishes many articles focused on data privacy, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. She was identified as one of the 2019 Data Economy 50 Most Powerful Women in the World, and the 2018 EMEA 50 recipients, an honor bestowed on the 50 most influential people in EMEA. She was also honored as one of Silicon Valley’s Women of Influence 2017.
FitzPatrick works with numerous multinational companies, including Fortune 500 companies, universities, and government agencies, providing an extensive array of data privacy and sovereignty services, including acting as their outside global data governance expert and chief privacy officer/data protection officer and/or as their data privacy compliance project manager. She is responsible for developing, managing, and implementing worldwide data privacy compliance programs. She sits on many customer internal corporate councils and committees, including their Data Privacy Advisory Boards. FitzPatrick also works with corporate legal, finance, IT, and HR departments, as well as sales, marketing, and product development teams, to help position data privacy compliance as a competitive advantage. FitzPatrick holds a BA from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, CA, and a law degree (LLM) from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.
29). Tamara Powers
CEO, Sutter Health
Tamara Powers is the Chief Executive Officer of Sutter Health. She first joined the company in 2015 as assistant administrator of women's and children's. Sutter Health is a not-for-profit health system in Northern California, headquartered in Sacramento, California. It includes doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare services in more than 100 Northern, California cities and towns.
Previously, Powers was a director of the children's hospital and women's services at Providence Health & Services. Earlier in her career, she worked with Empire Health Services: Deaconess Medical Center as a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Powers earned an MBA in Healthcare Management and Business from Gonzaga University Graduate School of Business and an undergraduate degree in nursing from Washington State University.
30). Lindsay Pollak
Global Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, McKinsey
Lindsay Pollak is the Global Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at McKinsey. McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm. They are the trusted advisor to the world's leading businesses, governments, and institutions.
An accomplished and highly driven strategic leader and manager, Pollak possesses deep experience in talent strategy and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Experienced in building organizations, leading teams, and catalyzing change transformations, she has a track record of merging strategic priorities with analytics insights to identify programmatic opportunities. She is a champion of diverse and inclusive workplaces, with focus areas including data, analytics, reporting, internal and external communications, culture building, employee engagement, and talent management. Leading a global, geographically dispersed team, she works closely with firm leadership to design and drive organizational priorities.
Before joining McKinsey, Pollak Earlier in her career, she worked with Jacobs Consultancy as a senior consultant. Pollak graduated from Columbia Business School with an MBA in international business and from Stanford University with an undergraduate degree in economics and international relations.
31). Shar Bushgen
Human Resources Business Partner, Whole Foods Market
Shar Bushgen began her professional career 15 years ago. Today, she is a Human Resources Business Partner at Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods was founded in 1980 on the belief that, where food comes from, and how it's grown, matters. It meant creating quality standards, working with suppliers who achieve them, and sharing that information with their customers.
An active and enthusiastic human resources manager, Bushgen possesses exceptional leadership experience. Her goal is to pursue a career that excites, challenges, and motivates her to be her best self. She views every job as an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience. Ideally, she aims to immerse herself in a career that promotes well-being and leaves her with the satisfaction of knowing that she made a positive impact.
Bushgen first got her start in 2009 as a coordination assistant at UC Santa Cruz. From there, she went on to Cost Plus World Market, before eventually rising to HR manager at Napa Auto Parts, her most recent position before joining Whole Foods Market. Bushgen graduated from Ashford University with an MBA in HR focus and from the University of California, Santa Cruz with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
32). Daniella Gutierrez
Executive Director, Spread Your Wings
Daniella Gutierrez is the Executive Director at Spread Your Wings Sacramento, a company she joined with pride in April 2023. With a deep sense of admiration for the incredible work done by Spread Your Wings, LLC. Gutierrez is dedicated to the organization's mission of providing high-quality supported living services to individuals with developmental disabilities.
Spread Your Wings ensures that every individual is treated with utmost respect, dignity, and pride, and Gutierrez is committed to upholding these values in every aspect of her work. With a focus on client advocacy and rights, she leverages over nine years of leadership experience to ensure that her team delivers the best possible care to their clients.
Her background in developmental disabilities, mental and behavioral health, drug and alcohol addiction and detox, crisis intervention, and human resources equips her with a comprehensive understanding of the diverse needs of the community. Gutierrez is particularly passionate about increasing person-centered thinking and works tirelessly to empower her team to provide compassionate and effective care. Gutierrez prioritizes expressing appreciation to her team of managers and direct care staff, ensuring that their hard work is acknowledged and valued. She is dedicated to ensuring that the efforts of her employees do not go unnoticed, recognizing and celebrating their contributions to the organization.
33). Brenda Dulger-Sheikin
Senior VP, Head of Asset Owner Client Service West, State Street
Brenda Dulger-Sheikin is the Senior Vice President and Head of Asset Owner Client Service West at State Street. She first joined the company in 2007 as a vice president. At State Street, they partner with institutional investors all over the world to provide comprehensive financial services, including investment management, investment research and trading, and investment servicing.
A dynamic finance executive with over 20 years of experience, Dulger-Sheikin has led key growth initiatives in the financial services, investment banking, and general banking public and private industries. Known for her expertise in delivering innovative, ethical service delivery solutions and program operations, she improves business intelligence and resolves operational issues in a fast-paced environment. As an analytical roadmap builder, she focuses on driving expeditious results securely and flawlessly. With a proven ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary group, she possesses strong communication skills to build consensus. Focused on customer experience, she is dedicated to driving customer success. As an authentic leader, she is highly praised for honesty, business acumen, and successful delivery of work.
Previously, Dulger-Sheikin was a leader at AWE, Advancing Women Executives. Before that, she was a managing director at Investors Bank & Trust. Earlier in her career, she worked with World Savings as a supervisor and an associate. Dulger-Sheikin earned an undergraduate degree in strategic management from California State University-Sacramento.
34). Julie Small
Wealth Management Advisor, SVP, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Julie Small is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor in the Roseville, CA, Merrill office. Small has earned the designation of Certified Financial Planner professional CFP, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor, CRPC, and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor CPFA. Merrill financial advisors draw upon the investment insights of Merrill and the banking insights of Bank of America to unlock opportunities tailored to client needs in many areas of their financial lives.
Small is committed to helping clients achieve financial security through retirement planning, liability management, insurance needs, and investment selection. Before any financial decisions are made, Small considers each client's whole life, taking the time to fully understand who clients are and what matters most to the client as an individual and as a business professional. With this intimate knowledge about what clients value most, Small can help clients establish objectives, develop an appropriate strategy, and provide advice and guidance that draw upon the breadth and depth of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, to connect all of the pieces of a client’s financial life.
Small earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Arizona in 1988. She enjoyed a career in graphic design before joining Merrill in 1991. Small has lived in the Sacramento region for over 20 years and is active in the community by serving on the board of her daughter's school. Small currently resides in Granite Bay, CA, and enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and friends.
35). Lisanne Sison
Managing Director, Enterprise Risk Management, Gallagher
Lisanne Sison began her professional career 23 years ago. Today, she is the Managing Director of Enterprise Risk Management at Gallagher, a global insurance brokerage, risk management, and consulting firm that serves communities around the globe, helping clients address risk, protect assets, and recover from losses.
A creative, resourceful, and collaborative management consultant, Sison brings experience from multiple industries. She specializes in providing end-to-end enterprise risk management consulting services. Additionally, she has experience in conducting business operation and process reviews, business performance improvement assessments, audit assistance, compliance reviews, procurement process reviews, and grants and contracts administration and compliance.
Sison previously served in leadership roles at Bickmore and KPMG. She graduated from California State University-Sacramento.
36). Jahmese Williams, Ph.D.
Executive VP, Greater Sacramento Urban League
Dr. Jahmese Williams is an education and civil rights advocate. As an alumna of Spelman College, Williams credits Spelman with emboldening her to become a scholar-activist; one whose scholarship reaches beyond the academy to create social and political change. After earning a BA in English and Women's Studies from Spelman, she went on to earn her Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego. At UCSD, she researched the exclusion of minorities in the U.S. and the behavioral repercussions of such exclusion, specifically as related to civic engagement opportunities. UC San Diego served as her training ground for developing responsive and youth-centered programs. Her experiences as a UCSD instructor and program manager served as the beginning of an ongoing career dedicated to educational equity and youth support.
At the University of Wisconsin Madison, Dr. Williams worked on the NIH-funded Fair Play Project at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) and later became Director of 1st-Year and Retention Programs at the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE). In this role, she developed, implemented, and evaluated research-based interventions for equitable success in STEM for Underrepresented Minority 1st-Year and transfer students.
Today, Dr. Williams proudly serves as Executive Vice President of Greater Sacramento Urban League where she is responsible for providing management and leadership for staff and programs associated with GSUL’s Youth & Families Center located in Oak Park. Additionally, she oversees the organization’s grant writing efforts, grants management, and strategic organizational objectives. Dr. Williams lives in North Sacramento with her spouse and their two sons.
37). Evan Schmidt
CEO, Valley Vision
Evan Schmidt is the Chief Executive Officer of Valley Vision, one of California’s most respected triple-bottom line nonprofits leading regional and statewide initiatives that advance livability. Evan has been very influential in shaping Valley Vision’s growth and direction since joining the social impact organization in 2014. She has a strong record of success as a researcher, facilitator, and collaborative problem-solver, and uses those talents to ensure Valley Vision remains a stable and influential force in California.
Valley Vision illuminates the issues surrounding livability – housing, food, healthcare, education, and transportation – which Evan views as the fundamentals to equal opportunity and prosperity for all. It’s why Evan stands as an avid champion for meaningful change through triple bottom line values. She helps civic, elected, and business leaders drive opportunity and durable solutions that are responsive to people, place, and prosperity by focusing on the three E’s: Economic prosperity, social Equity, and Environmental sustainability.
Prior to Valley Vision, led evaluation projects for organizations across the U.S., helping them become more effective and impactful. She has also advanced major regional community initiatives and conducted research at UC Davis in community development and environmental planning before coming to Valley Vision. Evan’s experience in community development, economic development, community engagement, land use planning, public health, and more spans decades. Evan was recognized as one of the region’s 100 Most Notable Business Leaders in 2021, a Sacramento Business Journal Woman Who Means Business in 2023, and has authored scholarly publications and contributed to a variety of regional and statewide media outlets.
38). Anisha Hullihen
VP, Customer Success & Account Management, Car IQ
Anisha Hullihen is the Vice President of Customer Success and Account Management at Car IQ. She stands as a paradigm of leadership in the nexus of technology and finance, driving forward a legacy of customer success and strategic account management. Her career, adorned with over fifteen years of transformative contributions, has solidified her reputation for fostering operational excellence and unmatched customer satisfaction. At the helm of client experience and account management, Hullihen has pioneered client engagement frameworks that not only optimized the customer journey but also significantly bolstered revenue growth and operational efficiency. Her strategies have consistently delivered industry-leading customer satisfaction levels, effectively reducing client risk and enhancing retention.
Her impactful tenure as VP of Client Success, Retention, and Support has further exemplified her talent for shaping the strategic direction of customer success initiatives. Her leadership was pivotal in achieving a notable uplift in net revenue retention and substantially shortening client onboarding times, underlining her adeptness at nurturing long-term client relationships and fostering product adoption.
Hullihen’s leadership philosophy emphasizes team empowerment and cross-functional collaboration, leading to the cultivation of high-performing teams and the establishment of sustainable business models. Her approach has been validated by the prestigious recognition of her team as the 2020 SC Media Excellence Award winner for Best Customer Service, a testament to her exceptional leadership in delivering superior customer service and satisfaction. Her academic background, with an MBA in Organizational Behavior and Management, perfectly complements her extensive professional experiences, equipping her with a profound understanding of the dynamics between technology, finance, and customer success.
39). Nicole Howard
VP - Product Growth, Marketing & Customer Strategy, National Grid
Nicole Howard is the Vice President of Product Growth, Marketing, and Customer Strategy of National Grid, the heart of a transforming energy system. Their business areas play a vital role in connecting millions of people to the energy they use, while continually seeking ways to make the energy system clean, fair, and affordable.
Howard has 24 years of experience. Before joining National Grid, she was a vice president of customer programs and services at Southern California Edison (SCE). Earlier in her career, she worked with SMUD as a customer service representative II.
Howard graduated from California State University-Dominguez Hills with an MPA in public administration and from the University of California, Berkeley with an undergraduate degree in legal studies.
40). Christine Reeves
Global & Community Care Director, Bridgeway Christian Church
Christine Reeves is a social worker for Bridgeway Christian Church. She focuses on supporting individuals and families who are under-resourced in Sacramento and Placer County. She spends part of her time engaging with those who need their basic needs met while devoting time to engaging with children and adults through individual clinical therapy. She enjoys working with children to foster safe attachments and empowers women to pursue mental health and stability within their relationships. Advocating for people's rights and decreasing the stigma of reaching out for help are top priorities for Reeves. As an Asian-American woman, she understands the need for individuals to connect and feel safe with her not only because of her job but also because of cultural differences and cultural challenges that can arise.
Amongst other responsibilities, Reeves oversees many outreach events and community drives. She devotes much of her time to resourcing individuals and developing pathways for individuals to receive the care they need physically, emotionally, and spiritually. She facilitates partnerships in the community to become more aware of existing resources and to find ways her agency can support other organizations. She mentors social work students for Sacramento State University and multiple online social work programs.
Reeves has a BS in Child and Adolescent Development and Sociology and a Master’s degree in Social Work. She is also EMDR trained.
41) Kim Dukes
VP, Branch Director, Robert Half
Kim Dukes is the Vice President and Branch Director of Robert Half. Offering contract talent and permanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and accounting, technology, administrative and customer support, legal, marketing, and creative, Robert Half connects opportunities at great companies with highly skilled job seekers.
Dukes has over two decades of professional experience. She got her start as an inside sales associate at Maxim Integrated Products. From there, she went on to co-director at Elemental Remix Dance Company, her most recent position before joining Robert Half.
Dukes graduated from Saint Mary's College of California with an undergraduate degree in business administration and dance.
42). Krystinne Mica
Executive Director, Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
Krystinne Mica commenced her tenure with the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges in October 2012 working for the Course Identification Numbering System (C-ID). Over the years, she has ascended through various roles, including program specialist, program manager, associate director, and most recently, chief operating officer.
In her current capacity as Executive Director, Mica undertakes a diverse range of responsibilities. She serves as the chief administrator for the 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, offering policy guidance to the Senate officers, Executive Committee members, committees, and other stakeholders. Additionally, she acts as the chief of staff, overseeing the facilitation and coordination of agendas and activities for the Executive Committee and plenary sessions. Mica is also deeply involved in advocacy efforts, championing the roles of the Senate and advocating for the necessary resources to support its excellence in shared-governance responsibilities as granted under the Education Code, Title 5, and the Board of Governors.
Mica holds a BA in Legal Studies from UC Santa Cruz and an MA in Education Leadership from Sacramento State. As an association professional, Mica has also attained her Certified Association Executive credential, showing her commitment to the association profession. Her profound interest in education, student development, and law has been the driving force behind her commitment to the Academic Senate. Her work with statewide faculty focuses on addressing critical issues affecting the California community college system.
43). Lisa Chan-Sawin
CEO, Transform Health
Lisa Chan-Sawin is the CEO and Founder of Transform Health. At Transform Health, their mission is to drive systems change to build healthy communities and their passion is grounded in health system transformation within the US. They are a nationally certified women and minority-owned healthcare consulting firm.
Chan-Sawin has a wealth of experience in outreach, enrollment, and patient navigation policies in the private market, Medicaid, and the ACA, as well as insurance regulation and health IT policy. She has led national ACA outreach and enrollment strategies and advises stakeholder groups on systems-change approaches in Washington, Arizona, Florida, and Massachusetts. Chan-Sawin has also provided strategic guidance and subject-matter expertise in states like Texas, New York, and California, including contributing to the development of Medicaid 1115 waivers in California and New York. She worked with the City of Sacramento in the design and implementation of the city-led Whole Person Care pilot, and she currently serves as a subject-matter expert and trainer in the statewide CalAIM Enhanced Care Management/Community Supports (ECM/CS) technical assistance project.
Before serving as the CEO of Transform Health, Chan-Sawin was the chief DSRIP innovations officer for a national health policy consulting firm and has worked for the California Assembly and Senate Health Committees. Chan-Sawin has a Master’s degree in Health Administration from USC and serves on the national policy board for Susan G. Komen and an undergraduate degree in neurobiology and behavior from the University of California, Davis.
44). Kristine Berndt
COO, CarRegistration.com
Kristine Berndt is the Chief Operating Officer of CarRegistration.com, California's most trusted vehicle registration service.
Berndt has 18 years of experience. As a dedicated and accomplished operations executive, she strives to achieve organizational goals. A proven solution seeker, she consistently meets deadlines while managing budgets and balancing multiple projects. Skilled in successful and productive work with diverse constituents, including internal and external stakeholders.
Before joining CarRegistration.com, Berndt was an investment officer at CalPERS. Earlier in her career, she worked with the Pac-12 Conference as an administrative fellow. Berndt graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with an undergraduate degree in physical education teaching and coaching.
45). Stephanie Mearse
Co-CEO, Mommy Cooks’ Mommy Doesn’t
Stephanie Mearse has worked with Desert Capital Management Group as a Vice President since 2014. She has a BA in Business Management and an MBA in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She has been a professional in marketing for over 20 years. She received the company's Top Performer Award for her commitment to excellence and outstanding performance from 2014 to 2021. As a published author of Women of Perfection; Perfectly Imperfect, she talks about how in today's society women are expected to be perfect with Pinterest and social media, but the reality is women are killing themselves with the need to obtain this perfection. The book speaks to the cause of this need for perfection and how to overcome these boundaries and fears. She has published four books in the last few years– Women of Perfection Perfectly Imperfect, Journaling Experience, Empower Women of Empower Hour, and The Dark Secrets of 365 Days. As a Speaker, she speaks to women and men about breaking out of these fears and boundaries and achieving goals. In the last year, she has spoken at 45 summits and 90 podcasts around the world.
Mearse had a radio talk show on Sacramento's Money 105.5, as well as a podcast "Empower Hour" on Spotify. She is CEO of Empower Hour (Women's Networking Group) and helps women and children off the streets. She is the President of a nonprofit The Butterfly Element, which helps homeless women and children, as well as, free coaching for grieving, business, children, youth, and confidence. Mearse is the co-owner of a clothing boutique called Pretty N Pink Boutique. She has a consulting firm named Crowned Consulting that helps businesses open.
In her personal life, Mearse is dedicated to her family, friends, and church. She's actively involved in the Rotary Club and The Women's Thursday Club and is a leader at The Tapestry Network and her local Chamber of Commerce. Mearse is on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club and the board of the National Center of Child Awareness. Plus, she was a finalist for a local Honorary Mayor position. Married with a young son and daughter, Mearse is passionate about impacting the lives of others and helping those she meets to achieve their professional and personal goals.
46). Jeanne Reaves
President & CEO, Jeanne Reaves Consulting
Jeanne Reaves is the President and CEO of Jeanne Reaves Consulting. She has proven over and over how to lead companies to overcome huge business hurdles. From executive leadership coaching to strategic planning, and board governance to team development, Reaves has helped large corporations, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations thrive.
Before founding Jeanne Reaves Consulting, Reaves served as president and CEO of River City Bank, one of Sacramento’s largest locally-owned banks for more than a decade. Under her leadership, the bank’s assets grew to approximately one billion dollars, making River City one of the largest locally owned banks in the Central Valley. Equally adept in the board room and the break room, Reaves fosters a familial company culture. She personally demonstrated that every employee, regardless of position, was valued as a contributor. Following her example, the bank became a respected leader in sound business practices and in Sacramento’s philanthropic community.
Passionate about the Sacramento region that Reaves is proud to call home, she volunteers her time for numerous organizations, including the Sutter Club credentials committee; Sacramento CASA, board member and chair of the program committee; TCCF, board member; AIRCO, board member; Pacific Coast, board member; Bender Insurance, board member and chair governance committee; KVIE, audit committee; and Elica Health Center, facility board member.
47). Janet Lopez
Executive Director, State Relations, UCLA
Janet Lopez is the Executive Director of State Relations for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She joined the staff in March 2023 and manages various issues impacting the university and its 11 professional schools. UCLA is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California.
Before joining UCLA, Lopez spent 11 years working as the executive director of state government relations and registered lobbyist for the University of Southern California (USC). She has worked for a diverse group of employers to promote early childhood education and healthcare access for low-income populations. She also worked on K-12 and higher education policy issues for both Governor Schwarzenegger and Governor Davis. Lopez is the first in her family to attend college and has been a longstanding volunteer for the Chicano/Latino Youth Leadership Project.
Lopez is a product of California's public K-12 education system and is a proud alumna of UC Berkeley, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History. She also holds a Master's in Public Administration from USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy. Lopez, an English Learner, grew up in Galt, California.
48). Laura Brady
Global Head, Partner Events & Experiences, ServiceNow
Laura Brady is the Global Head of Partner Events and Experiences of ServiceNow, an American software company based in Santa Clara, California that develops a cloud computing platform to help companies manage digital workflows for enterprise operations.
Brady has 26 years of experience. Before joining ServiceNow, Brady was a global platform for community strategy and engagement at Salesforce. Before that, she was the head of global member engagement at The CMO Club. Earlier in her career, she worked with Dokken Engineering as an assistant civil engineer.
Brady graduated from California State University-Sacramento with an MBA and from California State University, Chico with an undergraduate degree in civil engineering.
49). Amy Ridge
Partner, Mercer
Amy Ridge is a Partner at Mercer’s alternatives group, where she leads diverse manager research and investing, helping clients close a critical gap in their portfolios, and allocating capital to minority and women private markets funds. Ridge serves as Chair of Mercer’s DEI Investment Committee and is a member of Mercer’s Private Equity Ratings Review Committee, a member of Mercer’s Private Debt Ratings Review Committee, and a member of Mercer’s Sustainable Opportunities Investment Committee.
Ridge leads and co-leads numerous client relationships, providing annual pacing, customized pipelines, portfolio plans, and due diligence projects. She often presents recommendations to client’s boards or investment committees.
Ridge has 16 years of private equity experience and 13 years at Mercer (including Pavilion Alternatives, which was acquired by Mercer in 2018). Ridge holds a BA in Finance from the University of San Francisco. Before Mercer, Ridge spent almost three years at TorreyCove (now Aksia), where she was part of the private equity consulting group.
50). Alesia McManus
Head, Student Services, UC Davis Library, University of California Davis
Alesia McManus is the Head of Student Services at the UC Davis Library at the University of California Davis. She first joined the team in 2016 as an environmental sciences librarian. UC Davis has a community of faculty and staff who are leading the way in teaching, research, public service, and patient care.
Previously, McManus was a director of the library at Howard Community College. Before that, she was the head of research and instructional services at Binghamton University Libraries. Earlier in her career, she worked with Cedars Sinai Medical Center as a medical librarian.
McManus earned an MLS in Library Science from UCLA and an undergraduate degree in anthropology from the University of California, Davis.