Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of Chicago for 2024. In recent years, Chicago has been named the second-best city in the world, according to a Time Out survey of over 20,000 people around the globe. In addition to a thriving social scene, eclectic dining options, and affordable housing, Chicago also boasts one of the most diversified economies in the country, compared to other large cities.
Some of the top industries that make up the economy of The Windy City include finance, technology, life sciences, manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation. Leading the way in these advanced sectors are women executives and business leaders at the top of their games, including healthcare leader Linda Finkel. As the CEO of AVIA, the nation’s leading network of healthcare organizations, Finkel has been leading high-growth businesses to success for more than 20 years.
Next, we acknowledge the storied career of manufacturing executive Jaime Krapec Licht. She is the Executive Vice President of Harbortown Industries, a leading international manufacturer of home decor products. With a degree from the International Academy of Design and Technology-Chicago, Krapec has expanded her skill set throughout her career, including a unique mix of global sourcing, strategic business development, resource allocation, financial analysis, and team building.
Finally, we honor the accomplishments of experienced operations leader Pegi Wheeler. As the SVP of Operations at LastPass, a pioneer in cloud security technology, Wheeler is passionate about building strong teams, while helping millions of users organize and protect their online lives.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Chicago for 2024.
1). Brigette Wolf
Chief Marketing Officer, My/Mochi
Brigette Wolf is the Chief Marketing Officer of My/Mochi, a premium ice cream wrapped in a pillowy sweet dough for dual texture delight. Wolf is an innovative, solutions-oriented, forward-thinking disruptor of the snacking space. She is committed to reorienting the way the world views snacking by making it a more holistic and wellness-oriented experience.
Coming from nearly two decades of work in marketing with experience in CPG training and investment banking, Wolf brings a diverse set of experiences to the table. She specializes in P&L management, global innovation, customer marketing, and channel development, and she has managed P&Ls totaling over $200 million while leading global cross-functional teams. Some of the leading brands that Wolf has worked with include Oreo and DiGiorno. Previously, Wolf had multiple leadership roles at Mondelēz International. She served as the global head of SnackFutures innovation, the company’s most advanced innovation program to pioneer aggressive global growth. She played a critical role as an architect of the multi-functional ecosystem, utilizing the skillsets of top internal talent in collaboration with cutting-edge external partners across the globe, paving the way for the future of snacking.
A few of Wolf’s top qualities as a global leader include being a visionary, empathetic leader, strong analytical mindset, excellent interpersonal and written communication skills, problem-solving, and a passion for having a collaborative approach to developing organizations that prioritizes human connectedness and intentional culture. She is considered a catalyst for growth. Wolf earned an MBA in Strategy, Marketing, And Organizational Behavior from Northwestern University and an undergraduate degree in finance from The Wharton School.
2). Rebecca Bayles
Managing Director, Deloitte Digital
Rebecca Bayles is the Managing Director of Deloitte Digital. At Deloitte Digital, they connect brands with the right strategies and tools to create great impact, connecting people, ideas, technology, and capabilities in innovative ways to help their clients tackle their biggest challenges. In this capacity, Bayles is responsible for leading and growing Deloitte Digital’s NetSuite practice, DigitalMIX asset-enabled services, and Customer Operations Talent Group.
Bayles is a technology advisor with over 15 years of experience as a leader in enterprise digital transformation. She focuses on helping technology clients optimize their middle and back-office operations so their organizations can scale for growth. She first joined Deloitte Digital in 2014 as a manager, focusing on experience platforms. She was promoted to senior manager and then to her current leadership role.
Previously, Bayles was a senior project manager at ERP Guru, a NetSuite Solution Provider. Before that, she was a director of operations and project management at EnabledSuccess Inc. Earlier in her career, she worked as an IT program coordinator and teacher. Bayles earned an undergraduate degree in English and literature from Queen's University.
3). Lucy Brady
President, Snacks & Grocery, Conagra Brands
As President of Snacks and Grocery at Conagra Brands, Lucy Brady combines innovative strategic thinking, operating discipline, and a collaborative, inclusive leadership style to build strong brands, and a winning team that delivers outsized market performance. Brady holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she ranked in the top 10% of her class, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Before Conagra Brands, Brady was chief digital customer engagement officer for McDonald’s Corporation. She led the development and commercialization of digital strategies that helped transform the customer experience across 36,000 restaurants worldwide. Her team works to harness technology to reshape those experiences and make a meaningful impact on the business. She joined McDonald’s following more than 20 years of experience advising some of the world’s largest consumer, retail, and franchise businesses. As a managing director and senior partner in Boston Consulting Group’s global consumer practice, she advised on developing consumer-centered growth strategies and performance improvement opportunities. Before that, she worked in brand management, consulting, and portfolio management roles with General Mills, Monitor, and Trammel Crow Ventures.
With a passion for developing and mentoring people, Brady is a member of The Chicago Network, an organization of Chicago’s most influential women leaders committed to empowering the next generation of women leaders.
4). Katerina Mallios
VP, Revenue Cloud, Salesforce Revenue Cloud
Katerina Mallios has over a decade of experience as a leader in the quote-to-cash industry. Presently, she serves as the Vice President of Revenue Cloud at Salesforce. Salesforce Revenue Cloud helps people take control of revenue growth across every channel.
At Salesforce, Mallios leads a mid-market sales organization, specializing in serving communication, media, and technology customers across AMER. Throughout her career, she has committed herself to assisting organizations in achieving IPO readiness, shaping effective M&A strategies, and seamlessly introducing innovative processes often accompanied by new product launches. Furthermore, Mallios is the co-founder of the Women in Quote to Cash organization, a notable initiative that brings together approximately 150 accomplished female executives. This platform provides a space for these leaders to engage in discussions centered around career acceleration and technology strategy, fostering valuable insights and connections within the industry.
Mallios started her career in 2011 as a social media and marketing manager at EOS Systems. From there, she eventually rose to an application sales manager at Oracle, her most recent position before joining Salesforce Revenue Cloud. Mallios graduated from Babson College with an undergraduate degree in business management and marketing.
5). Tracie Morris
Chief People Officer & Executive VP, Human Resources, Corewell Health
Tracie Morris is the Chief People Officer and Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Corewell Health. She is integral in developing inspirational and innovative people strategies that propel the organization forward to thrive in a vibrant and inclusive culture. She champions programs related to learning, development, recruitment, retention, culture, and well-being.
Morris is passionate about people and transformation. In her 30-year career, she has led culture transformation, and human resource automation and executed inclusion and talent strategies. She previously served as senior vice president US chief human resources officer and chief inclusion officer for BMO Financial Group, leading a human resources team dedicated to making BMO Financial a great place to work with a thriving and diverse culture. She led a culture overhaul, restructured compensation and benefits plans to reduce turnover, and established an inclusion strategy. In her senior leadership roles for Exelon Corporation, she focused on talent strategies, culture transformation, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Morris serves on the boards of Leadership Greater Chicago, North Central College, and Talent First. She is also a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, Executive Club of Chicago, CHIEF, and the Chicago Club. In 2024, she was named a Notable Leader in Human Resources by Crain’s Grand Rapids Business and one of the Most Influential Executives in Corporate America by SAVOY Magazine.
Morris earned her Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communications from North Central College and her Master of Science in Management Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University. She received a certification in labor relations management from the University of Michigan, a human resources management certification from Aurora University, and an organization design and effectiveness certification from the Center for Effective Organizations.
6). Rathna Koka
Executive Director, JP Morgan
Rathna Koka is the Executive Director of JP Morgan, a leader in investment banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. Koka has 25 years of experience. She is a uniquely qualified patent attorney with a successful track record in basic and applied research, intellectual property strategy development, and patent law. Identified as one of the world’s leading IP strategists in the 2015 edition of IAM 300: A Guide to the World’s Leading IP Strategists, she is an inventor and author with several peer-reviewed publications and issued patents.
Before joining JP Morgan, Koka was a patent attorney at Brinks Gilson and Lione. Before that, she was a senior associate and associate technology principal of IP strategy at Mondelēz International. Earlier in her career, she worked with Kraft Foods as a scientist, where she delivered significant productivity savings and revenue. At Kraft, she developed methodologies for the invention-to-protection process, competitive technical intelligence mapping, and IP strategy development.
Koka graduated cum laude from the John Marshall Law School in 2014 and was admitted to the Illinois State Bar to practice before the USPTO. During law school, she served as an editor of the Law Review. She also has a PhD in Microbiology, Enzymology, and Biotechnology from Utah State University.
7). Kari Hedges
Senior VP, Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association
Kari Hedges is Senior Vice President of Commercial Markets and Enterprise Data Solutions at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). The Blue System is the nation's largest health insurer covering 100 million people, including one in three of all Americans.
In leading BCBSA’s Commercial Markets and Enterprise Data Solutions, Hedges is responsible for the BlueCard program, Blue Distinction, the Blue National Doctor and Hospital Finder, BCBS Axis, PlanConnexion, and national employer solutions. Her focus is on national solutions to meet the needs of Blue customers, including consumers, employers, doctors, and physicians. This involves coordination among the independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.
Hedges has an MBA in Business Administration and Management from the University of Notre Dame and an undergraduate degree in health administration from the University of Kentucky.
8). Lisa Snyder
Executive Director, Office of the CIO, Fortrea
Lisa Snyder is the Executive Director of the Office of the CIO at Fortrea, a leading global provider of clinical development and patient access solutions to the life sciences industry. With more than 30 years of experience across operations, portfolio, project and program management, IT strategy, and application development, Snyder has extensive IT experience in retail companies for organizations, such as Constellation Brands and True Value.
Previously, Snyder was a senior director at Walgreens, where she was responsible for the technology that enables 10,000 stores to process more than three million scripts on a given day. She led application maintenance and engineering in retail pharmacies, healthcare clinics, and call center technologies. At Walgreens, she was also the US sponsor for the Business Resource Group and Inclusive IT. Snyder holds her PMI PMP, PgMP, and ITIL certifications. She has an MBA from Northwestern and a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois. She is also a Professional Scrum Master.
Snyder enjoys presenting on process improvement, IT strategy, managerial and leadership topics, and agile ways of working. She is an advocate for personal development and provides constructive feedback. She initiated a lunch and learn, book review program, and mentoring program, created a progression plan, and a master training program.
9). Reema Narang
Senior VP, Enterprise Strategy & Business Development, Advocate Health
Reema Narang is the Senior Vice President of Enterprise Strategy and Business Development of Advocate Health. Narang is a healthcare change leader with over two decades of progressive leadership experience across the healthcare continuum, including large health systems, national payers, and employers.
Over her career, Narang has combined strategic perspective, financial discipline, and operating experience to grow and transform healthcare. She is proficient in guiding large healthcare organizations through cost optimization and value transformation, strategic vision and implementation, physician alignment, growth through technology-enabled care models, and reimbursement shifts. A dynamic leader, Narang seamlessly transitions between strategy, business development, operations, and finance, embracing adaptability and continuous learning. Committed to the mission of healthcare and servant leadership, she is dedicated to driving positive change in healthcare delivery.
Before joining Advocate Health, Narang was an administrative officer for value-based care at Cleveland Clinic. Before that, she was a managing director of hospitals and value-based care at Cigna. Earlier in her career, she worked with GE as a financial risk analyst. Narang graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Business with an MBA in Finance and Strategy and from Delhi University with an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering.
10). Tina Azar
VP, New Business Development, EXL Health
Tina Azar is EXL Health's Vice President of Market Leadership, working to ensure EXL Health's products and services drive to the most significant value while servicing customers' needs. Using strategic planning and thought leadership, her primary focus is analyzing healthcare insights, policies, and trends and then designing and executing comprehensive and innovative programs.
Azar has over 24 years of experience in the healthcare industry, focusing on payment integrity and provider strategies. With 12 years of experience in leading sales and account management, she achieved top-in-class recognition while delivering customer and organization cost containment goals in addition to supporting as a cultural ambassador, corporate trainer, and mentor. Having served as a provider/payer resolution specialist while striving to achieve clean billing practices across multiple healthcare areas, her approach is to take a multi-perspective view of issues that impede the efficiencies and success of the healthcare ecosystem.
Azar started her career in 2000 as an account manager at Viant. From there, she went on to Emdeon, before eventually rising to client executive at Change Healthcare, her most recent position before joining EXL Health. Azar graduated from the University of Phoenix with an undergraduate degree in business administration and management.
11). Patricia Dechant
Vice President, CIBC
Patricia Dechant is the Vice President of CIBC, a leading and well-diversified North American financial institution committed to creating enduring value for their clients, team, communities, and shareholders as they activate their resources to create positive change and contribute to a more secure, equitable, and sustainable future.
With more than 30 years of experience in the investment industry, Dechant is a trusted advisor. She works with a select group of high-net-worth individuals and families, providing them with customized and comprehensive wealth management solutions. It is her goal to make certain that every individual and family has complete confidence in their financial plan and in attaining the future they envisioned for themselves.
Previously, Dechant was an institutional sales representative at the D.A. Davidson Companies. Before that, she was a managing director of institutional sales at Cortview/Pierpont. Earlier in her career, she worked with Wachovia Securities Financial Network as a regional director of institutional sales. Dechant earned an undergraduate degree in finance from Marquette University.
12). Priyanka Prakash
VP & Head of Strategy & Finance for Digital Health, RadNet Digital Health (DeepHealth)
Priyanka Prakash is the Vice President of Strategy and Finance for DeepHealth, the Digital Health Business of RadNet, Inc. (NASDAQ:RDNT), the largest provider of outpatient diagnostic services in North America. Priyanka is deeply passionate about healthcare, and in her current role, Priyanka drives Strategy and Finance for DeepHealth, which drives Clinical AI solutions for cancer screening and detection and Radiology Informatics across North America, Europe, and India.
Previously, Priyanka was a leader in the Diagnostic Imaging business of Philips Healthcare and a successful leader at McKinsey & Company. She is a published author on topics of CFO and Finance Excellence and is also a sought-after mentor for Healthcare startups.
She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (where she worked at the University hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during her MBA), and is a Chartered Accountant. She is also a TEDx speaker and a former professional Classical Vocalist who has performed at over 250 concerts across the world.
13). Annalisa Gonsalves
VP, Societe Generale
Annalisa Gonsalves is the Vice President of Societe Generale, one of the leading European financial services groups. Based on a diversified and integrated banking model, Societe Generale combines financial strength and proven expertise in innovation with a strategy of sustainable growth.
Gonsalves has 13 years of experience. She is a seasoned technical leader who manages the application DevOps functions and integrated quality management. She has solid experience with managing and supporting large technology teams across different geographies and with global multi-asset trading systems, cloud systems, trading system integration, and implementations.
Gonsalves graduated from The University of Salford with an MS in Management Information Systems and Services and from St. Francis Institute Of Technology with an undergraduate degree in information technology.
14). Margaret Honkisz
VP, Corporate Audit, LKQ
Margaret Honkisz is the Vice President of Corporate Audit of LKQ. LKQ Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is North America’s largest provider of alternative collision auto parts, and a leading provider of recycled and remanufactured mechanical parts, including engines and transmissions, all in connection with the repair of automobiles and other vehicles.
Honkisz started at LKQ in 2017 as the director of the corporate audit. She was promoted to senior director in 2019 and to her current C-suite position in 2023. Before that, she was an internal audit director of financial reporting controls for the McDonald’s Corporation. In this role, she was the recipient of the 2011 Prestigious McDonald's President’s Award (Top 1% of the Company – Awarded by CFO/CEO). She previously served McDonald’s as a financial specialist, an internal audit supervisor, and an internal audit manager.
Earlier in her career, Honkisz was an audit supervisor at Crowe, a public accounting, consulting, and technology firm with offices around the world. She graduated from Elmhurst University with an undergraduate degree in accounting and finance.
15). Sarah Quinn
Senior VP, Customer Experience, CCI Global
Sarah grew up in the Philadelphia area and received her Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from the University of Denver, Daniels College of Business. Sarah has spent her entire career in the Chicago area working in consultative sales in AI/CX/BPO/Database/Information Services areas of business. After spending 17 years with Experian as a Vice President of Sales, Sarah has focused on various private equity turnarounds and business development opportunities that have resulted in high-impact dynamic ROI/increase in bottom-line revenue for her employers. Sarah's current focus is on providing Social Impact Sourcing Solutions through AI/BPO/CX services provided to the Fortune 500 that result in moving new CX agents from poverty into prosperity along with a valid career path.
Sarah is a creative and strategic sales leader who is enthusiastic about increasing both employers' and client’s bottom lines by always providing high-impact ‘best-in-class’ customer experience, digital transformation, and AI solutions for Fortune 500. Sarah is entrepreneurial in spirit and is now focused on helping provide job opportunities in Africa which is the fastest-growing continent in the world by providing BPO/CX/AI solutions for some of the largest global brands.
CCI Global, Inc. is the premier and largest global BPO provider in Africa with 20+ locations and over 21,000 employees serving well-known companies across the Retail, eCommerce, Travel & Hospitality, Airline, Financial Services, Healthcare, Telecoms, and Media industries. As a firm that focuses on Social Impact Sourcing, CCI works to bring international roles to Africa to support job creation and digital skills development in African regions struggling with high unemployment. Services include customer care agents (many college educated with English as their 1st language), chat, text, email, and content management. CCI creates custom solutions for the best customer care experience in the world.
Sarah's #1 priority in life is spending time with her family whom she adores, traveling the globe, and cultivating her passion for writing. She splits her time between her homes in Chicago and Puerto Rico optimizing the best weather in both places.
16). Leticia Goncalves
President, Precision Fermentation, ADM
Leticia Goncalves is the President of Precision Fermentation of ADM. She first joined the company in 2020 as president of global specialty ingredients. ADM is a premier global human and animal nutrition company, delivering solutions today with an eye to the future. They’re blazing new trails in health and well-being as their scientists develop groundbreaking products to support healthier living.
Goncalves is a mission-driven, growth-driven, and high-performance team enabler. A global senior executive for a Fortune 50 company, she has over 20 years of experience in the agriculture, food, and chemical industries in Brazil, the US, and Europe. She joined Monsanto in Brazil in 1995 as an intern and quickly progressed to positions of greater responsibilities, including president for Europe and the Middle East, SVP, and US country head at Bayer Crop Science, having successfully led up to $10 billion in P&L and managed large teams of 2,500 people in 30 countries.
Goncalves earned an EMBA from the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business and an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the Universidade de São Paulo. She is active in board and industry association roles and is a strong advocate for Diversity and Inclusion.
17). Caitlin Poirier
Forensics & Legal Consulting Managing Director, Crowe
Caitlin Poirier is the Forensics and Legal Consulting Managing Director of Crowe, a public accounting, consulting, and technology firm with offices around the world. Crowe uses its deep industry expertise to provide audit services to public and private entities and is recognized by many organizations as one of the best places to work in the US.
Poirier has 17 years of experience. In her current role, she regularly assists clients with the response to federal and state government inquiries, the performance of risk assessments of internal processes and procedures, and the identification and quantification of fraud in various industries, including government, healthcare, insurance, and financial services. She has provided clients with regulatory guidance in areas, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and False Claims Act cases.
Before joining Crowe, Poirier was a dispute and legal management consulting senior associate at Duff & Phelps. Before that, she was a law clerk at The Law Offices of Alan D. Hoffenberg. Earlier in her career, she worked with PrinSource Capital Companies, LLC as a relationship manager. Poirier graduated from DePaul University College of Law with a JD in Law and from The College of St. Scholastica with an undergraduate degree in applied economics.
18). Jennie Fronczak
Executive Director, Chicago Housing Trust, City of Chicago
Jennie Fronczak began her professional career 23 years ago. Today, she is the Executive Director for the Chicago Housing Trust of the City of Chicago, the third largest city in the United States, with a population of nearly three million people.
Throughout her career, Fronczak has convened residents and community institutions to envision neighborhoods that work for everyone and continues coordinating efforts across public entities, corporations, and philanthropic partners to bring these community-driven visions to life. She is building a city-wide ecosystem of community-based organizations, public and private entities, CDFIs, nonprofits, and philanthropic corporations that leverage collective ownership to bring homeownership within reach for low- to moderate-income Chicagoans so they can begin building wealth in the communities they choose. Presently, she stewards a unique portfolio of affordable homes worth over $40,000,000 via the Chicago Housing Trust, formerly known as the Chicago Community Land Trust.
Before joining the Chicago Community Land Trust, Fronczak served with a fundraising firm for political and nonprofit organizations rooted in Black communities and subsequently led the development and marketing efforts for a community-based social service agency, as well as a community housing development organization on the west side, both of which focused on migrant and Latine populations. Previously, she served for six years with an NGO in Bogotá, Colombia, working with internally displaced children and their families, where she launched a school (pre-K-12th) and a medical clinic. Fronczak graduated from Loyola University Chicago with an MA in Social Justice and Community Development.
19). Megan McCampbell
Global Head of Learning & Development, Astellas
Megan McCampbell is the Global Head of Learning & Development at Astellas. She is a seasoned global Human Resources (HR) leader with over 20+ years of experience, specializing in leadership development, executive coaching and assessment, and connecting organizational transformation to core business strategy. In addition, her experience includes talent consulting for Fortune 500 companies. Her expertise encompasses a wide array of HR disciplines including organizational design, talent strategy, talent calibration and succession planning, change management, learning and development, leadership development, performance management, diversity & inclusion, and human capital systems.
Throughout her career, Megan has made significant impacts in various industries, including healthcare, pharmaceutical, financial services, chemical, insurance, retail, and telecommunications. She has successfully trained thousands of individuals on topics ranging from leadership development to team dynamics, leveraging her extensive knowledge and practical insights.
Megan is certified across multiple leadership assessment tools and has a proven track record of providing personalized coaching to over 500 individuals, helping them achieve their professional and organizational goals. Her strategic approach to HR management and her ability to navigate complex organizational challenges have consistently driven positive outcomes and enhanced workplace effectiveness.
Megan has served on multiple boards including the Junior League of Philadelphia, The Talent Management Executive Consortium and several closer to home including The Open Lands Associate Board and The Winter Club of Lake Forest. In each role she has leveraged her HR experience to support non-profit growth and potential. McCampbell graduated from The University of Iowa with an undergraduate degree in Spanish. In addition, pursued continued studies at Northwestern University focusing on Organizational Behavior and at The University of Chicago achieving a certification in Negotiations.
20). Paula Hunsche
Senior VP, Business Development, Acosta
Paula Hunsche has extensive experience in the marketing and media industry. She currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Acosta, where she leads the Digital Commerce Center of Excellence team to develop omni-commerce solutions for various retailers. Acosta Group fuses storied expertise, unmatched connectivity, and advanced insight to accelerate brand growth.
Before Acosta, Hunsche worked at Triad and GroupM, where she held multiple leadership roles, including vice president of strategic partnerships and vice president of Walmart partnerships. She also served as the director of sales for Walmart, where she developed a deep knowledge of each brand's business and launched new offerings. Earlier in her career, Hunsche worked at Jacobson/Rost as the executive media director and at Mindshare as the interim managing director of client leadership. Hunsche started her career at Starcom MediaVest Group as a communications architect, developing strategic media campaigns for various well-known brands. In addition to her work experience, Hunsche is a member of Chief, a private network that supports women leaders.
Hunsche holds a Bachelor's degree in Speech Communication with a concentration in PR from Miami University. She also has a Master's in Advertising and PR from DePaul University. In addition to her degrees, Hunsche obtained certifications in Amazon Sponsored Ads Accreditation and Facebook Certified Digital Marketing Associate in 2019.
21). Colleen Desmond
Managing Director & Partner, Boston Consulting Group
Colleen Desmond is the Managing Director and Partner of Boston Consulting Group (BCG). BCG partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities.
Desmond is a core member of BCG’s Payer, Provider, Services, and Systems (PPSS) practice within the North American Health Care practice. She has deep experience working at the intersection of strategy and execution with a focus on supporting clients to both define and realize their vision. Desmond has consulted with leading healthcare systems, health plans, and government healthcare entities across growth strategy, transformation, and organizational topics. She has led numerous efforts to support organizations in addressing the industry’s rapidly changing landscape, including the sites of care shifts, behavioral health integration, and alternative payment models.
Desmond graduated from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management with an MBA and from the University of Notre Dame with an undergraduate degree in political science.
22). Rebecca McCullagh
VP, Commerce Strategy, Mosaic North America
As a VP of Commerce Strategy, Rebecca McCullagh helps Mosaic clients across North America navigate the next frontier of consumer and shopper behaviors to build human-centric experiences.
Skilled in the areas of behavioral analysis, shopper anthropology, and cultural strategy, for over 18 years, she has specialized in bridging data and empathy to inspire win-win-win solutions for brands, retailers, and shoppers. During her career, McCullagh has led award-winning strategic marketing work for powerhouse brands from companies, including Nestle, P&G, Kimberly-Clark, BeamSuntory, Pfizer, and PepsiCo. Her in-depth omnichannel retailer experience spans mass, grocery, drug, c-store, and dollar.
Twice named a “Who’s Who” in Shopper Marketing Agencies and a 2023 Path to Purchase Institute 40 Under 40 Winner, McCullagh’s thought leadership efforts have been recognized within the industry and featured in publications, including AdWeek.
23). Danielle Dutcher
Director, Head of North America Talent Acquisition, Kellanova
Danielle Dutcher is the Director and head of North America Talent Acquisition of Kellanova. She first joined the company in 2021 as a global executive recruitment leader. Her tenure and progression include building teams, establishing process and best practices, leading and executing recruiting searches, workforce planning, and providing HR business partnerships in a variety of industries, including staffing and outsourced professional services, banking, investment management, commercial real estate, hospitality, retail and distribution, public accounting, technology, and consumer goods.
Dutcher is a talent acquisition leader with over 20 years of progressive experience leading national and international teams of experienced TA professionals at all levels in complex, multinational, and matrixed business environments. She has a strong focus on establishing and executing diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies, HR metrics, and recruitment marketing. Previously, Dutcher was a global director of talent acquisition at Claire’s. Before that, she was a director of talent acquisition at Cushman & Wakefield.
Earlier in her career, Dutcher worked with Northern Trust Corporation as a global talent acquisition team lead. She has a BA in Human Resources from Michigan State University, and she has an MBA from Roosevelt University.
24). Shantala Sadananda
President & Global Head of BFS, CME & Emerging Markets, Innova Solutions
Shantala Sadananda is the President and Global Head of BFS, CME, and Emerging Markets at Innova Solutions, a $3 billion global organization with over 55,000 employees and more than 50 delivery centers. In this role, Sadananda leads the transformation and innovation agenda for clients and stakeholders across various regions and industries. She is a seasoned executive with over 27 years of global experience in strategy, consulting, technology, and outsourcing, specializing in the banking, financial services, and emerging markets sectors.
Sadananda’s mission is to create value and impact by bringing in creative disruption, sustainable strategies, and outcome-driven delivery, leveraging innovative solutions and high-performance teams. She has successfully led and grown organizations and their clientele organically and through external acquisitions and mergers, advancing digital agendas and enhancing customer experiences. She is also passionate about diversity and inclusion, and she mentors and coaches aspiring leaders in business and technology. She frequently speaks, writes, and teaches at industry-specific events and executive management programs, sharing her insights and learnings accumulated over the years.
Before joining Innova Solutions, Sadananda was the global head of banking, financial services, and partnerships and alliances at Globant. Before that, she was a senior vice president at Hexaware Technologies. Earlier in her career, she worked with Reliance as a software professional. Sadananda graduated from the SSGM College of Engineering with a degree in computer science and from Andhra University with a degree in finance and business.
25). Amanda Suchecki
Assistant General Counsel & Vice President, Compliance, Heidrick & Struggles Inc.
Amanda Suchecki is the Assistant General Counsel, Americas Regional Counsel, and Vice President of Compliance at Heidrick & Struggles, a premier provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions. In this capacity, she serves as a strategic legal advisor for the firm, acting as a liaison between regional leadership and the global legal team on matters pertaining to the firm's operations, risks, and legal initiatives.
With over 13 years of experience in both private practice and in-house roles, complemented by her prior career in human resources, Amanda leads the global employment and litigation strategy for the company, developing practical, business-minded solutions and driving enterprise-wide initiatives. Recently, she assumed legal oversight for the company's AI governance program, supporting its advancement while mitigating legal risks for the company.
Amanda previously held roles as an attorney in the labor and employment litigation practice at Cozen O’Connor in Chicago (formerly Meckler Bulger Tilson Marick & Pearson LL).
In 2019, Amanda was awarded a First Chair Award for Top Assistant General Counsel. She currently serves as Membership Committee Chair on the Auditorium Theatre Auxiliary Board, as well as a mentor for the ACC Chicago’s Summer Diversity Legal Internship Program.
Amanda graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University Chicago, School of Law, and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
26). Melanie Pickett
Executive VP | Head of Asset Owner Segment, Americas, Northern Trust Corporation
Today, Melanie Pickett is the Executive VP and Head of the Asset Owner Segment for the Americas at Northern Trust Corporation, a global leader in innovative wealth management, asset servicing, and investment solutions. Pickett joined Northern Trust in January 2017, charged with creating a new line of business centered on meeting the portfolio management and technology needs of complex asset allocators around the globe.
In late 2018, Pickett led an equity investment in Parilux Investment Technology and built Northern Trust's first cloud-native software business. In early 2019, Pickett increased Northern Trust's equity stake in Parilux to a majority position and launched Northern Trust’s Front Office Solutions. Since its launch, the platform has grown to serve over $550 billion in AUM. Northern Trust fully acquired Parilux in April 2021. Pickett also serves as the global product executive for alternative investments, directing capital and strategy to the firm's investments in services for limited partners, inclusive of a multi-year digitization initiative utilizing groundbreaking machine learning capabilities. In January 2021, Pickett took responsibility for the firm's not-for-profit, healthcare, public pension, and Taft Hartley businesses, and in January 2022, she added responsibility for the insurance and large corporate businesses, as well as Northern Trust's Canada business.
Pickett brings 25 years of experience in a variety of senior leadership roles, most recently as chief operating officer of Emory Investment Management, one of the top 20 endowment investment programs in the United States. Before that, she spent over a decade managing operations and technology strategy and execution within Morgan Stanley’s Global Wealth Management division. Pickett graduated from The Wharton School with an Executive Master's in Technology Management, from the University of Pennsylvania with an MS in Engineering, and from The University of Georgia with an undergraduate degree in political science.
27). Alicia Hammersmith
Group President, Global Freight Services, Wabtec
Alicia Hammersmith is the Group President of Global Freight Services at Wabtec. She first joined the company in 2019 as general manager of Latin America and Texas operations. Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation, commonly known as Wabtec, is an American company formed by the merger of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company (WABCO) and MotivePower Industries Corporation in 1999.
Hammersmith is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in manufacturing operations within aviation, transportation, and oil and gas. A process-driven change agent, she has deep expertise in business transformation, M&A, system implementation, and operational excellence. Previously, Hammersmith was a GE aviation digital leader at GE Aerospace. Before that, she was a global supply chain leader at GE Inspection Technology, GE Oil & Gas. Earlier in her career, she worked with GE Aviation in supply chain management.
Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt and Lean Leader, Hammersmith is skilled in acquisitions, divestitures, consolidations, startups, and technology transfers. She has a degree in engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s in Business from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
28). Octavia Rolland
Executive Director of Ambulatory, Cook County Health
Octavia is a highly accomplished leader with an exemplary track record in the healthcare industry, boasting over 20 years of experience. Her unwavering dedication to serving as a leader is evident from her impressive journey, beginning in an underprivileged environment and culminating in her current role at Cook County Health, one of the nation's largest public health systems.
Throughout her career, Octavia has taken on multiple pivotal roles, focusing on driving operational enhancements, ensuring seamless access to healthcare services, and spearheading critical strategic initiatives.
Her strong commitment to uplifting healthcare organizations is underscored by her expertise in strategic planning, business processes, operational management, and budgeting. Through her leadership, she has consistently optimized business operations and fortified organizational leadership to deliver top-tier customer service.
Furthermore, Octavia's academic accomplishments, including a Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Accounting, a Master's of Science in Accountancy, and a Master's in Healthcare Administration & Business Administration, demonstrate her unwavering dedication to excellence.
Octavia's passion for empowering young girls and encouraging them to pursue their aspirations is truly inspiring. As a role model and mentor, she generously shares her knowledge and experiences, volunteering to speak in underprivileged areas and motivating young girls to strive for excellence. Her impactful journey serves as a testament to the potential for greatness through dedication and hard work.
29). Linda Finkel
Chief Executive Officer, AVIA
Linda Finkel is the CEO of AVIA, the nation’s leading network of healthcare organizations committed to leveraging digital to accelerate the transformation of care in our country. A results-oriented innovator, Finkel has been leading high-growth businesses to success and results for more than 20 years. As a healthcare leader, she has collaborated with hundreds of health systems and digital health companies to transform patient care, the health of her communities, and the financial sustainability of the providers and payers that serve them.
Prior to joining AVIA, she served as COO of Accretive Health’s population health business, where she held responsibility for the core elements of service launch and delivery. Previously, Finkel held several executive leadership roles, including co-head and COO of Bowne Business Solutions, now Williams Lea USA, where she led the business to market leadership with revenue of $300 million and 3,000 employees in four countries. Prior to her role at Bowne, she served as president of Donnelley Business Services, the leading business services provider to top-tier financial institutions and professional service firms, where she grew from $30M to $90M in less than four years. Finkel was part of the founding executive team of the company, which she helped take public and continued to run as the largest business unit of Donnelley Enterprise Solutions Inc., a publicly traded NASDAQ company. Finkel holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree from Stanford University.
30). Pegi Wheeler
SVP Operations, LastPass
Pegi Wheeler is Senior VP of Operations at LastPass, where she leads strategic planning, operational execution, and alignment across the organization. Prior to LastPass, she held operations leadership roles at Kenna Security, Google, VMWare, Cisco, and others.
Pegi is a collaborative, hands-on executive who takes pride in leading business and technical teams to develop and execute their strategies. She is passionate about building strong teams and working with people across all functions to set meaningful objectives and execute relentlessly to meet them. She believes the purpose of operations in business is to accelerate the success of others.
Wheeler moved to Chicago in 2019 and is just beginning to discover everything the city has to offer. She is thrilled that LastPass embraces the remote-first workplace allowing her and the company to attract and nurture great talent regardless of where they are located.
31). Adria Meehan Siewert
Senior VP & Financial Advisor, Wealth Enhancement Group
Adria Meehan Siewert is the Senior Vice President and a Financial Advisor for the Wealth Enhancement Group. In this role, she regularly meets with clients in Chicago, surrounding suburbs, and across the country, and she works closely with the roundtable team of specialists to develop financial plans specifically geared toward their values and retirement goals.
Siewert started at Wealth Enhancement Group as a senior wealth consultant in 2013. She was promoted to SVP in 2020. Previously, she was a financial advisor at Summit Wealth Advisors, LLC. Before that, she was a registered principal at Financial Network Investment Corporation, a Member of SIPC.
Siewert graduated from Purdue University with a BS in Financial Planning and Counseling. She lives in Arlington Heights, IL, with her husband and their two sons. She is involved in the community through Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church, where she attended grade school, and through the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce.
32). Gayle Littleton
Executive VP, Chief Legal Officer, & Corporate Secretary, Exelon Corporation
Gayle Littleton is the Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Exelon Corporation. Exelon is a Fortune 250 company and the nation’s largest utility company, serving more than 10.5 million customers through six fully regulated transmission and distribution utilities. Littleton leads a department of approximately 230 lawyers and legal and claims professionals. She oversees all legal matters, including litigation, regulatory proceedings, commercial transactions, labor and employment, benefits, cyber, privacy, environmental, and claims. She also serves as the company’s corporate secretary and oversees the corporate governance function.
Since joining Exelon, Littleton has been responsible for obtaining all regulatory approvals and for the transactional work required for the spin-off of Exelon Generation and Constellation from Exelon, and she negotiated the $885 million buy-back of Électricité de France S.A’s interest in Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, which owned interest in several of Exelon’s nuclear plants. She also led the company’s response to Commonwealth Edison’s deferred prosecution agreement, including related DOJ and SEC investigations, regulatory proceedings, and securities, consumer fraud, and derivative litigation.
Littleton is a member of Exelon’s Executive Committee. She is on the Steering Committee of The Forum for Executive Women and is a member of the Network of Exelon Women. She serves as a member of the Association of General Counsels, as co-chair of the Chicago General Counsel Forum, on the Board of Directors of the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Illinois Holocaust Museum, as a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, as part of the Edison Electric Institute’s General Counsel Forum, as a member of the Cornell Law School Dean’s Advisory Council, and as a member of the Stetson University College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board. She is active with Legal Counsel for Legal Diversity. Littleton graduated from Cornell Law School with a JD in Law and from Stetson University with an undergraduate degree.
33). Charisse Brock
Executive VP & Chief Human Resources Officer, Conagra Brands
Charisse Brock is the Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Conagra Brands. Conagra has the most impactful, energized, and inclusive culture in food. Previously, Brock served as VP of human resources for ConAgra Foods. She joined the company in 2004 as the director of HR, supporting the Refrigerated Foods Group.
In her current role, Brock provides human resources strategy in support of the overall business plan and strategic direction of the organization, specifically in the areas of executive succession planning, talent management, diversity and inclusion, and total rewards among other areas. She serves as the executive in charge of Conagra's Human Resources Committee and regularly advises the company's board of directors on all people-related issues. Before Conagra, Brock served in roles of increasing responsibility at The Quaker Oats Company/PepsiCo in the Consumer Foods Division. This included overseeing the company's HR efforts in the supply chain, recruitment, and marketing. She also led teams and counseled senior executives in highly complex, matrixed organizations to achieve desired results.
Brock is a senior member of the HR Policy Association, the lead public policy organization of chief human resource officers representing the largest employers doing business in the United States and globally. She served on the board of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie's Children's Hospital of Chicago Foundation for several years. She holds an MS in Organizational Development from Loyola University and a BA in Business Management from DePaul University.
34). Ann Kostopanagiotou
Managing Director, Senior Client Partner, Launch by NTT Data
During her 20+ year career, Ann has been a recognized client advisor and expert in building brands, driving business transformation, and designing and delivering digital experiences that generate business revenue and drive outcomes.
Currently, she is Managing Director and Senior Client Partner at Launch by NTT Data, part of one of the world’s largest end-to-end technology firms working with Fortune 500 companies to drive product innovation and best-in-class digital experiences in the healthcare, life sciences, financial services, consumer products, and manufacturing sectors.
Prior to joining Launch by NTT Data – Ann spent time at leading CX and digital firms like Publicis, Ogilvy, MARC USA, Dentsu (iProspect), Rise Interactive, and R/GA as well as consulting firms including Prophet and Slalom guiding and shaping client solutions and driving business development and growth.
Ann has a passion for building community and keeps active in the Chicago business community having served on the Board of Directors for the American Marketing Association, Chicago chapter as President for 3 years, along with the Hellenic Professionals Society, Chicago Convergence Advisory Council, and YWCA Circle of Friends. She is passionate about the transformative nature of technology to drive positive impact in the world, help her clients solve challenges, and achieve their business goals and has participated as a mentor for women leaders throughout her career. Beyond the business community, Ann is a frequent supporter of organizations like BUILD Chicago, Girls Inc., and Compassion International.
Ann studied at the University of Illinois at Chicago and graduated from Columbia College with a Bachelor's in Marketing Communications and Advertising.
35). Julie Loeger
Chief Growth Officer, eBay
Julie Loeger is the Chief Growth Officer of eBay. She is known for her strategic leadership, unwavering focus on consumer-centric innovation, and commitment to ongoing transformation efforts. In this role, she leads two critical, global teams that are focused on customer acquisition, retention, and service – Global Marketing and Global Customer Experience.
With more than 30 years of experience, Loeger possesses an impressive blend of global marketing, strategy, brand management, and product development experience. She joined eBay from Discover Financial Services, one of the most recognized US financial services brands. There, as the executive vice president and president of US Cards, she played a key role in influencing the company's vision and drove meaningful results through brand management, consumer insights, new account acquisitions, product innovation, and customer experience.
Before joining Discover, Loeger held various marketing positions at Anheuser Busch, Inc. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with an MBA in Marketing and from The University of Texas at San Antonio with an undergraduate degree in finance.
36). Francesca Lee
Senior VP, Ogilvy
Francesca Lee began her professional career 14 years ago. Today, she is the Senior Vice President of Ogilvy. Ogilvy is currently ranked as the #1 global agency network for creative excellence and effectiveness by WARC, signifying its ability to deliver creative solutions that drive unreasonable impact for clients and communities.
Lee started at Ogilvy as an account supervisor in 2018. After multiple promotions, she began her current SVP role in 2023. She previously held similar roles at LaFORCE, a full-service marketing communications agency. Before that, she was a Microsoft SkyDrive brand ambassador. In this role, she created awareness about SkyDrive products through product workshops, material distribution, and word-of-mouth marketing and organized and managed three SkyDrive product focus groups to teach students basic skills in cloud technology.
Lee graduated from the University of Virginia with an undergraduate degree in sociology. She served the university as a historical and admissions tour guide. She also recruited and trained volunteers to conduct information sessions and was a camp counselor for the Summer Enrichment Program for high school students.
37). Jessica Scheller
Deputy Chief of Cook County State's Attorney's Office
Jessica Scheller is the Deputy Chief of Civil Actions Bureau of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. During her career in public service, she has successfully defended against challenges to Illinois’ campaign finance reform laws, the Cook County Blair Holt Assault Weapons Ban, was part of a team that secured judgment and nationwide vacatur of the Trump Administration’s Public Charge Rule in the Northern District of Illinois, and leads the enforcement of the Cook County’s revenue litigation, with her efforts resulting in more than $200 million in awards and settlements in recent years. Jessica serves on the Board of the Federal Bar Association as the Programs Co-Chair and was the Co-Founder of Women’s March Chicago, where she served as President and Chairwoman of the Board of Directors when the organization staged several large-scale peaceful demonstrations in Grant Park during 2017 & 2018.
Jessica specializes in federal litigation as it relates to constitutional rights and governmental regulation. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office manages all litigation on behalf of the County of Cook and is the second largest prosecutor's office in the nation. The Civil Actions Bureau is staffed by more than 120 lawyers who specialize in all aspects of litigation and legal practice.
38). Kimberly Chainey
Executive VP, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Aptar
Kimberly Chainey is the Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Aptar, a global leader in drug and consumer product dosing, dispensing, and protection technologies.
Chaineye is an accomplished C-suite executive with over 15 years of experience working with companies in a variety of industries, including packaging, pharma, aviation, automotive, transportation, consumer products, retail, tech, telecom, oil, gas, real estate, manufacturing, biotech, and travel and tourism. She has advised C-suite executives of Global 100 and Fortune 500 companies, venture companies, and government entities in achieving their strategic objectives while balancing global risks. Before joining Aptar, Chainey was a VP and general counsel at Panasonic Avionics Corporation. Before that, she was an associate general counsel for global M&A, strategy, and innovation at Avis Budget Group. Earlier in her career, she worked with Procter and Gamble as a shelf technology manager.
Chainey graduated from The Wharton School with an MBA in Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate Transactions, from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School with a JD in Mergers and Acquisitions, and from Harvard University with an undergraduate degree in environmental science and public policy.
39). Angela Sternburgh
VP, Talent, Camping World
Angela Sternburgh is the Vice President of Talent at Camping World. Since 1966, Camping World has proudly offered specialized products and accessories, expert advice, and professional service to recreational vehicle owners and campers. Sternburgh and her team focus on talent management, talent acquisition, learning, leadership development, culture, organization effectiveness, and employee experience.
Sternburgh is a human-centered people leader with a 25-year career of building and executing people strategies that propel business goals forward. Early in her career, she was a vice president and talent leader at Bank of America. From there, she went on to Kellogg Company, before eventually rising to head of talent acquisition, diversity, equity, inclusion, learning, and organizational effectiveness at TreeHouse Foods, her most recent position before joining Camping World.
Sternburgh graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology with an MS and a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She has an undergraduate degree in psychology from Grand Valley State University. When she is not leveraging design thinking to guide executive teams and global organizations through complex transitions, she enjoys practicing yoga and Tai Chi, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.
40). Stephanie Krum
VP Human Resources, Cornerstone Building Brands
Currently, Stephanie Krum has been the Vice President of Human Resources at Cornerstone Building Brands since 2017. Cornerstone Building Brands is the largest manufacturer of exterior building products in North America.
Krum has a strong background in human resources and has held various leadership positions throughout her career, starting at CIGNA Property & Casualty in 1990, where she took on progressive HR roles until 1998. Krum then joined CIGNA HealthCare as the director of human resources from 1998 to 2001 and later as the senior director of recruiting and retention from 2001 to 2004. Krum was eventually promoted to assistant vice president of human resources from 2004 to 2006. Krum then worked at GS1 US as the senior director of human resources from 2006 to 2011, where she was later promoted to the role of vice president of human resources until 2013. After that, she worked as an HR consultant from 2013 to 2017.
Throughout her career, Krum has demonstrated expertise in multiple areas, such as organizational planning, talent management, change management, and employee relations. She holds a Master of Science in Organization Development from Loyola University Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Rochester.
41). Kristann Carey
Executive VP & Chief Human Resources Officer, Constellation Brands
Today, Kristann Carey is the Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Constellation Brands, a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits with operations in the US, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy.
Carey is an accomplished business leader with over 20 years of experience driving and maximizing business results while mitigating risk and protecting iconic brands in the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. She started her career in 1998 as an associate at Cassiday, Schade & Gloor. From there, she went on to Seyfarth Shaw LLP, before eventually rising to senior counsel at McDonald's Corporation, her most recent position before joining Constellation Brands.
Carey graduated from Loyola University Chicago School of Law with a JD in Law and from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an undergraduate degree in comparative literature and political science.
42). Carrie Distler
Managing Director, Secretariat
Today, Carrie Distler is the Managing Director of the Secretariat. In this role, Distler provides expert testimony related to damages. Secretariat experts are trusted in the highest-stakes legal, risk, and regulatory matters around the world.
Distler is an economist who specializes in the monetization of intellectual property assets. She assists companies with valuing and licensing their assets and provides expert testimony on commercial damages, including intellectual property. She has been recognized for the last nine years as a leading patent litigation expert witness in Intellectual Asset Management (“IAM”) magazine’s Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals guide. She has also been recognized by Who’s Who Legal: Commercial Litigation Experts for the last three years and Who’s Who Legal: IP in 2023.
Over the last 20 years, Distler has used her economic, financial, and statistical training to assist clients in need of industry and market analyses, including damage calculations across an array of commercial litigation. She started her career in 2000 as an analyst at Pacey Economics Group. From there, she eventually rose to senior managing director at FTI Consulting, her most recent position before joining Secretariat. Distler graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with an MA in Economics and an undergraduate degree in economics.
43). Meredith Rarus
Managing Director, FTI Consulting
Meredith Rarus is the Managing Director of FTI Consulting. She first joined the company in 2022. FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations manage change, mitigate risk, and resolve disputes: financial, legal, operational, political and regulatory, reputational, and transactional.
Rarus has extensive experience providing strategic consulting and litigation support in healthcare matters. She has performed economic, financial, and regulatory analyses in qui tam cases, payor/provider disputes, private equity transactions, and as an Independent Review Organization. Her experience includes work for payers, providers, and other health service organizations. Previously, Rarus was an associate director at Berkeley Research Group LLC.
Rarus is Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC). She is also a Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Risk Adjustment Coder (CRC), and Certified Hematology and Oncology Coder (CHONC). She has reviewed thousands of patient medical records, compliance documentation, and claims related to durable medical equipment (DME), behavioral therapy, emergency medicine, hospice, substance use disorders, and physical therapy services. Rarus earned an MS in Economics and Policy Analysis from DePaul Driehaus College of Business and an undergraduate degree in mathematics and economics from DePaul University.
44). Elizabeth Pittelkow Kittner
CFO, GigaOm
Elizabeth Pittelkow Kittner, CPA, CGMA, CITP, DTM is the CFO of GigaOm and leads the organization’s work in finance, people operations, and sales operations. She has been committed to helping GigaOm’s realize its vision of democratizing access to in-depth technology research and providing customer-centric enablement and activation support.
Prior to GigaOm, Elizabeth led finance and HR for legal technology and supply-chain SaaS companies. Elizabeth began her career in assurance at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) with a focus on manufacturing clients.
Elizabeth is passionate about elevating individuals and developing healthy cultures in the organizations she serves. She is a coach, mentor, and champion for women in the accounting profession and technology industry. Elizabeth has hosted several sessions on how to build diversity in leadership governance, organizational structures, and volunteer pipelines.
Elizabeth teaches leadership, ethics, and communication classes internationally, writes and edits articles for publications like the Journal of Accountancy and Insight Magazine, and participates as an active volunteer and mentor with the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society. She has been recognized by the AICPA and CPA Practice Advisor as one of the Most Powerful Women in Accounting and by Ignition as one of the Top 50 Women in Accounting globally.
Elizabeth is a proud alumna of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned degrees in finance and accounting.
45). Sabrina Lloyd
President, CEO, Lloyd Agencies
Sabrina Lloyd is the President and CEO of Lloyd Agencies, a premier member of the American Income Life family. Lloyd Agencies focuses on a broader client base and markets themselves differently than AIL. Lloyd Agencies is more lifestyle-oriented, both in business approach and company culture. The company has surpassed other agencies in their industry that have been in existence for much longer. The company has been doubling in size every year since its birth.
Prior to founding Lloyd Agencies, Sabrina was a manager with American Income Life Insurance Company. She stood out in her first role in New Jersey and was transferred to be a manager in Maryland. She opened her own office in New York, broke records, and then settled in Chicago. Her team was rewarded by the Chicago Tribune as one of the best places to work in Chicago in 2014. Sabrina is a graduate of the University of Toronto.
46). Kathryn Krauss
VP, Executive Creative Director – Automotive, Epsilon
Kathryn Krauss is a VP and the Executive Creative Director for Automotive at Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. A strategic, multidisciplinary creative director with an eye for conceptual design, Krauss has worked with a wide range of clients, including Nissan, Xerox, Kraft, United Airlines, AT&T, and Allstate. Her expertise brings precision and keen insight into branding and strategic marketing initiatives.
In her role at Epsilon, Krauss is responsible for the strategic development and creative execution of all Tier 1 marketing communications for Nissan North America. Additionally, she oversees the Volvo and Mercedes-Benz teams and has successfully led many RFPs over the last year for Honda, Hyundai, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, and Nissan Aftersales.
Before joining Epsilon, Krauss was an associate creative director at Aspen Marketing. Before that, she was a senior art director at Townsend Agency. Earlier in her career, she worked with JWT as an art director. Krauss graduated from Michigan State University with an undergraduate degree in art and advertising.
47). Sophie Bidek
Partner, Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture
Sophie Bidek, AIA, is a Managing Partner at Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA), a renowned Chicago-based architectural design firm specializing in urban mixed-use, boutique hospitality, and luxury multi-family commercial real estate development. With over 20 years of experience, Bidek oversees projects nationwide and is responsible for client relations, design oversight, and cultivating new business relationships while playing a critical role in the firm's general business operations including marketing, talent acquisition, and risk management.
Bidek is highly regarded as a creative visionary who drives the development of cutting-edge structures and complex adaptive-reuse projects. She has spearheaded transformative projects such as One Chicago, a 2.2 million square foot mixed-use, multi-tower development that stands as the city’s eighth tallest skyscraper and its largest residential tower; No. 9 Walton, an ultra-luxury condominium tower with the highest number of $3M+ sales in Chicago; and North Union, a $1.3 billion mega-development set to deliver 2,600 residential units across 14 buildings on the city’s Near North Side.
Passionate about fostering future leaders both within and outside the office, Bidek founded HPA’s Professional Development Committee to ensure the firm’s best practices and staff training programs are well-documented and accessible, providing team members at all levels the opportunity to teach, train, and share their expertise with one another. She enjoys empowering staff by granting ownership of project components, offering coaching and mentoring, and by encouraging involvement in external organizations such as AIA Chicago, ULI, and various alumni and volunteer groups. Additionally, she is the 2024 President of CREW Chicago's Board of Directors, where she manages a 300-member networking non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the career development of women in commercial real estate.
Bidek has won numerous industry awards at both the firm and personal level including Top 50 Women Leaders of Chicago, Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Women in Construction, AIA Chicago Firm of the Year, and Urbanize Chicago Best Skyscraper, to name a few. She holds a Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
48). Linda Reinhard
Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), Tarci
Linda Reinhard is a visionary leader known for her ability to accelerate growth by energizing customers, partners, and team members. With a wealth of experience spanning Fortune 100 companies and various industries globally, she excels in commercializing new innovations and overachieving revenue goals. Her leadership in deploying transformative technology solutions has driven the introduction of many first-to-market products and solutions: the first PDA, the first navigation map of China, the first sapphire phone screen, the first motion gaming device that transmits to a TV, and the first dynamic database dedicated to small businesses.
Additionally, her passion for promoting STEM and Women in Engineering underscores her commitment to fostering education and diversity in the tech industry. Linda was highlighted in Women and Ideas in Engineering: Twelve Stories from Illinois in which she coined the phrase "Does an Engineer have to Engineer?" to highlight diverse career opportunities for engineering graduates.
Linda's list of first-to-market solutions and commitment to STEM are a result of her passion for driving innovation, growth, and positive change in the global marketplace.
49). Jaime Krapec Licht
Executive VP, Harbortown Industries
Jaime Krapec Licht serves as Executive Vice President at Harbortown Industries. Harbortown is a leading product development firm and importer to major US retailers, specializing in the Home Decor product segment. Licht’s expert product development and sourcing lens has led the company through category and client expansion, further cementing the nearly 30-year-old company against the ever-challenging trade winds of the retail/consumer product sector. Innovative thinking and a focus on the efficiency and efficacy of processes are keystones of her tenure. Deep-rooted passion for products, people, processes, and the planet has inspired her along the exciting journey of her career.
Before joining the ranks of executive leadership Licht started her career as a designer and product developer. Holding creative leadership roles as Vice President of Design & Sourcing and Director of Product Development at Harbortown. As Licht’s professional career has organically developed, she holds a unique business lens and prioritizes time to mentor other women leaders and business owners to find their path to personal/professional growth and realize their true potential. Challenging the status quo and breaking ground of what traditional leadership looks like are daily motivators as Licht continues to fine-tune her craft and impact younger generations all the while bringing great-looking and performing products to stores.
50). Heather Klein Olson
Executive Director, American Hiking Society
Heather Klein Olson is the Executive Director of the American Hiking Society (AHS). At AHS, they envision a world, where everyone feels a sense of belonging in the hiking community and has lasting access to meaningful hiking experiences, be that in urban, frontcountry, or backcountry settings. At their core, they are a community of hikers, or more simply, a community of people who more broadly share a love of foot (or assisted) travel outside along paths, trails, and sidewalks.
Olson joined American Hiking in January 2020. She has 20 years of experience leading development teams and philanthropic programs for higher education, foundations, social services, arts, and faith-based organizations. She has raised millions for organizations by building meaningful, long-term relationships with corporate and foundation partners and individual philanthropists. Before joining AHS, Olson was a vice president for advancement at We Raise Foundation. Before that, she was a director of advancement communications at Valparaiso University. Earlier in her career, she worked with Chicago Shakespeare Theater as a donor relations coordinator.
Olson is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). She is a graduate of Butler University and holds advanced degrees in communication and business from Northwestern University and Valparaiso University. She has been a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) since 2006 and is a regular contributing writer to Advancing Philanthropy, AFP’s flagship membership magazine. Olson has extensive volunteer leadership experience with Rotary International, having been honored with “Rotarian of the Year” and serving as president of the club in the Midwest community, where she resides with her husband and their two sons.