Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Chief Experience Officers of 2024. The Chief Experience Officer, or CXO, for a company or organization, is responsible for delivering a cohesive, positive experience for customers across all touchpoints. This executive enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty, overseeing the design and implementation of strategies that improve the user experience.
Among this year’s honorees, we congratulate Kristin Ebert, the Chief Experience Officer of Mercy, a highly integrated, multi-state healthcare system, including more than 50 acute care and specialty hospitals. A marketing executive with nearly 25 years of experience, Ebert has expertise in a consumer-centric approach to the marketplace.
Next, we honor Carrie Birch, an executive known for improving customer and employee satisfaction, loyalty, trust, and engagement. Birch serves as the CXO of Huntington National Bank, a financial institution she’s served for over a decade.
Finally, we acknowledge the career of Sarah McKenna, the Chief Experience Officer for the Boston Red Sox. Serving the team since 2002, McKenna has led the planning and execution of Red Sox Nation's most significant moments.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Chief Experience Officers of 2024.
2. Tiffani Sossei
SVP and Chief Experience Officer, Mondelēz International
Tiffani Sossei is a highly accomplished and results-driven business technology leader, currently serving as the Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Experience Officer at Mondelēz International. Mondelez International, Inc. styled as Mondelēz International, is an American multinational confectionery, food, holding, beverage, and snack food company based in Chicago. With over 15 years of experience in technology and business strategy, Sossei has established herself as a trusted advisor to C-level executives, driving innovation and digital transformation across organizations. She brings a wealth of expertise in various areas, including e-commerce strategy and implementation (both B2C and B2B), business intelligence, customer insights, program management, business process optimization, marketing strategy, and operations. Her broad skill set enables her to bridge the gap between technology and business needs, aligning them to create impactful solutions.
Sossei has a diverse background in multiple industries, including retail, insurance, financial services, and software development. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a remarkable ability to manage and deliver large-scale enterprise applications and technology solutions in complex environments. Her track record of success speaks for itself, as she consistently achieves desired outcomes while navigating intricate challenges. Her proficiency in strategic planning, coupled with her meticulous approach to execution, has positioned her as a leader in driving digital innovation. Sossei is well-known for her customer-centric mindset and her commitment to delivering exceptional experiences. She is passionate about building and maintaining effective cross-divisional relationships, as well as fostering strong partnerships with external vendors. Sossei’s ability to collaborate and engage stakeholders enables her to develop comprehensive strategies that align business objectives with customer needs.
Before joining Mondelēz International, Sossei was an SVP of enterprise digital technology at Procter & Gamble. Before that, she was the CIO for the Bottling Investments Group at The Coca-Cola Company. Earlier in her career, she worked with IBM as a technology specialist. Sossei graduated from New York University with a Master’s degree in Systems and Management and further from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with an undergraduate degree in legal studies and management.
4. Gladys Lowe
Chief Experience Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals
As Chief Experience Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals, Gladys Lowe leads the organization’s efforts to champion patient rights and advocacy through a disciplined approach to the design and delivery of patient experience. NYC Health + Hospitals is the nation’s largest public healthcare delivery system. In this role, Lowe supports understanding patient and family needs, creating connections between patients and staff. She plays an integral role in facility relationships between patients and staff by holding the organization accountable for providing outstanding services.
Lowe holds bachelor’s degrees from the Universities of Yaounde and University of Douala, Cameroon, in political science and business management and is a Certified Coach with Erickson Coaching International. She is Certified in Patient Advocacy, Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI), Bioethics and Humanities, and Lean Management. Lowe is also a certified French Medical Interpreter and has a conversational command of Spanish.
As a lifelong supporter and participant in the arts, Lowe is actively involved and collaborates with community artists to enrich patient and staff personal journeys. She believes in the power of the individual voice and expression in and through the arts. Lowe is originally from Cameroon, West Africa, where she discovered her passion for traditional dance. African dance is rooted in her upbringing as a celebratory fashion and is a symbol of her traditional heritage. She trained in her native country and other West African countries. Currently offering folkloric West African Dance classes in Pleasantville, New York, she engages students in discussions about dance, culture, and the power of artistic expression in society. Her program provides a complete body workout while giving students the freedom to express themselves to the powerful beat of live drumming.
7. Lesley Wilson
Chief Experience Officer, UC San Diego Health
As Chief Experience Officer of UC San Diego Health, Lesley Wilson oversees the research, design, and implementation of initiatives and programs that improve the experience of patients, guests, and team members at UC San Diego Health. UC San Diego Health and Health Sciences has been caring for the community and producing physicians for more than 50 years.
Wilson was instrumental in implementing Leading the Way, an immersive experience for team members focused on Unifying, Connecting, Seeing, and Discovering within the UC San Diego Health community. She joined UC San Diego Health in 2015 and most recently was the associate chief experience officer. She brings more than 25 years of experience in building service excellence programs to her position.
Wilson has extensive expertise in leading and developing team members, leading large technology implementations and related process improvement, as well as teaching and training. Before joining UC San Diego Health, she served in various leadership roles at Sharp HealthCare. She achieved her Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from UC San Diego and holds a Master of Arts in English from the University of Kansas and a BA in English from the University of San Diego.
8. Laura Irvine
SVP & Chief Experience Officer, Texas Health Resources
Healthcare veteran Laura Irvine serves as Chief Experience Officer for Texas Health Resources, accepting this role in April 2022. Texas Health Resources is one of the largest faith-based, nonprofit health systems in the US. As a senior executive vice president, Irvine oversees system efforts to partner with consumers for a lifetime of health and well-being to enhance the overall consumer experience, develop new products and services, and facilitate a unified strategic roadmap and related priorities across the entire Texas Health ecosystem.
A longtime leader in the Dallas-Fort Worth healthcare market, Irvine grew her career at Methodist Health System in a variety of roles from administrative resident to hospital president and then on to executive vice president of integration and alignment. She’s also worked as chief administrative officer for Medical City Healthcare’s North Texas Division. Most recently, she served as executive vice president and chief network strategy officer at Baylor Scott & White. In addition to leading strategy for those three health systems, she has deep operational experience, including developing strategic plans and value-based purchasing arrangements, in addition to working with physicians.
Irvine is a Waco native and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Baylor University. She also holds a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University.
11. Susan Nathan
Chief Experience Officer, Southern New Hampshire University
Susan Nathan is the current Chief Experience Officer at Southern New Hampshire University, a private, nonprofit, accredited institution and one of the fastest-growing universities in the nation. In this role, Nathan is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the student experience, from admissions to financial aid to student success. She is also a member of the university's executive team and works closely with the president to develop and implement strategic initiatives.
Nathan has extensive experience in financial services and debt management, having served as chief operating officer and senior vice president at American Student Assistance for over 20 years. She is a high-energy, high-impact executive who excels at driving broad transformation initiatives, instilling operational excellence, positively influencing organizational culture, and executing complex, multi-stream endeavors to drive growth and results. She is the conductor, using her strong collaboration and relationship-building skills to ensure team alignment and success. She has deep experience in the deployment of innovative solutions and progressive technologies to create an exceptional customer experience.
Before joining American Student Assistance she was a director of product development and operations at ASA Services. Earlier in her career, she worked with Lesley University as a financial aid officer. Nathan received their Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Brown University.
13. Jennifer Baron
Chief Experience Officer, UC Davis Health System
Jennifer Baron is the Chief Experience Officer at UC Davis Health. UC Davis Medical Center (UCDMC) is part of UC Davis Health and a major academic health center located in Sacramento, California. In addition to formalizing the experience roadmap, Baron's focus is on elevating the voice of patients and employees, educating ng on why it matters to be truly patient-centered, and empowering people and teams to deliver great experiences through living the UC Davis Health values. In her role, she provides direct oversight to patient and guest relations, spiritual care services, volunteer services, and the experience design team.
Previously, Baron was executive director of experience design at Indiana University Health, where she was responsible for the development and implementation of a multi-year customer experience strategic plan to support the organization's journey toward consumer and patient centricity. Baron has been recognized for her work in developing a patient and family feedback model that makes it easy for patients to provide insights and co-design processes impacting care experiences alongside healthcare providers and staff.
Baron has 28 years of experience in healthcare, improving access and experiences of both patients and providers. She holds a degree in communications from Ball State University and is a Certified Patient Experience Professional.
14. Molly Long
Chief Experience Officer, Crunch Fitness
Molly Long is the Chief Experience Officer of Crunch Fitness, where she is responsible for driving enhancements to the membership experience and improving the entire member journey. Crunch Fitness is a US-based brand of over 400 franchised and corporate-owned fitness clubs located in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, and Australia.
Long has a longstanding track record for leading transformational change for large organizations, including 7-Eleven, where she oversaw all design-related activities for the physical store and the member experience. At Crunch Fitness, it’s her job to advance the overall membership experience and satisfaction at Crunch, from sign-up to daily visits to their gyms, all while driving brand growth and success. Long’s passion for the member experience and her track record of delivering exceptional results make her the ideal candidate for this position.
Her previous experience at 7-Eleven, where she founded the Store Evolution group, will be beneficial in reshaping the member experience, launching innovations, and overhauling the company’s store design standards. Long graduated from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management with an MBA in Finance, Marketing, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship and from Southern Methodist University with an undergraduate degree in business administration, financial consulting, and marketing.
View the complete list of awardees.
15. Jeanine Bias
Chief Experience Officer, Sam Houston State University
Jeanine Bias is the Chief Experience Officer (CXO) in the Office of the Provost for Sam Houston State University (SHSU). SHSU is a public research university in Huntsville, Texas. Founded in 1879, it is the third-oldest public college or university in Texas and one of the first normal schools west of the Mississippi River and the first in Texas.
Bias has spent her entire professional career in higher education administration, including student affairs, compliance, and academic affairs. In her current role, she works with university stakeholders, reviews goals, values, and day-to-day practices, and better aligns them to the university mission. As CXO, she aims to create a community, where members of the organization understand how they can contribute to the organization’s overarching priorities and enjoy collaboration among multiple areas of the organization. Her responsibilities include devising strategies and policies to help the institution create positive, meaningful student experiences. Her role comprises planning, overseeing, and developing programs that allow the organization to cultivate a student-centric culture by formulating intentional access, retention, and success initiatives. She also supports university leaders and hiring supervisors at all levels regarding efforts to recruit and retain faculty and students from a broad range of backgrounds, including the development of faculty success initiatives.
Bias’s passion for civic engagement and student development has motivated her throughout her career spanning almost 20 years. She has a wide range of experience and expertise in multiple areas of higher education, including admissions, recruitment, leadership development, advising/mentoring, event coordination, diversity, compliance, and policy development and implementation. Bias is recognized as a subject matter expert and consultant in several topics, including organizational change, hiring (and retaining) underrepresented groups, unconscious bias, and inclusive best practices. Originally from San Antonio, Bias is a proud alumnus of Sam Houston State University and Texas Southern University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration respectively. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with loved ones.
19. Colette Dahl
Chief Experience Officer, Unicity International
Colette Dahl is the visionary Chief Experience Officer at Unicity International, spearheading cutting-edge brand strategy and product innovation. With over 20 years in marketing and product development and 15 years in direct selling, Dahl excels in crafting experiences that resonate with both customers and entrepreneurs.
Her talent for leading and inspiring cross-functional teams, coupled with her creative and strategic vision, keeps Unicity ahead of the curve in the health and wellness space. Dahl skillfully transforms customer insights into groundbreaking experiences that empower individuals to achieve their potential and enhance their lives. Under her leadership, Unicity’s customer-centric approach drives a thriving brand dedicated to combating the metabolic health crisis.
Dahl's mastery of customer behavior, combined with a knack for compelling storytelling, creates a distinctive product and brand experience that sets Unicity apart. Passionate about health and individual empowerment, she is committed to making Unicity a powerful platform for positive change.
21. Michelle Rivers
Chief Experience Officer, Renasant Bank
Michelle Rivers has extensive experience in various leadership roles in the field of human resources and organizational development. Rivers is the Chief Experience Officer at Renasant Bank, where she is responsible for integrating customer and employee experience and leading organizational development. Renasant Corporation is the parent of Renasant Bank, a 120-year-old financial services institution.
Before her current role, Rivers was the chief human resources officer at BrandBank and director of human resources at Horizon Software International, LLC. Rivers also has experience as a consultant and worked at Lewis James Professional, where she implemented initiatives related to organizational effectiveness and talent management.
Earlier in her career, Rivers held executive positions at Wolverton & Associates, Inc. and Turner Broadcasting. She began her career at Regions Financial Corporation, where she served as senior vice president of human resources. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a strong focus on building high-performing teams, enhancing employee engagement, and driving organizational growth. Rivers graduated from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business with an undergraduate degree in finance.
24. Sarah McKenna
Chief Experience Officer, Boston Red Sox
Sarah McKenna is the Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer for the Boston Red Sox, an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. McKenna is charged with creating the overall fan experience and atmosphere of Fenway Park and oversees Red Sox Productions. She joined the team in 2002.
During her time with the team, McKenna has led the planning and execution of Red Sox Nation's most significant moments, including championship ring ceremonies, Boston Marathon tributes, and the celebration of David Ortiz's career in 2016. She also oversaw the Fenway Park centennial celebration in 2012, which included books, a National Geographic documentary, and "Fanfare for Fenway," a score by composer John Williams that is still heard across the ballpark today. McKenna was instrumental in establishing Fenway Park as a Living Museum and the creation of Red Sox Winter Weekend. She is a trailblazer in promoting social justice, equity, and inclusion within the Red Sox organization. She has been at the forefront of initiatives aimed at fostering a more diverse and inclusive environment for all at Fenway Park. McKenna created a campaign called "B United" for the club's Minor League affiliates to ensure a message of inclusion permeated the places, where the next generation of players and managers in the game are being groomed.
In 2017, she played a key role in the creation and implementation of "Take the Lead," a first-of-its-kind alliance between Boston's six major professional sports teams designed to combat racism in and around sports. Before joining the Red Sox, McKenna worked with the Portland Rockies and was the government relations manager for the San Diego Padres. She is originally from Springfield, MA, and graduated from Providence College.
26. Jill Gutterman
Chief Experience Officer, CompTIA
Jill Gutterman is Chief Experience Officer at CompTIA, a premier nonprofit trade association dedicated to the global technology industry and workforce. With over 2,000 member companies, 3,500 business partners, and millions of current and aspiring tech professionals relying on CompTIA for training, education, and professional certifications, Gutterman plays a pivotal role in enabling these stakeholders to gain the confidence and skills they need to thrive in the tech industry.
Gutterman is a distinguished leader in the digital landscape, with over two decades of experience contributing to renowned companies, such as Adobe, 3M, UnitedHealth Group, and Target. Her expertise is optimizing customer relationship management, enhancing user experiences while maintaining cost-effectiveness, and driving engagement and conversions. Jill's commitment to making technology accessible and fostering diversity and inclusion, along with her exceptional skills, have been instrumental in driving business growth and ensuring customer satisfaction. Beyond her accomplished leadership, Gutterman also excels as a seasoned executive coach, adept at guiding and mentoring individuals striving for excellence in the fields of technology and business.
Gutterman has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, magna cum laude, from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and is pursuing a master’s degree from Harvard University with a projected graduation date in January 2028.
27. Felicia Dyer Johnson
Chief Experience Officer, MJHS Health System
Felicia Dyer Johnson is the Chief Experience Officer for the MJHS Health System. MJHS is a large not-for-profit health system in the Greater New York area. Their range of health services includes home care, hospice and palliative care for adults and children, rehabilitation, and nursing care.
Johnson joined Elderplan in 2011 as the director of MLTC and MAP. Since then, she has held increasingly senior positions overseeing product management, quality, service operations, and project management. During the past several years, Johnson has invested in understanding and meeting the needs and expectations of their members. These important efforts have led to improved plan benefits and programs that help increase member access to care, such as reducing cost sharing for drugs, care for diabetics, and placing greater emphasis on the need to complete preventive screenings. She has also worked to address social determinants of health, especially during the pandemic, including adding groceries as a benefit and offering members increased access to telehealth, including essential psychological and emotional support.
Johnson advocated on behalf of the business decision to invest in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology (Salesforce) and has supported its implementation. During her tenure with the plan, she has focused on increasing member engagement and loyalty, through health fairs and a mobile health unit. Most recently, she championed the re-emergence of their member-to-member program. Johnson has also taken on a leadership role in the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts. Before joining Elderplan, Johnson was a project manager and administrator of merger integration and director of operations at VNSNY. Johnson's bachelor’s degree is from the University of Pennsylvania and her master’s degree is from Harvard University’s School of Public Health.
29. Krisha Buehler
Chief Experience Officer, BELAY
Krisha Buehler is the Chief Experience Officer at BELAY, one of the nation's leading virtual staffing companies. She leads client relations, talent acquisitions, and operations to help thousands of business leaders achieve new levels of success by leveraging the support of BELAY’s services.
Buehler believes the key to business success is through the company's greatest asset, the people. Her passion for people and process simplification fuels her "work smarter, not harder" mentality. Buehler’s ability to create high-performing, engaged, and results-driven teams by aligning talents and power skills ensures individuals are working in their optimal areas of the organization. As a positive disruptor with a curious mindset, she is always looking for innovative and efficient solutions to maximize potential and results.
Buehler joined BELAY in 2014 and previously served as the chief people officer at BELAY, overseeing human resources. She resides in Cincinnati, OH, and earned her undergraduate degree from Ohio University.
View the complete list of awardees.
32. Kristin McEwen
Chief Experience Officer, YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta
As Chief Experience Officer for the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Kristin McEwen leads day-to-day operations, strategic direction for membership, program initiatives for health and wellness, and program services partnering with staff leadership, key volunteers, and strategic partners to ensure mission advancement through positive community impact and experience. The YMCA of Metro Atlanta is an association of volunteers, members, and staff, open to and serving all, with programs and services that build spirit, mind, and body.
McEwen has been a catalyst for positive change within the Y for more than three decades. Her career began at the Bainbridge Y as an Operations Director in 1989 never imagining this work would end up as her lifelong career and passion. McEwen's journey through the Y has allowed her to be a part of the best cause-driven programs the Movement has to offer. During her over 30 years with the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, she has served in leadership positions in health and wellness at the J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family Y, Operations at Robert D. Fowler Family Y, and Executive Leadership at the Cowart and Sanders Family Y's. She has also provided leadership to Health and Wellness, Membership, and Aquatics for the association increasing program impact, innovation, and overall experience.
McEwen has established impactful strategic partnerships with community organizations, developing Winship at the Y Cancer Survivor program with Emory, Parkinson's Movement classes, Shepherd's Center head and injury program, and CareSource and PeachState for the Y’s across the state of Georgia. She holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alabama.
34. Tracey Fields
Chief Experience Officer, Facility Image Design, Premier Automotive
Originally from Louisiana, Tracey Fields went to Mississippi to pursue her college degree. Having grown up around dealerships working summers for her auto dealer father, she was drawn to the automotive industry; so upon graduating from the University of Mississippi, she accepted a job at a local dealership working for a general manager who later bought his dealership who hired Fields as one of four employees. Through success, hurricanes, acquisitions, industry downturns, Covid, and inventory shortages, over the last 25 years, Fields has been a constant in the growth of Premier Automotive. As a member of Premier’s corporate office, she serves as CXO and image compliance for a group of over 40 locations and 12 manufacturers.
Fields has extensive automotive training focused on developing the customer experience with growing success in reputation management, along with a wealth of best practices for the daily operations of the stores. She holds multiple manufacturer certifications, is the recipient of several dealership excellence awards, and has served as both a member and officer on Manufacturer Advisory boards. Her goal is to serve as a resource to the dealerships while still learning and adapting to the industry. Fields leads all facility image construction projects for both ground-up and remodels of the dealerships utilizing her experience and skill to provide professional, customer-friendly environments to the public and employees.
Fields is the Founder of Premier Women In Leadership established in 2021, which aims to invest in and retain female colleagues in all areas of the dealership. She has participated in several panel discussions on automotive and will continue to utilize her voice to support women in this industry. Moving forward, she hopes to grow her role with the company she has invested her career in and serve her colleagues in reaching their goals.
37. Coretta Wallace
Chief Experience Officer, Zeal Credit Union
Coretta Wallace has served as the Chief Experience Officer at Zeal Credit Union, headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, and has led teams of talent in the areas of retail banking, lending, business intelligence, teleservices, and marketing.
With over 20 years in the Credit Union industry, Wallace has engaged both teams and consumers through the areas of marketing and communications, business development, lending, technology, strategy, retail banking, and consumer experience, as well as talent management and engagement. Further, she has served as a culture strategist, a leadership developer, and a passion chemist in her areas of expertise and consultancy. She leads with passion and thrives on enthusiasm for creating an exceptional human experience.
In addition to her passion for helping others reach their greatest potential, Wallace is well-versed in the areas of financial services, including payment solutions, digital experience, real estate lending, and retail banking. She’s skilled in digital marketing, SEO, integrated marketing, brand development, and content creation.
41. Dawn Selke
Chief Experience Officer, Paradigm Health
Dawn Selke is the Chief Experience Officer at Paradigm Health, a hospice and palliative care company. Paradigm Health offers a unique combination of hospice and palliative care services to Indiana. With a decade of dedicated service, Selke journey at Paradigm Health began in business development, educating the community, referral sources, and families on the benefits of hospice and palliative care.
Motivated by a desire to make a meaningful impact on the company’s strategic direction, Selke transitioned to her current role, where she has played a pivotal role in shaping the comprehensive experience of all stakeholders, including patients, families, referral sources, and Paradigm Health team members. Selke leads purpose-driven initiatives that enhance satisfaction for both internal and external stakeholders. She ensures that every touchpoint reflects the compassionate and professional values of Paradigm Health. She brings a blend of professional expertise and personal dedication to her role, making a significant impact on the lives of those served by Paradigm Health.
Selke started her career in 2001 as a sales and personal trainer at LifeTime Fitness. From there, she went on to Reis Nichols, before eventually rising to a marketing director role at Little Caesars Pizza, her most recent position before joining Paradigm Health. Selke graduated from Indiana University Kokomo with an undergraduate degree in business management.
43. Meggan Schwirtz
Chief Experience Officer, St. Cloud Financial Credit Union
Meggan Schwirtz is the Chief Experience Officer of St. Cloud Financial Credit Union, a local not-for-profit committed to creating a meaningful difference for members and the community. Schwirtz has over 10 years of experience in the financial industry. She started in 2011 at Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union. She served there as a member advisor, vendor manager, and branch manager. After that, she was an associate vice president of branch experience for Great River Federal Credit Union. She was appointed to her current position in February 2022.
Schwirtz has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Vennard College. She is a board member of the MN Crypto Council, a position she has held since August 2022. She serves as a lead mentor at The Power of People Leadership Institute, starting in September 2023. Additionally, she is a finance director and board member of the Vennard College Alumni Association. She was the ambassador co-chair for the Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism from April 2017 to December 2020, focusing on economic empowerment.
45. Mary Rowan
Chief Experience Officer, Solimar
Mary Rowan is the Chief Experience Officer of Solimar. Solimar Systems provides workflow software to organizations around the globe that print and digitally produce communications. In her current role and as a principal founder, Rowan’s focus is on developing and executing Solimar Systems’ go-to-market and customer and partner engagement strategies.
Rowan has been in the production printing and customer communications delivery industry for over 30 years. She brings her journalistic and marketing expertise to Solimar Systems to build and extend their global footprint. She works closely with Solimar’s Customer Advisory Council members and distribution channel partners on growth strategies and unique initiatives that enable long-term financial benefits and enduring B2B and B2C relationships.
Rowan represents Solimar Systems at numerous events around the globe throughout the year and is a frequent presenter and panelist sharing her in-depth, first-hand industry insights.
47. Dani Raper
Chief Experience Officer, Clive Coffee
Dani Raper is the Chief Experience Officer of Clive Coffee. Founded in 2008, Clive Coffee sells luxury home espresso machines and accessories, operates a personalized coffee subscription service, and runs a virtual coffee school. Raper oversees the customer experience at Clive Coffee, an e-commerce company that retails high-end home espresso equipment. She specializes in marketing operations, managing the website (Shopify), Hubspot (CRM), Yotpo (Loyalty, SMS, and reviews), GMB, GMC, and all paid media.
Raper manages all the inbound digital marketing, SEO, content, and strategy, including product pages, blog posts, video and image assets, and social strategy. She is also instrumental in optimizing marketing automation through email marketing and workflows, contributing to a seamless and effective customer engagement approach.
Raper started her career in 1999 as a manager of client services at LoopNet, Inc. From there, she went on to Apartment Guide), before eventually rising to director of B2B product management at RentPath, her most recent position before joining Clive Coffee. Raper graduated from UC Santa Barbara with an undergraduate degree in geography.
View the complete list of awardees.
48. Lauren Hayes
Chief Experience Officer, Jaid
Lauren Hayes joined Jaid as Chief Experience Officer in 2023. Jaid is an AI-powered platform that identifies and extracts critical data from across diverse company and customer communications.
Hayes is a targeted and visionary executive leader who drives client excellence across large client-facing teams, balancing innovation and pragmatism to achieve positive outcomes and growth. She delivers results through problem-solving, relationship-building, and championing employee engagement. In her current role, Hayes champions the customer experience for all facets of client engagement post-sale, including onboarding, training, customer support, and customer success.
She moved to the early-stage start-up after 10 years at FIS, where she held various leadership roles ranging from risk and information security and regulatory compliance to M&A and global operations. Hayes spent the last five years at FIS as a VP in the global client engagement organization, leading various CX and client relations teams focused on client product training, product onboarding, client support, client communications, and reporting and governance. She also served as chief of staff to the chief customer officer. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Management from the University of Florida.
49. Bridgette Penel
Founder, Chief Experience Officer, IN+PLENTIFUL
Bridgette Penel is a distinguished leader in Customer Experience (CX), celebrated for her human-centered approach and mission-driven leadership. With over two decades in the software and FinTech sectors, she has consistently driven impactful changes in CX.
Bridgette's career began with leading and shaping software innovations, guiding her to roles where she championed customer-centric models for product and experience delivery. Her tenure is marked by the successful launch of numerous products that have significantly enhanced livelihoods. Notably, she spearheaded a groundbreaking financial equity platform for the hospitality industry, earning her the accolade of Inspiring Female FinTech Leader at the New York Stock Exchange. This platform revolutionized income distribution for restaurant workers, showcasing her commitment to equity-focused innovation.
Throughout her career, Bridgette has been recognized for building and scaling CX teams and shaping product strategies that resonate deeply with users. She has partnered with multiple Fortune 100 companies, leading value creation through innovative behavioral technologies and customer success strategies. Her work has garnered numerous industry awards for excellence in customer experience and product innovation.
Currently, as the Founder and CEO of IN+PLENTIFUL, Bridgette is dedicated to combating the burnout epidemic among women. This lifestyle brand focuses on making self-care a normalized, accessible, and integral part of women’s lives. Bridgette’s leadership at IN+PLENTIFUL reflects her lifelong dedication to human-centered design and her passion for creating experiences that make a meaningful difference.
50. Robin Zaccardo
Chief Experience Officer, Six Red Marbles
Robin Zaccardo is the Chief Experience Officer of Six Red Marbles. She first joined the company in 2014 as VP of operations. Six Red Marbles (SRM) is the largest provider of editorial content development, project management, production services, and Learning Experience Design in the United States. Their business is built to excel across services, including curriculum design, course/content development, and media development.
Zaccardo has extensive work experience in various roles and industries. She started her career as a real estate agent at Prudential Edna Kranz Realty, where she conducted market research and guided customers through the purchasing process. She then transitioned to Mullen, where she worked as an account executive and successfully launched the NASCAR RacePoints program, acquiring over 900,000 participating fans. After that, she joined New Balance as a marketing intern, where she led the creation of a loyalty program and provided strategic recommendations for footwear opportunities. Zaccardo then moved on to One to One Interactive as an account supervisor, overseeing client accounts. She later joined Sapient as a senior associate program manager, leading teams in projects such as website redesigns and banner campaigns. Zaccardo then joined Fullbridge as a general manager, where she played a key role in creating a collaborative business education program.
Zaccardo attended the Questrom School of Business at Boston University, where she earned both an MBA in Marketing and an MS in Information Systems. Before that, she completed a Bachelor of Science in Marketing at Bentley University.
View the complete list of awardees.