Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of the Mountain Region for 2022. Covering Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico, this award highlights leaders across nearly all industries. These individuals are natural influencers that bring about positive shifts in workplace culture. They are exemplary leaders who consistently inspire others and are looked upon by their peers for sound judgment and advice.
Among this year’s awardees is Ana Brant, Vice President of Customer Experience & Loyalty for Wynn & Encore Las Vegas, a visionary brand strategist who regularly shares her unconventional yet thoughtful ideas in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and the peer-reviewed Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. Awardee Ronda Conger, Vice President of CBH Homes, has flourished in a male dominated industry for 29 years and is spreading her knowledge and experience with four books. Also awarded is Cindie Quintana, Vice President of Development & Public Relations for TURN Community Services, who has increased the organization’s donations by 80% and won nominations for her employer as "Best of State in Disability Services" for the past two years.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders of the Mountain Region for 2022.
1. Kate Moss
SVP & Market Executive, Bank of America
Kate Moss is a Senior Vice President and Market Executive for Bank of America. She first joined the organization in 2018 as a relationship manager. Moss develops and executes Bank of America’s local strategic plan across all lines of business. She also manages the local market's philanthropy, sponsorships and community relations; executes national initiatives; develops and coordinates leadership team communication, protocols and visibility. She influences business integration and robust employee engagement to deliver one company to clients and communities.
Prior to joining Bank of America, Moss served as an executive director for Susan. G. Komen Utah and before that she served as a marketing communications manager for YWCA Utah. Moss was briefly an adjunct professor for the University of Utah where she graduated with an MBA and undergraduate in sociology. She serves as a board member for the Salt Lake Chamber, with the United Way of Salt Lake and for the Women’s Business Center of Utah.
2. Kelly Schwager
VP of Global Communications, Oracle
Kelly Schwager joined Oracle in 2016 and currently serves as Vice President of Global Communications and an Ambassador for Oracle for Research. Kelly also serves as board chair for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance (MHTBA), a nonpartisan statewide association focused on creating more high-paying jobs in Montana. Montana's high-tech industry is poised for continued growth and is a sector growing 7x the Montana economy and bringing in $2.9 billion in annual revenue.
Previously, Kelly served as EVP and general manager for Edelman Silicon Valley, a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote, and protect their brands and reputations. Prior, Kelly served as SVP and chief marketing officer for Streetline where she led the company's go-to-market strategy. Streetline established itself as a global leader in the “Internet of Things" specifically focused on smart cities and connected cars. Kelly has also held various leadership roles with tech players including SAP, Symantec, VERITAS, and USWeb. Kelly holds a master’s degree in communication management from the University of Southern California and an undergraduate degree in public relations from Pepperdine University. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in leadership and learning in organizations from Vanderbilt University.
3. Lori Gull
Vice President, Idaho Central Credit Union
Lori Gull is a Vice President with Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU). She provides branch operations leadership for ICCU locations throughout Idaho and has been a leader with them for many years. She is responsible for all aspects of her region’s operations including culture, staffing, team member development and training, operations, service standards, production and sales. She has been a leader/member of multiple strategic committees/projects, helping propel ICCU to be recognized as the top-performing Credit Union in the nation for several years in a row.
Passionate about being involved in and giving back to her community, Lori serves on the Boise Chamber Financial Advisory Board, the Together Treasure Valley Board, the NWCUA Capitol Chapter Board, and on the US Attorney’s White Collar Crime Task Force. She is a public speaker and trainer on topics such as developing a world-class company culture, achieving financial success, and on leadership development, including as an occasional guest on TV and business talk radio. She was a recipient of the Tribute to Women and Industry award in 2016. Lori is a graduate of BYU-Idaho, is a high-honors graduate of Western CUNA Management School and served for two years in Leadership Boise.
4. Nicole Squires
Senior Legal Counsel, Rio Tinto
Nicole Squires began her professional career 21 years ago. Today, she is a Senior Legal Counsel for Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto Group is an Anglo-Australian multinational company that is the world's second-largest metals and mining corporation. The company was founded in 1873 when a group of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto in Huelva, Spain, from the Spanish government. It has grown through a long series of mergers and acquisitions. Although primarily focused on extraction of minerals, Rio Tinto also has significant operations in refining, particularly the refining of bauxite and iron ore.
Squires first got her start in 2001 as a research associate at The Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy. From there, she went on to Utah Attorney General's Office before eventually rising to become an environmental attorney with emphasis on contaminated properties, and environmental due diligence and compliance at Holland & Hart LLP, her most recent position prior to joining Rio Tinto. Squires graduated from BYU Law School with a JD and an undergraduate degree in political science.
5. Utae Nakanishi
VP of Global Business Partnering & People Services, Micron Technology
Utae Nakanishi is an accomplished global human resources executive who is strategic and visionary. She currently serves as Vice President of Global Business Partnering and People Services for Micron Technology. Utae drives innovative and practical programs and solutions that address current and future business challenges, enable business results, and build commitment to corporate vision, mission, and values. She is an agile and tenacious executive with multi-cultural experience who is results-driven and maximizes company performance through alignment across business executives, leaders, and team members globally. She enables high engagement and fosters diversity, equality, and inclusion.
6. Ellen Charnley
President, Marsh
As President of Marsh Captive Solutions, spanning 50 domiciles and 400 employees servicing more than 1,200 captives, Ellen Charnley has a lot on her plate. Her role is to ensure that the right brokers with relevant expertise are matched to the right clients. In the past year she has focused on training those brokers to equip them with the right tools for the job. On the client side, Charnley has also prioritized bringing innovative solutions and products to market, delivering benchmarking data and analysis to enable her clients to make informed decisions, and providing networking and educational opportunities.
Last year, Charnley hosted Marsh’s third annual captive lunch at RIMS to give clients a platform to discuss the latest trends and developments and meet with senior leadership. She also launched a set of captive owner forums throughout the year to listen to clients’ concerns and address their needs. In addition, she has worked directly with clients on everything from choosing domiciles to strategically reviewing their captive utilization. Charnley has spent the past 18 years with the company. She graduated from the University of Surrey with an undergraduate degree in hotel management.
7. Phyllis James
President, Foundation for Women's Leadership & Empowerment
Phyllis James is the President of Foundation for Women’s Leadership & Empowerment (FWLE). She founded the nonprofit in 2019. FWLE seeks to advance America’s quest for gender and racial equity through production of affordable, high-quality leadership education and development programs primarily for women and people of color, as well as men.
In addition to her FWLE work, Phyllis now serves on the nonprofit boards of the Advisory Council for the Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership at Howard University College of Arts & Sciences; Nevada Legal Services and Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas. She is also a member of the advisory board of algoface, a company which builds artificial intelligence technology to detect and recognize the human face more accurately and more easily. For nearly two decades Phyllis has continued to serve as a corporate board member for MGM subsidiary MGM Grand Detroit, LLC. Prior to her current roles she excelled as a 17-year executive at MGM. Prior to MGM Phyllis was the first woman appointed on a non-interim basis as corporation counsel for the City of Detroit, where she represented the Mayor’s Office and 32 executive branch departments, the City’s legislative City Council and more than a dozen city agencies, boards and commissions. Before this post she was the first African American to progress from associate ranks to partnership at Pillsbury Madison & Sutro, then the oldest “powerhouse” corporate law firm in the western U.S. (now Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman) – where she specialized in complex commercial litigation.
8. Chiquita Board
VP & Program Officer, Truist
Chiquita Board is the Vice President and Program Officer of Truist. She first joined the company in 2019. In her role, Board manages corporate giving portfolio across multiple regions and implements key strategies alongside strategic partners.
Previously, Board was an executive director at The Dream Come True Foundation, and before that, a project management consultant at GCIG, Inc. Earlier in her career, she worked with 3M Media as an office administrator. Board earned an undergraduate degree in business from Shorter University, and an undergraduate degree in fashion merchandise from Anderson University.
9. Kate Whiteley
Vice President of Corporate Communications & Production, Caesars Entertainment
Kate Whiteley is Vice President of Corporate Communications and Production for Caesars Entertainment where she leads communication, media relations, and film and television production efforts across the company’s more than 50 resorts and casinos. She oversees the company’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations teams spearheading corporate messaging and communications strategy. She also leads the Production and Talent Relations team and Caesars Entertainment Studios, a 45,000 square-foot soundstage off the Las Vegas Strip. Under Whiteley’s leadership, the company produced its first network television show, “Vegas Chef Prize Fight” for the Food Network and hosted productions including “Hell’s Kitchen,” seasons 19 and 20, and “Love Island USA,” season 2.
Prior to joining the Caesars team, Whiteley spent over a decade in public relations at Kirvin Doak Communications, Nevada’s largest PR agency. Most recently she was a VP leading a team of 12 servicing some of the biggest names in Las Vegas including MGM Resorts, Cirque du Soleil, The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, and Mr. Las Vegas himself, Wayne Newton. With roots in journalism, having started her career as a television reporter and anchor, Whiteley is a passionate believer in the power of words and the importance of storytelling.
10. Cindie Quintana
VP of Development & Public Relations, TURN Community Services
Cindie Quintana, Vice President of Development & Public Relations for TURN Community Services, has been a development and public relations professional for over twenty years. Quintana has worked in the corporate and nonprofit sectors as a fundraising and public relations professional for most of her career. She has earned a reputation for tenacity, unparalleled professionalism, and a strong work ethic. She has a "soft spot" for philanthropic endeavors.
During her career, Quintana has raised millions in charitable fundraising to benefit programs and services for people with disabilities and the less fortunate. Her portfolio of donors includes banks, corporations, foundations, and individuals. Quintana has a knack for discovering talent in unusual places and building brands with her "fresh eyes" approach. Over the last four years at TURN Community Services, she has increased donations by 80% and won nominations for her employer as "Best of State in Disability Services" in 2021 & 2022.
A well-known Corporate and Political Public Relations & Marketing Strategist, Quintana is sought after for her solid political background in public relations expertise and has collaborated with many high-profile candidates seeking higher office, including political races for US President, US Senate, House of Representatives, Gubernatorial, and several county races, including District Attorney, Sheriff, and Attorney General. Quintana threw her hat into the political ring in 2020 and ran for the Utah House of Representatives in her district. Quintana is an advisory board member for Better Days 2020 and Kiwanis International.
11. Rachell Ekroos
Chief Executive Officer, University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Rachell Ekroos is recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally as a forensic nursing leader, particularly for her impact in the areas of clinical services for people affected by violence, multidisciplinary responses to violence, and ethics. Dr. Ekroos is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a Distinguished Fellow of the International Association of Forensic Nurses. She is a respected nurse leader whose work is grounded in the core values of personal, professional, and organizational integrity, accountability, respect for persons, and moral courage.
Having served as a clinical forensic resource and consultant to numerous organizations and government entities, Dr. Ekroos contributes as an adviser or subject matter expert on local, regional, national, and international committees. Her areas of expertise include sexual violence, intimate partner violence, interpersonal violence, multidisciplinary response to violence, and ethics. In addition, she has specialized expertise in the areas of human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, and technology-enabled crimes against children.
Dr. Ekroos is committed to achieving excellence through innovative strategies and best practices. Through her analytical approach to solution development, she has enacted effective strategies across diverse business models including for-profit, nonprofit, academic, and government agencies. Dr. Ekroos maintains a continued commitment to advancing evidence-based practices across the multidisciplinary teams responding to violence or mass disaster and increasing access to services for populations affected by violence.
12. Mary Villarreal
Vice President of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, University of Utah
Mary Ann Villarreal supports a dynamic academic community, working to continue the momentum of California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) in creating an institutional vision and environment that centers diversity and inclusion in the Cal State Fullerton experience. Since joining CSUF, Villarreal has led the development and implementation of major university initiatives such as the University Strategic Plan, the Mellon Mays Fellows program, and the President’s Commission on Equity and Inclusion. She also led the expansion of CSUF's Office of First Year Experience (OFYE). The OFYE now serves approximately 500 undeclared first-year students as they transition into higher education and is partnered with the Global Titan Experience to engage them in study abroad opportunities.
Villarreal is an award-winning author for her book Listening to Rosita: The Business of Tejana Music and Culture, 1930–1955. Currently, she serves on the AAC&U Board of Directors and American Historical Association Committee in Gender and Equity. She holds a PhD in history from Arizona State University and an AB from Mount Holyoke College.
13. Deb Beck
Chief Compliance Officer, Carta Energy Shares
Deb Beck is the Chief Compliance Officer of Carta Energy Shares. She has over 15 years of experience in the financial industry ranging from small to large broker-dealers and banks. Her forté is in supervision pursuant to FINRA regulations for Registered Representatives and has a background in AML. She has created compliance structures from the ground up and drafted policies and procedures that lend to a compliant environment.
Beck first got her start in 2009 as a registered representative at E*TRADE. From there, she went on to Wells Fargo Advisors, before eventually rising to chief compliance officer of Carta Securities at Carta, her most recent position prior to joining Carta Energy Shares. Beck graduated from the University of Utah with an undergraduate degree in finance.
14. Laura Fernandez
VP & Head of Industry, SiriusXM
Laura Fernandez is a trailblazer in the audio space, which led her to her current position as SXM Media’s Travel + Tourism VP and Head of Industry. Her work has focused on developing media solutions that connect travel brands with their target consumers in innovative ways using the power of SXM Media (SiriusXM, Soundcloud, Pandora, Stitcher and more). Laura has expertly weaved together SXM Media’s assets with the needs and habits of travelers and guided brands to effectively target them when they are most engaged.
Laura is certainly no stranger to the relationship and similar emotional impact and relief that music and travel can have on people. With both her personal and professional affinity for music, her radio career quickly evolved after joining SXM Media where she would go on to launch vertical divisions for Casinos, Tourism and eventually Travel. Laura is passionate about the ever-evolving audio industry and enjoys educating brands on the various ways they can take advantage of audio platform’s captivated audiences.
15. Ronda Conger
Vice President, CBH Homes
Some say she was raised by wolves, others claim truckers. No matter what her upbringing, this
superwoman has flourished in a male dominated industry for 29 years. As Vice President of CBH Homes, Idaho’s largest homebuilder, Ronda leads the CBH troops daily, and has overseen all areas of the company for the past 19 years. Her most recent accomplishment that tops Ronda’s list is being named 2021 NAHB Woman of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders.
Serving others is important to Ronda. As a businesswoman, professional speaker, and author, Ronda is on a mission to spread a movement with her four books: Better Human, Better Thinking, You Go First and her latest book Leading Through Extraordinary Times. She thanks the heavens each day for this incredible journey and is so very grateful for the opportunity to serve and love all those that she comes in contact with.
16. Colleen Boltman
General Manager & VP of Public Sector Strategic Operations, Magellan Health
At Magellan Health, Colleen Boltman has successfully supported business growth through state procurement processes and implementation of publicly funded programs. She currently serves as the General Manager and Vice President of Public Sector Strategic Operations. For the last 5 years, she focused on integrated care initiatives for Medicare, Medicaid, and Waiver populations to improve quality, access, and cost of care. Outcomes include reduced utilization of services in inpatient settings, increased community-based service utilization, and improvement in the use of evidence-based best practices.
In her current role, Colleen also leads operations for Medicaid programs and products to ensure client satisfaction and compliance in meeting clinical, quality, customer, and business financial targets and objectives. She partners with account managers in various states and cross-functional teams within the organization to improve operational efficiencies with a focus on compliance and cost-effectiveness. As an IT liaison, Colleen supports current and future clinical business needs through collaboration with IT development and Analytics teams. Prior to joining Magellan, Colleen managed hospital-based utilization management and case management staff in an integrated healthcare system. She has over 13 years of direct long-term care experience in nursing facilities as well as community-based care.
17. Christina Plhak
SVP of Information Technology, Freeman Company
Christina Plhak is the Senior Vice President of Information Technology of Freeman Company. She first joined the company in 2019 as VP of IT & solutions delivery. Freeman is the global leader in events. Whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid, it is on a mission to redefine live for a new era. With a data-driven approach and the world's largest network of experts, its insights are shaping exhibitions, exhibits, and events that drive audiences to action. Freeman integrated full-service solutions leverage a 100-year legacy in event management as well as new technologies to deliver moments that matter.
Previously, Plhak was a VP of information technology at CA Technologies, and before that, a senior IT manager at Dell. Earlier in her career, she worked with Ascent Management as a programmer and analyst. Plhak earned an undergraduate degree in management information systems from Texas A&M University.
18. Aubry Padilla
Executive General Manager, Garcia Automotive Group
Aubry Padilla is the Executive General Manager for two of Garcia Automotive Group’s dealerships, its Subaru and Cadillac stores in her hometown of Albuquerque. She was named to the 2019 class of Automotive News’ 40 Under 40 dealership executives. Much of her focus is on developing future leaders in the automotive industry.
Prior to joining Garcia, Padilla was a finance manager with Lexus of Albuquerque. She graduated from the University of Redlands with an undergraduate degree in sociology and completed the General Manager Executive Program from NCM Institute.
19. Jamie Toop
President, Pacific Dental Services
Jamie Toop began her professional career 12 years ago. Today, she is the President of Pacific Dental Services, one of the country’s leading dental support organizations, providing supported autonomy that allows dentists to concentrate on clinical excellence and the highest levels of cost-effective comprehensive patient care. Toop is an owner dentist of multiple dental practices in Las Vegas. She currently serves as a faculty member of the PDS University™ - Institute of Dentistry and sits on Pacific Dental Services' National Advisory Board. In her years of practice experience she has been recognized as a subject matter expert on the Mouth-Body Connection® with numerous speaking engagements, published articles, and more.
Toop graduated from Loma Linda University with a DDS, and from Pacific Union College with an undergraduate degree in biology.
20. Ana Brant
VP of Customer Experience & Loyalty, Wynn & Encore Las Vegas
Dr. Ana Brant is a visionary brand strategist, customer-centricity expert, researcher, lecturer, and published writer in the art and science of turning discerning, global customers into hard-core fans. Her unique talent takes a scalpel to the mindset and expectations of the world’s most affluent, powerful, and influential individuals. She elegantly dissects what makes them do what they do and want what they want. Starting with astute customer insights, Ana precisely defines the ideologies of particular consumer culture, predicts their consumption behavior, and then identifies organizational resources, strategy and execution plan that brands will require to achieve powerfully successful outcomes within this exclusive and unique target market.
As a member of the Fast Company Executive Board, Brant regularly shares her unconventional yet thoughtful ideas in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and the peer-reviewed Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. Recipient of numerous industry awards, she has an unmatched understanding of brand power and influence within the luxury landscape and a dynamic, inspirational personality with which to bring her findings to life for any audience and format.
Born in Croatia, Ana holds dual citizenship and splits her time between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, where serves as the VP of Customer Experience and Loyalty for Wynn & Encore. Earlier in her career, she oversaw guest experience for Dorchester Collection’s luxury hotels and has held various positions within The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and The Walt Disney World. Brant is also an adjunct professor at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, where she teaches luxury experience design. She has advised executives in private aviation, retail, luxury goods, and membership clubs.
Brant earned her Doctor of Business Administration degree at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. Her research focuses on the ideological consumption of UHNWI, consumer culture theories, consumption patterns, and resource-based organizational strategies. She is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology and a member of RIT’s Board of Trustees & Education Committee, where she received a master’s degree in Service Leadership and a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management. Certified with the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, her relentless intellectual curiosity led her to earn executive certifications in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Stanford University and the Customer-Focused Product & Service Design from Cornell University.
21. Eren Ozmen
President, Sierra Nevada
Eren Ozmen is Chairwoman and President of Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), the global aerospace and national security leader based in Sparks, Nevada. As sole owners of SNC since 1994, Eren and her husband, Fatih Ozmen, who is SNC’s CEO, are the driving force behind SNC’s remarkable journey from small high-tech startup to multi-billion-dollar global leader in space, aviation, national security and defense.
Entrepreneurial and humanitarian, Eren embodies an inspiring American Dream story. She came to the US to earn her MBA from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). In 1994, the Ozmens acquired SNC when the company had just 20 employees and grew it to become the top woman-owned US Government A&D contractor and among The World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Space. Known for her tenacity and drive, Eren is actively involved in all key aspects of SNC’s business management to ensure the company has a solid foundation for continued growth and success. Under her leadership, Eren has steered SNC to expand in new and promising directions, including 20 strategic acquisitions.
22. Deborah Gibson
EVP & Director of Fiduciary Services of Enterprise Wealth Management, Zions Bancorporation
Debbie is an Executive Vice President and Director of Fiduciary Services of Enterprise Wealth Management for Zions Bancorporation. In addition to managing fiduciary professionals at Zions, Debbie’s responsibilities include the administration of complex multi-generation family relationships.
Active in the community, Debbie serves as a board member of Houston’s Ronald McDonald House, President of the Houston House Foundation, Trustee of Chapelwood Methodist Church and past President of the Houston Business and Estate Planning Council and Houston Estate and Financial Forum. She is committed to using her unique skill set to help her clients grow and protect their wealth by implementing asset management and estate plans to meet their families’ needs now and in the future.
23. Ashley Rogers
Vice President of Product Development, Evolent Health
Ashley has over 15 years’ experience in data-driven decision making, business, data, and technology strategy. She began her career with a heavy focus in large data and analytics focused operational metrics, clinical outcomes, stratification, and medical economics. She has expertise in Medicaid and Managed Care Health Plans. Ashley joined Valence in 2010 after completion of her MS in epidemiology and biostatistics and provided analytical reporting and consultation to Valence's largest clients and developed making Valence's offerings more standard, efficient, and digestible to their clients. Evolent Health acquired Valence Health and her ability to influence client decision making, strategic analytical development and lead teams grew. She developed from a client analytics manager to a leader on that team managing over 10 people across the highest revenue generating partners. To diversify her skills and increase her scope of influence, she moved into product development as a leader in the product management space. Armed with a decade worth of experience analyzing, interpreting, and seeing opportunity in health plan data, she was able to bring business strategy to the technology strategy and develop a team and vision for the future development of technologies to support health plan operations end-to-end.
Ashley remains impassioned by identifying problems, measuring the challenge, collaborating on developing innovative solutions and always using data as a guiding post. Continuing to expand the scope of influence to transform health care, her primary focus and dedication is to develop globally distributed strategic product professionals through thoughtful, data-driven success metrics, scalable processes, transparency, and radical candor.
24. Connie James
Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Corporate Secretary, Light & Wonder
Connie James is Light & Wonder’s head checks and balances honcho as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Corporate Secretary. In this role, Connie oversees the company’s global financial strategy and is responsible for executing financial best practices and maximizing shareholder value. She also oversees the finance, accounting, tax, treasury, facilities, IT and procurement functions of the company.
As a seasoned financial executive with nearly 20 years of gaming experience in financial and operational roles, she has a stellar track record of integrity and delivering successful business, cultural and financial transformations. Prior to joining the company, Connie served as the corporate VP of finance at Cargill. Previously, she spent nearly 10 years in a variety of leadership positions at Aristocrat Leisure Limited, including CFO of Global Land Based Gaming and CFO of Americas and Business Operations. During her time with Aristocrat, she was instrumental in driving record growth and evolving the business through social acquisitions. Connie also served as a Manager of Risk Services with Deloitte Australia. She is a Certified Public Accountant and holds an undergraduate degree in business administration in accounting from University of Nevada Las Vegas, Honors College. Connie also completed the Strategic Financial Leadership course at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
25. Mairi Leining
CEO, The People’s Health Clinic
Dr. Mairi Leining is the Chief Executive Officer of The People’s Health Clinic (PHC), a national award-winning, free, community clinic that serves as an essential safety net for the uninsured residents of Summit and Wasatch Counties, Utah. Most PHC patients are undocumented residents who live below the 100 percent Federal Poverty Level and are not eligible for government subsidies. In 2021, the clinic provided over 13,000 patient encounters for community members in need. Dr. Leining is also an MPH candidate at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and an adjunct assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah. She received her medical degree from Georgetown University and completed her residency training in internal medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School.
26. Erica Erdozain
VP & Business Banking Officer, Columbia Bank
Erica Erdozain is the Vice President and Business Banking Officer of Columbia Bank. She first joined the company in 2018. Columbia Bank is a full-service Northwest community bank serving businesses, professionals, and individuals through more than 140 branches in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. It offers the sophisticated solutions and lending capacity of a regional bank, while retaining the commitment to customer satisfaction and community you expect when doing business with a local bank.
Previously, Erdozain was a VP at Peoples Bank, and before that, a VP of commercial lending at Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union. Earlier in her career, she worked with KeyBank as a vice president and relationship manager.
27. Jeanne Marsh
General Manager, Long John Silver's
Jeanne Marsh is the General Manager of Long John Silver's, the world's most popular quick-service seafood chain with nearly 600 restaurants nationally, 1,220 worldwide. It has a long history of serving meals featuring batter-dipped whitefish, chicken and shrimp, and its famous hushpuppies. Marsh has 38 years of experience. She began her career in 1984.
Before joining Long John Silver's, Marsh worked with Walmart, and before that, at Fair and Square Food Store. Earlier in her career, she worked with Long John Silver's as a customer service associate.
28. Nina Chavez
Vice President of Customer Experience, Flatiron Health
Nina Chavez is Vice President of Customer Experience at Flatiron Health. Nina leads the Flatiron Healthcare (HC) community oncology customer experience from go-live onward, encompassing the Implementation, Optimization, Strategic Partnerships and Projects and Account Management teams. She is a subject matter expert in value-based care and clinical practice transformation, and is responsible for creating and implementing solutions to help practices succeed in the dynamic oncology marketplace.
Nina joined Flatiron in 2020 with 16 years of practice experience at the New Mexico Cancer Center (NMCC). She provided leadership and change management to NMCC to promote quality, innovation and clinical excellence. Reporting to the CEO, she helped shape the practice’s strategic direction, to build a top-performing team of 150+ staff and 22+ physicians and APPs. With her team, Nina participated in the expansion of NMCC’s capabilities beyond medical and radiation oncology, creating a multispecialty center offering rheumatology, primary care, palliative care, clinical research and internal medicine to help attract the right patient and payer mix. In her previous role as Chief Operating Officer at NMCC, she served on the boards of the Association of Community Cancer Centers and the Coalition of Hematology and Oncology Practices. Additionally, she is a fellow with the American College of Medical Practice Executives. Nina graduated from University of Phoenix with an MBA and an undergraduate degree in business administration, management and operations.
29. Kathy Luke
Vice President of Operations, LendingClub
As a Vice President of Operations for large call centers, Kathy Luke designs, improves, and streamlines operational processes to create this essential synergy. Most recently, she maximized compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act by supporting regional nonprofit businesses and organizations with loans, grants, and investments. In this role, many nonprofits have invited me to join their boards, and my investment strategy serving the Salt Lake County and Tooele County regions has bolstered strategic business growth and development of low-income housing. Giving back to the community in this way has been incredibly rewarding.
Prior to this role, Kathy held a number of operations leadership positions in virtual and onsite call centers. Her ~15 teams were as large as 120+ total, and her focus was on improving their engagement while elevating the KPIs that proved customer satisfaction growth. Overcoming challenges such as employee attrition and team fragmentation plus lack of knowledge of best practices, she maximized the value of her organization to her customers, clearly measuring positive change at every step.
Overall, Kathy Luke crafts paths to operations leadership that avoid risk, improve compliance, and enhance the bond between customers and the business that comes from hard-earned customer loyalty, communication, and employee empowerment to make smart business decisions.
30. Anyah Ellis
SVP of Business Development & Growth, Robert Coomer Group
Anyah Ellis is the Senior Vice President of Business Development & Growth of Robert Coomer Group, a nation-wide full-service mortgage loan provider. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Robert Coomer is ranked among the top producing mortgage originators in the nation by Scotsman Guide. Ellis has 13 years of experience. She began her career in 2009.
Before joining Robert Coomer Group, Ellis was a director of business development at Cardinal Financial Company, and before that, a marketing manager at Mann Mortgage Las Vegas. Earlier in her career, she worked with Horizon Realty Group as a marketing and operations manager. Ellis graduated from California State University, Los Angeles with an undergraduate degree in sociology.
31. Leena Rinne
SVP of Professional Services & Client Facilitation, FranklinCovey
Leena Rinne has over 15 years of experience in building team capability and creating a high trust culture. She oversees a $30M services channel and leads a team of nearly 100 world class consultants. Combining her passion for the customer experience with her continual desire to improve processes, Leena focuses on delivering outcomes through strategic planning, focused execution and metric driven progress tracking. Within FranklinCovey, Leena works cross functionally to ensure smooth operational processes and implementation of consulting and coaching services to thousands of organizations around the world.
As the Chair of FranklinCovey’s DEI council, Leena works with a DEI council to develop, implement and improve on annual initiatives that build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive culture for nearly 1000 associates around the world.
An experienced consultant and facilitator, Leena has worked with senior executives from Fortune 500 to local small businesses to improve their customer experience, culture and leadership capability to drive business outcomes. Leena’s role as a best-selling author and keynote speaker has led her to speak to executives and leaders across the globe on the topic of building customer loyalty and personal productivity.
32. Heather Carlson
Director of Digital Marketing Strategy and Interim Director of Annual Giving, Boise State University
Heather Carlson is the Director of Digital Marketing Strategy and Interim Director of Annual Giving for Boise State University. She serves as a thought leader and partner to university colleagues, providing training, resources, best practices and collaborative direction on digital strategy, content creation, and giving strategies. She is responsible for the management and implementation of the university's annual giving program focusing on a data-based strategy for new-donor acquisition and stewardship/cultivation of the current donor base.
Carlson is a Boise State University alumna with a BFA in graphic design/marketing and a MA in communication.
33. Pernille Bruun-Jensen
Chief Growth Officer, Thriveworks
Pernille Bruun-Jensen is a transformative marketing executive with an extensive track record of C-site collaboration to develop next generation, consumer-centric strategies that accelerate profitable growth in both B2B and B2C. Throughout her career, Pernille leveraged a data-driven entrepreneurial approach across industries including consumer goods, healthcare, financial services, tech and retail. Her experience spans consumer goods, financial services and health care, and as a change-maker, she brought innovation and modern marketing practices to big brands like Intuit, Kraft Foods, Johnson and Johnson, ECCO Shoes, Sutter Health, GoHealth Urgent Care and NetBase Quid.
Pernille earned her master’s degree in international management at ESCP-Europe, and lived in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Germany, and Denmark before moving to the United States. She speaks five languages. She is an award-winning executive recognized for her many accomplishments. She has spoken on the importance of Consumer Experience Marketing in the prestigious CXO talk, was prominently featured in ECCO’s global annual report last year and won the Stevie Award for high achieving Women in Business, earning her the “Maverick of the Year” Silver medal. She has mentored countless marketing talents and supported CEO agendas throughout her career. For community leadership, she served as a volunteer board member and president for her local National Charity League non-for-profit chapter.
34. Amy Mosher
Chief People Officer, isolved
As the Chief People Officer at isolved, Amy Mosher is accountable for the overall people strategy. With over 20 years of global human resources experience, she has contributed to the success of several progressive multi-national public and private companies in various industries including biotechnology, hardware, and software. She is a subject matter expert in organizational development, compensation, talent acquisition, operations, and compliance. Her favorite part of the role is as a mentor working toward the enablement and future career development of her staff and all of the employees at isolved. Amy truly believes in the power of People First - HR, Transforming the Employee Experience, and Winning As One.
35. Amberly Pahut
Director of Community Relations & Executive Director of First Interstate BancSystem Foundation, First Interstate
Amberly Pahut is a Montana native and a graduate of Western Montana College. She earned her MBA in 2007 with a specialty in nonprofit management from Walden University. In 2011, Amberly joined the Billings Clinic Foundation after serving as the Executive Director of the University of Montana Western Foundation. In January 2022, Amberly joined the First Interstate Bank team as Director of Community Relations and Executive Director of the First Interstate BancSystem Foundation.
Amberly has received a great deal of satisfaction in helping donors fulfill their passions and interests through their giving. In 2015, she was awarded her Certified Fundraising Executive designation and has received recertification twice since. In addition to her work, she has served in leadership positions on the board of directors for the Association of Fundraising Professionals Montana Chapter and the Montana Healthcare Communications and Development Association. In November of 2019 she completed her Certified Specialist In Planned Giving through California State University Long Beach. In her free time she enjoys traveling with her husband Jared.
36. Trina Finley Ponce
Diversity and Inclusion Director, Boise Cascade Company
Trina Finley Ponce is the Diversity and Inclusion Director for Boise Cascade Company. She first joined the organization in 2021. As a leading manufacturer and distributor of building materials, Boise Cascade Company brings people, products and services together to build strong homes, businesses and communities that stand the test of time. Ponce is a diversity, equity, and inclusion leader with demonstrated success delivering results in strategic planning, initiatives, and program management. She is a DEI advocate with passion for increasing cross-cultural competency, fostering inclusion, and finding impactful solutions for recruiting, engaging, developing, and retaining diverse talent.
Prior to joining Boise Cascade Company, Ponce was a DEI program manager for HP. She served in the US Army Reserves as a commissioned officer for 16 years. Ponce graduated from Stanford University with an undergraduate degree in interpersonal relations and social psychology and from the University of Montana with an MBA.
37. Brittany Call
VP of People Operations, Lucid Software
Brittany Call is the Vice President of People Operations at Lucid Software, a leading provider of cloud-based visual productivity applications, where she leads a team in building incredible employee experiences. Brittany has built a career working with some of the world's fastest-growing SAAS companies in designing and executing people strategies including hyper-growth workforce planning and modeling, total rewards (benefits, compensation, and equity), HRIS (Workday, BambooHR, UltiPro, Culture Amp, Pyn, SuccessFactors, Jobvite, GreenHouse), employee relations, engagement, onboarding, compliance, and recognition.
38. Jessica Uresk
Vice President, Pinnacle Bank
Jessica Uresk is the Vice President of Pinnacle Bank. Pinnacle Bank provides a full range of banking, investment, trust, mortgage and insurance products and services designed for businesses and their owners and individuals interested in a comprehensive relationship with their financial institution. It operates a network of more than 151 locations with over $10.8 billion in assets. Pinnacle Bank is proud to be part of communities across Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico. Even though a lot has changed in banking over the years, Pinnacle’s commitment to its customers and community has remained the same. The company invests in technologies and solutions that make banking more accessible and convenient to its customers. Uresk has 12 years of experience. She graduated from the University of Phoenix with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
39. Carine Clark
Chief Innovation Officer, Lumio
Catapulting organizations to top-performance has been at the forefront of Carine Clark’s executive career for over 20 years. As an architect of impactful change, and a strategic transformational leader, she develops and implements innovative global marketing strategies and operations that provide overarching change in business growth; overcome challenges and advance business goals in the global marketplace. She enjoys directing large global teams for billion-dollar revenue generating enterprises.
Before joining Lumio, the preeminent leader in personalized renewable energy, as the chief innovation officer, Clark was a three-time president and CEO of high-growth tech companies (Allegiance, MaritzCX, and Banyan), specializing in helping organizations reach significant scale profitably. In addition to her role as chief innovation officer at Lumio, Clark is chair of the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity for Utah, Executive Chairman of Domo, Board Director of Serial1 (Harley Davidson's electric bicycle company), and an active board member for Silicon Slopes and Nelnet Bank.
Clark has been recognized with numerous awards throughout her career. Her experience, leadership, and influence—in innovative firms across Silicon Slopes and within her local community—will elevate Lumio's sustainable growth trajectory and impact on communities across the nation. Her reputation as a data-driven executive leader, and builder of communities and people, coupled with her collaborative-inclusive approach, will support Lumio on its mission to make power personal.
40. Cynthia Murphey
General Manager, Palms Casino Resort
Cynthia Murphey is a leader in the gaming and hospitality field with a well-known passion for developing people, strengthening communities and creating exceptional guest service experiences. From an early age, Murphey knew she was destined for a role in hospitality. She moved from her hometown, Kansas City, to study hotel management in the “Entertainment Capital of the World” and has since opened three successful megaresorts, including the world’s largest hotel. As one of the first female presidents on the Las Vegas Strip, she led a fourth property to an improved brand position and record EBITDA.
Cindy founded one of the gaming industry’s first diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, which trained more than 40,000 “Diversity Champions,” and has personally mentored hundreds of employees from diverse backgrounds -- enthusiastically guiding their journey from entry- and mid-level positions into industry leadership roles. She has launched and led community relations efforts to reshape public opinion about gaming in jurisdictions where the industry was new, helping attain regulatory approval in every case.
Cindy was named Executive of the Year by Human Resources Executive magazine as well as one of 25 "People to Watch" by Global Gaming Business magazine. She is proud to be a founding sponsor of the Veterans’ employee network group and a 20-year Trustee to the UNITE HERE National Fund, which provides excellent health benefits for hospitality industry employees nationwide.
41. Leah Hannum
Director of Government Funding Operations, Blue Cross of Idaho
As Director of Government Funding, Leah Hannum played a pivotal role in the planning, creation, oversight and strategic objectives of the risk adjustment department at Blue Cross of Idaho. She is responsible for overseeing activities related to Medicare and ACA risk adjustment programs in support of payment accuracy. With over 15 years’ experience in government programs, Leah’s current focus is to understand and connect the health plan’s risk adjustment accuracy needs with efficient provider workflows for improved patient outcomes. Hannum graduated from Boise State University with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
42. Sabrina Borghoff
Senior Director of Business Development, Martin-Harris Construction
Sabrina Borghoff stands at the forefront of the fastest moving general contracting firm in Nevada, Martin-Harris Construction. With 10 years of experience working in commercial construction, she joined the MHC team as a strategic relationship developer in 2013. In her current role as Senior Director of Business Development, she is responsible for overseeing the business development team, identifying and engaging with new clients, and strengthening relationships with MHC’s long-standing partners. She serves as MHC’s primary liaison to local and national business organizations regarding economic development and leads MHC’s strategic growth planning process with a focus on creating short- and long-term strategies to align marketing, sales, and customer experience teams around a singular goal to drive sustainable profitability.
Sabrina’s innovative approach to business development cultivates long lasting, true collaborative partnerships for business unit leaders, ensuring the company revenue pipeline is diversified and sustainable. She has worked on a variety of market verticals, through various delivery methods, for public and private clients which have resulted in the successful delivery of projects in the industrial, multifamily, commercial, hospitality, and healthcare sectors.
Sabrina holds an associate degree in construction management from the College of Southern Nevada. She is a National Real Estate and Development Trends Forum Member of the NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, and an active member of the Southern Nevada, Northern Nevada, and Southern California NAIOP chapters, serving as chair for several committees over the years, and is an associate member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR). Sabrina has served as an Ambassador for the American Cancer’s Society for the past two years, ranked #1 in Nevada and #6 nationally.
43. Stephanie Cox
Director of Business Development , Enertis Applus+
Stephanie Cox is the Director of Business Development for Enertis Applus+, a global consulting & engineering firm for renewable energy projects and storage solutions. Her expertise lies in identifying strategic business opportunities as well as assessing and improving the company’s marketing and sales operations. Stephanie is responsible for developing and maintaining Enertis’ customer satisfaction and services, while building long-term relationships with clients, partners, and vendors.
Before joining Enertis, Stephanie was the manager of global business development at Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc., a zinc-based, energy storage manufacturing company. At Eos, she established the company’s Sales Channel Partner Program and created new revenue streams from C&I and Utility clientele. Prior to Eos, she spent eight years at AlsoEnergy, an edge-to-cloud portfolio management SaaS company for renewable energy projects. Stephanie’s initial roles included product management and sales before quickly being tasked with the management of global business development, centered around strategic partnerships. Hired as the ninth employee, she was fundamental in the rapid growth and revenue success that aided in the company’s transformation from a small shop, privately owned startup to one of the world’s leading renewable energy SaaS platforms. During her time at AlsoEnergy, the company brought on four acquisitions, project deployments in over 40 countries, and an international team that grew to 300+ employees. Stephanie credits the fast-paced operating environment of a startup, diverse leadership positions, and her knowledge in software, data acquisition hardware, and energy storage manufacturing for providing a well-rounded understanding of the renewable energy industry.
Stephanie holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in environmental science with a focus on renewable energy systems engineering and sustainability. Her passion for sustainability and energy drives her motivation to innovate and contribute to technological solutions that foster a carbon-free society, enable grid resiliency, and reduce waste issues on a global scale.
44. Annette Bubak
President, Sunnova Energy
Annette Bubak is the President of Sunnova Energy, the leading national residential solar and energy storage provider with a specialized team dedicated to the homebuilding industry. The experience in the new home sector means its team understands the complexities of homebuilding and offers customized solutions to help you build homes that homebuyers want, all while staying on schedule. Operating in the residential construction sector since 2013, the company has installed over 50,000 new home solar systems with over 35 homebuilding partners. Bubak has the pleasure of working with the Home Builder's leadership team in providing clean energy solutions for their new home communities.
45. Jules Larsen
General Manager, Crash Champions
Jules Larsen began her professional career 18 years ago. Today, she is the General Manager of Crash Champions, a team of collision repair experts that are focused exclusively on bringing the highest quality, safest repair to its customers. Crash Champions does this by investing in every employee to provide them with the best training and tooling available to the industry. The company offers vehicle diagnosis, repair and paint services, vehicle painting and refinishing, towing assistance, along with quality assurance and life warranty provisions, thereby enabling customers to get their cars back on the road.
Larsen first got her start in 2004 as a financial assistant at Hard Rock International. From there, she went on to Wells Fargo, before eventually rising to general manager at Service King Collision, her most recent position prior to joining Crash Champions. Larsen graduated from the University of Phoenix with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
46. Elizabeth Fretwell
EVP of Strategy, Switch
Elizabeth Fretwell is the Executive Vice President of Strategy of Switch. She first joined the company in 2017 as senior vice president. Switch is a technology infrastructure corporation that is built on the intelligent and sustainable growth of the internet. It designs, builds and operates the highest-rated data center ecosystems in the world. The company offers the world’s only Tier 5® Platinum hyperscale data center ecosystems with its PRIME campuses located in Las Vegas and Tahoe Reno, Nevada; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Atlanta, Georgia.
Previously, Fretwell was a city manager at City of Las Vegas, and before that, a director of intergovernmental relations at City of Henderson. Earlier in her career, she worked with Clark County as a strategic issues manager. Fretwell earned an MPA and an undergraduate degree in political science from The University of Georgia.
47. Mary Gurczynski
New Homes Sales Director, Krch Realty
Mary Gurczynski is the New Homes Sales Director of Krch Realty. She is a 20-year veteran of the real estate and mortgage finance industry. She is a native to the Northern Nevada Area with a passion for helping her community simplify the home buying process. Specializing in New Home Construction, First Time Homebuyers and Investor purchases, her accomplishments include the national top 10% sales leader 2010 to 2016, taking her talent to multiple leadership levels, and managing sales teams of more than 50 individuals.
Before joining Krch Realty, Gurczynski was a market manager at loanDepot. Earlier in her career, she worked with Wells Fargo as a sales manager. Gurczynski graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno.
48. Brittney Starnes
Director of Program Management Office, INW Group
Brittney Starnes began her professional career 12 years ago as an acknowledged leader with proven as a successful woman in business. Today, she leads as the Director, of Program Management for the INW Group. Best-in-class manufacturer across the spectrum of nutrition and wellness products, INW combines decades of groundbreaking biomedical research experience with a legacy of world-class production. Its unparalleled product development, marketing and sales solutions, and IP management are designed to drive the bottom line. The company offers a comprehensive suite of capabilities, including R&D, manufacturing, on-site laboratory testing, packaging, logistics, and more. Its mission is to provide Nutrition & Wellness products with the utmost quality, innovation, and customer care, and Starnes is an intricate part of driving the company’s success.
Starnes successfully started with the United States Air Force in 2010 as a Chief, Operations & Program Supervisor holding a variety of leadership roles at the Complex Headquarters in Program Management, Human Resources, Software Maintenance, Process Improvement, Strategy, and Contract Oversight, landing her multiple civilian awards. As an accomplished leader serving in various positions within the offices of the United States Department of Defense, she had the opportunity to spread her wings, landing her most recent position joining INW Group. Starnes has successfully applied her highest level of education and leadership skills, in successfully standing up, The LAB Studios, and Green Ridge LLC, as Director and CEO, allowing her to give back to her community in her spare time.
49. La Pepper
Chief Executive Officer, Textile Exchange
La Rhea Pepper is the CEO and a Co-Founder of Textile Exchange. A fifth-generation farmer and the co-founder of two successful organic cotton businesses, Ms. Pepper’s unique perspective helps her lead Textile Exchange along with its pioneering members to create preferred fiber and material strategies, strengthen integrity in the marketplace through the adoption of standards and promoting deeper engagement within the supply network.
Prior to Textile Exchange, Pepper and her late husband, Terry, were founding members of the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative (TOCMC) in 1993. Today, TOCMC is the largest organic cotton cooperative in the United States. Together, they built and demonstrated a sustainable business model for farmers creating strategic partnerships with various manufacturers and “value-added” programs including Cotton Plus and Organic Essentials. Pepper holds an undergraduate degree in education from Abilene Christian University and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Lubbock Christian University.
50. Julia Braun
Director of Global Nutrition, McDonald's
Julia Braun is the Director of Global Nutrition of McDonald's. As one of the most frequented restaurants in the world, McDonald’s recognizes the important role they have in feeding millions of people every day, and Julia is passionate about the responsibility that comes with being a leader. As Head of Global Nutrition, Julia monitors the latest nutrition science and regulations around food and nutrition and helps the company set strategies for new product development, product reformulation, and marketing practices. Over the last 16 years, she has worked closely with menu, marketing, and supplier partners to evolve and develop new menu choices that meet the varying needs of today’s and tomorrow’s customers. In her current role, Julia is responsible for leading the company’s Global Happy Meal Goals, which aim to improve the nutrition and ingredient profile of Happy Meals around the world, enhance nutrition transparency and ensure responsible marketing to youth.
Previously, Braun was a research assistant at Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. She earned an MPH in nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an undergraduate degree in health administration from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.