Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of Jacksonville for 2023. Living up to its nickname of the Bold New City of the South, Jacksonville has no shortage of strong influential women. This year’s awardees are highly successful individuals who are an inspiration to the next generation of leaders in areas including health, education, STEM, finance, retail, startups and more. We recognize each for their exemplary leadership and contributions all while making an impact and leading with purpose.
Among this year’s awardees is Christina Villar, Head of Global Clinical Operations for Philips, who uses her 20 years of experience to lead global teams with planning and executing clinical studies including consumer products, cosmetics, and medical devices. Awardee Kerri Stewart, Chief Strategy Officer of Miller Electric Company, works with internal and external resources to foster government and industry relations in support of Miller's strategic initiatives and business growth. Also awarded is Liz Slobodian, Vice President of Public Affairs for Firehouse Subs, whose passion for corporate storytelling and corporate social responsibility has led to her 10+ years of award-winning public relations experience.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Jacksonville for 2023.
1. Rebecca Tyler
Principal, Deloitte & Touche
Rebecca Tyler brings over 22 years of experience specializing in IT strategy and governance - including enterprise cybersecurity strategy planning and execution, information security governance, audit readiness and remediation, as well as IT risk management framework development and implementation. She is passionate about developing people and previously held the role of Leader of Women's Development and Advancement.
Tyler brings experience serving clients across various industries in both the commercial and government and public services practices and currently helps clients in the public health sector. She has spent over 20 years with Deloitte & Touche. She first got her start as a technology risk consultant for Arthur Andersen. Tyler graduated from the University of Maryland with an undergraduate degree in finance.
2. Parrinder Terry
Vice President & Tech Manager, Bank of America
Parrinder Terry is Vice President Team Manager for IMS Database International Client Services within GT&O supporting Global Wholesale Banking for Bank of America. In this role she is responsible for managing the Database Administration team and its large- and small-scale projects. The key to her success is ensuring the coaching and development of her team members and ultimately the flawless delivery of their critical project initiatives.
Parrinder is an engaged leader and is currently participating in the Power of 10 program. She also participated in the 2018 Northeast Florida Market Leaders program where she partnered with consumer executives and The Market President’s office to drive a core team initiative toward year-end targets. Parrinder has always been a huge community advocate and partner. She dedicates many service hours to local Jacksonville schools and service organizations and is currently a member of several employee networks. She has served on the steering committees for both WIT&O and BPG Jacksonville. Throughout recent years she has been heralded for delivery of insightful, creative, and dynamic programming for the local Jacksonville market and community at large. Parrinder graduated from the University of Miami with an undergraduate degree in systems analysis and from Webster University with an MBA.
4. Christina Villar
Head of Global Clinical Operations, Philips
Christina Villar is a pharmaceutical and medical device executive and consultant with more than 20 years of experience overseeing public health, policy, preclinical and clinical research conducted by industry, contract research organizations, academia, and non-governmental organizations. She currently serves as the Head of Global Clinical Operations for Philips. In her role, Christina leads global teams to plan and execute clinical studies including consumer products, cosmetics, and medical devices.
Christina has partnered with international regulatory authorities, including US FDA, the UK DFID, and the Netherlands RIVM in the development and implementation of training initiatives for industry in the areas of GMP, GLP, vaccine manufacturing, product release and testing, and GCP. While working with the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland Christina collaborated with USAID, World Bank, and other donor organizations to establish and fund a critical childhood vaccine training initiative. While at Johnson and Johnson, she led the Vision Care clinical affairs team to conduct more than 400 clinical trials in five years through lean, process led management. Christina was formerly with Stealth Peptides, Inc. where she conducted preclinical and clinical research in cardiovascular and ophthalmology indications for new chemical entities manufactured in China. She has led the conduct and oversight of anti-infective, surgical, ophthalmology, cardiovascular, immunology, biologics, and oncology device, drug, and combination product studies both nationally and internationally.
Christina received a MPH degree in international health policy from George Washington University, Washington DC and an undergraduate degree in international relations from the American University, Washington DC.
5. Joanne Berrios
GM, Health & Life Sciences, Salesforce
Joanne Berrios is an experienced and progressive executive with 25 years of experience in strategic planning, growth and expansion strategies, finance, and operations. As the Global Industry Solutions & Strategy lead for Salesforce’s Health & Life Sciences, Berrios is responsible for advancing a robust and growth-oriented product strategy, commercializing industry products, and defining the go-to-market product strategy.
Berrios previously held the position of divisional CFO at a multi-state plan and was primarily responsible for the strategic financial and operating plans. She has continued success in building health care strategy for healthcare facilities, health tech startups, and provider groups, with a focus on digital transformation, sustainability and growth, and profitability. She holds a master’s degree in accounting from University of North Florida and an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Florida. She is an active Certified Professional Accountant, with Big Four public accounting experience. Berrios is a Carroll Emmott recipient and serves as an active strategic and financial advisor for various physician groups.
8. Diana Sorfleet
EVP & Chief Administrative Officer, CSX
Diana Sorfleet was named Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer in 2018. Her responsibilities include aviation, HR, labor relations, people systems and analytics, and total rewards. Previously, as CHRO, she played a key role in managing the company’s workforce strategies during the Scheduled Railroading transformation.
Sorfleet joined CSX in 2011 after many years in HR with Exelon, where she rose to VP for diversity and development. She is a member of the Conference Board’s Chief Human Resources Officers Council and has participated in several additional professional organizations during her career. In 2016, Sorfleet was recognized by Black Enterprise as one of the most influential, highest-ranking executives leading diversity initiatives among the nation’s largest companies. She was also recognized by Diversity MBA in 2012 as a Top 100 under 50 Diverse Executives.
Sorfleet is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago, where she earned an undergraduate degree in communications. Subsequently she earned a master’s degree in management and HR from National Louis University, as well as a master’s degree in business administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
9. Margaret Lowinger
VP of Business Banking, First Citizens Bank
Margaret Lowinger, Vice President of Business Banking, is a seasoned banker at First Citizens Bank. With a strong healthcare and professional services background, she helps guide businesses to determine where they want to go, how to get there and what resources they will need with regards to their financial objectives.
Lowinger has over 20 years of experience providing world class service and solutions to customers. She joined First Citizens Bank in June 2017 and supports the North Florida market. First Citizens Bank is the largest family-controlled bank in the country and they continue to create arguably the most compelling, relevant banking story in the US. First Citizens Bank specializes in professional service financing (medical, dental, veterinarian, accounting, law and engineering etc.) and provides market leading solutions. Margaret cares about delivering competitive solutions and deepening customer relationships. She brings a wealth of market knowledge to her customers. Her background and proven success in business and retail banking is a great addition to compliment her client’s needs. Her passion is around new business development and providing best in class service to her clients with a team approach.
10. Gina De Caro Sprenger
Chief Strategic Retail Officer, Fanatics
Gina De Caro Sprenger is the Chief Strategic Retail Officer of Fanatics. She is known as a strategic and inspirational merchandising leader, responsible for driving significant and transformational change.
She earned a reputation for taking on complex business challenges, defining strategic advantage, and developing a keen understanding of the customer and the business. Her breadth and depth of expertise includes business startups, expansion strategies, merchandising, operations, marketing, and product development.
Gina led a multi-billion Home Pyramid Business Unit with over 1,700 stores. She was responsible for the overall strategic direction, operations, financial performance of soft home (domestics), housewares, decorative home accessories, furniture, lawn and garden, stationery, office and school supplies, and all seasonal products and events. She led a merchandising team of over 300 team members and cross functional teams including sourcing, product development, marketing and merchandise presentation.
View the complete list of awardees.
12. Leah Lombard
Vice President, DWS Group
Leah Lombard began her professional career over 14 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President of DWS Group. DWS Group is one of the world's leading asset managers. Building on more than 60 years of experience, it has a reputation for excellence in Europe, the Americas and Asia. DWS offers individuals and institutions access to their strong investment capabilities across all major asset classes and solutions aligned to growth trends. The company’s diverse expertise in active, passive and alternatives asset management, as well as their deep environmental, social and governance focus, complement each other when creating targeted solutions for their clients.
Lombard first got her start in 2007 as an associate in the derivatives operations at Deutsche Bank Group. From there, she went on to US Bank, before eventually rising to become a compliance officer at Deutsche Bank. Lombard graduated from the University of Miami with an undergraduate degree in political science.
13. Rachel Winter
Dean of Students, University of North Florida
Rachel Winter currently serves as the Dean of Students and focuses on student care services, student conduct, academic integrity, conflict resolution, advocacy, and intentional educational engagement to promote and encourage well-being, accountability, prevention, and holistic student development. She is also a Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the University working to help provide a safe educational and work environment to students, faculty and staff while being an available resource to the Title IX process.
Rachel’s professional and educational experience is primarily focused on public policy and community well-being. She previously worked in behavioral health with the Florida Managing Entity for the northeast region and is an alumna of Vermont Law School, with a Juris Doctorate. Rachel also attended Ohio University, where she earned an undergraduate degree in international studies, including a concentration in sociology and Spanish. Rachel’s interest in higher education and student affairs began when she was a student advocate with the Students Defending Students group and member of the Sigma Kappa Sorority at Ohio University during her undergraduate tenure.
Rachel joined the UNF community in 2017 as the university conduct officer, where she grew the student conduct program to include many of the resolution and engagement offerings now within the Dean of Students Office. She also earned a Certificate in Conflict Resolution from Cornell University and a Certificate in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion from the University of South Florida. Rachel previously served her peers as president of the A&P Association and volunteered as the Legislation Chair for the Florida state group and Co-Chair for Region 8 within ASCA, the Association for Student Conduct Administrators.
14. Carlotta Landschoot
Chief Operating Officer, Watson Realty
Carlotta Landschoot began her professional career 36 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Operating Officer of Watson Realty. Since its humble beginnings as a single office in 1965, Watson Realty Corp. has operated with a fundamental belief at its core: the customer’s needs always come first. In the 50+ years since then, the company has blossomed into one of the region’s most recognizable real estate brands, with 50 offices and more than 1,400 sales associates throughout Florida and in Southeast Georgia. Watson Realty prioritizes providing a legendary quality of service to every customer that comes its way.
Landschoot first got her start in 1986 in the audit department at PricewaterhouseCooper. She graduated from Florida State University with an MBA and from Clemson University with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
16. Terri Lewis
Chief People Officer, One Call
Terri Lewis oversees One Call’s HR department for its more than 2,000 employees, which includes a strong mix of both new talent and seasoned professionals who have been with the company for many years. Her HR career spans more than 25 years. For the past nine years, she has been based in Jacksonville, most recently serving as SVP of global HR for Pontoon Solutions, a global HR outsourcing company specializing in improving an organization’s talent. While at Pontoon, she is credited with creating a people-centric organization, attracting and developing the best talent, and positioning the company as a leading ‘Great Place to Work.’
Prior to Pontoon, Lewis served in various HR leadership positions for companies such as PSS World Medical (now McKesson Corporation), CHEP USA (A Brambles Company) and General Electric. She is the recipient of a variety of notable industry and community awards, including the HRO Today HR Superstar Award and the National Diversity Council Glass Ceiling Award, Lewis is also active in her community. She sits on the board of advisors for Wolfson Children’s Hospital’s annual challenge event and Changing Homelessness and is a graduate of and volunteer for Leadership Jacksonville. Lewis received her Master of Human Resources Management from the University of South Carolina and her undergraduate degree in business management/HR from Clemson University.
18. Molly Miles
Chief Marketing Officer, Availity
Molly Miles is Availity’s Chief Marketing Officer where she leads product marketing, brand marketing, corporate communications and sales enablement. Molly has been with Availity since 2015. A seasoned marketing professional with a passion for product and account-based marketing, Molly has worked in healthcare since 2000 and in healthcare technology since 2011. Much of her early career was spent as a marketing team leader for McKesson Corporation where she helped grow the Health Mart Pharmacy franchise. After ten years with McKesson US Pharma, Molly was promoted to executive director of marketing for McKesson’s Business Performance Services unit in Atlanta, Georgia. She left McKesson in 2013 to join Philips Wellcentive as Vice President of Marketing.
Molly volunteered with the United Way and Big Brothers Big Sisters from 2013 until the pandemic, and served as a middle school mentor in northwest Jacksonville, Florida from 2015 - 2018. She earned her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Missouri-Columbia, has a certification in Voice of the Customer Studies in Business Markets from Penn State Smeal College of Business, and holds Level V certification with Pragmatic Marketing, Inc.
19. Kerri Stewart
Chief Strategy Officer, Miller Electric Company
Kerri Stewart is the Chief Strategy Officer of Miller Electric Company. She participates in the development of business strategy and establishes/manages plans to achieve corporate business objectives. She also provides support for initiative owners and strategic committees to ensure alignment across the company. Kerri collaborates with marketing to ensure alignment with strategic initiatives. And to that end, she works with internal and external resources to foster government and industry relations in support of Miller's strategic initiatives and business growth.
Prior to joining Miller, Kerri was the chief customer officer for JEA where she led the team responsible for the entire relationship with the customer for one of the largest municipally owned electric, water and wastewater utilities in the country. Prior to joining JEA, she served as chief of staff for current Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, providing policy and public affairs guidance. From 2011 – 2015, she was an SVP at Infinity Global Solutions, focusing on the areas of government privatization, public infrastructure development, general management consulting and government relations. A deeply committed, experienced public servant and inspirational change-leader, Stewart also served as chief administrative officer for the City of Jacksonville under Mayors John Peyton and Alvin Brown where she oversaw day-to-day government operations for the city, including directing and managing a nearly 5,000-member workforce, $1 billion municipal budget and $164 million annual capital improvement plan.
Before her jump to the public sector, Kerri worked for Alltel Information Services. She served as a program manager for a mortgage banking software/solution joint venture with a bank in Leeds, UK. Kerri graduated with an undergraduate degree from the University of North Florida and holds a certificate in Business Analytics from Harvard University.
21. Nina Sickler
Vice President, Pond
Nina Sickler is a registered Professional Engineer in Florida and Georgia, with more than 28 years of transportation management experience. As Vice President of Pond & Company and her previous role as Founder and President of Landmark Engineering (acquired by Pond & Company in 2017), Sickler understands the full spectrum of successful business operations including financial planning, startup requirements, accounting, business planning, marketing and employee relations. In addition, she has more than 26 years of experience designing and managing capital programs for government agencies.
Sickler’s technical background includes project management, design, and inspection for a broad range of transportation projects throughout the State of Florida and across the Southeastern US. Her bridge design experience includes numerous water crossings ranging from box culverts, flat slab and conventional girder bridges – to horizontally curved segmental concrete and steel box girders. Her highway design management experience includes geometric design, quantities, signing & marking, and lighting design, with projects ranging from operational improvements to major water crossings and interchanges. She is certified in Advanced Work Zone Traffic Control and trained in Long Range Estimates, Specifications, and Stormwater Erosion and Sedimentation Control.
23. Sara Hale
President & Co-Founder, Coastal Cloud
Sara Hale is the President and Co-Founder of Coastal Cloud, an award-winning IT consulting firm headquartered in Palm Coast, Florida. Prior to leading the only woman owned and led Salesforce.com Platinum Consulting Company in the world, Sara was a leader in Accenture’s Technology Practice. After finding great success in the Fortune 100 consulting field, Sara set out to build a new type of IT consulting company focused on providing customers and employees a life in which business success and the pursuit of happiness are in harmony. The “Live at the beach. Work in the cloud.” motto uses modern cloud technology to achieve this. Sara’s innovative leadership strategy has become a model for others who wish to create a highly skilled, diverse, and satisfied workforce.
Coastal Cloud has been recognized in Florida as a Best Company to Work For by Florida Trend magazine, and one of the 50 Fastest Growing Companies in Northeast Florida. She has been named a Top Tech Leader by Jacksonville Business Journal, and was awarded Largest Woman-Owned Technology Company in Northeast Florida. Sara holds an undergraduate degree in computer science from Duke University.
View the complete list of awardees.
24. Patty Keenan
Chief Talent Officer, Miller Electric Company
Patty Keenan is the Chief Talent Officer at Miller Electric Company in Jacksonville, FL. Her background includes leadership positions in sales, field and headquarters marketing, and global industry management at a $6B business unit of GE. Patty also founded her own executive coaching firm, Keenan Insights, and coached CEOs and their senior executive teams for over 15 years, working primarily from home, while raising her three children. Patty has a passion for human potential and focuses her energy on working with leaders who have a long-term view and recognize their part in building for future generations. She is inspired by Miller Electric Company's strong set of company values, how they treat people and their innovative and futuristic perspective as stewards of the business for the next generation.
Patty serves on the board of trustees for Randolph-Macon Academy, a Jr. Air Force ROTC college-prep boarding school in Front Royal, VA as well as the board of trustees for Junior Achievement North Florida, and was executive-in-residence and adjunct professor in Stetson University’s Executive MBA program in Celebration, FL. She also recently joined Flagler College’s Business Advisory Board as well as the Building Information Modeling Management Program Advisory Committee at Georgia Highlands College.
Keenan is a committed philanthropist and a member of United Way of Northeast Florida’s
Tocqueville Society and served on the Steering Committee and as a mentor for young business leaders in the Catholic Charities Atlanta Leadership Program. She holds an undergraduate degree in business administration and marketing from The University at Albany, New York. Patty and her husband Phil have been married for over 31 years, and enjoy traveling to see their young adult children based in New York City, Atlanta, and Chicago.
26. Sheila Ann Jordan
President & Founder, ESTEEM Youth Programs
Sheila Ann Jordan has spent more than two decades building organizations and causes that benefit youth. Her primary work has been in nonprofit youth development and systems of care leadership, developing staff, building and sustaining boards, overseeing fund development, and curriculum development and facilitation.
Selected as one of 5 US citizens to found City Year South Africa, as a partnership between former Presidents Clinton and Mandela, Sheila’s experience includes a decade as an executive-level leader of City Year, Inc. (Ohio, Johannesburg and Louisiana). She spent three years designing and facilitating an educator professional development program for Southern University (Baton Rouge, LA). For the last 6 years, she has been an administrator and the statewide wraparound coach and trainer in the State of Louisiana. In 2009, Sheila founded ESTEEM Youth Programs, Inc., a nonprofit organization that hosts character education camps and events for elementary-aged students, focused on health, academics, community, socialization and self-mastery. Additionally, Sheila is a certified Life Coach and EIQ Coach, serving private clients.
Sheila is the author of the book The Magic of I: How to Create the Life, Prosperity and Change You Desire. She has been a featured speaker for many organizations. Sheila has an undergraduate degree in business administration and an MBA from Franklin University.
27. Mary Marx
President & CEO, Pace Center for Girls
Mary Marx is the President & CEO of the Pace Center for Girls and in her ten-year tenure as CEO has led the organization through an extensive period of growth. Pace is comprised of twenty-one Pace Centers and twelve outreach programs across Florida. With a combined staff of more than 500 and a $48M operating budget, Pace changes the life trajectory of more than 3,000 girls and young women in Florida annually.
Marx’s 2009 appointment as the CEO of Pace marked a new era for the organization. Over the past ten years she has led Pace through a major organizational transformation, implementing a growth strategy that has more than doubled the number of girls reached by Pace each year, increased revenue to sustain this growth and significantly advanced Pace’s programs, services and impact across Florida. Under Marx’ leadership, the organization enhanced capacity in the areas of program operations, leadership development, technology and resource development and partnered with the legislature and the executive branch to implement policies that have reduced the rate of justice system involvement for girls by more than fifty percent. Her proudest accomplishment however, is uniting all twenty-one Pace Centers behind a common vision.
Marx has led large multi-site not-for-profit agencies focused on the well-being of children for more than 25 years. She was a fellow in the inaugural Results for America Non-Profit Fellowship, serves on the Legislative Committee for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and several committees for Leadership Florida and Leadership Jacksonville and the Women’s Giving Alliance. Marx is a graduate of Reed College in Portland, Oregon and serves as the Counselor for Rotary Youth Exchange, providing mentorship and support to foreign exchange students in NE Florida.
28. Tara Travieso
Consultant Relations Executive, Carrot Fertility
Tara Travieso is a Consultant Relations Executive at Carrot Fertility, the leading global fertility healthcare company. In her role, Tara partners with employee benefits consultants across the country and develops key strategic partnerships. With more than 15 years in the employee benefits consulting space, working at prestigious multinational firms, Tara brings innovative ideas and strategies to help clients improve the employee experience, manage budgets and navigate the complexities of benefits legislation.
Tara authored and published two children’s books, one of which was an Amazon #1 Hot New Release. She was featured on LIVE with Kelly and Ryan, Good Morning America, and many other national media outlets. As a mother of two young girls, Tara spends much of her time at the park, pool, and on outdoor adventures. She and her family also enjoy cooking together.
32. Carole Vanderhoef Banks
VP of Research & Planning, Shepherd
Carole Vanderhoef Banks is an integral part of the team at Shepherd. She has an extensive background in branding, marketing, research and direct response. She has expertise in account management, brand development, group facilitation, marketing/communications planning and implementation, direct response and database management. A member of Shepherd since 1995, Carole's industry experience includes nonprofits, business services, utilities, landscape architecture, healthcare, digital services, financial services, banking, real estate, golf, senior living, pharmaceuticals, entertainment, arts & culture, aviation, retail grocery and retail eyewear. She specializes in brand strategy, branding, direct marketing, marketing planning and research and is an experienced workshop moderator and facilitator.
Working in the nonprofit sector for nine years, Carole was the marketing director for the Syracuse, Indianapolis and Jacksonville symphony orchestras. She then honed her direct marketing and database skills for seven years as a project manager with a national direct marketer. Carole completed graduate studies at the School of Management at Syracuse University, holds an undergraduate degree from Wells College, as well as a master’s degree in music education from Ithaca College. She remains an avid singer today.
35. Emma Rouhana
Vice President of Human Resources, United Land Services
Emma Rouhana is a highly experienced HR executive skilled in human capital strategy & operations, cultivating organizational culture, and training & development programs. At United Land Services, Emma is a member of the executive leadership team for a private equity backed organization, serving as a trusted strategic advisor to the CEO, and sounding board for leaders’ company wide. She builds the HR function from the ground up, by developing and executing a comprehensive human capital strategy in support of the company’s current hyper-growth phase. She collaborates with leaders to scale the business while developing a company culture across all locations, blending workforces across multiple states, building strong social connections, feedback mechanisms, and communication lines between all employees at the various branches. She also manages merger and acquisition transactions from due diligence to integration, ensuring that the integration is conducted in compliance with regulatory guidelines, owning and driving key HR deliverables throughout the transaction.
Emma brings over 15 years HR experience from both the private and public sectors with a demonstrated influence toward positive change in the workplace. She holds an undergraduate degree in organizational management and MBA in business management & administration. She is also Lean Six Sigma certified.
37. Lauren Weaver
VP of Marketing & Business Development, Sally Dark Rides
Lauren Wood Weaver has over 15 years of experience in the global amusement and entertainment industry. She joined Sally Dark Rides in 2007 as a member of the sales team. With her experience in modern campaigns, she quickly progressed to join the business department and was named director of marketing and business development in 2014. In 2020, Weaver was promoted to VP of Marketing and Business Development and currently coordinates all marketing efforts including, but not limited to trade shows, strategic partnerships, social media management, IP relationship management, and product development.
Weaver has spearheaded strategic partnership efforts and helped secure a variety of major clients and marketing agreements including Six Flags (USA), PortAventura (Spain), AMC’s The Walking Dead, Jim Henson & Herschend Entertainment’s Splash and Bubbles, Scott Cawthon’s Five Nights At Freddy’s, and Aardman Animations for Sally Dark Rides. In 2019, her social media, editorial/press coverage, and in-person PR skills earned 325 million impressions across 7 countries for Sally Dark Rides and its products, worth $10.4 million in publicity value. Lauren actively participates in the global amusement and entertainment industry, recently serving 3 years on the IAAPA North American Media and PR Subcommittee and currently Chair of IAAPA’s Service Awards Committee.
39. Caral Edelberg
Chief Executive Officer, Edelberg & Associates
Caral Edelberg, Chief Executive Officer of Edelberg & Associates (E&A), is a widely recognized expert on emergency department, hospitalist, ambulance and urgent care revenue cycle management, coding and compliance. E&A provides coding and compliance support for many medical specialties/subspecialties. Caral has personally managed coding, billing and compliance improvement projects for hundreds of facilities across the country. She develops training, auditing and monitoring tools while providing compliance audits used to identify coding and billing problems for many medical specialties.
Caral has been awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership in the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) for her outstanding work in the medical profession and the Association. This is a unique honor for a non-physician. She is a long-term member of the Coding and Nomenclature Advisory Committee for the American College of Emergency Physicians and as such assists with development of ACEPs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on coding and reimbursement. She is a current member of the board of directors for the Emergency Department Practice Management Association (EDPMA). She is a frequent lecturer and author for many healthcare organizations.
Caral has dual coding certifications from the American Health Information Management Association and the American Academy of Professional Coders. She is also certified in Healthcare Compliance through the Healthcare Compliance Association; is a certified medical auditor; a certified ambulance coder and an active member of the Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists. Caral is also AHIMA certified Instructor in ICD-10 diagnosis coding.
View the complete list of awardees.
40. Ryan Hallett
Chief Risk Officer, Black Knight
Ryan Hallett is the Chief Risk Officer for Black Knight, a premier provider of integrated software, data and analytics to the mortgage industry. As CRO, she is responsible for enhancing and executing on the company’s strategic security and risk management plan; identifying existing or potential business risks and developing solutions to mitigate or prevent them; physical security of Black Knight’s campuses across the US and in India; and supporting enterprise business continuity.
Prior to this role, Ryan served as Black Knight’s deputy chief risk officer, where she led Enterprise Risk Governance, Identity and Access Management and the ERM Project Management Office. She has more than 20 years of experience in the information technology industry including 10 years dedicated to the establishment of long-term information security strategies, risk governance programs and company-wide programs and processes in the financial services industry.
Ryan is an alumna of the University of Florida, where she earned both a undergraduate degree in decision and information sciences and a master’s degree in international business. In addition, Ryan is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional and a Certified Information Security Manager.
42. Charu Raheja
Chief Executive Officer, TriageLogic Group
Charu Raheja is the Chief Executive Officer of TriageLogic Group. She drives innovation, growth, and speed to market by leveraging her healthcare experience and strong finance background. TriageLogic focuses on remote patient care technology and services to increase patient access to healthcare and information. Raheja’s passion is in helping people live healthier lives and have better access to healthcare.
Raheja’s personal mission is to move the needle on health equity by helping others access a compassionate, affordable healthcare professional who listens, evaluates symptoms, and provides appropriate guidance. She co-founded her company with that mission. They are a telephone nurse and remote patient monitoring software and services company. Their technology and processes help over 9,000 doctors nationwide provide better health outcomes for patients while saving important resources for health centers.
Raheja is a frequent speaker at healthcare conferences. Sharing her personal healthcare journey, she speaks about innovation to increase access to healthcare, remote patient care, and analysis of data on patient behavior and care. In addition to TriageLogic, Raheja is nvolved with organizations that inspire her. She helps evaluate growth opportunities and plan for financial success. She serves on the board of directors of Point Motion, a private healthcare technology company, the northeast Florida American Heart Association board, and the national board of directors of CHC Impact. In her free time, she mentors young entrepreneurs and is a patient advocate and fundraiser for aneurysm and AVM research and education.
45. Michaelene Cadiz
Owner and CEO, MAD Product Innovations
Michaelene Cadiz is the Owner and CEO of MAD Product Innovations, a multi-brand design and manufacturing company, producing modern and innovative products across fashion and lifestyle. With nearly fifteen years of marketing and advertising experience, she has developed an expertise in building business, having led multi-platform communication strategies that have proven successes elevating marquee brands amongst consumers with direct revenue generation.
Michaelene spent thirteen years at COX Media Group, leading the corporation’s high-profile marketing and promotional initiatives for a roster of principal clients. She rapidly rose through the ranks as she continued to spearhead award winning strategies that amplified the company’s transition into the digital era. In 2012, she decided that it was time to take her knowledge to build a brand of her own. Thus, MAD Product Innovations was formed.
Michaelene identifies strongly with her Puerto Rican heritage, having been born and raised in a bi-cultural household in Tampa, Florida and is a proud member of the LGBTQAI Community. Michaelene received an undergraduate degree in communications from Jacksonville University, where she was a collegiate athlete for the women’s soccer team. She credits her success to the meaningful relationships that she has fostered over the years, both professionally and personally, and hopes to continuously inspire women as we enter a new period of female-led empowerment and business.
46. Sarah Andres
Founder, She Can Code IT
Sarah Andres is a Director of Product Architecture at Availity and Founder of She Can Code IT. Sarah is a native of Manila and studied Math at the University of the Philippines before coming to the US and studying computer science at Rutgers University/New Jersey Institute of Technology. She began her career as a developer in 1991 and has since worked as a Tech Lead, Solutions Architect, Architecture Consultant, and an Enterprise Architect working on product architecture and engineering practices for Availity. As a Director, she also owns the platform team that provides core components and services for over 30 product teams in the organization. Also, an appointed board member at Providence School of Jacksonville, she brings her passion for technology to not only inspire young coders but help bridge the gap of computer science education from K-12.
48. Susan Lemasters
Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, VP & Financial Advisor, The Lighthouse Wealth Management Group
Susan Lemasters is a Financial Advisor and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) with The Lighthouse Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley. An experienced professional, Susan has been providing customized strategies to individuals, families and small business owners for more than 30 years. She focuses on helping clients manage life-changing events, such as divorce, the death of a spouse or an inheritance, and is proficient in long-term care planning. Susan is committed to outstanding service and advice, delivered with compassion and integrity.
Throughout her career, Susan has developed skills in investment management, securities trading and retirement product development. For the past decade, she has focused her practice on providing comprehensive financial guidance during and following a divorce. She works closely with each client’s attorney and other trusted advisors to help increase the opportunity for arriving at a settlement that can fully address her client’s short and long-term financial needs.
Susan takes pride in helping her clients effectively manage their financial obligations, so they may take care of the people they love, spend more time pursuing the activities they enjoy and support the causes that are most important to them. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with an undergraduate degree in business and industrial psychology. She is a current member of the Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts.
View the complete list of awardees.