Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of Los Angeles for 2022. The city, one of the most well-known and second largest in the U.S., was at the forefront of women’s rights. In 1884, the Woman’s Suffrage Association of Los Angeles was founded and sparked a drive for change that spread across the country. Countless women followed the footsteps of those early women leaders, making a significant impact on the landscape of the city. The leaders featured today embody traits that set them apart from others. They are confident, focused, innovative, inspirational, and visionary leaders. They have earned respectable roles within their field and lead top companies in the area.

Awardees include Priya Mukhedkar, Senior Vice President of Consumer Products at Paramount, who oversees business development, brand marketing, and strategic partnerships for several segments within the Paramount portfolio of brands; Anna Fedosova-Caldera, Vice President and Senior Trust Advisor at US Bank, who provides sophisticated wealth and tax planning, fiduciary services and trust advising for families, businesses, charities and more; and Gerianne Sarte, Vice President of Finance for the Cardiovascular & Specialty Solutions Group at Johnson & Johnson, who leads the multi-billion dollar global division that is consistently recognized as a leader in the science behind the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.

Coming from varied industries, this year’s awardees are leaders in their profession and dedicate themselves to the success of the organizations they serve. Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Los Angeles for 2022.

2. Gerianne Sarte
Vice President of Finance, Johnson & Johnson

Gerianne Sarte is the Vice President of Finance and Chief Finance Officer of the Cardiovascular and Specialty Solutions MedTech Division of Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson is the world's most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products, as well as a provider of related services, for the consumer, pharmaceutical, and MedTech sectors.

Sarte joined J&J 20 years ago and her vast experience has spanned all three sectors at J&J, providing her with a wide range of capabilities in a variety of finance disciplines. In 2017, Sarte was named a Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association Rising Star for her passion in developing talent and her leadership in the health care industry. Prior to J&J, she worked for IBM and Sprint in finance but started her professional career as a scientist with a biotech company. Sarte is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara with an undergraduate degree in pharmacology and received her MBA from the University of Southern California.

4. Jennifer Shuffer
Senior Vice President, WarnerMedia

Jennifer Shuffer is the Senior Vice President of Human Resource Strategy and Solutions at WarnerMedia where she drives HR strategy, priorities, and initiatives from conception to execution with a focus on transformation, organizational and leadership effectiveness, and performance. WarnerMedia is a powerful portfolio of iconic entertainment, news and sports brands including HBO, Warner Bros., Adult Swim, Bleacher Report, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS, TCM, TNT, truTV, Turner Sports and more.

Shuffer is a talent-focused HR executive with a high degree of service orientation. She operates best at the intersection of strategy, transformation, culture, and leadership and holds over a decade of experience with driving organizational transformation. Prior to her current roles, Shuffer held executive leadership roles with Warner Bros. Entertainment. Shuffer graduated from the University of California, Riverside with an undergraduate degree in psychology and from California State University with master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology.

6. Alison Choppelas
Vice President, NBCUniversal

Alison Choppelas is the Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs of NBCUniversal. She first joined the company in 2019. NBCUniversal owns and operates over 20 different businesses across 30 countries including a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks and a premium ad-supported streaming service. NBCUniversal is primarily involved in the media and entertainment industry. The company is named for its two most significant divisions, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), one of the United States' Big Three television networks, and the major Hollywood film studio Universal Pictures.

Previously, Choppelas was a VP of business and legal affairs at Starz and before that a VP of business affairs at CBS Corporation. Earlier in her career she worked with Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly as an associate attorney for technology and intellectual property. Choppelas earned a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law and an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of California, Davis.

7. Priya Mukhedkar
Senior Vice President, Paramount

Priya Mukhedkar is the Senior Vice President of Consumer Products at Paramount, formerly ViacomCBS, where she oversees business development, brand marketing, strategic partnerships for several segments within the Paramount portfolio of brands. These include Nickelodeon brands like SpongeBob, PAW Patrol, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, StarTrek and others like Emily In Paris, Avatar, Yellow Stone and many more. Mukhedkar has been the driving force behind some of the most iconic collaborations within big media, she is a proven strategic business leader who enjoys building and inspiring teams to maximize business growth. She is at the forefront of where culture and conversation meet.

Prior to Paramount, Mukhedkar was responsible for growing the Disney consumer products business across several segments and brands at The Walt Disney Company where she worked across Consumer Products, Disney Parks and Studios. Mukhedkar started her brand marketing career at General Mills. Mukhedkar graduated from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business with an MBA, and from Rhode Island College with an undergraduate degree in computer science and mathematics.

8. Val Achtemeier
Vice Chairman of Capital Markets, CBRE

During her 30+ year career, Val Achtemeier has originated, structured, and closed over $46 billion of real estate financing transactions throughout the U.S. with an emphasis on portfolio loans and larger loans as well as construction loans and JV equity. Achtemeier is a Vice Chairman of CBRE Capital Markets, Inc. Her extensive commercial real estate experience includes both institutional and private entrepreneurial positions focusing on debt and equity procurement, joint venture formations, ground leases, development, investment acquisitions and dispositions, and all aspects of capital markets activities. She leads a team in CBRE Capital Markets Institutional Group in placing debt and equity on commercial properties throughout the United States.

Prior to joining CBRE, Achtemeier served as a VP and director of capital markets at Majestic Realty Co. She gained institutional experience at The Principal Financial Group where she was responsible for joint venture development and debt placement, restructuring, and acquisitions throughout the U.S. She is a part of a market leading industrial/logistics CBRE Capital Markets team called National Partners. The CBRE National Partners team closed over $40 Billion of industrial sales and debt capital markets transactions in 2021. They deliver superior information, analytics and strategy leading to exceptional execution over the industrial investment property life cycle and across the capital stack. Achtemeier earned an undergraduate degree in business administration in finance from Iowa State University.

10. Anna Fedosova-Caldera
Vice President & Senior Trust Officer, U.S. Bank

Anna Fedosova-Caldera is a Vice President and a Senior Trust Advisor at US Bank, Private Wealth Management. She provides services to the Private Wealth management clients, with an emphasis on sophisticated wealth and tax planning, fiduciary services and trust advising for families, businesses, business owners, charities, and endowments. As a member of a comprehensive wealth management team in Los Angeles/Orange County, California, Fedosova-Caldera focuses on building lasting client relationships, partnerships, and thoughtful collaboration. She identifies needs for advanced planning and coordinates the execution with external and internal partners. Fedosova-Caldera demonstrates strong business development skills in acquisition and onboarding of new clients. She is a top ranked Advisor in the Nation.

Prior to joining US Bank, Fedosova-Caldera was a VP and senior trust officer at Wells Fargo Bank, Wealth Management division, managing an impressive portfolio of clients and handling complex trust administration with emphasis on legal and tax research as well as sophisticated and advanced estate planning. Fedosova-Caldera has 17 years of experience in trust and fiduciary services after starting her career at Frist Bank, Wealth Management group as a Trust Officer and Relationship Manager. Fedosova-Caldera graduated from Moscow University with an undergraduate degree in science and a master's degree in finance, and an MBA from the University of California, Irvine. She is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) and is a Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP).

11. Amy Searls
Chief Experience Officer, Prime Healthcare

Amy Searls is the Chief Experience Officer for Prime Healthcare, one of the largest health systems in the United States. In her role, Searls oversees Prime Healthcare’s ongoing strategy to improve and enhance the patient experience throughout their 45 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations in 14 states.

Searls’ previous roles include executive director of patient experience at the University of Colorado and UCHealth in Aurora, Colorado. With more than 25 years of leadership experience, Searls has helped develop and implement many educational and training programs and resources designed to positively impact the employee, provider, and patient. Her background includes experience and positive results in clinical and non-clinical operations in hospital and ambulatory settings. Most recently, Searls is focused on availing mental health and wellness resources for Prime’s employees and has created a leadership development curriculum and coaching model to help leaders succeed. Searls is part of the West Coast Patient Experience Collaborative and is also a member of the Leader’s Board for Patient Experience Executives. She’s published multiple articles related to patient and employee experience and strives to help leaders achieve a higher level of performance in an ever-changing and challenging health care industry.

View the complete list of awardees.

12. Deirdre McCready
Executive Vice President of Sales & Special Events, Live Nation Entertainment

As Executive Vice President of Sales and Special Events at Live Nation, Deirdre McCready leads strategic planning, budget development, and the evolutions of business initiatives and programs for the National Special Events division. She is responsible for driving and managing the overall sales growth of the Special Events business at Live Nations’ 150+ venues, amphitheaters, club, and theaters. As one of the industry’s top talents for the last 20 years, she uses her creativity, expertise, and finesse to ensure her team exceeds expectations.

Before joining Live Nation Entertainment, McCready was a VP of special events at SBE Entertainment and before that a brand marketing and event producer at The Hollywood Reporter. Earlier in her career she worked with The Key Marketing Group as a special event coordinator. McCready graduated from San Diego State University with an undergraduate degree in psychology.

14. Judith Ibarra-Bianchetta
Vice President of US Growth and Strategy, Tetra Tech

Judith Ibarra-Bianchetta is currently the Vice President of US Growth and Strategy for Tetra Tech. She is responsible for accelerating company growth across the United States through leading strategic initiatives focused on infrastructure solutions. She also currently serves as Tetra Tech’s Executive Sponsor for the Latino/Hispanic Employee Resources Group.

Ibarra-Bianchetta brings over 20 years of diverse experience in the areas of business development, operations, program/project management, government affairs, and community relations. She has served in a variety of leadership roles in Texas and California for both water and transportation business lines including operations lead, client account manager, and area manager. Ibarra-Bianchetta is passionate about sustainable infrastructure through multi-disciplined approaches, bringing solutions to complex infrastructure challenges, communicating technical information to non-technical communities, and STEM advocacy with the Latino/Hispanic community. She is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with an undergraduate degree in civil engineering. She is a licensed Professional Engineer, Certified Floodplain Manager and Certified Envision Sustainability Professional.

15. Chris Baker
Executive Vice President & Global Head, Parexel

Chris Baker is the Executive Vice President with P&L responsibility for Parexel’s FSP business. With more than 25 years of biopharmaceutical experience, Baker is an accomplished leader whose expertise spans from molecule to market in general management leadership roles held across clinical research and development, product launches, and commercial roles in strategy, sales, strategic planning, and marketing.

A hallmark of Baker’s award-winning leadership is her ability to create a vision and strategy to grow her business while successfully leading cross-functional, global, and remote teams to successfully achieve business results through times of change and uncertainty, including acquisitions, organizational restructurings and most recently, the global COVID-19 pandemic. Baker earned her MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and was a D1 volleyball player at Penn State.

16. Anna Lantin
Vice President and Southern California Operations Manager, HDR

Anna Lantin is the Vice President and Southern California Operations Manager of HDR. HDR is an employee-owned design firm specializing in engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services. They are ranked No. 6 among the world’s design firms and are the largest healthcare design firm. Led by the strength of their values and a culture shaped by employee ownership, they network with each other, build on each other’s contributions, and collaborate together to make great things possible. Lantin has 32 years of experience. She began her career in 1990.

Before joining HDR, Lantin was a senior vice president at Michael Baker International and before that a project manager at Tetra Tech, Simons, Li & Associates. She has taken on many leadership roles in multiple professional organizations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Transportation Research Board (TRB); American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, California Stormwater Quality Association. She has received numerous awards and nominations from ASCE, state and national associations, and The National Academies of Sciences and Engineering for her technical contributions. She has authored publications with TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP). Lantin graduated from Colorado State University with an undergraduate degree in civil engineering.

18. Nicole Ganier
Vice President of Operations, Equus Workforce Solutions

Nicole Ganier has over 25 years of talent management experience. She’s held
executive level leadership positions with national responsibility for sales and operations and is considered a thought leader regarding diversity and inclusion. Over the years, Ganier has managed high performance teams who have delivered best-in-class workforce solutions through a seamless, integrated approach to provide talent with an emphasis on developing solutions that are efficient, effective, and client-centric. In her role as Vice President of Operations for Equus Workforce Solutions, she has now pivoted into Workforce Development as well as Health & Human Social Services. Ganier leads a dynamic team who assists individuals and employers, together with their partners and collaborators, to change lives, advance economies, and help communities thrive.

Ganier devotes energy as a volunteer for the Jenesse Center, YWCA of Greater LA, Habitat for Humanity, and is a former Board member of the Greater LA chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation. Born and raised in Southern California, she graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, as well as studied sociology at the Universidad de Sevilla in Seville, Spain.

19. Dawn Maroney
President and CEO, Alignment Healthcare

Dawn Maroney is the Markets President of Alignment Healthcare, a health care services company focused on providing population health management services to health systems and provider groups around the country. In this role, Maroney oversees Alignment’s consumer experience, growth, and expansion, in all areas from sales strategy, product strategy, market expansions and acquisitions, to partnership account management. She focuses on driving innovative products and spearheading marketing efforts around the brand, as well as overseeing direct response and public relations activities. In addition, she directs the many variable aspects of sales execution and planning, and the ongoing challenge of coordinating these channels with Alignment’s extensive network of providers, health plans and hospital systems. She previously served as chief growth and strategy officer and president of all markets for the company.

Prior to joining Alignment Healthcare, Maroney was chief Medicare officer for Blue Shield of California (formerly known as Care1st Health Plan), representing over 400,000 Medicare and Medicaid lives in California, Arizona, and Texas. Under her watch, Blue Shield doubled its membership, improved its CMS star rating, and saw major revenue growth. Before her tenure at Care1st, Maroney served as chief sales and marketing officer at CareMore Health Plan, where she guided a period of historic growth for the company, going from 3,500 lives to 65,000, and helped shape it into an industry leader through performance and profitability of membership. She has also served as vice president, Medicare, at Secure Horizons, where she was responsible for overall membership growth and retention across eight U.S. states, as well as western regional vice president of HealthNet. With more than 25 years in the health care space, Maroney is regarded not only as an industry expert, but also a pioneer in positioning health care organizations for success in the challenging Medicare, Medicaid, and underserved markets.

20. Marie Marks
Senior Vice President, Paramount Pictures

Marie Marks is Senior Vice President of Themed Entertainment at Paramount, with responsibility for an iconic roster of Intellectual Property including Star Trek, Top gun, Mission Impossible, Nickelodeon and MTV. Paramount’s brands reach audiences via movies, stage musicals, theme parks, immersive experiences, branded restaurants, and hotels. Since joining Paramount Pictures in 2019, Marks has successfully signed a multitude of global licensing contracts, generating over $280 Million USD in licensing and design fees for the company. With responsibility spanning all aspects of the business, Marks has worked closely with the EVP of the group to develop better continuity between the business, legal, compliance and finance units, restructuring legacy projects and systems to better serve the evolving landscape.

Marks is a dynamic and creative, multi award winning businesswoman, whose accolades include ‘Young Entrepreneur of The Year’. She has been a judge for the Chamber of Commerce Awards and for the Stevie Awards. Marks is a mentor for IAAPA’s Young Executive Program, and in the UK was an active participant in Prince Charles’ ‘Business Master Class program’, an enterprising charitable foundation fronted by preeminent business leader Allan Leighton. She has a thorough comprehension of the fundamentals of entertainment having had a successful career in the music industry in business strategy, promotion, and artist representation. From the age of 16 she was a talented performer and has worked alongside Sir Bob Geldof, Ronnie Wood and even shared the stage with Bono.

View the complete list of awardees.

22. Dana Brody
Senior Vice President & Director, Marcus & Millichap

Dana Brody began her professional career nearly 19 years ago. Today, she is the Senior Vice President of Capital Markets and NMHG Director of Marcus & Millichap. Marcus & Millichap provides real estate brokerage, mortgage brokerage, research, and advisory services in the U.S. and Canada in the field of commercial property. It was founded in 1971 with the goal of being a new kind of company, one driven by long-term relationships and built on a culture of collaboration. Today, Marcus & Millichap is the industry’s largest firm specializing in real estate investment sales and financing, with over 80 offices and nearly 2,000 investment sales and financing professionals throughout North America.

Brody first got her start in 2003 as a business development director at CB Richard Ellis. From there, she went on to Grubb & Ellis, before eventually rising to become an SVP of capital markets at JLL, her most recent position prior to joining Marcus & Millichap. Brody graduated from Arizona State University with an undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism.

23. Natalie Gibbons
Vice President of Playfly Creates, Playfly Sports

Natalie Gibbons is the Vice President of Playfly Creates overseeing the brand activation, marketing operations and production services for Playfly Sports. Over the last decade, Gibbons has successfully navigated an executive career governing high-level, Fortune 500 accounts through negotiation, activation, and policy creation for production of multi-platform marketing content, all the while building long-term, impactful relationships with account teams, vendors, clients, agencies, network, and team partners. She has established a standard of excellence that is unmatched and considered the benchmark for others in her field to follow, pushing production and creative boundaries for future business growth and success.

Both a visionary and creative agency leader, Gibbons combines production and logistical management with strategy to manifest the outcome of any project she leads. Known for her ability to maximize talent and resources, Gibbons designs efficient processes which yield meaningful campaigns, influencing consumer habits. Whether through solution support or content creation, Gibbons’ focus and attention to detail bring ideas to life. Her unparalleled trade acumen generates revenue, creates cost-saving measures, and cultivates national business alliances. Gibbons holds an undergraduate degree in communications and marketing from the University of Alabama.

24. Stacy Benaderet
Vice President, AEG Presents

Stacy Benaderet is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing of AEG Presents. She first joined the company in 2008 as national group sales manager. AEG Presents is one of the largest live music companies in the world. The company is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music events, and world-renowned festivals. AEG Presents operates in North America, Europe. and Asia through 16 regional offices that support its tours which include such artists as Taylor Swift, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Ed Sheeran. They produce or support over 25 music festivals, including the iconic Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and own and manage more than 80 clubs and theaters.

Previously, Benaderet was a renewal sales manager at House of Blues Clubs. Earlier in her career she worked with AEG as an account executive of Chicago Fire at TOYOTA Park. Benaderet earned an undergraduate degree in social relations and journalism from Michigan State University James Madison College.

25. Dana Benson
Senior Vice President, Fandango

Dana Benson is a dynamic corporate communications executive with 25+ years of experience leading top companies and brands at the cross section of technology, media, and entertainment. She is currently the Senior Vice President of Communications for Fandango and its portfolio of digital businesses including its online movie ticketing app; world-famous entertainment recommendations brand Rotten Tomatoes; and on-demand streaming service Vudu. Benson joined Fandango, a unit of NBCUniversal, in 2012 and has successfully led and scaled the company’s communications functions during a time of hyper-growth, industry disruption and evolution.

She is particularly proud of the thought leadership work she’s led for Rotten Tomatoes, furthering the company’s mission to increase inclusion and representation in entertainment criticism. Under her direction, Rotten Tomatoes has launched grant and scholarship programs, assisting critics from underrepresented groups gain access to film festivals and industry events, and established the first-ever fellowship with USC’s Annenberg School of Journalism and Communications and LA Film Critics Association scholarships to help foster the next generation of critics. Benson has also held senior level communications positions at The Walt Disney Company, Mattel, Hasbro, Edelman Worldwide and more. Benson earned an undergraduate degree in business administration and marketing from the University of Southern California.

26. Sandra Lee
President & CEO, ES Advertising

Sandra Lee is the President and Chief Executive Officer of ES Advertising, formerly known as Ethnic Solutions. ES Advertising is a Los Angeles based full-service advertising agency specializing in multicultural markets. They have been recognized as one of the Top 10 Asian American advertising agencies in the nation by leading trade publication Advertising Age since 2005. Lee is a recognized leader in the advertising industry where many Fortune 500 companies have benefited from her counsel, providing strategic solutions to expand markets and drive growth. Her vast business expertise and industry knowledge areas include digital marketing, multicultural marketing, public and non-profit board experience, human capital management, and diversity and inclusion.

In addition to her current roles, Lee currently serves as a board member to Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System, overseeing the management of $20 billion dollars in pension funds, member health benefits, and reviewing city employee disability claims. Lee earned an undergraduate degree in communication studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

27. Jula Inrig
Chief Medical Officer, Travere Therapeutics

Jula Inrig began her professional career nearly 22 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Medical Officer of Travere Therapeutics. Travere Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to identify, develop, and deliver life-changing therapies to people living with rare disease. It is advancing a pipeline of potential first-in-class medicines targeting rare diseases with significant unmet needs and oftentimes no approved treatment options. Its efforts are led by late-stage development programs of sparsentan, which is a novel product candidate targeting rare kidney diseases – focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Travere is also partnering with leaders in patient advocacy and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on earlier-stage development work in rare liver diseases.

Inrig first got her start in 2000 as an internal medicine resident at Duke University Medical Center. From there, she went on to Duke Clinical Research Institute, before eventually rising to become the global head for the Renal Center of Excellence at IQVIA, her most recent position prior to joining Travere Therapeutics. Inrig graduated from Duke University with a master’s degree in health science.

28. Rashmi Chaturvedi
Co-Founder & President, KAYGEN

Rashmi Chaturvedi is the Co-Founder and President of Kaygen. She has over 25 years of technology industry experience assisting multinationals with their business transformation initiatives. She co-founded KAYGEN in 2003 to assist businesses with their digital transformation initiatives by providing data driven solutions to customers globally. The inspiration for KAYGEN’s name came from Kaizen which stands for continuous improvement, and she embodies this business philosophy in all processes to create efficiencies in company operations and employee productivity.

An advocate for economic equity, Chaturvedi is passionate about helping women owned and diverse businesses get equal opportunities for growth and success. She serves on the Board for Women’s Business Enterprise Council West (WBEC-WEST), Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the Transportation Business Advisory Council at Los Angeles Metro. Chaturvedi’s honors and awards include 2020 Outstanding CEOs by WE USA magazine, 2020 Women Business Enterprise STAR, 2018 Enterprising Woman of the Year Champion, and Women Who Rock. She is a graduate of Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics in Bombay, India with an undergraduate degree in business and a master’s degree in computer applications.

View the complete list of awardees.

29. Amy Milunas
Vice President of Operations, Western Dental

Amy Milunas is the Vice President of Operations of Western Dental. She first joined the company in 2015 as senior director of operations. Western Dental & Orthodontics (including affiliates such as Brident & Vital Smiles) is one of the nation’s largest dental providers and the leader in accessible, affordable oral healthcare. With 350+ affiliated offices throughout 5 states, their network includes over 1200 dentists in which over 300 of them are Board Specialists. In California, they are the leading provider of services to both adults and children in the Medi-Cal Dental public insurance program that provides health care benefits for more than 13 million low-income individuals and families. Milunas’ current responsibilities are focused on the financial health and growth of the organization through same store, acquisition, and new build.

Milunas’ education and career have provided her the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills and expertise that allows her to contribute to organizations in the areas of operations, finance, marketing, team development, and compliance. She is known for her empowering approach and taking on projects, developing, and managing teams, and creating processes and procedures to improve or enhance. Previously, Milunas was a director of process integration and compliance at Smile Brands Inc. and before that a district manager at Coast Dental. Earlier in her career she worked with SmileCare as a director of field services and marketing. Milunas earned an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of California, Irvine.

30. Nataline Lomedico
CEO & President, Giroux Glass

Nataline Lomedico is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Giroux Glass. Giroux Glass, a 100% employee-owned glass, glazing, and architectural metals contracting company, operates branches in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Las Vegas, Fresno, and Phoenix. They hire Union-certified glaziers to cater to the needs of the commercial, retail, and luxury residential sectors. Since 1946, Giroux Glass has been recognized for their integrity and high-quality performance, exceeding client expectations and defying engineering challenges to complete the industry’s most demanding glazing projects. Lomedico has 32 years of experience. She began her career in 1990.

Lomedico has played a pivotal role in the success and growth of Giroux Glass. She has been the inspirational leader and driving force behind transitioning Giroux to the employee-owned company which it is today. Lomedico is committed to growing Giroux's status as one of the nation's most successful glazing contractors through her commitment to cutting-edge technology, top-quality service, customer satisfaction, and nurturing Giroux's strong culture of ownership. Before joining Giroux Glass, Lomedico was an owner at NL Consulting and before that an assistant controller at Lennar. Earlier in her career she worked with MedTox Associates as a general accountant and assistant controller. Lomedico graduated from California State University, Fullerton with an undergraduate degree in business administration.

31. Asma Ishaq
Chief Executive Officer, Modere

Asma Ishaq is the Chief Executive Officer of Modere, a global, live clean lifestyle brand whose advanced science portfolio of beauty and personal care, health and wellness, and household products is currently sold in 44 international markets. A thought leader in the health and wellness space and natural products industry, Ishaq is the chairperson of the Collagen Stewardship Alliance and a committee member on the Council of Responsible Nutrition. In honor of her lifetime achievement and contribution to the nutrition/natural products industry, NutraIngredients awarded Ishaq NutraChampion in 2020. In 2021, she catapulted Modere to number 1 on the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Led Companies list after having debuted at number 3 on the prestigious list in 2020. Her stewardship also led to Modere’s ranking on Newsweek’s 2021 list of 100 Most Loved Workplaces and earned her the Transformational CEO 2021 award in ecommerce health and beauty from the CEO Forum.

A sought-after speaker on industry stages including the World Collagen Conference and NutriCosmetics Summit, Ishaq’s work has earned recognition and awards from organizations such as SupplySide West and New Hope. She has also appeared on Fox, CBS, ABC, NPR, and in Forbes as a go-to expert. Ishaq earned her BA from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA with a dual concentration in finance and marketing from Rice University. She is the recipient of Rice University’s Alumni Industry Excellence Award in Entrepreneurship.

32. Christina Zabat-Fran
Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, St. John Knits

Christina Zabat-Fran began her professional career 24 years ago. Today, Zabat-Fran serves as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel for St. John, an American luxury fashion brand, leading global legal and business affairs, HR, IP, risk management, loss prevention and security, facilities, and compliance during a crucial era of the multinational company's evolution and growth. Zabat-Fran also serves on the Board of Directors for St. John Asia and St. John Canada, supporting the brand's international markets priorities.

Zabat-Fran is a high-performing, award-winning General Counsel and business and community leader with over a decade serving a global fashion industry giant. She is a trusted steward with measurable success managing executive team changes including a full C-Suite turnover, demonstrating expertise in corporate social responsibility, root cause analysis, restructuring, corporate governance and transactions, regulatory compliance, risk management, process improvement, loss prevention, settlement negotiation, strategic partnerships, employee relations and inclusion initiatives. Zabat-Fran graduated from the University of California with a JD and a dual undergraduate degree.

33. Jennifer Kalfsbeek-Goetz
Vice President of Academic Affairs, Ventura College

Jennifer Kalfsbeek-Goetz began her professional career 26 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President of Academic Affairs of Ventura College. Ventura College, an accredited two-year institution of higher education, offers associate of arts and associate of science degrees in thirty-three majors, as well as certificates of achievement in thirty-five high-wage career and technical education fields, and proficiency awards in twenty-six fields. As a flagship institution, Ventura College was the first institution of higher education in Ventura County in 1926, and today is a national Aspen Institute TOP 150 college, a Bellwether Consortium top 10 finalist college, and is ranked among the top 100 of all colleges and universities in the country for serving and graduating Hispanic students. The college also boasts a thriving Veteran Resource Center, an acclaimed music and orchestra program, state and nationally recognized Athletics program, and state of the art STEM programs.

Kalfsbeek-Goetz first got her start as a professor teaching sociology, psychology, and anthropology. She later became a tenured professor at St. Paul College before moving on to become an assistant dean of program development at California State University, Northridge. Kalfsbeek-Goetz is also the co-founder of Educational Solutions 4 Change, a non-profit organization that provides training and educational opportunities that positively impact people and communities. Kalfsbeek-Goetz is a mediator, trained by the Los Angeles County Bar Association in 2019; today she teaches conflict resolution in the university setting and trains in mediation and conflict resolution for businesses and organizations. Additionally, she is the co-founder of the Jane Small Scholarship for Advocates for People with Disabilities and the Advocates for Social Justice scholarship. As a leader, Kalfsbeek-Goetz maintains a social justice focus and is entrepreneurial and strategic in her approach to addressing growth and change. Kalfsbeek-Goetz graduated from Capella University with a PhD in education leadership, from the University of Maryland - Baltimore County with an MA in sociology, and from the University of Minnesota Duluth with an undergraduate degree in psychology.

35. Susan Ying
Senior Vice President, Global Operations Ampaire

Susan Ying is the Senior Vice President of Global Operations at Ampaire, a tech start-up for all-electric commercial aircraft. They are developing high performance, zero emission aircraft to transform the landscape of aviation. With key innovations in energy storage, propulsion, and aircraft architecture, their team is maximizing the potential of the aircraft industry. Ying is responsible for their technology strategy and international relations. She first joined the company in 2018.

In 2017, Ying retired from the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China as the Chief Integration Officer based in Shanghai. Prior to that, she served with the Boeing company as Director of Boeing Research and Technology. Demonstrating success both at individual and team levels, Ying has been the recipient of many honors, including the Chinese Government's Friendship Award and NASA Group Achievement Award. Before joining Boeing, Ying taught at universities and directed research in the DOE Research Labs and NASA Ames Research Center and earned a spot as a NASA Astronaut Candidate finalist. Ying is a Fellow of the AIAA and of the Royal Aeronautical Sciences. She is the former president of the International Council of Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS). Ying holds a commercial pilot license and is an FAA-Certified Flight Instructor. She received her PhD in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University and took executive education training from the Kellogg School of Business Administration, Wharton Business School, and Brookings Institute in Brussels.

36. Natalie Ledwell
Founder, Mind Movies

Natalie Ledwell is a bestselling author, host of the podcast, Not Over, Just Different, co-host of the cable TV show WAKE UP, and Founder of Mind Movies, the hugely successful and revolutionary online Personal Development company that has reached over 10 million people worldwide. Currently, she has launched her brand-new groundbreaking Social and Emotional Learning curriculum entitled, "Personal Growth Studies", into schools here in the U.S., which is designed to empower youth from ages 5-18 years to live fulfilling and successful lives with high self-esteem and a vision for a bright future.

In 2018, Ledwell traveled to Liberia, where she met with government officials and launched Personal Growth Studies into a number of schools, which is now in its second year, working with over 1000 students. In 2020, she had the immense honor of being Knighted by the Orthodox Order of St John, a humanitarian group recognizing individuals who are not only doing great work but who have a big vision of the work they want to complete in the world helping others.

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37. Rachel Bullock
Chief Operating Officer, Patron Technology

Rachel Venuti Bullock is the Chief Operating Officer of Patron Technology, the leading event technology company that empowers creators to take control of their entire event experience with their robust suite of ticketing, engagement, mobile app, and cashless products. She first joined the company in 2018 as the General Manager of their enterprise ticketing solution, ShowClix, before becoming the Senior Vice President of Operations for Patron Technology.

In her role as COO, Bullock is responsible for the client implementation, client support, customer care, event operations, project management, logistics, and facilities teams in North America, Europe, and Australia. Prior to joining the Patron Technology team, Bullock served as the COO of Render Media, where she helped expand the company from 5 to 50 employees, earning them recognition as the 2nd fastest growing digital media company in the U.S. from Inc. 5000. To kick off her professional career, Bullock earned an undergraduate degree in English and American Literature from Wake Forest University and a Master’s degree in English and American Literature from Brandeis University.

38. Kimberly Shiner
Vice President, Pitzer College

Kimberly Shiner is the Vice President for College Advancement and Communications of Pitzer College. She first joined the company in 2021. Pitzer College is a nationally top-ranked undergraduate liberal arts and sciences institution. A member of The Claremont Colleges, Pitzer offers a distinctive approach to a liberal arts education by linking intellectual inquiry with interdisciplinary studies, cultural immersion, social responsibility, and community involvement.

Previously, Shiner was an associate VP of University Advancement - Office of Philanthropic Giving at California State University-San Bernardino and before that, a nonprofit manager and fundraising consultant at Kim Alexander Consulting. Earlier in her career she worked with Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California as a senior associate director of Foundation Relations. Shiner earned an MPA and an undergraduate degree in journalism from California State University, Northridge.

39. Talia Bender Small
President, The Female Quotient

Talia Bender Small is the President of The Female Quotient (The FQ), an equality services company that provides thought leadership platforms for women and develops solutions for organizations committed to closing the gender gap in the workplace. In her role, Talia leads the development of innovative national and global partnership programs and campaigns, as well as thought-leadership initiatives for C-suite executives. Bender Small has been a cornerstone of The FQ community since its inception, overseeing a multi-talented team and client partnerships from Fortune 500 companies. She has dedicated her career to advancing equality in the workplace and building the first and largest community of female leaders at events around the world. Her work continues to be instrumental to building the first and largest community of female leaders at conferences and events around the world – including The World Economic Forum in Davos, and major tentpole events like Cannes Lions, Advertising Week, CES, and NBA All-Star.

Bender Small is passionate about increasing visibility, and leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities. Additionally, Talia was named a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeeper, has been instrumental in building the ANA #SeeHer initiative to accurately portray women and girls in media, and serves as an Adweek Executive Mentor. In 2021, she was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in marketing and advertising. Bender Small graduated from New York University with an undergraduate degree in media, culture, and communication.

40. Claudia Wasko
Vice President & General Manager, Robert Bosch

Claudia Wasko is the General Manager of Bosch eBike Systems Americas. Bosch is a global market leader of electric bike systems. In her position, she is responsible for all operational activities in eBike Systems within North and South America. Since joining Bosch in 1992, Wasko has held numerous positions with increasing responsibility in the automotive and non-automotive areas of key account sales, original equipment sales and marketing. In 2009 she was the co-founder of the business division Bosch eBike Systems in Germany. In her position as the head of department for sales, service, and marketing she was strongly involved in making Bosch a global market leader. In 2014 she established the U.S. based business unit Bosch eBike Systems Americas.

To help shape the future of the bike industry and grow bicycling participation in America, Wasko serves on the board of the U.S. bike industry trade association “People for Bikes”, their “Trade Association Committee” (TAC) and is also co-chair of the nonprofit organization’s eBike committee. Wasko earned an MBA from the University of Stuttgart.

42. Rebecca Lienhard
Chief Executive Officer, Tierra del Sol Foundation

Rebecca Lienhard began her professional career nearly 34 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Executive Officer of Tierra del Sol Foundation. Tierra del Sol serves individuals with disabilities, empowering them to establish meaningful and productive lives and contribute to the economic, cultural, and civic vitality of their communities. Lienhard joined Tierra in 1990 and over the course of her tenure, has championed inclusion and value for people with disabilities through their unique contributions to our communities.

Lienhard serves as the key spokesperson for the agency in local, state, and national venues. She has served on numerous community boards and committees, such as the Vendor Advisory Committee for the California Department of Developmental Services’ North Los Angeles County Regional Center, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities’ Employment First Committee, and serving as VP of the Board of Directors for Southern California APSE. She is currently serving on the Board of Woodbury University School of Business. Additionally, she serves as a current member of two of California’s Department of Developmental Services Workgroups, specifically focusing on System & Fiscal Reform and Community Resources. Through these roles, she has gained a nation-wide view of services, relevant laws, and emerging trends, all in an effort to advance meaningful and inclusive lives for adults with developmental disabilities. Lienhard holds a master’s degree in special education, with an emphasis in moderate/severe disabilities, and is a graduate of the University of Delaware National Leadership Institute on Developmental Disabilities.

43. Tammi Boyd
Senior Vice President, The Boyd Financial Group of Wells Fargo Advisors

Tammi Boyd is the Senior Vice President of the Boyd Financial Group of Wells Fargo Advisors. The mission of The Boyd Financial Group is to ensure that their clients have sufficient financial resources throughout their lifetime and the lifetime of those they care about. They focus on the financial events that are planned for the future, while staying prepared for events that are a surprise. They always seek to maximize return, while minimizing risk and strive to constantly improve their wealth management approach and techniques in order to deliver the highest quality service in the financial services industry.

Boyd is responsible for the direction of The Boyd Financial Group. She coordinates the team in order to deliver the most focused approach to each client's needs. Boyd oversees in excess of $100 million in client assets. She has been with Wells Fargo Advisors and its predecessor firms since 1996. Prior to joining The Boyd Financial Group, Boyd was a senior registered sales associate with PaineWebber.

44. Irlanda Montes
Founder & President, Chicas Brand

Irlanda Montes is the Founder and President for Chicas Brand, a brand of home style and authentic tortilla chips and salsas. As founder of the brand, she spent the last 10 years creating and building a new brand of tortilla chips that boomed in a market that was already very saturated. As a start-up, Montes oversaw all the operations and growth of her company. Today, Chicas Brand is now a part of the Benestar Brands family, and she continues to be a key player in commercializing the brand and providing leadership as president.

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45. Alexia Raven
Vice President, Warner Bros.

Alexia Raven began her professional career over 20 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President of Global Research, Insights & Analytics at Warner Bros. Warner Bros. is part of WarnerMedia, a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including HBO, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, truTV and others. Warner Bros. Studio & Networks is home to some of the most successful collections of brands & adored franchises in the world, including Looney Tunes, Harry Potter, DC, Friends, Hanna-Barbera and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry, from feature film, television and direct-to-consumer production to animation, comic books, video games, consumer products, themed entertainment, studio tours and brand licensing.

Raven got her start in radio as an account executive for iHeartMedia (fka Clear Channel Communications). From there, she went on to hold Research positions in Local Television and then to Broadcast Network Television at FOX Broadcasting Company. In her current role at Warner Bros., Raven leads a team of researchers that focus on understanding people, exploring culture, and evolving business. Raven graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with an undergraduate degree in communications/radio-television-film.

46. Jonna Hernandez
Vice President, Arosa

Jonna Hernandez is the Vice President of Sales of Arosa. She first joined the company in 2020. Arosa is the premier provider of integrated care management and caregiving services. Their compassionate care professionals are supported and celebrated as they care for their clients and provide peace of mind for the whole family. Arosa believes that the highest quality in-home care can only be delivered by professionals who feel cared for themselves. They are dedicated in their efforts to attract, train, retain, and treasure the best care professionals. Arosa’s team-based approach allows them to not only treasure and support their teammates but to also offer their clients tailored, integrated support. Hernandez has been in the senior care industry for over 11 years.

Previously, Hernandez was a regional director of business development for the Southwest Region at Home Care Assistance and before that, a director of business development at Caravan Operations Corp. Earlier in her career she worked with St. Elizabeth Healthcare as a director of marketing and admissions. Hernandez earned an executive MHA from USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, a master’s degree in counseling from Azusa Pacific University, and an undergraduate degree in speech communication and rhetoric from California State University, Fullerton.

47. Tulika Singh
Associate Chief Medical Officer, DAP Health

Tulika Singh is the Director of Research, Associate Chief Medical Officer, and HIV/Primary Care & Infectious Disease Physician Specialist for DAP Health. DAP Health is an advocacy-based health center in Palm Springs, CA serving 9,700 patients, offering medical and mental healthcare, STI testing and treatment, dentistry, pharmacy, and lab services. A variety of wraparound services enable patients to experience optimal health, including social services, support groups, alternative therapies, and other wellness services. DAP Health opened one of California’s first COVID clinics and hotlines to offer screening, testing, and treatment. Singh has 10 years in the hospitals and health care industry. She began her career in 2012.

In addition to her roles with DAP Health, Singh is a clinical assistant professor with the University of California, Riverside and an HIV expert speaker with ViiV Healthcare. Earlier in her career she worked with Mercy Health as an HIV specialist and was an advisory board member for Gilead Sciences. Singh graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin with an MD in infectious disease, from St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown, Ohio with an MD in internal medicine, from the University of New Haven with an MS in health care administration, and from the Manipal Academy of Higher Education with an undergraduate degree in medicine and surgery.

49. Chere Estrin
CEO, Estrin Legal Staffing

Chere Estrin is the CEO of Estrin Legal Staffing and its medical records division, MediSums. She is also the President and Co-Founding Member of the Organization of Legal Professionals (OLP), an online legal technology training organization and originator of the eDiscovery Certification Exam (CeDP). A former administrator for two major law firms, she has held executive positions in law firms, litigation support companies and as SVP of a legal staffing division of a $5 billion publicly held corporation. She was the CEO and founder of the Paralegal Knowledge Institute, an online continuing legal education organization for experienced paralegals.

Estrin publishes the prestigious digital magazine, KNOW, the Magazine for Paralegals and is the former Editor-in-Chief of Sue, the Magazine for Women Litigators. She has been in the staffing arena for over 20 years placing high-level legal professionals including attorneys, litigation support professionals, technology experts, paralegals, administrators, managers, and legal service providers at AmLaw 100+ firms and Fortune 1000 in-house legal departments. She founded a successful California organization that she sold to a $5 billion staffing company and, as SVP, ran its national division. She is the Education Director designing, creating, and executing online, live training programs with an on-call roster of over 500 instructors throughout the world. Estrin is the author of 10 books about careers in the legal field including The Paralegal Career Guide 4th Edition; Why Traditional Legal Professionals Don’t Stand a Chance in Hell; Where Do I Go From Here? and written hundreds of articles. She is a well-known national seminar speaker and has been interviewed or mentioned by publications such as Fortune Magazine. Estrin graduated from Brighton University with a master’s degree in human resources development.

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