Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women CEOs for 2023. The importance of women in executive roles cannot be overstated. Women bring diverse perspectives, unique leadership styles, and valuable insights to the corporate world. Female CEOs serve as powerful role models for aspiring women leaders, inspiring the next generation to pursue their ambitions and shatter glass ceilings. Research has shown that companies with greater gender diversity in top management tend to perform better, foster innovation, and enhance decision-making processes. Embracing women in CEO roles is not just about achieving gender equality, it brings economic and social benefits, leading to a more inclusive and progressive society.
Among this year’s awardees is Corie Barry, CEO of Best Buy, who is leading efforts to transform the company, aiming to double significant customer relationship events to 50 million and achieve $50 billion in annual revenue by fiscal 2025. Awardee Alexandra Plato, the CEO of Publicis Health, is a rare hybrid executive and agency pioneer who has deftly navigated new technologies and media to help clients achieve success since the early days of the digital revolution. Also awarded is trailblazing tech entrepreneur, Radha Basu, who serves as the CEO of iMerit Technology and is the visionary co-founder behind its sister foundation, Anudip Foundation. Together with her teams, they provide high-quality data across computer vision, natural language processing, and content services that power machine learning and artificial intelligence applications for large enterprises.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women CEOs for 2023.
1. Corie Barry
Chief Executive Officer, Best Buy
Corie Barry is CEO of Best Buy Co. Inc., the leading provider of consumer technology products and services, with approximately 100,000 employees in North America and $47 billion in annual revenue. She also serves on the company’s board of directors. Under Barry’s leadership, Best Buy is driving toward being one of the best places to work in America, doubling their significant customer relationship events to 50 million and growing annual revenue to $50 billion by fiscal 2025.
Prior to becoming CEO in 2019, Barry served in several other executive positions, playing a critical role in developing and executing the company’s Building the New Blue growth strategy and related transformation. Most recently, she was the company’s chief financial and strategic transformation officer, overseeing strategic transformation and growth, digital and technology, global finance, investor relations, enterprise risk and compliance, integration management, and Best Buy Health. Barry joined Best Buy in 1999 and has held a variety of financial and operational roles across the organization, both in the field and at the corporate office. She became CFO in 2016 and, prior to that, served as chief strategic growth officer. She has also served as senior vice president of domestic finance and interim president of Best Buy’s services organization.
Before joining Best Buy, Barry started her career as an auditor at Deloitte & Touche. A Minnesota native, she holds undergraduate degrees in accounting and management from the College of St. Benedict, where she now serves on the board of trustees. Additionally, she serves on the board of directors for Domino’s Pizza.
2. Mary Dillon
President & Chief Executive Officer, Foot Locker
Mary N. Dillon is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Foot Locker, Inc., where she is responsible for overseeing all business operations and development on a day-to-day basis. Dillon is also a member of the Foot Locker, Inc. Board of Directors. With approximately 2,700 retail stores in 29 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, and a franchised store presence in the Middle East and Asia, Foot Locker, Inc. has a strong history of sneaker authority that sparks discovery and ignites the power of sneaker culture through its portfolio of brands, including Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, WSS, and atmos.
Prior to joining Foot Locker, Inc., Dillon served as CEO and a member of the board of directors of Ulta Beauty, Inc. Prior to joining Ulta, Mary served as president and CEO and a member of the board of directors of United States Cellular Corporation. Dillon earned an undergraduate degree in marketing from the University of Illinois Chicago.
3. Elizabeth Concordia
President & CEO, UCHealth
Elizabeth B. Concordia serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of UCHealth, a nationally recognized, nonprofit healthcare system with an operating revenue of $6 billion and a workforce of more than 30,000 people. Concordia joined UCHealth in 2014 and is responsible for the strategic direction, clinical operations, and financial success of the system. Under Concordia’s leadership, UCHealth is focused on strategic partnerships, expansion of the system’s footprint in the region, developing new models of care, improving patient access and experience, and supporting the academic mission. UCHealth is fostering new innovations and technologies to support the care of individual patients and to improve the overall health of their population.
Before joining UCHealth, Concordia served as EVP for UPMC and president of its Hospital and Community Services Division. In previous positions, she was the EVP and COO for Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, as well as an associate director at the Montefiore Medical Center’s Jack D. Weiler Hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in the Bronx, New York, and a manager and senior consultant for Ernst & Young in Washington, DC.
Concordia earned an undergraduate degree in economics and German from Duke University and a master’s degree in administrative science management from Johns Hopkins University. She is a member of the Women’s Forum of Colorado and the Colorado Forum. Concordia is also a board member of Premera Blue Cross, AdvanceEDU, and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. She was named the 2021 Most Admired CEO by the Denver Business Journal and was named a 2022 Great Leader in Healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review.
4. Gail Boudreaux
President and CEO, Elevance Health
Gail Boudreaux serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at Elevance Health, where she leads the company in improving the health of humanity, simplifying healthcare, and building trust with customers. Today, she oversees Elevance Health's nearly 100,000 associates, 118 million people served, and a growing portfolio of plans and subsidiaries that generated revenue of more than $137 billion in 2021. She serves on the board of directors for Elevance Health, Target Corporation, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and American Health Insurance Plans.
Previously, Boudreaux was a CEO at UnitedHealthcare and before that an EVP for external operations and president of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois at Health Care Service Corporation. Earlier in her career she worked with Aetna, a CVS Health Company as an SVP of group insurance.
Boudreaux graduated with honors from Dartmouth College with majors in psychology and sociology, later serving on the school’s board of trustees. She received a master’s in business administration in finance and healthcare administration with distinction from Columbia Business School. She is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, a recipient of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Theodore Roosevelt Award and Silver Anniversary Award, and the Billie Jean King Leadership Award.
5. Mary McDuffie
President and CEO, Navy Federal Credit Union
Mary McDuffie is the President and CEO of Navy Federal Credit Union. She has been an executive leader within the organization for nearly two decades, including serving as chief operating officer before being named president and CEO in January 2019. Navy Federal Credit Union is the world's largest credit union with over 12 million members, over $166 billion in assets, and over 23,000 employees.
McDuffie was instrumental in the development of Navy Federal’s government shutdown program, covering the direct deposit for eligible members in the event of a government shutdown. In her role as executive vice president of Delivery Channels at Navy Federal (2008-2018), McDuffie oversaw the launch of the credit union’s first mobile banking app and has since led a ‘digital first’ mentality. Prior to that, McDuffie was Navy Federal’s executive vice president of Lending, where she led the introduction of risk-based pricing to the credit union’s credit card, mortgage, and equity and consumer lending departments.
Prior to joining Navy Federal, McDuffie worked with a wide range of organizations, including the United States Marine Corps, IBM, Kodak, Unilever, and Freddie Mac. She graduated from Wellesley College with an undergraduate degree in art history.
6. Wendy Sherry
CEO of Americas & International Health, Cigna Healthcare
Wendy Sherry is the CEO of Americas and International Health of Cigna Healthcare. She has 33 years of experience. Previously, Sherry served as vice president of Cigna's US Commercial Markets. In her most recent role, she successfully spearheaded work to improve the Medical Cost Ratio for Cigna’s U.S. Commercial Markets.
Wendy also held the position of president of Cigna Payer Solutions and Cigna Connecticut, where she drove strategies that significantly grew market share and earnings, strengthened and diversified the solutions portfolio, and expanded the addressable market. She graduated from Emory University - Goizueta Business School with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
7. Radha Basu
Chief Executive Officer, iMerit Technology
Radha Basu is the Founder and CEO of iMerit, and the co-founder of Anudip Foundation - iMerit's sister foundation, a leading tech entrepreneur and a pioneer in the Indian software business. iMerit is a leading AI data solutions company providing high-quality data across computer vision, natural language processing, and content services that power machine learning and artificial intelligence applications for large enterprises.
Before founding iMerit and Anudip, Radha served as the chairman and CEO of SupportSoft. She led the company through initial and secondary public offerings in 2000 and 2003 and built it into a worldwide market leader in support automation software. Prior to SupportSoft, Basu spent 20 years at Hewlett Packard. Her most recent position at HP was senior general manager of the Electronic Business Software Organization, which she grew to a global $1.2 billion business. Radha's career at HP had begun when she founded the company's operations in India and set up the first software center of any multinational in Bangalore.
Radha currently sits on the boards of NetHope, Jhumki Basu Foundation, and Santa Clara CSTS. She graduated from the University of Southern California with an MA in computer science and biomedical engineering and from the College of Engineering, Guindy with an undergraduate degree in electrical, electronics, and communication engineering.
8. Julie Schertell
President & Chief Executive Officer, Mativ
Julie Schertell is President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of Mativ Holdings. Formerly President and Chief Executive Officer of Neenah, Inc., she held numerous positions within the company over a period of fourteen years, including the chief operating officer, segment president, and general manager of technical products and fine paper & packaging.
Julie began her career at Georgia-Pacific in 1992 as a financial analyst in the Consumer Products segment. While at Georgia-Pacific, she served in several roles over her sixteen-year career there, including vice president of sales and marketing strategy, vice president of supply chain, director of sales operations, and director of financial planning and analysis.
Julie graduated from Florida State University’s College of Business in 1991 with an undergraduate degree in accounting and received her master’s degree from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business in 1992. She serves on the board of the Association of Nonwoven Fabrics, is a member of CEOs for Action & Diversity, and previously served on the Paper & Packaging Check-Off Board and National Paper Trade Association Board.
9. Alexandra Plato
Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Health
Alexandra Plato is a rare hybrid executive and agency pioneer who has deftly navigated new technologies and media to help clients achieve success since the early days of the digital revolution. She has played a key role in the success of several award-winning, next-generation communications and media businesses, including Current Communications Company, Medical Broadcasting Company, and Digitas Health.
As a creative leader, Alex has overseen the development of groundbreaking brand marketing initiatives and programs for leading life sciences, biotech and wellness companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Target, Nestlé, and Weight Watchers. Today, as Chief Executive Officer of Publicis Health, Alex leads purpose-built teams of creative and strategic professionals with expertise in advertising and branding, strategic planning, digital media and technology, service design, science, and medicine, all focused on connecting healthcare brands with the people who need them.
10. Karen Ignagni
President & CEO, EmblemHealth
Karen Ignagni serves as President and CEO of EmblemHealth, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health insurers. EmblemHealth provides quality, affordable healthcare coverage, and administrative services to more than 3.1 million people in the New York tri-state area. Since joining EmblemHealth in 2015, Ignagni has led an enterprise transformation to improve the consumer healthcare experience and expand the company’s presence and reach across the greater tri-state area.
Prior to joining EmblemHealth, Ignagni was president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans, where she was active in working with the White House and Congressional leadership on the development of milestone health reform legislation, including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Medicare Modernization Act. Before her role at AHIP, she directed the AFL-CIO’s Department of Employee Benefits. She was a professional staff member on the US Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee and worked at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Ignagni earned an MBA from Loyola University Maryland and an undergraduate degree in political science and government from Providence College.
11. Carrie Jones-Barber
CEO, Dawn Foods
Carrie Jones-Barber is CEO of Dawn Foods, a global leader in bakery manufacturing and ingredient distribution. She has helped build Dawn into a multi-billion-dollar company that remains rooted in its values and puts people at the center of its strategy. Her unique understanding of international business and her experience leading Dawn’s international growth has provided Carrie with a global view of the interconnectedness of customers, suppliers, and people.
A graduate of Western Michigan University and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, Carrie serves on multiple business and charitable boards, including the Business Advisory Council for the Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan, and the board of directors for Land O’ Frost. She is a member of the American Bakers Association, the Society of Bakery Women, and C200, a global organization focused on making a profound impact on the advancement of women in business. Carrie also serves on the President's Leadership Council for Search for Common Ground.
12. Kate C. Harris
President, CEO & Chair, Stanley Consultants, Inc.
Kate Harris, President, CEO and Chair of Stanley Consultants, has 30 years of international experience in the construction, engineering, and consulting industry. She graduated with a First-Class Honors degree in the UK and has completed the Advanced Management and Intellectual Property programs at Harvard Business and Law Schools. She is a Board Leadership Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors, a member of Women Corporate Directors, and accredited as a Board Certified Environmental Engineering Member. In addition to serving as a trustee of the company’s retirement programs, and chair of the Stanley Consultants Charitable Foundation, Kate also serves on the American Council of Engineering Council’s Research Institute board.
Kate was named the 2022 CEO of the Year by the Environmental Financial Consulting Group, in recognition of her outstanding leadership, steadfast focus on ethics and integrity, and consistently innovative and effective approach. She was also named to the 2023 Colorado Titan 100. Her leadership interests fully align with Stanley’s mission to leverage skills, capabilities, and rapidly changing technologies for the good of the company’s clients, communities, and members, promote the profession’s essential value to society, and inspire a generation to solve the world’s most challenging problems. An active advocate of client service, business innovation, and talent development, and one of the earliest AEC participants of CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, Kate continues to mentor upcoming generations of leaders to further Stanley’s Purpose of Improving Lives Since 1913.
13. Diane Hansen
President & CEO, Palomar Health
Diane Hansen began her professional career 29 years ago. Today, she is the President and CEO of Palomar Health. Established in 1948, the award-winning team at Palomar Health provides the most comprehensive healthcare in North San Diego County through its two medical centers and more than 900 affiliated medical providers serving more than half a million people. Through its network of providers, Palomar Health offers medical services in virtually all fields of medicine, including primary care, cardiovascular care, emergency services, trauma, cancer, orthopedics, women’s health, behavioral health, rehabilitation, robotic surgery, and bariatric surgery at offices strategically located throughout the North San Diego County region.
Hansen first got her start in 1994 as an accountant at Hague, Sahady & Co, PC. From there, she went on to Reingruber and Company, P.A., before eventually rising to director of financial operations ambulatory services and physician groups at Indiana University Health, her most recent position prior to joining Palomar Health. Hansen graduated from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
14. Amy Allen
President and Chief Executive Officer, Baptist Health System
Amy Allen is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Baptist Health System, Inc. in Birmingham, Alabama. Baptist is a nonprofit healthcare system providing services to the greater Birmingham community in a way that promotes the healing ministry of Christ through its 40% ownership in Brookwood Baptist Health, a joint venture with Tenet for the operation of five hospitals in the Birmingham area with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion.
Allen was promoted to President and CEO when the joint venture was formed in October 2015. In her role, she is also responsible for the Baptist Health Foundation. Prior to her promotion, Allen was most recently the VP of finance and chief accounting officer for Baptist from 2011-2015. She served in several other accounting/finance positions at Baptist from 1997 – 2011.
Allen received an undergraduate degree in accounting from Auburn University and is a Certified Public Accountant. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Alabama Society of CPA’s and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Her current board membership includes serving as the treasurer of Alabama Risk Services and serving in an ex-officio capacity on the Baptist Health System, Baptist Health Foundation, and Brookwood Baptist Health boards. Allen is also a member of Dawson Baptist Church where she currently serves on the Finance Committee. She is also an active member of the Junior League of Birmingham, the Downtown Rotary Club and a past member of the Service Guild of Birmingham.
15. Natalie Wolfsen
Chief Executive Officer, AssetMark
Natalie Wolfsen is the Chief Executive Officer at AssetMark, a wealth tech platform that helps independent financial advisors serve their clients and build their businesses. Prior to being named CEO, she led the strategy and execution for AssetMark teams spanning digital channel development, corporate strategy, thought leadership, marketing, and product development.
Natalie has more than 20 years of leadership experience across six financial services organizations, where she directed teams who collectively brought to life more than 50 financial services products, platforms, and programs, including the design of one of the industry’s first-ever mobile trading platforms.
Before joining AssetMark, Natalie led marketing for New York-based asset manager First Eagle Investment Management and served as head of product management for Pershing. Prior, she spent 10 years at Charles Schwab and began her career at American Express. Natalie serves on the board of directors for the CFP Board and Wealthsimple. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and earned her MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management.
16. Lisa Stinnett
Chief Executive Officer, Inhabit IQ
Lisa Stinnett is the Chief Executive Officer of Inhabit IQ, a software company of 1,100 employees serving over 4 million units in the residential and vacation property management industries. It delivers best-in-class software solutions while fostering industry-leading innovation and collaboration. Powered by its diverse team of business leaders and industry experts, the company focuses on providing property management with more choices through its software ecosystems. Inhabit believes that property managers are central to the success of the residential and vacation housing markets and deliver products built to empower them, their investors, and communities. Stinnett has 24 years of experience. She began her career in 1999.
Before joining Inhabit IQ, Stinnett was a managing partner at Greater Sum Ventures and before that a strategic advisor at Ministry Brands. Earlier in her career she worked with Goodys as a corporate customer relations supervisor. Stinnett graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with an undergraduate degree in retail and consumer sciences and a minor in business.
17. Amy Schumacher
Chief Executive Officer, The Heritage Group
Amy Schumacher is the Chief Executive Officer of The Heritage Group overseeing the company’s portfolio of more than 30 businesses and 5,000 employees. She is also a member of its board of trustees. The Heritage Group started in 1930 with a man, a truck, and a dream. Today, they’re a fourth-generation, family-owned, and privately-held business managing a diverse portfolio of operating companies in heavy construction and materials, environmental services, and specialty chemicals. They employ thousands of people around the world, with operations across North America, Europe and China.
Amy has been part of The Heritage Group family of businesses for over 13 years. In 2008, she founded Monument Chemical, the group’s specialty chemicals business, and served as president and CEO for eight years. In that role, she was responsible for growing Monument from a small, Indianapolis-based business into a global company with operations in Europe and the US. In 2016, Amy transitioned to president of The Heritage Group and was appointed CEO in 2020, marking the fourth generation of Fehsenfeld family leadership.
Amy graduated from Purdue University with undergraduate degrees in education and in civil engineering and received her MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She serves on the boards of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, and Calumet Specialty Products, and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization.
18. Pam Murphy
Chief Executive Officer, Imperva
Pam Murphy is the Chief Executive Officer at Imperva, the cybersecurity leader championing the fight to secure data and applications wherever they reside. Imperva is a cybersecurity leader that helps organizations protect critical applications, APIs, and data, anywhere, at scale, and with the highest ROI. With an integrated approach combining edge, application security, and data security, Imperva protects companies through all stages of their digital journey. Imperva Threat Research and its global intelligence community enable Imperva to stay ahead of the threat landscape and seamlessly integrate the latest security, privacy, and compliance expertise into its solutions.
Pam was previously chief operating officer at Infor, the world's third-largest enterprise software company. Prior to Infor, she held multiple leadership positions at Oracle Corp and prior to that, at Andersen Consulting and Arthur Andersen. She is on the board of Visa and Rockwell Automation.
Pam has 25+ years’ experience spanning finance, field sales, revenue management, cloud product development & architecture, professional services, industry specialization, company turnarounds, setting new high-growth strategies, M&A, and business development plus deep operational experience in running global organizations. She earned her business and accounting degree from the University of Cork, Ireland, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
19. Marta Tellado
President & CEO, Consumer Reports
Marta L. Tellado is President and Chief Executive Officer of Consumer Reports (CR), an independent, nonprofit organization that works with consumers to foster truth, transparency, and fairness in the marketplace. Since joining in 2014, she has led Consumer Reports, the largest consumer organization in the world, by uniting its rigorous research, consumer insights, journalism, and policy expertise to create a more fair, safe, and just marketplace informing purchase decisions, improving products and services, and driving regulatory and fair competitive practices.
Prior to joining Consumer Reports, Marta was VP for global communications at the Ford Foundation. In that role, she oversaw the foundation’s strategic communications on a range of issues in the US and around the world, including economic fairness, free and fair access to an open internet, and civil rights. Prior to that, she helped stand up a new nonprofit, the Partnership for Public Service, serving as VP and founded and directed the first bipartisan domestic public policy forum at the Aspen Institute. She has worked extensively with policymakers in Washington, DC, and served as a senior advisor to US Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey, the state where she was raised following her family’s journey from her birthplace of Havana, Cuba.
Marta is the author of Buyer Aware: Harnessing Our Consumer Power for a Safe, Fair, and Transparent Marketplace, which chronicles the importance of consumer rights in creating an inclusive economy and strong democracy. Her expertise on the issues facing consumers today has been featured in leading publications and broadcasts including CNN, Forbes, Marketplace Morning Report, New York Magazine’s Pivot Podcast, and USA Today. Marta earned her PhD in political science from Yale and an undergraduate degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She also currently serves on the boards of the Yale Corporation, Omidyar Network, International Consumer Research & Testing, Consumers International, and The Washington Center. She is based in New York City.
20. Dorina Lanza
CEO, White Tiger Group
Dorina Lanza is the CEO of White Tiger Group. She first joined the company in 1993. Lanza’s passion and experience are as a mentor to other coaches, mentors, experts, and entrepreneurs. Dorina believes that through leadership, mindset, strategy, and branding mentoring you can become unstoppable.
As a consultant, master business coach, and mentor, Dorina is known for her ability to bring together teams of people and inspire them to perform at a level they never thought possible. She has also become known for her ability to create a compelling strategic vision that breaks new ground. Dorina has consulted with, coached, and mentored thousands of people and corporations around the world over the last thirty years.
Dorina has been a keynote speaker at UMass Boston, Northeastern University, and Beta Gamma Sigma [BGS], the international honor society for business schools. She has also been a keynote speaker at NuSkin Enterprises’ most recent Women’s Conference and served on the Distributor Advisory Board for NuSkin. Her ability to communicate with and educate business leaders led Dorina to be named one of the top 25 trainers in the world by MLMInsider and to be featured in a number of international publications.
Dorina holds an MBA in strategic planning and international business from Northeastern University where she was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma. She was a PhD candidate in applied mathematics at Northeastern University where she finished all but the dissertation. She holds an MS in mathematics from Northeastern University and a BA in mathematics with Honors from Northeastern University. Dorina also holds a Certificate in Personal Financial Planning from the American College in Bryn Mawr, PA.
21. Emily Leproust
CEO, Twist Bioscience
Emily Leproust is the CEO of Twist Bioscience, a leading and rapidly growing synthetic biology and genomics company that has developed a disruptive DNA synthesis platform to industrialize the engineering of biology. The core of the platform is a proprietary technology that pioneers a new method of manufacturing synthetic DNA by “writing” DNA on a silicon chip. Twist is leveraging its unique technology to manufacture a broad range of synthetic DNA-based products, including synthetic genes, tools for next-generation sequencing preparation, and antibody libraries for drug discovery and development. Leproust has 23 years of experience. She began her career in 2000.
Prior to Twist Bioscience, she held escalating positions at Agilent Technologies where she architected the successful SureSelect product line that lowered the cost of sequencing and elucidated mechanisms responsible for dozens of Mendelian diseases. She also developed the Oligo Library Synthesis technology, where she initiated and led product and business development activities for the team. Dr. Leproust designed and developed multiple commercial synthesis platforms to streamline microarray manufacturing and fabrication. She serves on the board of directors of GeneDx and is a co-founder of Petri, an accelerator for start-ups at the forefront of engineering and biology. Leproust has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers – many on applications of synthetic DNA and is the author of numerous patents. She earned her PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Houston and her master’s in industrial chemistry from the Lyon School of Industrial Chemistry.
22. Julie Howard
Chief Executive Officer, Riveron
Julie Howard began her professional career 25 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Executive Officer of Riveron, a national business advisory firm that partners with their clients to elevate performance and expand possibilities across the transaction and business lifecycle. Their thoughtfully integrated teams bring industry perspective and deep functional expertise across accounting, ESG, finance, M&A, operations, restructuring & turnaround, strategic communications, tax, and technology, to generate tailored solutions that address any challenge. Founded in 2006, Riveron has 12 offices across the country and serves a diverse set of clients around the world, including the office of the CFO, private equity, lenders, and other key stakeholders.
Howard previously served as the chairman and CEO of Navigant, her most recent position prior to joining Riveron. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an undergraduate degree in finance.
23. Sam King
Chief Executive Officer, Veracode
Sam King is the Chief Executive Officer of Veracode and a recognized expert in business management and cybersecurity. A founding member of Veracode, Sam has played a significant role in the company’s growth trajectory over the past 17 years, helping to mature it from a small startup to a company with a $2.5 billion-plus valuation. Under her leadership, Veracode has been recognized with several industry distinctions, including a ten-time consecutive leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, the leader in the Forrester SAST Wave, and a Gartner Peer Insights Customer Choice for Application Security.
In 2021, Sam was named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year® New England winner, and her leadership style has been recognized by The Commonwealth Institute and The Boston Globe, which cited Veracode as one of the Top 100 Women-led Businesses in Massachusetts, ranking first among all software companies. Sam has been a keynote speaker at events such as Gartner Security Summit, RSA, Aspen Cyber Summit, Executive Women’s Forum, and the Boston Globe Summit on topics ranging from cybersecurity to empowering women and creating diverse and resilient corporate cultures. She has been profiled in business publications such as the Huffington Post, CNNMoney, Financial Times, InfoSecurity Magazine, and The Boston Globe.
Prior to Veracode, Sam held leadership positions in cybersecurity and technology companies including Verisign and Razorfish. Sam received her master’s degree in computer and information science from the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her undergraduate degree in computer science from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, where she earned the prestigious Charles Babbage Award, presented to the student with the highest academic achievement in the graduating class. She currently sits on the board of Progress Software and ZeroFox. Sam is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, where she was a charter member of the 2030 Challenge; a Tech Compact for Social Justice in efforts to bring more diversity to the local workforce.
24. Jill Wilson
President & CEO, Otterbein Senior Lifestyle Choices
Jill Wilson is the President & CEO of Otterbein Senior Lifestyle Choices. For over 100 years, Otterbein SeniorLife has served families and communities throughout Ohio and Indiana. Their nine SeniorLife Communities offer independent and assisted living, rehabilitation and therapy, skilled nursing, and memory care. They're also proud to be the nation's largest provider of small house-based nursing care, with nine Ohio locations. Wilson has 25 years of experience. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with an MA in organizational development and from Georgia Southern University with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
25. Michelle K. Murray
President & CEO, Nexus Family Healing
Dr. Michelle K. Murray is the President and CEO of Nexus Family Healing, a national nonprofit mental health organization serving thousands of children and families each year through community mental health services, foster care and adoption, and youth residential services.
Murray is a true advocate for family mental health, positioning Nexus Family Healing as one of the only full continua of care models in its area of operations. She has worked to build and implement many new programs in partnership with other leaders, including a family partnership initiative, trauma-informed practices, and innovative partnerships with those in healthcare, education, government, and communities to fill gaps in mental health services. Additionally, she focuses on organizational integration across Nexus service lines, and the important work of fundraising to expand the organization’s capacity for growing community needs. Core to Dr. Murray’s leadership of the organization, and the message she shares with team members and clients, is her belief that no child, family, or individual is ever beyond hope, a message that is empowering for all who look to Nexus as a resource or a career.
Dr. Murray’s clinical and executive experience spans nearly 25 years. Before serving as CEO, she was Nexus’ VP of clinical services and chief clinical officer. Before joining Nexus, she led residential treatment programs for youth as the director of Adelphoi Village/Northern Tier Children’s Home. Additionally, she led programs in the areas of foster care, shelter/diagnostic assessment services, group homes, independent living services, and community-based psycho-sexual assessments.
Dr. Murray is a licensed marriage & family therapist and an approved clinical supervisor through the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. She received her master’s and doctoral degrees in marriage and family therapy at Syracuse University.
26. Megan Smith
Chief Executive Officer, Symbia Logistics
Megan Smith is the Chief Executive Officer of Symbia Logistics. As a privately held family business with over 150 years of combined experience, the Symbia Logistics team has provided facility-based supply chain support to a variety of industries including aerospace, chemical, dry grocery, health and beauty, industrial goods, kitting, and business-to-consumer fulfillment services.
Megan is a seasoned, third-party logistics executive who has made the business of buying and successfully, integrating strategic businesses a mission-critical part of her growth strategy. As an award-winning CEO and advocate for advancing women in the industry, she currently oversees a workforce of over 1,000 employees and a network of 22 warehouses across the US. Leadership, communication, and an eye on the future are keys to her success as a pioneer in the supply chain industry.
Smith graduated from Michigan State University - Eli Broad College of Business with a master’s degree in logistics, materials, and supply chain management and from the University of Denver - Daniels College of Business with an undergraduate degree in management, entrepreneurship, and logistics.
27. Cortney Baker
Owner and CEO, KidsCare Therapy
Cortney Baker began her professional career 8 years ago. Today, she is the Owner and CEO of KidsCare Therapy, a pediatric home health agency serving children with special needs across the country. They focus on private duty nursing, speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy as well as provide case management for children ages zero through 21. KidsCare Home Health has been providing quality pediatric home health care to the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex since 2003 when Baker started treating children in her homes. Baker graduated from Pepperdine University with an EdD and from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale with a graduate degree in communication disorders and sciences.
28. Tammy Sun
Founder and CEO, Carrot Fertility
Tammy Sun is the Founder and CEO of Carrot Fertility, the leading global fertility care platform for women, who are often at the center of fertility care decisions and consequences. Prior to Carrot, Tammy was a presidential appointee in President Barack Obama’s administration at the Federal Communications Commission and held various roles at The White House, national and local campaigns as well as forward-thinking public policy think tanks. Tammy also managed growth partnerships at Evernote. She graduated from NYU and attended the London School of Economics.
Previously, Sun was a director of partnerships at Evernote and before that a director of communications at the Federal Communications Commission. Earlier in her career she worked with The White House as an executive assistant to the office of the vice president.
29. Jill Frey
President, Cummins Facility Services
Jill Frey, the President of Cummins Facility Services (CFS), has masterfully navigated the company's evolution from a modest 15-person team to a powerhouse with over 800 employees spread across the nation. A proud alumna of the University of Toledo, Jill seamlessly stepped into the leadership role at CFS, a company originally founded by her parents, she is proud to be certified as a Women's Business Enterprise by The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
In 2019, she made her visionary stride into the realm of technology with the inception of Facility Genius and FacilityInSites. This innovative venture melds technology with building management to heighten operational efficiency, introducing concepts such as intelligent sensor technology and eco-friendly air purifiers to the market.
As the Chairwoman of The Facility Data Standard (FDS), Jill pioneers the path to secure, seamless data transfer and integration in the facilities industry. The FDS, crafted meticulously by industry experts, plays a crucial role in propelling the extensive and economic adoption of electronic information technology. It seeks to revolutionize the data exchange landscape, fostering efficiency and security in the facilities ecosystem. Powered by her commitment to technological advancement and operational efficiency, Jill's strategic leadership continues to steer her business ventures toward success. As her influence ripples beyond her enterprises, leaving a positive, lasting impact on the communities she serves.
30. Kirsten Kantak
President & CEO, Biolumina
Kirsten Kantak is the President & CEO of Biolumina, a full-service, omnichannel global healthcare agency focused on bringing high-science brands to life. They build brand experiences that go beyond the rational and use emotional hooks to tap into the hearts of customers, igniting motivation to take action, change behavior, and create brand loyalty. They’re an agency built on curiosity. Their curiosity constantly drives a deeper understanding of everything they touch, using the power of science to translate customer insights into a clear and motivating brand story. Kantak has 31 years of experience. She began her career in 1992.
Before joining Biolumina, Kantak was an SVP of global managing director at Harrison and Star and before that a VP of group account supervisor at Giant Creative Strategy. Earlier in her career she worked with Triclinica as a project coordinator. Kantak graduated from Binghamton University with an undergraduate degree in political science and economics.
31. Meredith Wilson
Founder and CEO, Emergent Risk International, LLC
Meredith Wilson is the Founder and CEO of Emergent Risk International, LLC. ERI empowers companies to address the impact of global risk on their business through intelligence, staffing, consulting, training, and software as a service data and analytics. The company has more than 65 employees in Austin, Washington, DC, Greater Boston, San Francisco, London, Dublin, Singapore, Portugal, Switzerland, and Uruguay.
Wilson has over 20 years of experience in international environments, the energy sector, Fortune 500 corporations, and the US intelligence community. In the US government, she served as a defense intelligence officer in the Pentagon and overseas. In 2007, she moved to the energy sector, an early innovator of private sector intelligence analysis. At ConocoPhillips, she created the company’s first, dedicated geo-political and security-focused risk intelligence function building risk assessments for market entry into countries like Iraq and playing a key role in evacuations and market re-entry during the Arab Spring. Wilson went on to create a political risk department for Dallas-based Kosmos Energy where she developed and oversaw cross-functional new market entry risk assessments, before founding ERI in 2014. Since its founding, Wilson has overseen its growth as a self-funded company from less than $100,000 in annual revenue in 2014 to $5.9 million in 2022.
Wilson was a founding member of the Private Sector Intelligence Council and is a founding board member of the Association of International Risk and Intelligence Professionals. She previously served on the Business Intelligence Advisory Council for the National Intelligence Officer for Science and Technology and on the advisory board for the Dallas Global Chamber. She speaks Indonesian and Malay and has lived and worked in England, Ireland, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Australia. Wilson is an alumnus of the University of Arizona, the University of Malaya (Malaysia), and Northwestern Kellogg School of Business. She is passionate about job creation, entrepreneurship, inclusion, and helping younger generations develop business and professional skills that will serve them throughout their lives. She currently lives near Boston with her two children, husband, and three four-legged co-workers.
32. Pinar Ormeci
Chief Executive Officer, Timus Networks
Pinar Ormeci is an energetic business executive with over 20 years of experience within the technology sector. She has led teams in multinational corporations, including Qualcomm and Ericsson, with a focus on advancing the global adoption of wireless technologies such as 4G/5G, as well as digital transformation enabling software and services. Her industry experience also extends heavily to partnerships and global sales & business development efforts within high-growth west-coast-based SaaS startups like Cequint (acquired by TNS), Hiya, and Lookout Life (acquired by F-Secure).
Throughout her career, Pinar has consistently delivered significant revenue growth, penetrated new international markets, and fostered a culture of innovation and transformation. Currently, as the CEO of Timus, she is laser-focused on supporting its Managed Service Provider (MSP) partners in protecting their clients with a best-of-breed, cloud-native, zero-trust network security solution. Built on the latest cloud technologies and artificial intelligence, Timus enables organizations to securely connect all employees and devices and make applications simpler, faster, and more cost-effective. They provide a scalable, centrally managed, and automated cloud platform with a much better user experience than legacy hardware-based solutions.
Pinar has a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and an undergraduate degree in the same field from Bogazici University, Istanbul Turkey, graduating summa cum laude. She is a published author of several IEEE papers on channel coding theory.
33. Elizabeth McClanahan
Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Tech Foundation
Justice Elizabeth A. McClanahan serves as Chief Executive Officer of The Virginia Tech Foundation, Inc. (VTF). She leads the team that manages the university’s investments, including the endowment, the real estate portfolio, and the Corporate Research Center.
Before joining VTF, Justice McClanahan served as the president and dean at Appalachian School of Law, which is located in Buchanan County, Virginia, her home county. She has served as chair of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, vice-rector of her alma mater, the College of William and Mary, Williamson Fellow at William and Mary College of Law, Street Memorial Distinguished Visitor in Real Estate Law at Appalachian School of Law, El Paso Natural Gas Law Fellow at the University of Colorado School of Law, and on the Faculty for the Summer Management Program at Wake Forest School of Business and Accountancy.
McClanahan is an adjunct professor of finance at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business, where she teaches legal, financing, and ethical issues for entrepreneurs. After earning decades of legal experience across the public and private sectors, with significant work in the energy industry, Justice McClanahan served as the Chief Deputy Attorney General of Virginia and on the Court of Appeals of Virginia. Her legal career culminated with her appointment by the Virginia General Assembly to Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. She is an active member of boards of directors including the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Carilion Clinic, and Delta Dental of Virginia. In the past, she has served on the boards of the North American Coalbed Methane Forum, the National Chamber Foundation Board of the United States Chamber of Commerce, the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation, Virginia Law Foundation, Wellmont Bristol Regional Medical Center, Virginia Museum of History and Culture, and Virginia 4-H Foundation.
34. Va Lecia Adams Kellum
President & CEO, St. Joseph Center
Va Lecia Adams Kellum is the President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Joseph Center (SJC). She joined SJC in 2008 and during her tenure, the agency has nearly tripled in size, expanded its range of services, and broadened its geographic reach to include underserved communities in South Los Angeles. Under Dr. Adams Kellum’s leadership, SJC has been a trailblazer in deploying integrated, multidisciplinary teams to help the most vulnerable homeless individuals obtain and maintain stable housing. Today, they serve as the lead agency for the Coordinated Entry System for both families and individuals in LA County’s Service Planning Area 5.
In February 2017 she was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the newly established No Place Like Home Program Advisory Committee, which was developed to assist and advise the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on successful implementation. Born and raised in Southern California, Kellum graduated with an undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California and earned a master’s degree from Ball State University before completing her PhD at Stanford University.
35. Tracy West
President and Chief Executive Officer, University of Antelope Valley
Tracy L. West has been in the field of higher education for 17 years. Dr. West has a unique perspective with her students as she was a traditional student coming out of high school pursuing the traditional college pathway. As a first-generation college student, she had to learn how to navigate the experience on her own.
West graduated from Loyola Marymount University with an undergraduate degree in communications and a minor in business administration. Education was always a passion for her so after becoming a wife and mother she pursued her master’s degree from the University of Redlands years later after attaining practical experience as a store manager. After a successful twenty-plus-year career in retail management, she became an instructor. She pursued her doctorate after leading in education having served in various roles as a Dean, full-time associate professor, and campus president. She obtained her PhD in management with a focus on leadership and organizational change from Walden University. She understands the rigors, requirements and sacrifices made as an adult learner to attain one’s education.
West is so passionate about helping others, she opened her own management consulting business to help small businesses and she offers 1:1 personal consultation to help individuals become their best selves. She is a motivational speaker and has a line of inspirational clothing under her Stay Positive, Stay Inspired Brand.
36. Maureen Shea
CEO, Right Management - Florida/Caribbean
As CEO and Co-founder of Right Management – Florida/Caribbean Region, Florida’s first outplacement firm, Maureen Shea drives Right’s growth in diverse talent management and outplacement services for privately and publicly owned companies throughout Florida and the Caribbean Region. Previously, she served as Chief Financial Officer.
As a strategic resource, Maureen makes it her mission to “Guide and Inspire” her team and colleagues region wide. Recognized for helping shape and support Florida’s HR profession, she is a past president of the Human Resource Association of Broward County and was inducted into its Hall of Fame. She, along with her husband Tom, were honored in 2019 by the South Florida Business & Wealth Magazine Lifetime Achievement, Excellence in HR award.
Most recently Maureen was honored by Florida Trend as a 2023 Best Company to Work For for the 10th year and by The Commonwealth Institute with the Top Women Led Businesses award in Florida for the 7th year in a row. She was also recently inducted into the NSU Entrepreneur and Business Hall of Fame. She was also honored by the South Florida Business Journal with the Woman Owned Business of the Year Award in 2022. Maureen has been honored by United Way with the Magnolia Award, was presented with the Girl Scouts Lead the Way award honoring incredible and Inspirational Professional Women of Broward County and was also honored with the Enterprising Women of the Year Award, Leadership Broward’s Profiles In Leadership Award, Florida Diversity Council’s Glass Ceiling Award, and has received South Florida Business Journal’s CFO of the Year award.
37. Olivia Straine
Chief Executive Officer, Straine Dental Management
Olivia Straine began her professional career 31 years ago. Today, she is the CEO of Straine Dental Management, a leading dental service organization (DSO) that provides practice owners with a comprehensive management system designed to help them achieve their goals. Their team of experts have years of experience in the dental industry, and they leverage this knowledge to deliver best practices operating policies and key performance indicators (KPIs) that enable their clients to grow their practices and enhance their patient care.
Prior to joining STRAINE Dental Consulting in 1992, Olivia was a top producer for the largest and most prestigious real estate firm in Sacramento County for more than 17 years. In a company of more than 300 real estate agents, Olivia distinguished herself by earning membership into the company's Board of Governors and Top Ten Percent. As a leader in the real estate community, Olivia also earned recognition by serving on the Ethics Committee at the Sacramento Board of Realtors. Straine graduated from the University of Hawaii with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
38. Kayla Wagner
CEO, As You Are
Kayla Wagner is the CEO of As You Are, a world-class virtual clinic that dramatically increases access to telehealth evaluations for children suspected to have autism. Kayla, a clinician and researcher, has dedicated her career to creating healthcare solutions that remove barriers and deliberately increase early identification of childhood disorders by increasing access to high-quality care for all children, regardless of resources or socioeconomic status. During the pandemic, Kayla saw there was a huge need to reduce the average wait time for an autism diagnosis in the US and launched As You Are in August 2022. All children are welcome and every child’s individual abilities are recognized and valued as part of this diagnostic model.
Since launching As You Are, Kayla has grown the company to 34 states and counting. There are plans to expand services nationwide by the end of 2023. As You Are is the largest virtual autism clinic in the country and has been featured on the TODAY Show and mentioned by Becker’s Hospital Review as a telehealth company to know in 2023.
Kayla’s career originates from a research background in clinical psychology, where she conducted research investigating many areas of child psychopathology, including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. More specifically, Kayla’s published research has a translational focus, with her interests surrounding the early identification of autism, management of the comorbidity between autism and ADHD, and targets for intervention aimed at improving social outcomes for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. In her clinical work, she provided diagnostic and psychological counseling services focused on improving the functioning and well-being of children and adolescents with autism and other psychiatric disorders. She is driven to create a community where millions of children’s lives are improved by inclusive care. Kayla earned an undergraduate degree in neuroscience and psychology and a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Syracuse University.
39. Tona Trondsen
CEO & Founder, Workplace Safety Screenings
Tona Trondsen serves as the Founder and CEO of Workplace Safety Screenings (WSS), a leading Consortium/Third-Party Administrator (CTPA) based in Houston, Texas. This woman-owned enterprise stands at the forefront of providing comprehensive background screening services, drug & alcohol testing, and occupational health. Acknowledging its unwavering commitment and continual expansion, Houston Business Journal has honored WSS as one of Houston's fastest-growing businesses for two consecutive years. Just this year, Workplace Safety Screenings celebrated its ten-year anniversary.
Trondsen actively participates in philanthropic endeavors and generously volunteers her time to foster the growth of other businesses within her community. Her unwavering commitment to advancing collective welfare has made a lasting impact on the lives of numerous individuals, leaving behind an indelible imprint of great significance.
Tronsden has an undergraduate degree in business management from Le Tourneau University, a master’s degree in intercultural studies from Southeastern College, and is an alumnus of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program.
40. Mary Praag
Chief Executive Officer, Milani Cosmetics
Mary Praag is the Chief Executive Officer of Milani Cosmetics. She first joined the company in 2020. Milani was founded over 20 years ago on the passionate belief that everyone should have the opportunity to own and enjoy luxury beauty. To this day, they continue to innovate for and with their diverse community and relentlessly test the limits of what’s available at affordable prices. They deliver high-end yet accessible luxury while championing inclusivity, self-expression, and experimentation through makeup.
Previously, Praag was a president of intimate apparel group at Soma and before that a CEO at Perricone M. Earlier in her career she worked with Playtex Family Products as a national account manager, senior business development manager, and senior business development manager. Praag earned an undergraduate degree in marketing from Miami University.
41. Bindu Singh
CEO & Co-Founder, Dreamwork Planners
Bindu Singh began her professional career 14 years ago. Today, she is the CEO & Co-Founder of Dreamwork Planners, a renowned event-planning company founded in 2005. With headquarters in New York City, they specialize in creating extraordinary and memorable experiences for corporate and private clients worldwide. Their team of expert planners, designers, and coordinators meticulously craft bespoke events, ranging from corporate conferences and product launches to weddings and social gatherings. Known for their attention to detail and creative vision, Dreamwork Planners has earned a stellar reputation in the industry. They prioritize client satisfaction, ensuring seamless execution and exceeding expectations. Their dedication to excellence has made them a top choice for premium event planning solutions.
Singh first got her start in 2009 as a program manager at TYE Carolinas. From there, she went on to Instructional Assistant, her most recent position prior to joining Dreamwork Planners. Singh graduated from the Shaney Institute of Health Sciences with an undergraduate degree in history.
42. Cindy J Lin
CEO & Co-Founder, Hey Good Social
Dr. Cindy J Lin is the CEO and Co-Founder of Hey Social Good, a social impact data company working to revolutionize social good data for people, the planet, and profit. Hey Social Good is a social impact data analytics company that Assess-Guide-Verify businesses and brands for their sustainable, giveback, and socially responsible practices. Hey Social Good offers the most credible sustainability and ESG data to help businesses reduce risk and capitalize on social good benefits with the best access to environmental and social data and insights. Dr. Lin is an environmental and data scientist, ecologist, and national expert on pollution’s negative impacts on water, habitat, and human health.
Cindy previously worked at the US EPA, where she designed national standards, conducted cutting-edge research, and implemented protection and sustainability policies to meet global and national environmental standards. She was the US regional expert on clean water, US EPA's top science policy advisor on the US Climate Change National Work Group, and US Embassy China Water Advisor. Dr. Lin's past research covered cutting-edge investigation and analytical insight into the impact of pollution on water, chemistry, air, and biological organisms. She is an avid ecologist, environmental scientist, and engineer. She received her doctorate in environmental science and engineering, a master’s degree in environmental chemistry, and an undergraduate degree in biology, from UCLA. In 2022, Dr. Lin co-founded the San Diego Environmental Film Festival where she works with artists and filmmakers to tell stories about our people and planet to inspire people to action.
43. Dr. Shirley Davis
CEO, SDS Global Enterprises
Dr. Shirley Davis is a sought-after global workforce expert and is President and CEO of SDS Global Enterprises, a strategic development solutions firm that specializes in human resources strategy, talent management, leadership effectiveness, culture transformation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dr. Davis has over twenty years of experience in a variety of senior executive leadership roles in Fortune 100 & 50 corporations and in her last role, served as VP of global diversity and inclusion and workforce strategies for the world’s largest human resources association, the Society for Human Resource Management. Davis’ work has been featured by the Wall Street Journal, NBC’s Today Show, USA Today, CBS News, Fox News, CNN.com, Fast Company, CEOWorld Magazine, Harvard Business Review, and many others. In May 2022, her story was featured on the front page of Oprah Daily. She was inducted into Inclusion Magazine’s Hall of Fame for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in November 2021, and in August 2022 in Nashville, TN she received The Golden Gavel Award which is Toastmasters International’s highest and most prestigious award given to only one person each year. Additionally, she was nominated for Forbes 2021 Women 50 Over 50 list and again in 2022.
Dr. Davis has worked in more than 30 countries on 5 continents and delivers more than 100 speeches a year to a wide range of industries, sectors, and sizes, including Fortune 10s-500s corporations, large membership associations and non-profit organizations, and federal, state, and local government agencies. She continues to consult, coach, and train leaders at all levels, including Corporate CEOs, C-Suite executives, and board of directors. She holds an undergraduate degree in pre-law, a master’s in adult education, a second master’s in HR management, and a PhD in business and organizational leadership.
Dr. Shirley Davis is the author of the Amazon bestseller Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Dummies and Living Beyond “What If?” Release the Limits and Realize Your Dreams. She’s also the author of Reinvent Yourself: Strategies for Achieving Success in Every Area of Your Life and The Seat: How to Get Invited to the Table When You're Over-Performing but Undervalued. Additionally, she is a popular author for seven LinkedIn Learning courses on Leadership and DEI.
44. Tracy LaFlamme Ortega
Chief Executive Officer, Bell Group
Tracy LaFlamme Ortega is the CEO of Bell Group, a digital learning consultancy, specializing in learning innovation for professional development and education. Bell Group supports organizations that seek technology-driven solutions to positively disrupt learning outcomes, customer experience, sales, operations, and business results.
Prior to Bell Group, Ortega founded Prepworks, a multi-award-winning, education technology company. Ortega served as president and CEO of Prepworks from 2007 until its acquisition in 2018. Following the acquisition of Prepworks by Asteria Education, Ortega joined the new company as chief product officer, where she developed and launched a suite of new digital, adaptive products aligned to state standards. In 2020, Ortega joined Bell Group full-time as CEO, and once again, she has attracted a team of experts who are dedicated to driving value for their clients and turning ideas into technology-enabled solutions.
Ortega served on the National Board of Directors of ALPFA, the Association of Latino Professionals for America, the largest member-based organization in the United States dedicated to connecting Latino students and professionals for impact. She serves on the National Board of Junior Achievement USA, and is also a member of Chief; WPO, Women's Presidents Organization; and WBENC, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Ortega graduated from Vanderbilt University.
45. Annie Lee
CEO, Avyanna Technologies
Annie Lee is the dynamic CEO of Avyanna Technologies, a leading technology solutions company. With almost two decades of experience in the industry, Annie has solidified her reputation as a visionary leader and trailblazer. Her strategic mindset, exceptional leadership skills, and passion for innovation have propelled Avyanna Technologies to new heights. Under Annie's visionary leadership, Avyanna Technologies has flourished, delivering cutting-edge technology solutions to a diverse range of clients. Her ability to inspire and motivate her team, coupled with her strategic acumen, has propelled the company's growth and cemented its reputation as an industry leader.
Annie's leadership philosophy is deeply rooted in empowering her team and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. Her unwavering belief in the power of diversity and inclusion has led to the cultivation of a dynamic workforce that thrives on creativity and problem-solving. With Annie at the helm, Avyanna Technologies continues to push boundaries, creating innovative solutions that drive organizational success and make a positive impact in the world.
Beyond her professional achievements, Annie's passion for her work and family has been a driving force behind Avyanna Technologies' success. As a devoted mother, she understands the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This understanding has shaped the company's culture, fostering an environment that supports its employees' personal well-being while encouraging professional growth.
46. Kimberly Ellison-Taylor
Chief Executive Officer, KET Solutions
Kimberly Ellison-Taylor grew up in the inner city of Baltimore and has proven that mentorship, coaching, and sponsorship do work. As a leader in both finance and technology, Ellison-Taylor has received many awards and recognitions and is one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting and one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Accounting. She is also a sought-after speaker on several topics including leadership, DE&I, transformation, and emerging technology. She is a past chairman of the American Institute of CPAs, past chairman of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and past chairman of the Maryland Association of CPAs. She is an independent corporate board director for US Bancorp, Mutual of Omaha, and Evercommerce.
For almost 17 years, Ellison-Taylor served in global leadership roles for Oracle Corporation. Kimberly advised C-Suite executives on cloud solutions that innovate and transform business. Ellison-Taylor is also an adjunct professor for Carnegie Mellon University Heinz College’s Chief Information Officer Certificate program teaching emerging technologies & innovation. She is a member of the Heinz Dean’s Advisory Council.
Kimberly is a community leader and volunteers in a number of roles including as the 2022-2023 president of Beta Alpha Psi, the chair of the Maryland Association of CPAs Foundation, the chair of the American Institute of CPAs National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion, the director of Professional Development for her local chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and as a trustee for Loyola University MD.
47. Kiwoba Allaire
CEO and Founder, GIRL STEM STARS
Kiwoba Allaire is an inspiring woman dedicated to helping young girls build successful futures in the tech industry. Allaire devotes her time to helping girls of color from under-tapped communities improve their lives by providing them with new experiences and mentors advancing them in STEM education. As CEO and Founder of Girl STEM Stars, her nonprofit is dedicated to providing the tools and space for exploration and innovation with STEM classes, visits with prominent community global leaders, and tech worksite visits. It also incorporates the arts and humanities to further support the STEAM focus and highlight its increasing importance in a global society.
Kiwoba is also an incredibly inspiring motivational speaker and has customized speeches for every client. Her candor, passion, and luminosity light up the room and leave her audience moved and poised for action. Allaire serves from a place of fulfilling her calling, and that resonates with every word in her keynotes.
Over the years, Allaire has overcome major adversity in her own life and today she is a shining example of what is possible when corporate executives focus on giving to the communities they live and work in to improve the lives of others. She lives by the words “Let your Faith be bigger than your fear”.
Kiwoba has been on local nonprofit boards of All Stars Helping Kids, United Way, the Sheriffs Activities League, and the 100 Black Women’s Coalition. Among her many accolades, Allaire was named among the top 50 Multicultural Leaders in Technology by the California Diversity Council, A Woman Worth Watching by Diversity Journal, recipient of the Sistahs Rock, Beyond the Limits Award, and SF Biz Times Forever Influential Woman. Allaire was voted San Francisco Business Times Most Influential Woman and also Silicon Valley Most Influential Women.
48. Courtney Overton
Founder & CEO, Speech of Cake
Courtney Overton is a speech-language pathologist and literacy specialist. She is the Founder & CEO of Speech of Cake, Inc., a private practice in Alexandria, Virginia that specializes in treating speech sound disorders and dyslexia. With a passion for shaping future clinicians, Overton also serves as a clinical fellowship mentor at Speech of Cake, a clinical supervisor at several universities, and a clinical professor at the University of Maryland. Overton continues to advocate for neurodivergent students and students of color by providing seminars, workshops, and keynotes on a national level through her organizations, DiverCity SLP and The SLP Guide to Dyslexia.
Overton recently earned her doctorate in literacy, culture, and language education at Indiana University with a minor in educational leadership and public policy. Last year, she earned a certificate in entrepreneurship from Cornell University. Overton attended Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts to earn a master's degree in speech-language pathology, and she obtained an undergraduate degree in speech-language pathology, a minor in linguistics, and a certificate in American Sign Language at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Overton is a member of For(bes) the Culture, National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing, American Speech-Language Hearing Association, International Literacy Association, International Dyslexia Association, Pearl and Ivy Educational Foundation, Incorporated, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
49. Carmen Pitre
President & CEO, Sojourner Family Peace Center
Carmen Pitre is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sojourner Family Peace Center, Wisconsin’s largest service provider for families dealing with domestic violence. Under Pitre’s leadership, Sojourner provides crisis housing, system advocacy, and individual support to thousands of women, children, and families.
Pitre is the recent past Chair of the City of Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and is an appointed member of the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice Crime Victim Rights Board. In addition, she is a member of the Office of Justice Assistance Violence Against Women Advisory Committee and a founding member of the VAWA Human Trafficking Sub-Committee. She has served on the Medical College of Wisconsin Violence Prevention Initiative Steering Committee.
Pitre was integral in the merger of Sojourner Truth House and the Task Force on Family Violence in 2009 when she became co-executive director of the new agency, Sojourner Family Peace Center. Before the merger, Pitre was the executive director of the Task Force on Family Violence from 2002 to 2009. Prior to that leadership role, Pitre served as the director of the First Judicial District Judicial Oversight Demonstration Initiative and the coordinator of the Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Pitre graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with an undergraduate degree in Arts.
50. Eleanor Gorski
Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Architecture Center
Eleanor Esser Gorski is the CEO & President of the Chicago Architecture Center, the leading organization devoted to celebrating and promoting Chicago as a center of architectural innovation and education. Gorski brings to the role more than 25 years in architecture, historic preservation, and urban planning; a passion for design as a way to create equity; and a wealth of deep experience and knowledge of Chicago, including appointments to key city leadership roles under three mayoral administrations.
Gorski, a licensed architect, has centered her career around equity and community, seeking to integrate design, planning and historic preservation to the greatest benefit of the neighborhoods in which she has worked. She brings that focus to the CAC, the largest organization of its kind in the world, which serves more than 700,000 patrons annually, is one of the city's top cultural attractions and has cemented Chicago's stature as the "City of Architecture." The CAC is known for the nation's no. 1 architectural boat tour aboard "Chicago's First Lady."
She graduated Summa cum Laude from Penn State University where she double majored in art history and history. She received her master’s degree in architecture from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is also a fellow of the Civic Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy. Gorski sits on the Local Advisory Board of USC Chicago, the Urban Land Institute Chicago board, the alumni board of the University of Illinois School of Architecture, and the Board of the Illinois Medical District.