Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders in Consumer Products and Retail for 2024. The leaders of consumer products and retail work for some of the most well-known companies and brands in the world. Consumer products are very important to our economy, and retail is how many of these products are ultimately delivered into the hands of consumers. The talented, skilled women leading these industries serve in a variety of positions, including roles in merchandising, marketing, communications, creative, transportation, logistics, technology, finance, and more.
In this field, we honor the Senior Vice President of Enterprise Strategy and Transformation of Ulta Beauty, Kristin Wolf. With over 20 years of strategy and operating experience, Wolf is a seasoned executive who leads a dynamic team at Ulta Beauty to develop innovative, nimble strategies that guide the enterprise and enable growth.
We also recognize the diverse talents of Bani Malhotra, the Senior Director of Product Management at Walmart. After spending the early part of her career in investment banking, Malhotra pivoted to product management and e-commerce, with more than 10 years of experience across the retail, grocery, and telehealth industries.
Lastly, we acknowledge the important work of Gigi Ganatra Duff, the Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs at Nordstrom. In this role, Duff leads Nordstrom’s corporate social and environmental responsibility initiatives, as well as the external and internal communications strategies.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders in Consumer Products and Retail for 2024.
1). Stacey Tank
Chief Executive Officer, Bespoke Beauty Brands
Stacey Tank is an over 20-year Fortune 500 veteran and currently Chief Executive Officer for Bespoke Beauty Brands (BBB), owner of high-growth cosmetics brands Jason Wu Beauty and KimChi Chic Beauty, which can be found in places like Target, CVS, JCPenney, Amazon, the TikTok Shop and beyond. BBB was founded in 2019 by serial entrepreneur Toni Ko who sold her first cosmetics company, NYX, to L’Oreal in 2014 for $500 million.
Prior to BBB, Tank was based in Amsterdam in the role of chief transformation officer for Heineken. As a direct report to the CEO and member of the executive committee, she shepherded the company's growth strategy, "EverGreen," to ensure the organization adapted amidst a rapidly changing environment. Tank also formerly led the multi-billion dollar Home Depot Installation Services and Home Depot Measurement Services businesses for The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer.
Dedicated to the intersection of business and positive impact on society, Tank has repeatedly authored large-scale movements across enterprises like General Electric, HEINEKEN, and The Home Depot, including launching Heineken’s net zero carbon commitment, a quarter-of-a-billion-dollar program to support veteran housing and a $50 million shop class program that infused 20,000 skilled tradespeople into the US economy.
Tank is the founder of Our Happy Place, a nonprofit serving children, educators, and families navigating childhood mental wellness. She also sits on the board, audit, and ESG committees for Blackstone-owned Interior Logic Group, the leading US installer of interior finishes for new home construction. Tank is a 2020 World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, 2019 Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, and 2014 Academy for Systems Change Fellow. She graduated summa cum laude from Syracuse University. Tank is married with three sons, two human and one canine.
2). Kristin Wolf
Senior VP, Enterprise Strategy & Transformation, Ulta Beauty
Kristin Wolf is the Senior Vice President of Enterprise Strategy and Transformation of Ulta Beauty. As a seasoned executive with over 20 years of strategy and operating experience in retail and CPG, Wolf leads her dynamic team at Ulta Beauty to develop innovative, nimble strategies that guide the enterprise, enable growth, and ultimately deliver on Ulta Beauty's mission to be the most loved beauty retailer.
Wolf is a results-driven leader with a passion for tackling tough business challenges while partnering with the C-suite to deliver fresh thinking that fuels enterprise-wide, transformational growth. In her current role, she leads cross-functional teams as they reimagine Ulta Beauty’s corporate strategy, with a focus on innovation and leadership in both the beauty and retail industries.
Wolf currently serves as an executive board member of the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation and a board member at the Chicago Scholars. She received her undergraduate degree in economics from Northwestern University and her MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
3). Ukonwa Ojo
Founder / CEO, Ada & Edith
Ukonwa Ojo is the CEO and founder of Zaia Ventures, a venture studio committed to creating products and services for communities that have been largely ignored by the mainstream. Pieces from Ada & Edith are created to inspire confidence and empower individuals with their style. Their designs are meticulously crafted to seamlessly blend fashion-forward trends with luxurious comfort. Ojo was inspired to create Ada & Edith from her frustration with a male-dominated fashion industry creating clothes for women that didn't always fit the lives they actually lived.
Prior to her entrepreneurial journey, Ojo was the global chief marketing officer and US general manager for Amazon Prime Video & Studios. During her tenure, she combined data-driven/analytical decision-making, cross-functional team leadership, and award-winning creativity to deliver the best performance in Prime Video's history. She has also served as the global chief marketing officer for M.A.C Cosmetics and Coty Consumer Beauty and global brand president for COVERGIRL.
Ojo earned an MBA from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management and an undergraduate degree in business from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.
4). Jennifer McKeehan
Senior VP, Delivery & Transportation, Walmart
Jennifer McKeehan is a global operations and supply chain executive with more than 15 years of experience across retail and e-commerce channels. In August of 2022, she was named Senior Vice President of End-to-End Delivery at Walmart. In this role, her scope of influence encompasses first, middle, and last-mile fulfillment while embodying the culture to achieve the common purpose of saving people money so they can live better.
Before coming to Walmart, McKeehan served as SVP and global head of supply chain for Peloton Interactive leading the team responsible for all operational aspects of the supply chain, including transformation across people, processes, and technology. She oversaw sales and operations planning, distribution, transportation, inventory allocation, technology, and final mile across all channels, including connected fitness, accessories, and apparel. McKeehan was also VP of supply chain for The Home Depot leading the inventory planning and replenishment supply chain functions, as well as digitization and integrated decision-making for all fulfillment channels across stores and online, managing an over $15 billion inventory.
McKeehan was previously featured in Atlanta Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, Georgia Tech's 40 Under 40, and the Wall Street Journal, and was a Harvard Business School guest speaker. She is also a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2020. In her personal time, she serves on the Emerging Leaders Committee for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, cheering on Georgia Tech football and spending time with her husband and four children. McKeehan has an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech.
5). Masako Konishi
Chief Merchandising Officer, Forever 21
Masako Konishi is the Chief Merchandising Officer at Forever 21, where she leads the Merchandising, Design, Trend & Concept, and Merchandise Planning teams, and is responsible for the brand’s overarching product strategies across Stores, Digital, and Wholesale.
Prior to Forever 21, Masako held leadership roles at a variety of iconic brands, including Victoria’s Secret, Gap, Fashion Nova, Abercrombie & Fitch, James Perse, and 7 For All Mankind. She began her career at Gap Inc., where she was a graduate of the Retail Management Program and went on to launch the first Banana Republic stores in Japan.
As an avid champion for diversity, Masako currently serves as the executive sponsor for A.S.I.A., the employee resource group for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander associates for SPARC LLC, which includes brands like Brooks Brothers and Reebok, in addition to Forever 21. Previously, she was the executive sponsor for Victoria Secret’s AANHPI inclusion group as well as a founding member of VS&Co’s Executive Diversity Council.
Masako received her bachelor’s degree from Harvard and serves as an alumni advisor to undergraduates exploring careers in the fashion and retail industries. As an alumni interviewer, she also meets with applicants to the College every year and makes recommendations to the Harvard Admissions Office.
6). Pamela Stewart
Chief Customer Officer - Retail, North America Operating Unit, The Coca-Cola Company
Pamela Stewart has spent 20 years across the Coca-Cola System in various key senior leadership roles in the areas of global, national, and regional sales; operations; finance; revenue growth management; foodservice on-premise and B2B retail business segments. She currently is the Chief Customer Officer of Retail for the North America Operating Unit at The Coca-Cola Company. She is responsible for 81 million consumers, over 600 customers, over 25 bottlers, franchise leadership, and all routes to market for the West geography. The Coca-Cola Company is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Their company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. They sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide.
Stewart has spent over 20 years across the Coca-Cola System in various key senior leadership roles across sales, operations, finance, revenue growth management, and general management. Prior to Coca-Cola, she spent several years in finance across the telecommunications industry. She is the recipient of numerous honors, including the 2023 BET Iconic Executive Award; the 2022 Phoenix Award by the Mayor of Atlanta; and 2022 OUT Magazine’s 20 Global Titans of Media & Entertainment. She was featured in the 2019 number-one bestselling Amazon book release, 9 Steps to Build Your Brand, Establish Your Legacy, and Thrive by Jo Miller.
Beyond her undergraduate and graduate business degrees from Georgia State University, Oglethorpe University, and her Harvard Business School executive education certification, Stewart is also a proud graduate of the GCLS Writing Academy and Leadership Atlanta.
7). Tammy Redpath
CEO, Inside Edge Commercial Interior Services
Tammy Redpath began her professional career 34 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Executive Officer of Inside Edge Commercial Interior Services. Inside Edge Commercial Interior Services specializes in nationwide remodel and refresh programs for retail customers.
Redpath is a global executive leader known for inspiring and galvanizing teams to drive growth and impact. She was instrumental in bringing Target Corporation’s brand to life for over three decades in multiple leadership roles, including president of Target’s headquarters in Bangalore, India. As a leader, she shines brightly with energy, connectivity, agility, and the ability to unlock possibilities together as a team to drive business impact.
She currently serves on the Avtar Advisory Board, an India-based diversity, equity, and inclusion firm that helps organizations attain business success through the power of diversity. Redpath graduated from the University of St. Thomas with an undergraduate degree in marketing.
8). Tracy Irvine
Associate General Counsel of Product, Marketing & Intellectual Property (Americas), VF Corp.
Tracy Irvine is the Associate General Counsel of Product, Marketing, and Intellectual Property, Americas, for VF Corp. VF, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is one of the world’s largest apparel, footwear, and accessories companies connecting people to the lifestyles, activities, and experiences they cherish most through a family of iconic outdoor, active and workwear brands, including The North Face, Vans, Timberland, and Dickies.
In her role, Irvine works on everything from contracts to marketing initiatives to brand strategy, with a focus on marketing and product claims, sustainability initiatives, ESG issues, and associated materials review. She also heads the Advertising, Marketing, and Promotions Center of Excellence for the Legal Department at VF. Prior to joining VF, Irvine was a marketing counsel for Visa USA, supporting their global advertising, marketing, and sponsorship initiatives. Before that, she was she was senior counsel for NRG Energy in Houston, Texas.
Irvine began her legal career as an associate at Norton Rose Fulbright (formerly Fulbright & Jaworski) after graduating from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans (she was part of the “Katrina Class” – they began their school year in August of 2005, a week before Hurricane Katrina hit the city). She went to The University of Texas at Austin for her undergraduate degree in business administration with a focus on business marketing.
9). Lisa Roath
EVP & Chief Marketing Officer, Target
Lisa Roath is the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Target Corporation and a member of its leadership team. Target Corporation is an American retail corporation that operates a chain of discount department stores and hypermarkets, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the seventh-largest retailer in the United States and a component of the S&P 500 Index. The company is one of the largest American-owned private employers in the United States.
In her role, Roath oversees the company’s core marketing functions, including creative, guest marketing strategy, retail brand experience, social media, paid media strategy, and marketing strategy and operations, with a focus on stewarding Target’s beloved brand. Roath joined Target in 2006 and has held a variety of leadership roles within the company. She was promoted to senior vice president of food and beverage merchandising in 2020, where she was responsible for all buying for Target’s grocery business and led its rapid digital expansion in food. In her role as vice president of essentials merchandising, Roath oversaw Target’s baby, health, and household commodities divisions. Prior to that, she established a new capability for Target focused on maximizing the effectiveness of its pricing and promotions strategies. She also served as lead architect for a transformation of Target’s merchandising organization, blending its physical and digital buying functions to deliver a more seamless and holistic experience for Target’s guests and team.
Prior to joining Target, Roath held roles at Limited Brands, Marshall Fields, and L.E.K. Consulting, a UK-based firm. Roath received her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.
10). Bani Malhotra
Senior Director of Product Management, Walmart
Bani Malhotra is the Senior Director of Product Management and E-commerce at Walmart. She first joined the company in 2021 to lead personalization and is currently responsible for oversight of building best-in-class e-commerce site discovery and inspirational experiences for the organization.
Malhotra spent the early years of her career in investment banking, M&A, and venture capital, and brings in more than 10 years of e-commerce experience across the retail, grocery, and telehealth industries for direct-to-consumer, marketplace, and subscription business models. Before her current role, Malhotra was the head of product at Curology. She also led flagship products at Narvar, and she held early-hire lead positions at Shipt (acquired by Target) and Flipkart (acquired by Walmart).
Malhotra is passionate about supporting aspiring and early PMs, is an active member of Women in Product at Walmart and the community, and is also an instructor at Product School, USA. She earned an undergraduate degree from the Indian Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Indian School of Business with majors in strategy and finance. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and two kids.
11). Claudia Lima-Guinehut
Chief Merchant Officer & EVP, Claire's
Claudia serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer managing Claire’s international merchandising, sourcing, and design strategy as well as its piercing business.
Prior to joining Claire’s in June 2023, Claudia was Senior Vice President of Global Merchandising and Strategic Partnerships at The Children’s Place. Before joining The Children’s Place in 2014, she held roles of increasing responsibility in merchandising and product design at Destination Maternity, Zara, Camuto Group, Ralph Lauren, and Fifth & Pacific Companies.
Lima-Guinehut holds her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from New York University and her SIPA Master of Business Administration from Columbia University.
12). Gigi Ganatra Duff
Head, Communications & Corporate Affairs, Nordstrom
Gigi Ganatra Duff has served as the Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs at Nordstrom since March 2017. She leads the company’s public affairs, including Nordstrom’s corporate social and environmental responsibility initiatives. Duff and her team focus on external and internal communications strategies that promote, enhance, and protect the Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack company reputation, including Nordstrom corporate citizenship initiatives, brand PR and events, charitable giving, employee engagement and issues, and crisis management.
Before joining Nordstrom, Duff served as VP of communications of HSNi, where she oversaw all corporate and consumer communications for the HSNi portfolio of 8 brands, as well as HSNi Cares, the philanthropic arm of the company. Duff also served as senior director of global public relations for Starwood Hotel’s design and luxury brands, including St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels Worldwide, and Le Mèridien. Before that, she held leadership roles at Harrison & Shriftman, Terra Group, and Gen Art.
Duff is a leader in her field with more than 20 years of experience in strategic marketing, brand development, corporate social responsibility, reputation management, public relations, and special events, including a rich background in fashion, art, hospitality, and real estate. Duff started her career as an entrepreneur and has a passion for supporting and mentoring emerging talent. She currently serves on the board of directors at FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and previously on the foundation board of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. She supports numerous local nonprofit organizations in NY, Miami, and Seattle.
13). Debra Layton
Executive Director, The Peel Compton Foundation
Debra Layton began her professional career 18 years ago. Today, she is the Executive Director of The Peel Compton Foundation. The mission of the Peel Compton Foundation is to connect the community through nature, education, recreation, and preservation. They do this through their free community spaces: Peel Museum & Botanical Garden, Compton Gardens & Arboretum, Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, and Osage Park.
Layton is a dynamic, high-energy, and agile global retail executive and nonprofit professional who thrives in ambiguity and excels at leading others through change. With 11 years of experience working in international markets and America, she has held various leadership roles in retail operations, merchandise, real estate, e-commerce, international markets, new business development, and nonprofits.
Layton first got her start in 2006 as a VP of international professional services at Walmart. Layton graduated from Missouri Southern State University with an undergraduate degree in business, management, marketing, and related support services.
14). Molly Fields
Senior Director, Learning & Development, Verizon Authorized Retailer, TCC
Molly Fields graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education, and since then, has been focused on cultivating a culture of learning and growth with every team she has had the opportunity to work alongside. She has never stopped being a student and through continuing professional learning she has achieved many professional certifications, including but not limited to, Six Sigma Green Belt, LEAN, Agile, PMQ, ITIL Foundations, Change Management, and more.
Molly has spent the past 14 years working with TCC a Verizon Authorized Retailer in a variety of roles. The past decade has been exciting in the wireless industry and she has been a lynchpin for the business by developing critical policy and procedure guides, dynamic learning content, and streamlining communication.
Molly is described as one of the best leaders in the business because of her emotionally intelligent leadership style that is focused on inspiring and empowering others to manage their perspectives and achieve conceptual understanding.
15). Meghan Gourley
VP, Partner Communications & Engagement, Starbucks
Meghan Gourley has diverse work experience spanning various industries. She currently holds the position of Vice President of Partner Communications and Engagement at Starbucks. Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington.
Gourley is a communications leader who draws on her experience working at global news organizations like The New York Times and multinational companies like Microsoft to drive innovative digital communications strategies at the intersection of public policy, corporate reputation, and brand. Gourley worked at Microsoft from 2018 to 2023, where she served as the director of global public affairs and senior communications manager in the Global Public Affairs Department. Gourley's experience at The New York Times includes roles such as senior staff editor, staff editor, assistant editor, and news assistant from 2012 to 2018. Gourley also worked as an editorial assistant at Mark Bittman from 2011 to 2012 and as a coordinator in the Office of Development & Alumni Affairs at NYU Langone Medical Center from 2009 to 2011. Earlier in her career, she worked as an associate producer at BBC News from 2007 to 2009, a White House producer at C-SPAN in 2007, a production assistant at C-SPAN from 2005 to 2007, and a desk assistant at PBS NewsHour in 2005.
Gourley has a BA in International Relations from Brown University. She also has an MA in Food Studies from New York University. Additionally, she completed the Brown-in-Bologna Semester program at Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, where she studied Italian.
16). Rose Hartley
Head of Sustainability, Misfits Market
Rose Hartley is the Head of Sustainability of Misfits Market, a US e-commerce grocer. Misfits Market is the only US grocer that works to save foods from waste and loss as part of their procurement strategy, purchasing over 500,000 lbs of foods each week that otherwise would have gone to waste or lesser outcomes. Before Misfits Market acquired Imperfect Foods, Hartley served as the sustainability manager of Imperfect Foods.
Hartley has dedicated her career to private and public solutions to combat climate change. Within this, she has made significant contributions to various fields, including sustainable operations, climate disaster relief, micro-finance, and food and agriculture. She holds a post-graduate degree in sustainable operations and management and is a TRUE Zero Waste Advisor.
Outside of her professional role, Hartley serves as a board member and advisor for four impact-focused organizations – the Upcycled Foods Association, Soapbox Project, RiteSize, and Women in Corporate Social Responsibility.
17). Lisa Kinney
Executive Head, Enterprise Analytics, Albertsons Companies
Lisa Kinney is currently Executive Head of Enterprise Analytics of Albertsons Companies, an American grocery company founded and headquartered in Boise, Idaho. Kinney joined Albertsons in 2018, spearheading customer strategy and decision-making within the merchandising organization. Her efforts helped drive the culture shift in customer-oriented thinking, which quickly evolved into a broader remit as the organization pivoted to a customer-obsessed aspiration to build deep & lasting relationships with customers. Kinney is responsible for market intelligence, research, and customer behavior analytics to fuel decision-making across all major business pillars. In parallel to supporting strategic analytics and consulting, Kinney is also spearheading inception thinking associated with data products, and monetization to drive alternative revenue.
Before joining Albertsons Companies, Kinney was a CPG practice lead at Symphony RetailAI. Before that, she was an SVP at EYC (now Symphony EYC). Earlier in her career, she worked with Unilever as a category development manager. Kinney’s industry experience is extensive, and she is a passionate believer in the power of customer-driven strategy and its pragmatic integration into an organization’s ecosystem. She has served as a consultant to industry-leading brands and global retailers, focused on loyalty strategy and activation, defining, and building lifetime value through customer intelligence, merchandising best practices, and one-on-one marketing execution. She has delivered over $1.5 billion in topline revenue through data monetization.
Kinney earned her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She has served in several advisory and mentorship positions, such as a former advisor to Blue Rock Capital, a career mentor for Xavier University, and a former advisory board member for AdAdapted and 4C. Kinney is currently an advisor to Global Retail Leaders, RETHINK Retail.
18). Lisa Scheps
VP, Lancôme.com, L'Oréal
Lisa Scheps is the Vice President of Lancôme.com at L'Oréal. For more than a century, L’Oréal has devoted itself to bringing beauty to all people. Their goal is to win over another one billion consumers around the world by innovating and creating cosmetic and skin care products that meet the infinite diversity of their beauty needs and desires.
With extensive expertise in e-commerce, sales growth, and relationship management, Scheps excels in digital marketing and social media, storytelling, content strategy, and SEO, SEM, and CRM optimization. Her proficiency extends to UX and CX excellence, research and development, forecasting and budgets, and account management. She is skilled in retail planning and data analysis, consistently driving results and fostering innovation in these areas.
Previously, Scheps was a director of e-commerce retail at Reprise Digital. Before that, she was a director of global partner services and experiences at Nike. Earlier in her career, she worked with Perfumania as an allocator. Scheps earned an MBA in business administration and marketing from Adelphi University and an undergraduate degree in English from Stony Brook University.
19). Nicole Jordan
Senior VP, Commercial Strategy & Digital Transformation, Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits
Nicole Jordan serves as the Senior Vice President of Commercial Strategy and Digital Transformation at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits.
In this capacity, Jordan manages the department of people focused on evaluating all aspects of the company’s business, focusing on how to increase efficiency, enter new business lines, or grow existing revenue (profitability) through digitization. This includes leading commercial strategy for her over $20 billion company, as well as leading a comprehensive digital portfolio, including e-commerce, digital/automated retail execution, CRM, digital marketing, digital analytics and data science, strategic partner portals/TPM, marketplace, and digital partnerships. Launched in 2019, this digital portfolio has been incredibly successful under Jordan's leadership.
Jordan is focused on transforming the alcohol industry through technology and data. She started at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits in 2006 as a junior category analyst and has worked her way up to SVP. Jordan has an MBA in Strategic Management from The Wharton School.
20). Melissa Filipatos
VP, Channel Partnerships, Strategic Alliances, & Reseller Programs, Grainger
As Vice President of Channel Partnerships, Strategic Alliances, and Reseller Programs, Melissa Filipatos and her team help Grainger’s customers meet their goals by empowering diverse and small authorized Grainger resellers. She also leads Grainger’s Public Safety and Emergency Management team, whose mission is to ensure team member health and safety and support customers in preparing for, responding to, and restoring business operations.
Before this role, Filipatos served as VP of sales effectiveness for the US and Canada and led a team that consistently improved Grainger’s return on investment in its sales force. Preceding that, in the role of VP of sales effectiveness and sourcing, she integrated various centers of excellence across North America, and as VP of pricing execution, sales support, and sourcing, she led a diverse team to improve operational efficiencies, cycle times, and win rates.
While in a leadership position with the Grainger Women’s Business Resource Group, Filipatos played a key role in the sponsorship and execution of the first annual Women’s Leadership Summit. She maintains a passion for being a change leader and talent advocate across the organization and is committed to fostering an environment that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion, where top talent can thrive. Filipatos currently sits on the board of directors of the Chicago YWCA, whose mission is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
21). Holly Hickey
VP, Sales - Retail, CPG, Travel & Transportation, Kyndryl
Holly Hickey began her professional career 36 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President of Sales or Retail, CPG, Travel, and Transportation of Kyndryl. Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. is an American multinational information technology infrastructure services provider.
Hickey previously served as the sales director, managing the Northeast Distribution Business Unit team. In this role, she oversaw the sales unit responsible for selling consulting and infrastructure services solutions, systems hardware, and software solutions to retail, CPG, and travel and transportation clients. Her focus is developing executive relationships, driving business performance, and integrating IBM solutions to deliver business value. Hickey has extensive sales and delivery experience in multiple areas, including distribution, industrial, finance, and public.
Over three decades in business development as a strategic and creative sales leader, Hickey builds sustained high-value business relationships as a proven top performer possessing a combination of leadership, business acumen, and interpersonal skills. She graduated from Caldwell University with an undergraduate degree in marketing and management.
22). Nelly Mensah
VP, Digital Innovation - Head of Crypto & Metaverse, LVMH
Nelly Mensah is the VP of Digital Innovation and Head of Crypto and Metaverse at LMVH, where she heads Web3 and metaverse efforts globally. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, commonly known as LVMH, is a French multinational holding and conglomerate specializing in luxury goods, headquartered in Paris. In April 2023, LVMH became the first European company to surpass a valuation of $500 billion.
In her previous role at Sephora, Mensah led future innovation and digital store experience. In parallel, she has been deeply involved in blockchain for over five years. She co-led a blockchain developer community and consulted for several projects in the crypto space. Before Sephora, Mensah spent five years at Deloitte Digital, where she focused on digital transformation and experience design. She has worked with multiple Fortune 100 companies in a variety of industries and has led multi-national workshops on topics, including business process optimization, innovation skills training, and future thinking.
Mensah holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from MIT Sloan, where she focuses on technology management, retail innovation, and conscious leadership.
23). Michele Billam
Chief Sales & Merchandising Officer, Managing Director US, Greenland Ruby
Michele Billam is Chief Sales & Merchandising Officer, Managing Director US for Greenland Ruby. She leads the company’s merchandising, marketing, global jewelry design & sourcing, and wholesale distribution channels, as well as serving as the Managing Director for their US based operations.
Billam joined GR in 2021 as a Retail Strategy and Business Development Consultant and pivoted into numerous roles within the organization including strategic pricing, merchandise operations, financial planning and analysis, and wholesale account acquisition before joining the company full time as Chief Sales & Merchandising Officer in 2022. She was later named Managing Director for the US and acquired the company’s global marketing responsibilities in July 2023.
Previously, Billam worked at Starboard Cruise Services (LVMH Selective Retailing Group) as the Divisional Merchandise Manager for the Fine Jewelry, Timepieces and Luxury divisions. She also held Director of Merchandising positions for both Signet Jewelers and Helzberg Diamonds. Billam’s early career includes positions in buying, planning and trend merchandising for Payless ShoeSource, Hallmark Cards, and Things Remembered.
With a diverse skill set spanning jewelry, luxury, apparel, shoes, accessories, licensing, and home goods, she brings an unique level of expertise to the table. A dedicated team leader, adept negotiator, and visionary, she creates strategies that foster innovation and drive growth. Her intuition for enhancing product performance and brand positioning consistently delivers gross margin and revenue gains. She has cultivated mutually respectful and trusted retail partnerships in multiple channels of distribution.
Billam earned her undergraduate degree in business administration from Washburn University and is a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Diamonds Graduate.
24). Michelle Gass
President & CEO, Levi Strauss & Co.
Michelle Gass is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.). She is also on the company’s board of directors. LS&Co. is an American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's brand of denim jeans. It was founded in May 1853 and is headquartered in Levi's Plaza in San Francisco. Gass has more than 30 years of experience in the retail and consumer goods industries. She joined LS&Co. in 2023 as the company’s president. She was responsible for leading the Levi’s brand and the company’s global digital and commercial operations until the board of directors appointed her CEO in 2024.
Before joining LS&Co., Gass served as CEO of Kohl’s, where she led the transformation of the company’s effort to become a leading omnichannel retailer while acquiring and elevating notable national brand partnerships, including a long-term partnership with Sephora. During her time at Kohl’s, she drove significant capabilities in digital, growing the e-commerce business at a double-digit rate to $6 billion annually and evolving the Kohl’s loyalty program into an industry-leading platform. Gass joined Kohl’s in 2013 as chief customer officer and was named chief merchandising and customer officer in 2015. She was promoted to CEO-elect in October 2017 prior to assuming the CEO role in May 2018. Before joining Kohl’s, she spent more than 16 years with Starbucks and held a variety of leadership roles across marketing, strategy, merchandising, and operations before being promoted to president of Starbucks EMEA. Gass began her career with Procter & Gamble.
Gass received her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from the University of Washington. She currently serves on the board of directors for PepsiCo and on the boards of the Retail Industry Leaders Association and the National Retail Federation.
25). Heather Mickman
Chief Technology Officer, Lakeshore Learning Materials
Heather Mickman has extensive work experience in various leadership roles across a range of industries. Mickman is currently serving as the Chief Technology Officer at Lakeshore Learning Materials, one of the most innovative manufacturers of educational materials in the country.
Mickman is a performance-driven technology executive and a recognized leader in digital transformations. She’s held high-level positions at Gap Inc., UnitedHealth Group, Target, Mickman Brothers, Inc., and Accenture. She has a proven ability to successfully envision, lead, and implement transformative technology strategies across large organizations. Mickman is an energetic leader with a proven track record in retaining and recruiting top engineering talent and effectively building partnerships across large, matrixed enterprises.
Throughout her career, Mickman has continuously embraced hard technology challenges from consulting large Fortune 50 companies on the supply chain approach, implementing warehouse automation technologies, running large ops and support organizations, and establishing enterprise security approaches. She has a passion for technology, building high-performing teams, driving a culture of innovation, and having fun along the way. Mickman attended Macalester College from 1992 to 1996, where she obtained a Bachelor of Applied Science in Economics and Math.
26). Nata Dvir
Chief Merchandising Officer, Macy's
Nata Dvir was appointed Macy’s Chief Merchandising Officer in February 2021. Macy's (originally R. H. Macy & Co.) is an American department store chain founded in 1858 and has been a sister brand to the Bloomingdale's department store chain since being acquired by holding company Federated Department Stores in 1994, which renamed itself Macy's, Inc. in 2007.
Dvir began her career as an executive trainee at Macy’s, and she has held various leadership roles within Macy’s merchant organization, including experience in men’s, beauty, shoes, jewelry, food, and licensed businesses. In September 2017, Dvir was named Macy’s general business manager for beauty, a new role in the organization. In that role, Dvir transformed the cosmetics and fragrance business by creating a more open and experiential environment in-store, taking a fresh approach to digital engagement, storytelling through products in-store and online, and expanding into relevant new brands and categories. In February 2020, Dvir added responsibility for Center Core merchandise, including jewelry, handbags, shoes, intimate apparel, and accessories.
Dvir began her career as an executive trainee at Macy’s, and she has held various leadership roles within Macy’s merchant organization, including experience in men’s, beauty, shoes, jewelry, food, and licensed businesses. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University.
27). Cheryl Davenport
VP, Consumer Creation Strategy, Nike
Cheryl Davenport, based in Portland, OR, is currently a VP of Consumer Creation Strategy at Nike, bringing experience from previous Nike roles. Nike is an Oregon-based company that designs, manufactures, and sells footwear, apparel, sports equipment, and accessories for the retail market.
Davenport is a growth strategist, leader of high-performance teams, talent developer, and change agent. She combines analytical, data-driven decision-making with big-picture vision and conceptual thinking. She is known for her superb communication skills and her ability to drive alignment, bust complexity, and get things done. Previously, Davenport held leadership roles in Nike's North American operating unit and global marketplace team.
Before Nike, Davenport advised clients in the public and private sectors for eight years as a management consultant. Her experience includes organic growth and marketing strategy, consumer research, public-private partnerships, corporate social responsibility, and nonprofit strategy. Previously, Davenport was a director at Mission Measurement. Earlier in her career, she worked with Monitor Group as a case team leader. Davenport earned her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and her BBA in Economics from the University of Iowa.
28). Victoria Gutierrez
SVP & Chief Merchandising Officer, Sysco
Victoria Gutierrez is the SVP and Chief Merchandising Officer of Sysco. She first joined the company in 2021 as vice president of merchandising. Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing, and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments, and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the food service and hospitality industries.
At Sysco, Gutierrez has the privilege of leading the merchandising, strategic sourcing, innovation, private label, FSQA, and e-commerce functions to bring a full suite of products to food service customers. Previously, Gutierrez was a partner at The Boston Consulting Group, where she focused on large-scale transformation at retail and consumer companies. Additionally, she worked with clients to develop digital tools to expand the capabilities of their merchandising teams and participated in bankruptcy turnarounds. Before that, she was a vice president at JAX Vineyards. Earlier in her career, she worked with NileGuide as a business manager. More broadly, she is an active angel investor and is always interested in speaking with founders, particularly in the consumer space.
Gutierrez is an MIT Sloan graduate, a certified sommelier, and a seasoned business executive who has run the gamut from startup to Fortune 50. She earned an MBA in Business Administration and Management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an undergraduate degree in dance and philosophy from Northwestern University.
29). Amy Kocourek
Chief Merchandising Officer, Kendra Scott
Amy Kocourek is the Chief Merchandising Officer of Austin-based jewelry and accessories brand Kendra Scott. In her role, she leads all product functions, including design, merchandising, product development, production, planning, allocation, distribution, and logistics. Kocourek is a champion of the brand’s core pillars of fashion, family, and philanthropy integrating these into every customer experience within Kendra Scott.
Being drawn to emerging businesses and change, she has led the incubation of new businesses inside large companies. Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott is the latest example. Kocourek is a champion for innovation and has forged several unique product partnerships with relevant brands, including the most recent Barbie x Kendra Scott collaboration. She sets vision with an eye for what’s next and takes bold action to lead a company’s focus delivering consistent results and accelerating sales year over year. Throughout her career, she has been known for her unwavering passion, clear vision, innovative thinking, and being a change agent.
Before Kendra Scott, Kocourek was an EVP at Kohl's and was a part of the senior team that led the organization through digital transformation becoming a leading omnichannel retailer. Her career spans over 25 years of experience in the retail industry across several channels, including vertical specialty, digital, and department stores.
30). Julie Sutton
Senior Director, Government Affairs & Global Impact, VF
Julie Sutton is Senior Director of Government Affairs and Global Impact at VF Corporation, a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, footwear, and accessories. Sutton is responsible for educating policymakers and external stakeholders on VF’s policy positions on trade, climate, environment, human rights, and responsible sourcing. She advocates for these policy positions at the state and federal levels and represents VF’s interest in Washington DC, Latin America, and the European Union/broader Europe.
In her global Impact role, Sutton leads VF’s corporate human rights program, aligned with international standards, to prevent, mitigate, and remediate adverse human rights impacts within VF’s value chain. VF’s human rights efforts prioritize women’s empowerment, supporting child rights, eradicating forced labor, and promoting freedom of association. Sutton leads the team responsible for human rights due diligence.
Prior to this role, Sutton led external engagement for VF’s Sustainability and Responsibility department, which accelerates social and environmental leadership through VF’s global supply chain with external stakeholders. She led the team responsible for VF’s sustainability reporting on benchmarks, ratings, and rankings as they relate to Environmental, Social, and Governance standards. Sutton holds a master’s degree from George Washington University and an undergraduate degree in international economics and Spanish from the University of Kentucky.
31). Christie Sclater
Senior VP, Global Product Marketing, Insights & Analytics, and Omnichannel Education, Clinique
In her current role as Senior Vice President of Global Product Marketing, Insights and Analytics, and Omnichannel Education at Clinique, Christie Sclater is responsible for translating the brand’s over 55-year equity in dermatologist-guided solutions that are allergy-tested and 100% fragrance-free into breakthrough product concepts and campaigns. Clinique Laboratories, LLC is an American manufacturer of skincare, cosmetics, toiletries, and fragrances, usually sold in high-end department stores.
With over 15 years of experience in global marketing, strategy, innovation, and communications, Sclater drives value for the world’s leading brands. A dynamic and purpose-driven executive, she employs her robust skillset to both set vision and implement strategy. Previously, Sclater was VP of strategic initiatives at the Estée Lauder Companies, working to build and drive strategies across a variety of luxury and prestige beauty brands, including La Mer, Bobbi Brown, TOM FORD BEAUTY, Balmain Beauty, MAC, Origins, AVEDA, Bumble and bumble, Dr.Jart+, and Clinique. She also served as chief of staff for the executive group president. Before moving into beauty at the Estée Lauder Companies, Sclater worked at Apple, leading a senior-level strategy and innovation team to spearhead new initiatives for Apple’s retail group.
Before earning her Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Sclater received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgetown University. She is an active alumna of both institutions, a Fellow with The HOW Institute for Society, and a supporter of early-stage start-ups and entrepreneurs.
32). Angie Goldberg
Chief Growth Officer, Ardent Mills
Angie Goldberg is a dynamic leader with a strong financial background who excels at building powerful brands, driving consumer loyalty, and creating innovative products. She is an analytical thinker with a proven track record of translating consumer insights into uniquely positioned and profitable products that generate significant revenue growth.
Goldberg is currently the Chief Growth Officer at Ardent Mills, the premier flour-milling and ingredient company. As the head of innovation, research, quality, and technical services, marketing sales, and the Annex by Ardent Mills, her focus is on delivering consistent value to customers - all part of the plan for long-term, diverse, and sustainable growth. Goldberg is passionate about the role Ardent Mills plays as the trusted partner in nurturing customers, consumers, and communities through innovative and nutritious grain-based solutions.
Goldberg earned an MBA in Marketing and Management Strategy from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
33). Amy Rosenfeld
Executive Director, Creative, The Estée Lauder Companies
Amy Rosenfeld is the Executive Director of Creative for The Estée Lauder Companies, one of the world’s leading manufacturers, marketers, and sellers of quality skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products. The company is a steward of outstanding luxury and prestige brands globally. The company’s products are sold in approximately 150 countries and territories under brand names.
Rosenfeld is an award-winning Executive Creative Director, Content Creator, and Brand Strategist. She takes bold ideas from concept through execution to create elevated and innovative creative for top global brands, agencies, and digital media companies. She has a broad skill set that includes cross-platform branding, digital (mobile, web, social, influencer campaigns), print, photo and video art direction, management, and team building. An effective communicator, Rosenfeld has the ability to connect with and inspire people. She brings an experienced eye to creative direction across a diverse range of categories, including fashion, beauty, lifestyle, hospitality, travel, home, food, celebrity, and sport.
Before joining The Estée Lauder Companies, Rosenfeld was a creative director at LVMH Fresh Beauty (Global Creative), Laird + Partners, Clique, and Moroccanoil. Before that, she was a VP of creative at Douglas Elliman Luxury Real Estate. Earlier in her career, she worked with ABP Media, a media conglomerate as a business and creative director. Rosenfeld graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
34). Alexandria Collis
Senior Director, Operations, Princess Polly
Alexandria Collis is a highly accomplished leader renowned for building exceptional, efficient, and cohesive teams across operations, customer support, retail, and e-commerce. Drawing on her unique background as a former professional athlete and leader, she fosters innovation in her teams and finds joy in being a leader who inspires others through passion and purpose.
As the Senior Director of Operations at Princess Polly, one of the fastest-growing fashion brands in the world, Alexandria oversees strategy and innovation for CX, and Operations, and leads the brand's entry into brick-and-mortar retail stores. She is passionate about enhancing team dynamics and empowering her colleagues to become inspiring and energetic leaders themselves. Not only has she successfully established an industry-leading customer experience utilizing cutting-edge technology and platform optimization, but she has also crafted a highly scalable end-to-end customer support journey that fosters customer satisfaction and brand advocacy. With extensive knowledge and expertise in fostering Operational x Customer Experience synergy in e-commerce, her insights are highly sought after as a speaker on the topic.
Alexandria's outstanding achievements have been recognized across the industry with over a dozen prestigious awards, including Retail TouchPoints 40 Under 40, Stevie Awards for Sales and Customer Service: Woman of the Year in Customer Service, Customer Service Department of the Year - Retail, Young Customer Service Professional of the Year, Best Customer Satisfaction Strategy, American Business Awards Customer Service Executive of the Year, International Business Awards Customer Service Executive of the Year. Prior to her passion for operations, she was a professional figure skater and has performed in over 40 countries and 200 cities. She is a US Figure Skating Double Gold Medalist and continues to train and perform whenever she can.
35). Michelle Wlazlo
Executive VP & Chief Merchandising Officer, JCPenney
Michelle Wlazlo is the Executive Vice President and Chief Merchant at JCPenney. Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is an American department store chain that operates 663 stores across 49 US states and Puerto Rico. In this role, Wlazlo is responsible for leading all the company’s merchandise offerings, focused on building a balanced assortment of the best private, exclusive, and national brands, including operations of the company’s merchandising, product development and design, sourcing and planning, and allocation teams.
Before joining JCPenney, Wlazlo spent nearly 22 years in various merchandising leadership roles, most recently as SVP of merchandising apparel and accessories at Target. In that role, Wlazlo led brand launches, along with reimagining the in-store experience. Prior to Target, Wlazlo spent 19 years at GAP Inc., in a variety of roles, most recently as SVP of global merchandising. She began her career at Saks Fifth Avenue as a department manager before assuming store leadership and buying roles at Bebe Stores Inc.
Wlazlo has served on the board for My New Red Shoes, a nonprofit dedicated to boosting the self-confidence and quality of life of the community’s homeless and low-income children by providing them the opportunity to shop for new school clothing and shoes. She also has served on the board of Santa Clara University, Retail Management Institute.
36). Andrea Lieberman
Chief Creative Officer & Founder, A.L.C
Born and raised in Manhattan, Andrea Lieberman graduated from Parsons School of Design with a fashion degree and began her multifaceted journey into the world of style and fashion. Post-graduation, she gained invaluable hands-on experience with a number of seasoned designers and creatives. She subsequently lived in Paris and East Africa for several years, giving her exclusive and immersive exposure to global cultures, which forever influenced her visual perspective.
Fast-forward a few years, she exploded onto the styling scene and became a pioneer in female celebrity styling. Lieberman specialized in distinctive, and career-defining looks for globally recognized women and world-renowned media publications. Lieberman ultimately established identifiable, personal brands for these women by creating pivotal cultural moments on the red carpet and throughout the music industry – all through style and fashion.
Lieberman’s international travels and experiences with her celebrity clientele inspired her to launch A.L.C. She wanted to refocus her energy on real women, so she went on to create versatile, beautifully crafted staples that women’s wardrobes were missing.
37). Sonya Oblisk
Chief Merchandising & Marketing Officer, Whole Foods Market
Sonya Gafsi Oblisk is a seasoned business leader with nearly 20 years of experience in retail and consumer goods marketing and brand management. As Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Whole Foods Market, Oblisk leads merchandising, marketing, communications, and e-commerce, as well as oversees digital product management for the company. 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. And it radically changed the way people understood and shopped for food.
Oblisk is passionate about putting customers at the center of all decision-making and advancing Whole Foods Market’s mission as a company through its product quality standards. Before joining Whole Foods Market, Oblisk was a vice president, of marketing (Sam's Club) at Walmart. Before that, she was a director, of strategy integration at The Coca-Cola Company.
Earlier in her career, she worked with InterContinental Hotels Group as an alliance manager in relationship marketing. Oblisk earned a Master of Business Administration from The Anderson School at UCLA and a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University in Atlanta.
38). Jessica Rennard
Chief Merchandising Officer, Helpsy
Jessica Rennard is an educator and revenue driver in the sustainable fashion sector. She has worked in the resale market for the majority of her career and has helped develop the industry. In 2020, she launched a secondhand business that supplies inventory to casual sellers who utilize e-commerce marketplaces.
Rennard now works for Helpsy as Chief Merchandising Officer. Helpsy is a certified B corp and clothing collection and resale company whose mission is to keep clothing out of landfills. Rennard started at Helpsy as the head of re-commerce sales in 2022. After less than a year, she was promoted to the C-suite. She believes that Helpsy’s role in the circular economy plays a role in strengthening modern society.
Rennard holds a Master's in Public Administration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she also earned an undergraduate degree in sociology. Rennard is currently on the board of The Wardrobe (formerly Career Wardrobe).
39). Priya Venkatesh
Global Chief Merchandising Officer, SEPHORA
Priya Venkatesh is the Global Chief Merchandising Officer for Sephora. As part of the LVMH family, Sephora is a powerful presence in markets around the world, constantly transforming and elevating the beauty shopping experience. In her role, Venkatesh is responsible for leading the strategic global merchandise planning to identify, fast-track, and develop multi-year growth plans for priority brands, as well as the makeup, skincare, fragrance, hair, and wellness categories. While overseeing the full scope of Sephora’s merchandising teams globally, Venkatesh works to curate differentiated assortments for each region, while ensuring cohesion across the global strategy. Through her experience and leadership, she and her team shape Sephora’s future growth and expansion and ensure a cohesive global approach to the development of brands.
In her 18-year tenure at Sephora, Venkatesh has focused on category vision and development, including building a robust brand portfolio of indie, emerging, clean, and classic brands, as well as the initial introduction of K-Beauty in prestige retail. She’s accomplished all of this while also driving creativity in diversified formulation offerings, product and service experiences at Sephora, such as the launch of Skin IQ, an instore skincare solutions diagnostic tool that addresses skin concerns through a series of deductive questions and reinforces the retailer’s philosophy around unbiased client service.
Leading up to her current role, Venkatesh has held various senior leadership positions within the merchandising team, where she showcased her profound knowledge of the international beauty industry and masterfully shaped Sephora’s global objectives within existing categories and new business opportunities. She has developed and executed many successful initiatives, including, pioneering Sephora’s prestige hair care business, the launch of “Clean at Sephora,” providing clients a clear point of view on the clean beauty category and Sephora’s offering across over 50 brands and 2,000 products, as well as Sephora’s sustainability initiatives. She has also introduced a range of high-performing brands, including Topicals, Supergoop, Crown Affair, Sol de Janeiro, Drunk Elephant, Dyson, Farmacy, Glow Recipe, Living Proof, Olaplex, Summer Fridays, and TATCHA. Prior to Sephora, Venkatesh was the director of makeup at The Body Shop. She earned a Master’s degree in International Economics and Finance from Brandeis University. She currently resides in the Bay Area with her family.
40). Melanie Deschaine
Senior VP, Sales, Consumables, Team Direct
Melanie Deschaine is the Senior Vice President of Sales of Consumables for Team Direct, the leading sales management firm in northwest Arkansas. She leads the multifunctional sales team across Walmart's Consumables division, including beauty, personal care, baby, pet, household paper, and cleaning.
Deschaine is an innovative, creative, and strategic leader with over 15 years of progressive experience across mass retail, CPG, and startup companies. She is skilled in people leadership, relationship management, negotiation, and strategic planning, balancing both art and science to drive exponential growth. Deschaine was previously a VP at Bubble Skincare, the first modern, affordable, science-backed skincare line formulated to clean, balance, and hydrate young skin.
Earlier in her career, Deschaine spent nearly 11 years with Walmart cosmetics and beauty merchandising. She graduated from John Brown University with an undergraduate degree in business.
41). Mary Dillon
President & CEO, Foot Locker
Mary Dillon currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Foot Locker, Inc., where she is responsible for overseeing all business operations and development on a day-to-day basis. Foot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in over 40 countries.
Dillon is a Chicago native and business executive with four decades of experience leading consumer-driven businesses across a diverse range of industries, including consumer packaged goods, restaurants, telecom, beauty, and retail.
Before joining Foot Locker, Inc., Dillon served as CEO, and she was a member of the board of directors of Ulta Beauty, Inc., the largest beauty retailer in the United States, from July 2013 through June 2021. From June 2021 through June 2022, Dillon served as the executive chair of the Board of Directors of Ulta Beauty. She’s also served as president and chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors of United States Cellular Corporation, a provider of wireless telecommunications services, from 2010 through 2013. Before joining US Cellular Corporation, Dillon was the global chief marketing officer and executive vice president of McDonald's Corporation from 2005 through 2010, where she led the company's worldwide marketing efforts and global brand strategy. She’s also held several positions of increasing responsibility at PepsiCo Corporation, including president of the Quaker Foods division and VP of marketing for Gatorade and Quaker Foods.
Dillon currently serves on the board of directors of KKR & Co. Inc., a global investment company. She graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with an undergraduate degree in marketing. Dillon is a proud first-generation college graduate and resides in the Chicago area with her husband. They share four adult children and as a family, they love adventure travel, tennis, and pickleball.
42). Lauren Forbes
Director, Diamonds & Gemstones, Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry
Lauren Forbes is the Director of Diamonds and Gemstones for Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry, an independent jewelry designer located in Seattle, WA.
With a data-driven mindset, Forbes manages all buying for the company and implements new strategies for stone procurement, pricing analytics, and inventory management to maximize GMROI. She has developed top-tier luxury sales training and product knowledge training modules for the VMFJ sales staff and has acted as a leader and mentor for the sales team. With her passion for luxury goods, Forbes elevates the VMFJ brand through innovative ideas related to trend forecasting and sales campaigns. In addition to her responsibilities, she has ranked as the top salesperson in 2021 and 2022, bringing in 40% and 32% percent of the company’s annual revenue.
After obtaining her undergraduate degree in geology from Western Washington University, Forbes received her graduate gemologist and graduate pearl's diplomas through the Gemological Institute of America. She is a JA-Certified Senior Sales Professional and Jewelers of America 20 under 40 class of 2023. She currently serves on Seattle's Women's Jewelry Association board as VP of programming and is the founding president of the GIA Alumni Collective's Seattle Chapter.
43). Alexis Josephs
Managing Director, The Consello Group
Alexis Josephs is the Managing Director of The Consello Group, a financial services advisory and strategic investing platform. At Consello, they invest capital to grow companies, execute for their banking clients across industries, provide business development and marketing services to help companies grow and evolve, and advise on technology strategy and execution. They also advise across sports, entertainment, and leadership development, and our digital assets advisory business helps companies participate in the global digital financial services ecosystem.
Throughout her work experience, Josephs has taken risks because she was able to foresee technology’s impact on consumers and advertisers. A direct relationship exists between the changes she has made in her career and the innovations that have taken place in media, tech, and retail. Her passion for emerging technology, data, and customer experience has helped transform her into the leader she is today. With each move she has made, she has acquired knowledge and skills that advanced her to leadership positions in the retail, e-commerce, advertising, ad tech, entertainment, and data-driven industries.
Previously, Josephs was a VP and general manager at Sam's Club. Before that, she was a VP of ad sales and ad tech partnerships at Walmart. Earlier in her career, she worked with Condé Nast as an account executive. Josephs earned an MBA in Leadership and Entrepreneurship from NYU Stern School of Business and an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Michigan.
44). Jeanette Jolley
Creative Director, Camping World
Jeanette Jolley, a highly accomplished television and commercial producer, currently serves as the Creative Director at the Fortune 500 company Camping World. Jolley is a visionary leader, adept at orchestrating complex productions and inspiring teams to deliver exceptional results consistently. Her expertise spans over 20 years in the entire spectrum of television production, from meticulous pre-production planning to seamless post-production execution, making her a formidable force in high-pressure business environments.
Commencing her career at Paramount Pictures two decades ago, Jolley has spearheaded numerous national television broadcasts for prominent networks, such as CBS, TLC, FOX, HGTV, Discovery, NBC, and Netflix. Her portfolio boasts an impressive array of projects, including the Emmy Award-Winning ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the Emmy-nominated ABC’s Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin, and CNBC’s Blue Collar Millionaires, as well as compelling AudienceNetwork music documentaries, among others. Beyond her contributions to television, Jolley’s prowess extends to the realm of commercial and branded entertainment, where she has worked with clients, including Chevrolet, La-z-boy, Kraft, Hilton, Marriott, and an extensive roster of brands, including her current affiliation with Camping World. Her global expeditions, documenting cultural diversity and adventure across over 80 countries have further honed her ability to tell compelling stories that resonate with audiences worldwide.
Outside of her production endeavors, Jolley serves as a regional Emmy judge, valued panelist, and guest speaker at film and TV organizations throughout the US. She is equally dedicated to philanthropic pursuits, particularly in championing the cause of orphan and foster care children globally. Her journey as an adoptee from Orange County, California, fuels her advocacy, making her a compassionate advocate for those in need.
45). Elizabeth Nix
VP, Marketing, Sally Beauty
Elizabeth Nix began her professional career 15 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President of Marketing at Sally Beauty. Through its affiliates, Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc., or Sally, is the world’s largest distributor of professional beauty supplies. Sally provides the channels that allow manufacturers of beauty supplies to reach customers, both professional and non-professional.
Nix is a dynamic marketing leader with experience in transforming brands and marketing operating models for a wide range of consumer goods across B2B and B2C. As a forward-thinking and results-driven leader, she is passionate about developing teams, building high-performing systems and campaigns, and driving business growth. Adept at value creation in growth and turnaround businesses, Nix is a trusted advisor to presidents and the C-suite, known for navigating ambiguous situations and solving complex problems in rapidly changing environments. Endlessly curious, she has a data-driven and consumer-centric mindset.
Nix first got her start in 2009 as a design house operations manager at Abi Ferrin LLC. From there, she went on to La Mode Dallas, before eventually rising to director of marketing operations at Chewy, her most recent position before joining Sally Beauty. Nix graduated from the University of North Texas with an undergraduate degree in merchandising.
46). Behnaz Ghahramani
Chief Marketing Officer, Old Navy
Ghahramani is currently the CMO at Old Navy, one of the most beloved and iconic American brands. Old Navy is an American clothing and accessories retailing company owned by multinational corporation Gap Inc.
With over 20 years of experience in transforming brands and businesses in the retail, fashion, and luxury industries, Ghahramani is a strategic and visionary global business leader skilled in building high-performing businesses and teams with experience from start-up emerging brands to multibillion-dollar global businesses.
Ghahramani has previously worked as the CMO at Stuart Weitzman, where she was responsible for the transformation of the brand and e-commerce business globally, and she has held leadership roles as VP of global brand marketing at Ralph Lauren and director of marketing at Gucci. Ghahramani has an MBA from INSEAD and a BS from GMU. She is a speaker at INSEAD, HBS, NYU, Parsons, and ESSEC.
47). Whitney Johnson
Chief Experience Officer (CXO), Pilot Flying J
Whitney Johnson serves as Chief Experience Officer (CXO) for Pilot Flying J. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot Flying J is the largest operator of travel centers in North America with more than 750 locations throughout the United States and Canada, employs more than 24,000 team members, and services over a million guests every day.
Johnson joined the company’s board of directors in 2015. She currently oversees all marketing, branding, public relations, corporate communications, and digital and loyalty strategies. She has been instrumental in making Pilot Flying J one of the most dynamic and recognizable brands across North America. Johnson is responsible for the entire guest experience with a focus on loyalty and satisfaction. Through customer research, she helps the company better understand the needs of customers.
Johnson previously served as a category manager and creative services manager for Pilot Travel Centers LLC. Prior to joining Pilot Flying J, Johnson served as assistant controller at Marriott International Hotels. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, in 2001. She has served on the board of directors for the Knoxville Museum of Art and Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, as well as on committees for the United Way of Greater Knoxville.
48). Carey Krug
Chief Marketing Officer, Abercrombie & Fitch
Carey Collins Krug is the Chief Marketing Officer for Abercrombie brands. Abercrombie & Fitch is a brand intended to make everyone feel comfortable, confident, and stress-free, like the start of a long weekend. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is a leading, global, omnichannel specialty retailer of apparel and accessories for men, women, and kids.
Krug is responsible for overseeing the 360-degree customer experience, including digital strategies, influencer marketing, brand partnerships, media campaigns, brand positioning, and social media. She joined Abercrombie & Fitch Co. from David Yurman, where she served as CMO.
Earlier in her career, Krug worked at Ralph Lauren as an SVP, overseeing the Polo Ralph Lauren brand, as well as Donna Karan as the vice president of global marketing, overseeing global brand direction for Donna Karan New York, DKNY, and DKNY Jeans. Krug graduated from Miami University with an undergraduate degree in marketing.
49). Nancy Freda-Smith
Chief Audit Executive & Global Head of Asset Protection, Ralph Lauren
Nancy Freda-Smith is the Chief Audit Executive and Global Head of Asset Protection at Ralph Lauren, a global leader in the design, marketing, and distribution of luxury lifestyle products. Freda-Smith has over 25 years of financial experience through various roles, including experience with external audit as a managing director at Deloitte and global tax compliance as the head of global transfer pricing at Ralph Lauren. She is an expert in SOX, serving the board in its annual assessment of the effectiveness of the corporation's internal controls over financial reporting. In addition, she is a member of the company's sustainability committee and a cybersecurity audit expert.
Freda-Smith is a highly versatile CPA executive with finance and governance experience in the boardroom of global Fortune 500 public entities. She has proven value through serving the board in its capacity to provide oversight of risk and believes strongly in the benefits internal audit can bring to Companies through transparency and partnerships. In addition, Freda-Smith can be designated as an audit committee financial expert, as well as a cybersecurity and ESG expert for the SEC Board of Directors.
Freda-Smith has international experience, living and working abroad in Europe and Asia. She possesses functional experience in areas of finance, accounting, information technology, internal audit, tax, logistics, sourcing, retail, and wholesale operations. She has a broad background in consumer products, wholesale, distribution, retail, e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and hospitality industries. Freda-Smith has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Boston College and is a CPA, licensed in New York and New Jersey. She is a Certified Fraud Examiner and is interested and experienced in forensic investigation.
50). Erin Urban
VP, Financial Planning & Analysis, Chico's FAS
Erin Urban is the Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis of Chico's FAS. Chico's FAS passion for fashion and desire to inspire confidence and joy have been guiding the creation of their women’s clothing, intimates, and accessories for more than 40 years. Urban is an influential leader experienced in navigating complex organizations and getting things done. As senior finance, strategy, and planning executive, as well as a business partner, she enhances efficiency across all aspects of the organization through collaborative C-level relationships and deep analytical insights.
Urban combines Fortune 120 corporate planning FP&A leadership with a divisional CFO background, possessing a keen ability to identify business drivers and foresee the impact of decisions both financially and operationally. A careful tactician, she maintains strong controls over assets, financial reporting, and corporate reputation. As a hands-on leader, Urban attracts top talent and inspires them to do great work by providing the necessary resources, mentorship, coaching, and support. She is also a skillful communicator, presenter, and financial spokesperson, capable of delivering complicated concepts to a broad audience.
Previously, Urban was a VP of corporate planning at Macy’s. Before that, she was a VP of sales analysis at Universal Music. Earlier in her career, she worked with Ballard Designs as a manager of financial planning and analysis. Urban earned an MBA in Finance from NYU Stern School of Business and an undergraduate degree in management and economics from Georgia Institute of Technology.