Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of Texas for 2024. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the diverse economy – the eighth largest economy on the globe. The primary industries in the Lone Star State range from insurance and manufacturing to healthcare and entertainment. The second largest state in the nation, real estate is also a major sector, along with professional services, energy, and IT.
This year’s honorees feature Nivera Wallani, the Global Chief Development Officer for the world's second-largest restaurant chain, KFC. Wallani oversees all store development in over 145 countries and territories and over 26,000 restaurants.
Serving AT&T since 2006, Michelle Jordan currently serves as the Chief Diversity Officer for the world's fourth-largest telecommunications company. She is responsible for leveraging AT&T’s diversity and inclusion strategy, programs, and partnerships to drive innovation and growth.
Finally, among this year’s honorees is Indu Jain, the Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Capital One. With over 20 years of technology experience, Jain leads an organization of technologists who are re-inventing the Auto Finance business by leveraging cloud, digital technologies, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Texas for 2024.
1. Nivera Wallani
Global Chief Development Officer, KFC
Nivera Wallani currently serves as the Global Chief Development Officer for KFC. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, KFC is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's. As the brand’s senior development leader, Wallani oversees all new store development, existing store redevelopment, and asset design activities to accelerate the company’s sales growth in over 145 countries and territories and over 26,000 restaurants around the world.
Wallani is a highly accomplished executive with extensive experience in change management, strategic planning, stakeholder management, and high-performance team building. Wallani is entrepreneurial at heart and commonly recognized for her impassioned approach and dynamic thought-provoking leadership that inspires action. Before her current role, Wallani was the president and general manager for KFC Canada, where she was responsible for the strategy, performance, and management of the Canadian region. Wallani also drove the Canadian business forward while serving as CFO, director, controller, and manager of financial planning. Her compelling strategic leadership led to a proven track record of sales growth, profit growth, and restaurant development growth for the KFC brand in Canada over the past 10 years. With her strategic foresight on digital off-premise sales growth, Wallani helped position KFC to be the leading digital restaurant brand in Canada.
Previously, Wallani served in various management positions. At Schneider Electric, she was the manager of financial planning. She was also the finance manager with Loblaw Companies Limited and was responsible for driving strong financial and internal control results for the organization. She started her career in assurance and advisory services at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Wallani graduated from the University of Toronto with an undergraduate degree in management and economics.
2. Michelle Jordan
Chief Diversity Officer, AT&T
Michelle Jordan currently serves as Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T. AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world's fourth-largest telecommunications company by revenue and the largest wireless carrier in the United States. As the leader of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts for the telecommunications company, Jordan is responsible for leveraging AT&T’s diversity and inclusion strategy, programs, and partnerships to drive innovation and growth.
Jordan has been with AT&T since 2006, and her previous titles included vice president of talent and leadership development, where she was in charge of heading up talent strategy and design and delivery of AT&T leadership and executive experiences, and vice president of talent acquisition. Her talents have made an impact within AT&T on teams that include product management, corporate strategy, service management, executive communications, call centers, and college recruitment.
Jordan started her career in environmental engineering. She also has a passion for entrepreneurship, which led to her own business supporting women entrepreneurs and her stint as an adjunct professor for Atlanta Technical College, teaching small business owners. A native of Saginaw, MI, Jordan is a graduate of HBCU Florida A&M University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, and Kennesaw State University, where she completed her Master of Business Administration.
3. Indu Jain
Chief Technology Officer & Vice President, Capital One
Indu Jain is the Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Capital One. She first joined the company in 2006 as an IT manager. Capital One Financial Corporation is an American bank holding company specializing in credit cards, auto loans, banking, and savings accounts, headquartered in Tysons, Virginia, with operations primarily in the US.
Jain is an executive leader with over 20 years of technology experience and a highly proven track record of leading tech organizations to deliver iconic customer and associate experiences. She currently leads an organization of technologists who are re-inventing the Auto Finance business by leveraging cloud, digital technologies, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Indu is a change maker and champions a spirit of innovation by regularly creating time and space for innovation. She is also a very strong advocate for diversity and equity in technology and plays a critical role as the leader for women in tech for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Previously, Jain was an application developer at Fujitsu Consulting. Earlier in her career, she worked with Interim Technology as an application developer. Jain earned an undergraduate degree in business and commerce from Shri Ram College of Commerce.
4. Kristy Bellows
Chief Operating Officer, Acorn International, LLC
Today, Kristy Bellows is the Chief Operating Officer of Worley, created in 2002 by members and staff of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). With over two decades of industry experience, Bellows utilizes AI to help navigate the growing firm by designing new management systems to enhance its ability to provide tailored risk and solutions guidance with enhanced efficiency to clients worldwide. She also leads business development, executes consulting services with AI teams, and oversees day-to-day operations.
Most recently, Bellows was a VP at Worley, overseeing multiple units over several years. In this role, she led client relationship and business development teams in building partnerships that delivered large-scale energy transition solutions. As VP of operations there, Bellows led the profit and loss for upstream and midstream operations, attaining significant revenue growth. Earlier in her career, she founded her own health and safety consulting firm that she ran for eight years.
Bellows started her career in 1998 as a research and teaching assistant at Texas A&M University. A graduate of Texas A&M, she received both her Master of Science in Geological Oceanography and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. She has recently delivered lectures and participated in panels concerning energy transition trends, blockchain in ESG, and Scope 3 emissions.
5. Phung Ngo-Burns
Chief Financial Officer, Catalyze
Phung Ngo-Burns is the Chief Financial Officer of Catalyze. She first joined the company in 2022. Founded in 2017, Catalyze is a leading clean energy transition company that develops, builds, owns, and operates solar, battery storage, and electric vehicle (EV) charging systems for commercial and industrial customers.
Ngo-Burns is a strategic leader with a strong grasp of core financial concepts, including cost accounting, reporting, revenue recognition, financial modeling, and forecasting. She has broad exposure to a comprehensive array of accounting, finance, control, tax, treasury, audit, and SOX activities. She has demonstrated success in delivering financial and operating solutions for commercial business development and crisis management in a highly competitive industry. Ngo-Burns is accomplished in building collaborative relationships between finance and operations, delivering significant development projects, and implementing financial strategy across the enterprise or division.
Ngo-Burns specialties include strategy, accounting, corporate governance, finance, cost control, and collaboration. Previously, she was a chief accounting officer at Keane Group. Before that, she was a senior director at Alvarez & Marsal. Earlier in her career, she worked with American Airlines as a manager of revenue accounting. Ngo-Burns earned an MBA from the University of Houston and an undergraduate degree in business and accounting from Oklahoma State University.
6. Abby Knowles
VP of Consumer Group IT Global Planning, Governance & Engineering, Verizon
Abby Knowles is the Vice President of the Consumer Group IT Global Planning, Governance, and Engineering at Verizon. Verizon Communications Inc., commonly known as Verizon, is an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate. Knowles is responsible for the planning, engineering, and transformation of software development in support of the Verizon consumer organization with a keen focus on the customer and employee.
Knowles has 25 years of experience in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry working for Verizon in various roles, including engineering, program management, operations, business analysis, and most recently software development. She has led teams across the US responsible for building and operating the wireless network. With a focus on harnessing internal and external innovation, the team delivered transformational results in areas of network energy cost optimization, integration of drones into daily operations, migration to software-defined networks, and increased operational use of AI/ML. Knowles serves on the advisory board of cybersecurity at the University of Dallas, as well as Archangel Ventures Inc. She is also a Verizon delegate to the ITU-D development sector and a mentor in their Network of Women program. She is passionate about STEM advancement for minorities and has made many contributions to organizations like the National Academy Foundation and Black Girl Rising Inc. to advance opportunities for students of color.
Knowles graduated from Morgan State University with a BSc degree in Electrical Engineering, and she has an MSc in Information and Telecom Systems for Business from Johns Hopkins. She has a Master's Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University. Outside of work, Knowles loves track and field, reading, and traveling to places with beaches. She was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and grew up on the military base there, giving her a special passion for military veterans and their families. She is married with two adult daughters and a granddaughter and is based in Dallas, TX.
7. Deidre Marshall
VP, Customer Network Support for Regional Carriers, Ericsson
Deidre Marshall is the VP of Customer Network Support for Regional Carriers of Ericsson. Ericsson is a Swedish multinational networking and telecommunications company headquartered in Stockholm.
Marshall has an extensive IT/ICT career, leading systems support, project and program management, test, development, quality, and process teams for major corporations and consulting firms. Marshall started her career in 1991 as a business systems analyst at Texas Instruments. From there, she went on to PricewaterhouseCoopers, before eventually rising to IT manager at SuperMedia LLC, her most recent position before joining Ericsson.
Marshall holds an MBA in Management Information Systems from Amberton University in Garland, TX, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. Her specialties include project and program management, IT management, IT consulting, business management, process consulting, and business analysis.
8. Neisha Strambler-Butler
Senior Vice President Human Resources, McKesson
Neisha Strambler-Butler is the Senior Vice President Of Human Resources at McKesson. McKesson Corporation is a publicly traded American company that distributes pharmaceuticals and provides health information technology, medical supplies, and health management tools. The company delivers a third of all pharmaceuticals used in North America and employs over 51,000 employees. With $263.9 billion in 2023 revenue, it is the ninth-largest company in the United States and the nation's largest healthcare company. The company is headquartered in Irving, Texas.
Strambler-Butler has over 25 years of experience as an HR professional. Throughout her career, she has worked and led in every aspect of HR. Before joining McKesson, Strambler-Butler was a vice president - total rewards at American Airlines. Before that, she was the head of global benefits and HR programs at Texas Instruments. Earlier in her career, she worked with PwC as a business assurance analyst.
Hailing from Midland, TX., Strambler-Butler holds Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting and Organizational Behavior Studies and Business Policy from Southern Methodist University, where she joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and was a cheerleader. She received an MBA from Northeastern University and pursued a Masters of Organization Development from Pepperdine Business School. A devoted wife and mother, she serves on the advisory board of Project Unity and is a founding member of the Texas Women’s Foundation Village Giving Circle.
9. Jennifer Sorenson
Vice President & Central Sector Manager, AtkinsRéalis
Jenny Sorenson is the Vice President and Central Sector Manager of AtkinsRéalis. Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-leading professional services and project management company dedicated to engineering a better future for their planet and its people. Sorenson is a results-oriented influential leader with strength in collaboration, data analytics, identifying opportunities for improvement, and leading a team to adopt and implement new solutions. She empowers teams with a united vision to enrich culture, develop talent, and optimize performance.
Sorenson started her civil engineering career with experience in technical work, fieldwork, and stakeholder engagement. She worked internationally in Melbourne, Australia, and has moved and traveled extensively around the US for work. She managed all kinds of projects – from small local projects to $500 million national programs. She has expanded beyond water resources and now wins and delivers work across all markets, including aviation, rail and transit, roadway, water/wastewater, emergency management, cities, buildings, and places. Sorenson has demonstrated success in maximizing sales, revenue, and profit. She has led operational transformation, increasing operating profit from 5.6% to 13.5% in three years. She led the integration of two business units, doubling her oversight from $121 million to $240 million in annual revenue. In her current regional role, she accelerated growth with 10% sales growth in the first year and 40% sales growth in the second year, while increasing gross margin by 3.3%.
Sorenson is a lifelong learner, having recently returned to Harvard Business School to complete the Harvard Business Analytics Program. She has an MS in Environmental and Water Resource Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and an undergraduate degree in civil engineering from the University of North Dakota.
10. Krunali Patel
SVP & Chief Information Officer, Texas Instruments
Krunali Patel is the SVP and Chief Information Officer of Texas Instruments. Texas Instruments has been making progress possible for decades. They are a global semiconductor company that designs, manufactures, tests and sells analog and embedded processing chips.
Patel is a results-oriented leader and executive with a proven track record of delivering business results and technology advancements while leading, coaching, and developing high-performing teams. She has successfully created, developed, and launched many semiconductor products by combining engineering talent with business acumen. She demonstrates skilled leadership in solving problems with simple, innovative approaches, negotiating complex business models, making strategic investment decisions in business and technology, and ensuring flawless execution in product development at a company level.
Patel is a trusted thought partner and collaborator in strategy, business, technology, and organizational development. An ardent advocate for STEAM and youth education, she is a passionate mentor and a strong proponent of developing and advancing diverse talent. She impacts her community through involvement with organizations, such as STEAM, JDRF, United Way, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Patel holds an MS in Electrical Engineering and an MA in Fine Arts. In 2017, she was inducted into the Women in Technology (WITI) Hall of Fame.
11. Katie Carver
Vice President, Global Operations NA, Iron Mountain
Katie Carver is the Vice President of Global Operations for North America at Iron Mountain. Iron Mountain Inc. is an American enterprise information management services company founded in 1951 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
Carver is directly responsible for using technology (AI-ML) in digital solutions for mailroom and office transformation and innovation for clients to work remotely or streamline antiquated processes. She leads a team of approximately 580 employees, working either in the digital solutions space or placed onsite at multi-state customer locations. Her leadership style is influenced by her time with the United States Marines, incorporating some of those philosophies. Additionally, she has studied Six Sigma and Lean Sigma, obtaining a Green Belt.
She has been in the digital solutions business since 1994 and is well-versed in various conversion types, including paper, microfilm, and microfiche to DVD, sFTP, and hard drive delivery. Carver possesses extensive knowledge in mortgage/document custody processing, collateral file management, digital mailroom, BPO, oil and gas, human resources, medical records, and insurance policy/claim scanning. Before joining Iron Mountain, Carver was a director of operations and field support at SourceHOV. Before that, she was a director of operations at HOV Services. Earlier in her career, she worked with MSCIas as an administrator and production supervisor.
12. Jackie Purdy
Corporate VP of IT Shared Services, NCR Atleos
Jackie Purdy is a well-respected leader with 30+ years of experience. She began her career in the United States Air Force, where she rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, gaining experience she still relies on today in areas including talent management, workforce planning, and talent acquisition; project and portfolio management; risk and compliance, business continuity, disaster recovery, and crisis management. Her corporate leadership experiences include several senior executive roles across multiple industries and business disciplines.
Currently, Jackie is the Corporate VP, IT Shared Services at NCR Atleos. Her responsibilities include IT talent and workforce strategy, M&A due diligence and integration, IT contract and financial management, risk and compliance, and portfolio management. Of her accomplishments in this role, she successfully supported the CIO in ensuring a seamless separation of NCR Corporation into NCR Atleos and NCR Voyix. Since the split, she has led the transformation of the IT back-office, building the foundation for growing and developing talent while adding rigor and discipline to IT processes and risk and compliance. She is also the executive sponsor of Valor, NCR Atleos’ veteran business resource group.
Prior to joining NCR Atleos, Jackie was the Chief of Human Resources and Chief Administrative Officer for the Cloud Collaboration Division of Intrado. She also held executive leadership positions at TSYS, USAA, and Bank of America. As an Air Force officer, she served in a variety of specialties to include UH-1N and HH-60G Helicopter Pilot.
Jackie holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Texas A&M University and master’s degrees in organizational management and also in military operational art and science. Jackie also serves on the Board of Directors of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Association, on the Advisory Council of the Mays Business School Aggies in Tech, and on the Advisory Council of the North Texas Region for the NCR Foundation.
13. Christina Friend
Chief Development Officer, TGR Foundation
Christina Friend is the Chief Development Officer of the TGR Foundation. TGR Foundation provides access to education and opportunities that help students discover their passions, develop foundational skills, and prepare for their futures.
Friend is an experienced strategic leader with a demonstrated history of working in cause-related marketing. She is skilled in corporate cause campaigns, corporate brand partnerships, brand activation, brand sponsorship, event strategy and execution, celebrity foundation management, and fundraising strategy. Friend has a passion for bringing brands to life through partnerships with causes. She also believes in supporting women and women-owned businesses and has co-created the LeadHERship Global podcast and organization, a community of women empowering and supporting women across all sectors and industries.
Before joining TGR Foundation, Friend was a VP of culture and people at Curis Functional Health. Before that, she was a VP at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Earlier in her career, she worked with Ernst & Young LLC as a project manager. Friend graduated from Baylor University with an MA in Corporate Communication and an undergraduate degree in corporate communication and political science.
14. Jess Bass Bolander
Vice President, Lockton Companies
Jess Bass Bolander is driven to benefit her client’s greatest investment – their people. In her role as Vice President at Lockton, she brings nearly two decades of experience in the healthcare industry to provide focused solutions that meet the unique needs of large, complex, and multi-location employers. Bolander reviews, develops, improves, and manages employee benefits strategies. Her ability to increase value for her clients and their employees is her superpower.
Her civic involvement includes serving as a board member for The Family Place and the US-Mexico Business Association (AEM). She is a member of the President's Circle at Klyde Warren Park and the Executive Women of Dallas. Additionally, she advises the Cristo Rey Corporate Work Study Program.
Bolander earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Spanish from Westminster College. She holds a life, health, and variable annuity license, as well as a property and casualty general lines license. She is also a member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Business Group on Health and DallasHR.
15. Kindel Nuño
EVP of Legal, General Counsel & Secretary, Mattress Firm
Kindel Nuño currently serves as EVP of Legal and as a General Counsel and Secretary at Mattress Firm, Inc., the nation's largest specialty mattress retailer operating over 2,400 retail stores across the country. She joined Mattress Firm in July 2012 as its sole attorney. She was promoted to EVP in January 2014. Nuño is responsible for the oversight and management of the legal, risk, compliance, insurance, and, until July 2020, internal audit functions.
Nuño regularly advises on strategic transactions and provides guidance and assistance in connection with acquisitions, marketing, merchandising, operations, safety, real estate and lease administration, commercial, corporate governance, intellectual property, employee relations, franchisee, and financing matters. She handled the public securities filings for the company from July 2012 until Mattress Firm was taken private in September 2016. In 2018, Nuño managed the Chapter 11 restructuring of Mattress Firm, including the negotiation of DIP and exit credit facilities involving parties in Europe and Africa, as well as over 1,000 lease amendments.
After graduating from The University of Texas School of Law in 2004, Nuño worked at Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, an international law firm (n/k/a Norton Rose Fulbright LLP). She spent one year on secondment in Tokyo, Japan with Mitsui & Co., Ltd., a large trading company traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. At Mitsui, she advised on oil and gas matters involving North and South America. Since January 2016, she has served on the board of directors for Children at Risk, a Texas non-partisan research and advocacy organization dedicated to addressing the root causes of poor public policies affecting children in the areas of health and nutrition, early childhood education, parenting, human trafficking, and immigration. Nuño holds a BA in Psychology and Political Science from Vanderbilt University and a JD from the University of Texas School of Law.
16. Janice Hilliard
President & CEO, Hilliard Solutions
Janice Hilliard is the President & CEO of Hilliard Solutions, an education and sports consultancy firm that focuses on helping those professionals charged with helping athletes succeed. Hilliard Solutions is centered around a proprietary 360-degree athlete development model that uniquely integrates the key disciplines impacting athletes’ life experiences while also providing direction for their comprehensive development.
Hilliard has 30 years of experience. She and her accomplished team of associates provide consulting, career coaching, athlete life skills programming, and professional development solutions for sports leaders, athlete development professionals, and educational and community organizations. Previously, Hilliard was a VP of player development at the NBA. Before that, she was an associate director of athletics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Earlier in her career, she worked with the University of Houston as an associate director of athletics.
Hilliard graduated from Michigan State University with a PhD in Educational Administration and an MA in Urban Counseling, and from the University of Houston with an undergraduate degree in health and physical education.
17. Brenda Paulsen
Chief Operating Officer, Children's Health
Brenda Paulsen has 30 years of leadership experience in academic and medical administration principally in partnership with clinical department chairs and hospital executives leading financial, human resource, and administrative activities in support of the tripartite missions of research, education, and clinical services (inpatient and outpatient). She is currently the Chief Operating Officer for the Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. She is responsible for all financial, personnel, compliance, administrative, and operational aspects of pediatric basic, clinical, translational, population, and community research administration.
At Children's Health, she was the Senior Vice President of Physician Administration. She provided comprehensive operational support and oversaw administrative functions within the Office of the Chief Medical Officer. As a hospital executive, Brenda was responsible for Children's Health research administration (clinical, translational, and population health), administrative leadership for graduate medical education and Medical Staff Affairs, the Rees-Jones Center for Foster Care Excellence, and the University of Texas Southwestern pediatric physician engagement.
Previously, Brenda held leadership positions at the University of Arizona, Duke University, and University of Michigan primarily as an administrator for Psychiatry and Medical School Administration. At all three institutions, she successfully collaborated with physician leadership, Medical School administration, and clinical operations and finance (hospital and physician practice) leadership to improve financial performance, optimize clinical operations, and reduce compliance risk. Brenda earned her undergraduate degree in Accounting with a Certificate of International Business from Arizona State University and a Master of Education, Counseling, and Human Resources (with Distinction) from Northern Arizona State University. Brenda also was awarded a Certified Public Accounting Certificate from Arizona in 1994 (currently inactive).
18. Erika Tolar
National Vice President of Sales, Forward Air
Erika Tolar is the National Vice President of Sales at Forward Air. Forward Air has been a leader in the expedited ground transportation industry for over 25 years. Their portfolio of services has evolved to meet each customer’s unique shipping needs, including expedited linehaul (TL & LTL), pick-up and delivery, intermodal drayage, pool distribution, and specialized temperature-controlled logistics services.
Tolar has extensive work experience in various roles related to sales and strategy. Starting in 2002, she worked for FedEx Services, where she held multiple positions, such as senior account executive, district sales manager, and worldwide executive. In these roles, she was responsible for leading sales teams, driving revenue growth, and managing accounts. In 2018, she joined Lean In Energy as a global mentoring director on the board of directors. In addition to her corporate roles, she also served as an adjunct faculty member at Stephen F. Austin State University's Nelson Rusche College of Business.
Tolar completed her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Stephen F. Austin State University. Following this, she received her Master's degree in Business Administration with a focus on Global Management at the University of Phoenix.
19. Alice Paik
Chief Strategic Advisory Officer, Brown Advisory
Alice Paik is the Chief Strategic Advisory Officer at Brown Advisory, an independent and private investment firm with $150 billion of assets under management and a global presence. As a partner and member of the executive team, Paik leads thought leadership for strategic advisory research, publications, and market development. When collaborating with clients, she provides advice to founders, families, family offices, fiduciaries, and institutions. She sits at the intersection of investments, strategic advice, tax planning, and fiduciary considerations.
Paik is known for her expertise in providing effective, creative, and practical solutions to growth-oriented business owners and complex clients. She thrives on being a valued member and often leading the advisory team for her clients and creating a culture that supports enduring growth, impact, and the best outcomes for clients. She regularly publishes and presents on these topics. Using her legal training focused on business organizations and taxation and her decades-long experience working with nonprofit organizations, she brings order and organization to the client-driven process of developing and managing strategic goals to completion.
Before her current role, Paik was the head of the Washington DC office and the head of the Strategic Advisory Team. Before joining Brown Advisory in 2005, she worked in the Wealth Management Group at Bernstein Global Wealth Management in Washington and the private bank J.P. Morgan. Paik earned her JD from St. John’s University School of Law and her BA from Dartmouth College. Her community involvement includes serving as a board member and member of the Finance Committee for the Andy Roddick Foundation. She is also on the planning committee for WPO Platinum II and has been recognized by Women We Admire in Austin. She has been named a top financial advisor by Washingtonian Magazine in Washington DC. Additionally, she is a member of the Economic Club of Washington and the Estate Planning Council of Central Texas.
20. Elisa Cardnell
Chief Executive Officer, Service Women's Action Network
Elisa Cardnell is the Chief Executive Officer of Service Women's Action Network. She first joined the team in 2021. The Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN) is the voice of all military women – past, present, and future. They are a member-driven community network advocating for the individual and collective needs of service women.
As a proven leader with 15 years of nonprofit and military experience, Cardnell has superior communications skills and demonstrated fundraising success. She started at SWAN as the director of operations. In this role, she managed the daily operations of a seven-person nonprofit staff, acting as the CEO’s right-hand woman, stepping in when she was unavailable during meetings, and making routine organizational decisions. She grew the SWAN Action Group to over 80 members in its first year and inspired them to take action, providing critical support to members of Congress in passing the PACT Act in the summer of 2022. Additionally, she expanded the role to include fundraising and grant writing, securing $100,000 of grant money within the first month.
Previously, Cardnell was an executive director at Moms in Office. Before that, she was an educator in the Houston area. Earlier in her career, she was an officer in the US Navy. Cardnell earned a Master of Arts In Teaching and Secondary Education and an undergraduate degree in political science from Rice University.
21. Suzie Dieth
Vice President and Chief Experience Officer, NRG Energy
Suzie Dieth is the Vice President and Chief Experience Officer of NRG Energy. She first joined the company in 2022 as senior director of customer experience. NRG stands at the intersection of energy and home services, where they are driven by the idea of a smarter, cleaner future.
Dieth is responsible for NRG’s Home Customer Experience and Insights program, spanning its multi-brand competitive retail business that provides consumer power products like electricity, natural gas, solar, and batteries. With a background in marketing and more than 25 years of experience, Dieth drives action through innovative design, development, and execution of customer and employee-centric programs. During the past 18 years at NRG, she’s led and empowered teams to understand, adopt, and advance a customer-focused culture. As a result, NRG is consistently recognized as a CX leader through industry awards from organizations, such as CXPA, Forrester, and InMoment among others.
Previously, Dieth was a director of customer experience at Reliant Energy. Before that, she was a customer experience manager at Reliant Energy Retail Services. Earlier in her career, she worked with EXAMCO as a marketing manager. Dieth holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Orleans and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Louisiana State University, and she is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP).
22. Jolene Weinstein
President, PorchLight Real Estate Group
Jolene Weinstein serves as the President of PorchLight Real Estate Group, leading a dynamic team of professionals committed to excellence. Joining PorchLight in February 2024, Weinstein brings with her 12 years of experience as a prominent leader at Realty Austin, culminating in her role as COO. Her leadership is characterized by innovation, empathetic communication, and a profound dedication to the real estate industry.
Weinstein consistently pushes the boundaries of traditional real estate practices and inspires her team to do the same. PorchLight has earned a stellar reputation among top professionals who are drawn not only to its esteemed name but also to its commitment to exceptional customer service, industry-leading training, and streamlined marketing solutions that enhance agents' lives and promote work-life balance. Agents who align with PorchLight embrace its core values and uphold high standards of client care, focusing on quality rather than quantity.
Weinstein serves as a mentor and collaborator, working closely with managers to enhance their leadership skills and foster team growth. In her coaching sessions, she emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, maintaining a positive mindset, leveraging tools for insights, and continuous self-improvement. Weinstein’s dedication to understanding and bridging diverse communication and working styles contributes to the success of those around her, creating an environment, where everyone can thrive.
23. Gabrielle Bryant
Vice President, Cyber Practice Leader, Cadence Insurance
Gabrielle Bryant began her career in the insurance industry over a decade ago. Today, she is the Vice President and a Cyber Practice Leader at Cadence Insurance. Bryant focuses on the strategic and operational vision regarding how cyber exposures will impact clients, implements methodologies to mitigate emerging cyber threats, and collaborates with cross-functional teams, leveraging her insights to enhance an organization’s resilience against cyber threats.
Since joining Cadence Insurance, Bryant has been the driving force behind successfully navigating insureds through the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity and cyber liability, ensuring her clients are equipped with the most advanced and effective solutions. Previously, Bryant was a cybersecurity advisory consultant responsible for delivering targeted technical assessments and conducting cybersecurity risk assessments using industry-standard frameworks. She held the position of senior cyber broker with Aon’s Cyber Solutions Southwest team, which provided her with a strong foundation in cyber and professional liability risks, and was also an account executive and broker with the Aon Ascent team, which focuses on small to medium-sized businesses.
Bryant is a member of NAAIA (National African American Insurance Association) and SecureWorld's Southwest Advisory Council. She is an avid teacher of cyber liability and how it impacts all organizations. She has been a featured speaker at several industry events, including Hou.Sec.Con, SecureWorld Houston, Mississippi State University's iDay, and several others. Bryant earned an MSc from Saint Mary's University of MN and a Bachelor in Business Administration in Risk Management and Insurance from Baylor University.
24. Gabriella Palmeri
Vice President of Partnerships, Healthvana, Inc
Gabriella Palmeri is the Vice President of Partnerships of Healthvana, Inc. Healthvana makes healthcare better for patients. The company’s engagement platform is used to manage and communicate with patient populations, leading to better health outcomes and lower costs.
As VP, Palmeri embraces a range of responsibilities to help the company reach more patients, including building relationships with partners, customers, and local, state, and federal agencies. She plays a crucial role in informing, testing, and evaluating sexual-health-focused conversational AI. Her efforts are dedicated to enhancing patient outreach and support through innovative technology solutions.
Before joining Healthvana, Inc., Palmeri was a lead supervisory statistician at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before that, she was a business development manager at FIGS. Earlier in her career, she worked with Malibu Honey as a bookkeeper. Palmeri graduated from Pepperdine University with an undergraduate degree in biology and political science.
25. Rishi Lilly
Chief Operating Officer, Oak Street Health
Rishi Lilly is the Chief Operating Officer of Oak Street Health. Founded in 2012, Oak Street Health is a network of value-based primary care centers for adults on Medicare. With a mission of rebuilding healthcare as it should be, the company operates an innovative healthcare model focused on quality of care over volume of services and assumes the full financial risk of its patients.
Lilly has extensive experience at Oak Street Health, starting as director of partnership operations in August 2018 and progressing through various leadership roles. She served as regional vice president for Northern Indiana and Joliet, Illinois, from April 2019 to March 2020, overseeing operations in that region. Transitioning to Texas, she was regional vice president for the Dallas-Fort Worth market, managing new market entry from March 2020 to October 2020. From October 2020 to January 2022, she served as senior regional vice president for DFW and Oklahoma, expanding her responsibilities across these regions. She then advanced to south division president from January 2022 to January 2024, overseeing Oak Street Health’s operations in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and Alabama.
Lilly started her career in 2010 as an analyst in life sciences and healthcare services at Egon Zehnder. From there, she eventually rose to group healthcare operations manager at DaVita Kidney Care, her most recent position before joining Oak Street Health. She graduated from Stanford University Graduate School of Business with an MBA and from the University of Chicago with an undergraduate degree in economics.
26. Lisa Brantley
Head of Client Consulting & Executive Search, Americas, Mercuri Urval
Lisa Brantley is Head of Client Consulting and Executive Search in the Americas at Mercuri Urval, a leading HR consultancy working with over 3,000 clients in more than 50 countries each year. Brantley has devoted her career to executive search, client relationship management, and business leadership. She has executed over 500 searches and consulting engagements, uniquely equipping her to offer a high level of expertise, insight, and value to her clients’ organizations.
Brantley engages in a collaborative and consultative approach and has successfully placed leaders at the CFO, COO, chief auditor, vice president, and practice leader levels. She works with a broad range of clients – from small start-up PE-backed companies to high-growth middle-market organizations to large public companies. Previously, Brantley spent several years with a global leadership development company, where she delivered educational training for many prominent organizations, including Walmart Corporation, Airgas, The Department of the Airforce, and Tyson Foods, as well as other organizations across various business sectors. She has delivered training to thousands of business professionals and has been commended for her energy, passion, and insight.
Brantley began her career with a real estate investment firm, where she oversaw its business, accounting, and human resource operations. She earned her BS from LeTourneau University, where she graduated summa cum laude, and she completed the Professional Human Resources Development Program at Rice University.
27. Sabrina Harrison
Creative Director, MINT Dentistry
Sabrina Harrison is a dynamic entrepreneur renowned for her multifaceted achievements across various industries. As the Creative Director at MINT Dentistry, her innovative designs have transformed over 140 dental practices nationwide. She also oversees creative direction for MINT Orthodontics, PURE Oral Surgery, PURE Dental Academy, and Saint Apollonia management group. Her keen eye for design and flair for fashion have earned her recognition as a member of the prestigious VOGUE 100.
In addition to her contributions to the dental industry, Harrison is the President of TRUE Music Label, a venture she co-founded with her husband, Field Harrison. Through TRUE Music Label, she continues to push creative boundaries and support emerging artists, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Harrison is deeply committed to philanthropy, serving on nonprofit boards and championing causes related to children, homelessness, and at-risk youth. As Chair of the Executive Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star, she tirelessly advocates for positive change in her community. Balancing family, business, and philanthropy with grace, she continues to inspire others to pursue their passions and make a meaningful impact in the world.
28. Karine Clay
Chief Executive Officer, Higher Potential for Learning
Dr. Karine Clay is a seasoned psychologist, organizational health consultant, and the CEO of Higher Potential for Learning (HPL), a consulting and training organization that helps educational and corporate clients foster a positive, diverse, and inclusive workplace culture. With over 15 years of experience, she is passionate about promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), positive psychology, and inclusive leadership in various settings and sectors.
She collaborates with human resource teams to analyze job performance, design and facilitate staff development programs, and increase work satisfaction, employee morale, and stakeholder connectivity. She also leverages her extensive credentials and expertise in industrial and organizational psychology, health psychology, multicultural education, and online, hybrid, and blended learning methods to provide evidence-based solutions and strategies for enhancing organizational health and performance. She has created and guided staff development initiatives for clients such as UWI-Roytec, Winsome Wishes for Kids, Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Education, Holy Faith Convent, and Bishop Anstey School.
29. Dolly Kripalani
Head of Digital Transformation, HR, onsemi
As the Head of Digital Transformation for HR at onsemi, Dolly Kripalani has expertise in business intelligence, identity management, integrations, enterprise systems, application development and support, cloud management, and ERP. She is recognized for investing in cost-effective new technologies to ensure both the company and employees remain competitive, fostering a positive and collaborative work culture, and communicating complex technical information clearly.
With a strong interest in leading IT for privately held or publicly traded oilfield services or energy companies, Kripalani has a history of partnering with executives to improve financial, human resources, and IT systems and planning tools. Her experience with growth and downturns allows her to quickly focus on new priorities as business strategies change. Her strengths include a focus on results, strategic thinking, problem-solving, analytical skills, change management, business acumen, motivating employees to exceed goals, and building strong relationships with executives, colleagues, and business partners.
Kripalani has a BS in Mathematics and Statistics and a BS in Computer Science. She is also a member of Chief, a private network designed for the most powerful women in executive leadership to strengthen their leadership, magnify their influence, and pave the way to bring others with them.
30. Bristi Cure
Senior Vice President of Development, Invenergy
Bristi Cure is the Senior Vice President of Development of Invenergy. She first joined the company in 2008 as a consultant. Invenergy is a leading global privately-held developer and operator of sustainable energy solutions. Cure plays a pivotal role at Invenergy, overseeing the development of renewable generation projects across the Southern US region. With a robust 15-year career at the company, she has achieved remarkable milestones, including the development of over 2800 megawatts of wind energy currently operational or under construction in ERCOT and SPP, alongside 1500 megawatts of solar projects.
Cure’s expertise extends across various critical domains within renewable energy development. She navigates complex development strategies across multiple independent system operators, strategically manages interconnection processes and queue management, and secures project financing through sophisticated power purchase agreements and build-transfer structures. Additionally, Cure excels in negotiating tax abatements and fostering local economic development opportunities. She meticulously oversees project due diligence, executes real estate transactions, including title management and ALTA processes, and ensures rigorous environmental, engineering, and permitting standards are met. Moreover, her adeptness in managing relationships with landowners, communities, and governmental bodies underscores her comprehensive approach to sustainable energy project management.
Previously, Cure was an early college start coordinator at Vernon College. Earlier in her career, she worked with Texas Tech University as a graduate assistant for institutional advancement. Cure earned an MS in Agricultural Education and an undergraduate degree in agricultural communication from Texas Tech University.
31. Nidhi Bagri
VP of Sales & General Manager - Airlines IT - Sabre Corporation
Nidhi Bagri is the VP of Sales for Travel Solution in the Airline IT space at Sabre Corporation, a software and technology company that powers the global travel industry. Bagri has more than 20 years of experience in the enterprise software industry. She leads Sabre Travel Solutions for the Airline industry in NA and Canada. Before Sabre, Bagri worked in various leadership roles at Microsoft and its partner network, Oracle, Anaplan, and PROS. She led the Sales and Solution Consulting teams within Planning, Dynamic Pricing, and Digital Transformation software applications in her most recent roles.
Bagri is a leader who puts people first. Her success in building high-performance sales and account management teams in business software, SAAS, and Cloud computing is a testament to her people-oriented and relationship-building approach. As an experienced and talented negotiator, she has a solid track record in business development and has demonstrated the ability to facilitate successful interactions and contract negotiations, even in situations requiring dispute resolution.
Bagri is passionate about driving revenue and building customer-obsessed, effective teams. She believes in collaboration, both internal and external. Through her career and various roles at Oracle and Anaplan, she has been instrumental in executing go-to-market plans with a strategic vision for scalable growth. Outside of her professional life, Bagri is a woman of many passions. She loves to travel and explore the world with her family, a testament to her adventurous spirit. In the kitchen, she finds joy in cooking and sharing a good bottle of wine with her husband of almost 20 years. As a dedicated mother of two daughters, she cherishes her family time.
32. Lynn Costlow Langston
Senior Vice President of Customer Experience, PosiGen
Lynn Costlow Langston is Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at PosiGen, a market-leading organization that provides solar energy solutions to underserved communities across America, aiming to reduce energy costs and environmental impact. Langston is an experienced customer-focused executive leading business strategy and operations teams within Fortune 500 companies. She enjoys building employee engagement and leveraging customer insights to drive business results within and across multiple channels.
Langston has extensive consulting and corporate experience leading C-level account management, multi-site contact centers (native and outsourced), and multi-channel operations teams. She motivates and leads workforces through large-scale product and technology initiatives that require re-design and adaptation of customer-impacting jobs, and processes tools. She marshalls the resources necessary to address customer adoption, satisfaction, and engagement issues, resulting in clear accountability and consistent customer success.
Langston is passionate about women in leadership and is a board member of 4Word, the only national organization led by women, serving professional women with faith. She is also a community volunteer at TangoTab. Langston holds a Master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the University of Tulsa.
33. Lily Bain
Vice President of Client Services, HealthHelp
Lily Bain is a distinguished executive leader in the healthcare industry, known for her results-driven approach and unwavering commitment to the success of clients, payers, and providers through innovative managed care contracting and strategic planning. As Vice President of Client Services at HealthHelp, Bain brings comprehensive expertise in end-to-end account management processes. Her oversight spans account management, contracting, clinical programs, operations, technical implementations, revenue cycle management, pipeline management, and P&L oversight.
Bain is renowned for her ability to cultivate trust and foster relationships within organizations through engagement, collaboration, and effective communication, coupled with a deep understanding of the competitive landscape. Her purposeful, data-driven approach and exemplary leadership, characterized by empathy, compassion, and mentorship, distinguish her as a transformative leader. She possesses extensive expertise in contract writing, interpretation, negotiations, financial and data analysis, trend identification and mitigation, and value-based care (VBC) pricing strategies.
Before her current role, Bain made a significant impact in the specialty laboratory space, leading national industry forums on federal healthcare reform initiatives and managed care contracting strategies. She spearheaded campaigns targeting community providers and Congress members, successfully lobbying State Medicare and Medicaid Administrative Contractors (MACs) to overturn two Medicare Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs). In the early 2000s, she was instrumental in developing bundled payments with physician and hospital associations, helping to pioneer value-based care in the Texas market. Outside of her professional endeavors, Bain enjoys traveling, gardening with her husband, and spending quality time with her son.
34. Ezinne Okoro
Global Chief Client & Culture Strategy Officer, VML
Ezinne Okoro is the Global Chief Client and Culture Strategy Officer of VML. VML is a global powerhouse born from the unification of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R, two of the world's most powerful and accomplished creative agencies with complementary capabilities and geographic strengths.
As an advocate for innovation and inclusion, Okoro has embraced leadership roles at the nexus of collaboration with C-suite executives and multifaceted business functions. Her journey is defined by catalyzing change, nurturing organizational evolution, spearheading initiatives in learning and development, and fostering vibrant, inclusive communities. She is driven by a profound commitment to sustainability, community engagement, and forging impactful partnerships. Her dedication lies in driving forward-thinking initiatives that foster growth and inclusivity within organizations and communities alike.
Okoro started her career in 2005 as an audit associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers. From there, she went on to Viacom, before eventually rising to global chief inclusion, equity, and diversity officer at Wunderman Thompson, her most recent position before joining VML. Okoro graduated from Howard University with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
35. Ioana Bazavan
Security Managing Director, Accenture
Ioana Bazavan is a Managing Director in Accenture’s global security practice. With 26 years of experience in security assessment, organization design, large program management, and managed security operations, she leads Accenture’s security business in the Communications, Media, and Technology industry group for North America, as well as the global high-tech security business.
Bazavan is known in the security industry for her collaborative, pragmatic, and scalable approaches to large strategic problems and acts as a trusted advisor and executive coach to her clients and colleagues. In recent years she has led multiple major security breach recoveries for global companies. She is a published author on the topics of integrating security into the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and developing an effective security organization and function on a realistic budget. She is also a highly sought-after career and executive coach, empowering her clients to effectively navigate, lead through, and progress their careers in the ever-increasing complexities of corporate leadership.
Bazavan served as the chief information officer at Rogue Embroidery from January 2013 to March 2021, overseeing technology infrastructure and driving growth strategies in custom garment decoration. Before this, she held the role of IT senior manager at Safeway, Inc. from May 2004 to August 2010, focusing on IT-wide initiatives to improve deliverable quality. Earlier in her career, she developed her security and leadership acumen at Accenture in a variety of hands-on roles. Bazavan has two BS degrees in Mathematics and Marine Biology from UCLA and holds a Leadership Coaching certificate from Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership. She is also holds an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) accreditation from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). In her spare time, Bazavan is an avid scuba diver, DIYer, animal advocate, and brass musician.
36. Amy Ward
Vice President of Marketing, BP
Amy Ward is the Vice President of Marketing of BP Architects, a fully insured and licensed New York-based architectural firm specializing in commercial and residential new construction and development, adaptive reuse, and historic preservation.
Ward is a versatile business professional with extensive international experience across multiple industries, including luxury retail, staffing, entertainment, and technology. Her expertise spans client relations, sales, project management, and marketing. She has a proven track record in building and managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders, crafting effective business and marketing strategies, and executing successful event management initiatives. Ward’s proficiency also includes project management and team supervision, ensuring high standards of execution and delivery across various business functions. Her diverse skill set and global experience contribute to her ability to drive growth and innovation in dynamic and competitive environments.
Ward previously served as head of retail sales and marketing at BP Architects from June 2013 to August 2014 in the San Antonio, Texas area. In this role, she was responsible for managing profit and loss and overseeing sales, business development, marketing, retail operations support, and retail site systems. During her tenure, she successfully oversaw the delivery of $1.1 billion in annual franchise store sales and managed a yearly volume of 1.2 billion gallons of fuel. She also led a team of 80 professionals specializing in B2B sales, marketing, and operations. Ward graduated from Butler University with an undergraduate degree.
37. Ashlee Foltz
Vice President of Compliance, Hims & Hers Health, Inc.
Ashlee Foltz is the Vice President of Compliance at Hims & Hers. Hims & Hers Health, Inc. is the leading health and wellness platform on a mission to help the world feel great through the power of better health.
Foltz is a compliance and regulatory risk leader, strategic business partner, and innovation champion with expertise leading in both fast-growing startups and publicly traded companies. She brings together people, ideas, and processes to creatively address compliance challenges. She thrives on creating frameworks to support scaling while staying true to the organization’s values. Before joining Hims & Hers, Foltz was a chief compliance officer at Emtiro Health. Before that, she was a founder and CEO at ACF Consulting Solutions. Earlier in her career, she worked with the University of Dayton as a law clerk.
Foltz holds a JD from the University of Dayton School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Centre College. She is a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional and holds a certificate in International Business Ethics from Xavier University Williams College of Business.
38. Maricela Bassler
Chief Brand Officer, BB’s Tex-Orleans
Maricela Bassler is the Chief Brand Officer of BB’s Tex-Orleans. In November 2007, Brooks Bassler founded BB’s with the original 1,100-square-foot restaurant at Montrose and Westheimer in Houston, Texas. It was the perfect starter. She opened BB’s to create a unique brand, featuring authentic New Orleans-style po’boys and Tex-Orleans cooking with a distinct menu.
Bassler is an experienced chief officer with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. She is skilled in brand identity and development, corporate website management, content creation, campaigns, digital advertising, and brand awareness and perception. Her expertise also includes menu optimization, event management, public relations, and editing. Bassler is a strong business development professional with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
39. Shannon Buerk
CEO, engage2learn
Shannon Buerk is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of engage2learn (e2L), the leading provider of strategic implementation systems, talent development, and technology-enabled solutions for public schools since 2011 and a valued partner to over 300 districts across North America. Listed as Inc. 5000’s 2022 America's Fastest-Growing Companies, 55th in Education, engage2learn harnesses the power of implementation science through a proprietary process and technology to help schools solve their most complex problems and achieve ROI on curriculum, technology, and facilities investments.
Educator turned entrepreneur, Buerk has emerged as a thought leader on educational leadership, organizational culture, and systems thinking. She recently published Connect the Dots: Utilizing Education Intelligence to Accelerate Growth, Retain Talent, and Optimize Outcomes to help public schools modernize and measure professional growth to create insights that save time and money and enhance results. Previously, she served as a high school English teacher, assistant superintendent, strategic planning consultant, and learning environment design consultant.
Buerk received her undergraduate degree from Schreiner University, where she played collegiate basketball and her graduate degree from Portland State University. Due to her mission to make the neighborhood school the first choice for every family and her creation of a stellar culture and accelerated growth in e2L, Buerk has been the recipient of numerous awards, including 2017 Stevie Female Executive of the Year, the 2018 Stevie Most Innovative Women in Education for Technology, The 2018 Golden Bridge Awards Female Executive of the Year, and the Texas Small Business Award.
40. Gina Kilchenman
Senior Vice President of Sales, Highgate
Gina Kichenman is the Senior Vice President of Sales at Highgate, a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in US gateway markets, including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco, and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Kichenman is a pragmatically tenacious hospitality sales leader who thrives as an INFJ personality in an ESTP-dominated arena. Known for mentoring and listening, she is equally adept as a team player and a decisive, methodical strategist who can work autonomously. Her passion lies in creative resilience, continually overcoming challenges in innovative ways. As a lifelong learner, she pursues knowledge and growth both personally and professionally.
Kichenman started her career in 2006 as a catering sales manager at Sheraton Bloomington at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. From there, she went on to Sherman Associates, before eventually rising to regional director of sales at Aimbridge Hospitality, her most recent job before joining Highgate. Kichenman graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with an undergraduate degree in business management, music, and English.
41. Dana Taylor
Vice President of QA/QC, Lone Star Hazmat Response
Dana Taylor is the Vice President of QA/QC at Lone Star Hazmat Response. Lone Star Hazmat Response specializes in responding to roadside emergencies and is contracted with the Texas Department of Transportation. Taylor's unique experience in the nonprofit sector, which fostered her expertise in the areas of leadership, growth, and organization, makes her a valued asset to Lone Star HazMat.
Taylor began her career at the Boys & Girls Clubs of East Texas as a part-time mentor. In 2004, she graduated from The University of Texas at Tyler with a Bachelor of Business Administration, with an emphasis in Marketing. In 2005, she was chosen to attend the prestigious Boys & Girls Club Advanced Leadership Certificate Program at Clemson University. The next year, she was charged with overseeing all nine of the Boys & Girls Clubs of East Texas’ Afterschool Programs on Tyler Independent School District campuses. In May of 2006, Taylor accepted a position as the CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County in Brenham, Texas. While serving in Brenham, she put together a team and programming that improved the club’s impact on the community and increased membership. In 2008, she and her team opened a new club in Burton, Texas, under the umbrella of the Washington County Club. She also served as a certified trainer for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and traveled throughout the US training staff members of local Boys & Girls Clubs.
In 2010, Taylor returned to Tyler with one goal – to venture into new fields of business using the skills she learned in the nonprofit world. She began working for Acme Oilfield Services as the office manager and quickly caught on to the fast-paced world of the oil industry. In 2017, she moved into the hazmat industry with the newly acquired Lone Star HazMat Response.
42. Odessa Jenkins
Chief Executive Officer, Bonfire
Odessa Jenkins is a successful tech and sports executive. She is the Chief Executive Officer and a board member for Bonfire. Bonfire accelerates talent development for women in order to accelerate business.
Jenkins is the founder of the Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC), an in-demand global speaker and coach, and the founder of multiple nonprofits, including, Got Her Back. As a disrupter in tech, Jenkins was a member of the executive team for YourCause, a Texas-based tech and philanthropy company that exited to Blackbaud for $157 million. In addition to her tech background, she has built one of the premier sports leagues in the country, creating opportunities, inclusion, and equity in football for women and girls. She was an inaugural participant in the NFL’s first Women’s Career in Football Forum and is one of the first women to obtain the coveted Bill Walsh Diversity Internship in an on-field position.
Featured on NBC, Sports Illustrated, Essence, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, NFL Network, The Undefeated, and more, Jenkins was recognized as one of the most influential and powerful women in sports by Sports Illustrated, was voted as Culture in Sports 2022 Sports Leader of the Year, and was a 2023 Recipient of The 2023 Leigh Steinberg Denicola Humanitarian Award. In 2024, she was recognized by Essence as one of the top 25 Black women changing the world of sports. Heralded as one of the top inclusive leadership experts in the country, Jenkins is determined to create equity in the world for all.
43. Neena Newberry
Chief Executive Officer, Newberry Solutions
Neena Newberry has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Newberry Solutions LLC since May 2008 in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area. Her primary focus has been on developing high-performing leaders through executive coaching, particularly for leaders at the VP level and above. She has democratized access to leadership development through the innovative New Lens platform and conducts group leadership skill-building programs and workshops aimed at enhancing business outcomes and preparing individuals for promotion.
With a background as a former "Big 4" consultant and Master Certified Coach, Newberry brings over 25 years of experience to her role. Her passion lies in fostering the growth of companies by empowering leaders, especially women. She is also dedicated to collaborating to make a positive impact within the community. Newberry previously served in leadership roles at Deloitte, including the director of the HR strategic projects team and senior manager of the next-generation initiatives.
Newberry has volunteered on multiple committees for the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and served as a board member and Executive Committee member for Dallas Children's Theater. She is currently a board member for the Texas Women's Foundation, a mentor to digital healthcare startups for the TMC Innovation Institute, and an advisory board member for Texas Woman's University.
44. Adelle Archer
Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Eterneva
Adelle Archer is a Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Eterneva. Eterneva celebrates remarkable people and pets by turning their ashes into diamonds. They help personalize the diamond via color, cut, and inscriptions, so they serve a meaningful connection to the person behind it.
Previously, Archer was the head of product marketing at TrendKite. She built the Product Marketing Management (PMM) function there, overseeing the design of the go-to-market process, crafting the company's messaging and positioning strategies, developing detailed buyer and firmographic personas, establishing a robust sales enablement function, and conducting comprehensive market research to gather competitive, market, and customer insights. Before joining TrendKite, Archer was a senior product marketing manager at Bigcommerce. Earlier in her career, she worked with Tiossan as a business developer.
Archer was recently featured on Inc's 30 under 30 list. She earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the Acton School of Business and an undergraduate degree in political science from McGill University.
45. Allison Allen
Chief Human Resources Officer, Transwestern
Allison Allen is the Chief Human Resources Officer of Transwestern. Transwestern is a privately held real estate firm providing agency leasing, tenant advisory, capital markets, asset services, and research to owners of commercial real estate.
Allen has a robust background in human resources, encompassing the entire employee experience. Her focus has been on crafting and executing human capital strategies that align workforce management with overarching business objectives. Central to her approach is maintaining a strong emphasis on employee engagement and its significant impact on retention and productivity. She firmly believes in fostering a sense of belonging as a powerful catalyst for cultivating a dynamic organizational culture.
Allen started her career in 1999 as a telecommunications recruiter at TEKsystems. From there, she went on to Ernst & Young, before eventually rising to chief human resources officer at Orchard Global, her most recent position before joining Transwestern. Allen graduated from Southern Methodist University with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
46. Gita Varagoor
Director, Learning & Development, Optimal Strategix Group, Inc.
Gita Varagoor is the Director of Learning and Development of Optimal Strategix Group, Inc. OSG is a global technology and analytics provider that delivers outcomes on customer engagement to Fortune 500 clients with the help of leading analytical technologies and world-class global resources.
Varagoor has worked collaboratively with physicians and faculty in medical and health professions for over 20 years to influence their strategic vision and actions. She has been a leader in cross-functional teams and helped institutions achieve their strategic objectives. She has served as a medical educator at the University of Texas Houston Medical School, a director and associate professor of distance education at Regis University’s College for Health Professions, and a visiting scholar at the University of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Lakshmi graduated from the University of Houston with an EdD and from Claremont Graduate University with an undergraduate degree in international studies.
47. Abby Alford
Director of Transaction Management, CBRE
Abby Alford serves as a Vice President at CBRE, where she provides strategic real estate consulting and brokerage services in Houston and around the country. Alford partners with clients to execute complex real estate goals and objectives. Her specialties include corporate headquarter office leases, site selection, lease restructuring, and land asset acquisitions and dispositions.
Alford joined CBRE in 2013 as a project manager, where she focused on working with clients to define project scope and budgets coordinate the delivery of architectural, engineering, and construction services and ultimately relocate when necessary. She later went on to be the facilities management account lead for a client with a 10.4 million SF portfolio. Alford leverages her project and facilities management experience to successfully provide brokerage services for her clients in all real estate matters.
Outside of the office, Alford proudly serves on the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Board and the Habitat for Humanity Northwest Harris County Board and is a fierce advocate for female empowerment. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, especially her two young daughters.
48. Stephanie Cox
Director of Business Development, Enertis Applus+
Stephanie Cox is the Director of Business Development for Enertis Applus+, a global consulting and engineering firm for renewable energy projects and storage solutions. Her expertise lies in identifying strategic business opportunities, as well as assessing and improving the company’s marketing and sales operations. Cox is responsible for developing and maintaining Enertis’ customer satisfaction and services while building long-term relationships with clients, partners, and vendors.
Before joining Enertis, Cox was the manager of global business development at Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc., a zinc-based, energy storage manufacturing company. At Eos, she established the company’s Sales Channel Partner Program and created new revenue streams from C&I and utility clientele. Before Eos, she spent eight years at AlsoEnergy, an edge-to-cloud portfolio management SaaS company for renewable energy projects. Her initial roles there included product management and sales before quickly being tasked with managing global business development, centered around strategic partnerships. Hired as the ninth employee, she was fundamental in the rapid growth and revenue success that aided in the company’s transformation from a small shop, privately owned startup to one of the world’s leading renewable energy SaaS platforms. During her time at AlsoEnergy, the company brought on four acquisitions, project deployments in over 40 countries, and an international team that grew to over 300 employees.
Cox holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in environmental science with a focus on renewable energy systems engineering and sustainability. Her passion for sustainability and energy drives her motivation to innovate and contribute to technological solutions that foster a carbon-free society, enable grid resiliency, and reduce waste issues on a global scale.
49. Julia Amponsah-Gilder
Director of Student Assessment, Houston ISD
Julia Amponsah-Gilder stands as a beacon of educational excellence, weaving a narrative of passion and expertise in her illustrious 23-year career. She started on her journey as an English as a second language (ESL) teacher. Amponsah-Gilder’s trajectory has been marked by a series of extraordinary leadership milestones that have left an indelible mark on the landscape of education. Currently holding the pivotal role of Director of Student Assessment and serving as the District Test Coordinator (DTC) for the Houston Independent School District (HISD), Amponsah-Gilder operates at the nexus of educational leadership and policy, acting as a vital liaison between the district and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). In this capacity, she navigates the intricate web of assessments, curriculum impact, and test security, contributing to the dynamic educational landscape of the largest school district in Texas.
Beyond her administrative prowess, Amponsah-Gilder’s influence resonates on a national scale. Collaborating with the Council of Greater City Schools (CGCS), she champions the cause of urban schools and advocates for inner-city students through impactful avenues, such as legislation, research, and media relations. Her efforts extend beyond the confines of her district, reflecting a commitment to shaping the broader discourse on educational policies that impact students in urban settings. Amponsah-Gilder’s ascent to leadership has not gone unnoticed. A former HISD superintendent acknowledged her transformative impact on the Student Assessment Department, commending her dedication to excellence since assuming the role of DTC in 2013. Her visionary leadership has not only left an enduring legacy within HISD but has become a model for educational transformation and innovation.
Academically, Amponsah-Gilder is a trailblazer. Armed with a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston, she continues to pursue a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at Lamar University, showcasing an unwavering commitment to personal and professional growth.
50. Molly Coughlin
Public Relations Manager, Heidrick & Struggles
Molly Coughlin is the Public Relations Manager of Heidrick & Struggles. Heidrick & Struggles International Incorporated is an international executive search and management consulting company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The firm also has a consulting practice focused on leadership and shaping corporate culture.
Coughlin worked as an account executive at Edelman from February 2021 to May 2022. Before that, she served as an earned media coordinator at Saatchi & Saatchi from September 2018 to February 2021 in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She interned at The Power Group from January to May 2018 and at the George W. Bush Presidential Center from September 2016 to May 2017, both in Dallas. Additionally, she interned at the United States Senate from May to July 2016 in the Washington DC metro area.
Coughlin graduated from Southern Methodist University with an undergraduate degree in public relations, strategic communications, corporate communications, and public affairs.