Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of Seattle for 2023. Seattle stands as the technology epicenter of the West Coast, housing influential corporations such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Meta. These formidable entities support a substantial workforce in the Seattle region, offering competitive salaries to their employees. The city’s diverse and eclectic culture ensures that individuals with a wide array of interests can find their niche. This year’s awardees are notable leaders spanning industries including technology and software, aerospace, biotechnology and life sciences, and retail. Each brings a unique and valuable perspective to the organizations they serve.
Among this year’s awardees is Microsoft's EVP and Chief Financial Officer, Amy Hood, who oversees the company's global finance organization and actively participated in the execution of key acquisitions including LinkedIn, GitHub, and Nuance Communications. Awardee Rachel Antalek, Chief Global Food Innovation Officer of Pizza Hut, showcases her passion for mapping long-term vision and delivering shareholder value in the food and beverage industry, skillfully building teams and coalitions to drive consumer-informed innovation. Also awarded is Reema Nath, Vice President of Information Technology at Thermo Fisher Scientific, who leads innovation-driven technology strategies, spearheads digital transformation initiatives, and plays a pivotal role in strategic portfolio management across the IT landscape for corporate functions.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders in Seattle for 2023.
1. Sara Kelly
EVP and Chief Partner Officer, Starbucks
Sara Kelly is Executive Vice President and Chief Partner Officer for Starbucks. In her role, Kelly is responsible for helping partners realize their career potential and building global partner capability to enable growth and help deliver the company’s strategic plan. She first joined the company in 2001 as a partner resources coordinator in California and continued to follow her interest in partner resources by becoming a business partner, supporting multiple business units within the enterprise, and deepening her business acumen. Regardless of her role, Kelly has always strived to ensure that all partners who wear green aprons around the globe have the support to develop, lead, and grow at Starbucks. She believes in leading by example, embracing vulnerability as a partner and especially as a leader, and finding meaning in every moment.
Prior to her current role, Kelly was a senior vice president of talent and partner experience, where she was responsible for advancing Starbucks' talent and organizational leadership agenda and was focused on amplifying the strategic work being led by the talent acquisition, talent management, partner experience, learning and development, and organization and leadership effectiveness teams. Kelly earned an undergraduate degree in business administration with an emphasis in human resources from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.
2. Rachel Antalek
Chief Global Food Innovation Officer, Pizza Hut
Rachel Antalek began her professional career 28 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Global Food Innovation Officer of Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. Whether it's coffee, menus, retail, restaurants, or consumer products, Rachel has always had a passion for mapping long-range vision and delivering shareholder value in the food and beverage industry. While keeping near-term business objectives in mind, she has built teams and coalitions to help companies drive consumer-informed innovation as part of their growth strategy.
In her roles as consultant and fractional chief innovation officer with industry leaders, Rachel has coached the C-suite to embrace innovation to drive strategic growth. She is passionate about transforming organizations from being sales and process-driven to being consumer-led, using data, insights, and human-centered design to develop and monetize innovation pipelines. Rachel earned an MBA from Tulane University and an undergraduate degree from Tufts University.
3. Linh Peters
Chief Marketing Officer, Walgreens
Linh Peters is the Chief Marketing Officer of Walgreens. She first joined the company in 2022. Linh has steered complex and rapidly evolving businesses through high growth and transformation as a senior executive. Her superpowers are leveraging data, technology, and consumer mindset to up-level brands through storytelling and ROI driving marketing mix, creating revenue-generating strategies, and delivering innovation that creates meaningful improvements in customer experience.
Successfully redefined marketing for world-class brands such as Walgreens, Starbucks, Ulta Beauty, Target, and Calvin Klein, Linh focuses on connecting the digital and physical worlds. She is centered on harnessing the full capabilities of an enterprise by actively collaborating across an organization to provide the best experience for the customer. Operating with a growth mindset, she’s passionate about leading, motivating, and empowering others to drive consumer loyalty, shareholder value, and brand equity.
As an immigrant and refugee, Linh is a purpose-driven leader who leads with authenticity and empathy. Passionate about coaching and mentoring, she focuses on leveraging her position of leadership to inspire enterprise change to build an inclusive and diverse team and culture. Linh cares as much about others' success as she does her own.
4. Amy Hood
Chief Financial Officer, Microsoft
Amy Hood is an Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Microsoft and is responsible for leading the company’s worldwide finance organization, including business operations, acquisitions, treasury, tax planning, global real estate, accounting and reporting, internal audit, and investor relations. Hood joined Microsoft in 2002 and through her tenure with the company has advanced global momentum in the cloud and helped digitally transform the company. She is deeply involved in the company’s operations, as well as the strategy development and overall execution of the company’s successful acquisitions of LinkedIn, GitHub, and Nuance Communications.
For the past nine years as EVP and CFO, she has been a strategic partner to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, propelling long-term financial growth, championing culture and driving corporate initiatives, including Microsoft’s climate, affordable housing, and racial equity commitments, that have bolstered the company’s broader ecosystem. She has also served on the board of directors of 3M since 2017. Hood earned an undergraduate degree in economics from Duke University and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University.
5. Mary Knell
Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Northwest Region, Wells Fargo
Mary Knell is the Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Northwest Region of Wells Fargo. With a team of over 400 team members, the business serves the financial needs of commercial customers in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and four provinces in Western Canada. Wells Fargo Commercial Banking delivers a comprehensive suite of products and industry expertise to serve the diverse financial needs of companies with annual sales typically ranging from $5 million to $2 billion.
Before joining Wells Fargo, Knell was a managing director at JP Morgan. Earlier in her career she worked with Bank of America as a sales performance executive. Knell graduated from the University of Washington - Michael G. Foster School of Business with an undergraduate degree in finance and management.
6. Reema Nath
Vice President of Information Technology, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Reema Nath is a dynamic technology executive known for spearheading digital transformation initiatives across diverse industries. With a robust background in leading and implementing innovation-driven technology strategies, Reema currently serves as the Vice President of Information Technology at Thermo Fisher Scientific. She holds a pivotal role in driving enterprise-wide digital transformation initiatives for corporate functions and oversees strategic portfolio management across the IT landscape.
Reema's professional journey is marked by an unwavering commitment to continuous learning and a results-driven mindset. Her passion lies in harnessing technology to address real-world challenges, a commitment that she upholds through close collaboration with customers and business partners. Known for her adeptness in nurturing high-performance teams, Reema is an advocate for the strength derived from diverse teams working towards a unified mission.
Prior to her tenure at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Reema held the position of CIO at Fluke, a Fortive Company. During her tenure, she crafted and executed a forward-looking IT vision that aligned technology with the company's digital transformation strategy, pivotal in steering the organization's growth trajectory. Before her role at Fluke, she spent 18 years at GE in various leadership positions in digital technology, information management, and engineering. Her experience spanned across GE's Oil and Gas, Healthcare, Power, and Aerospace businesses, where she skillfully led teams in solving complex business challenges, resulting in both growth and operational excellence.
Reema is an alumna of GE's Experienced Information Management Leadership Program and graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Jiwaji University in India. She is a champion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and is passionate about preparing and mentoring the next generation of women leaders. She is a member of CHIEF, a private network to bring more women into positions of influence, and has supported several women's networks throughout her career as executive sponsor.
7. Oxana Pickeral
President & Chief Executive Officer, Sparta Systems
Oxana Pickeral began her professional career 23 years ago. Today, she is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sparta Systems, a Honeywell Company. Pickeral is an accomplished technology executive with more than 25 years of experience in healthcare and the life sciences, spanning from her work on the Human Genome Project to bioinformatics R&D and clinical trials innovation to advanced analytics and patient engagement technologies.
Pickeral first got her start in 2000 as a special expert in bioinformatics at the National Institutes of Health. From there, she went on to Human Genome Sciences, before eventually rising to global segment leader of healthcare and life sciences at Amazon Web Services, her most recent position prior to joining Sparta Systems. Pickeral graduated from The Johns Hopkins University with a PhD in human genetics and an MBA in general management and finance.
8. Jennifer Prenner
Vice President of Global Marketing & Reality Labs, Meta
Jennifer Prenner is the Vice President of Global Marketing and Reality Labs at Meta. She currently leads a large team of product marketers and general managers across the entire Reality Labs Portfolio of products who are responsible for the development of their product roadmaps and business strategies to develop, launch, grow, and sustain products. This includes product development from customer and market insights, GTM and launch strategy, brand & product marketing, business growth and customer engagement strategy, and financial and long-term business implications.
Prenner first got her start in 2000 as a senior manager of marketing at CenturyLink (Formerly Qwest). From there, she went on to LifeWire, before eventually rising to become a director, GM, and global head of marketing at Amazon, her most recent position prior to joining Meta. Prenner graduated from the University of Washington with an undergraduate degree in communication and media studies.
9. Amy Clemetson
Senior Director & VP of Technology Enterprise Strategy and Program Management, Liberty Mutual Insurance
Amy Clemetson is a Senior Director and Vice President of Technology Enterprise Strategy and Program Management at Liberty Mutual Insurance. Her responsibilities include setting global, regional, and market strategies, monitoring competitive dynamics and disruptive trends, optimizing the overall portfolio and strategic deployment of capital, and running enterprise risk management governance. She is experienced in financial lifecycle management and underwriting and is known for her skills in strategy, management, leadership, and agile practices.
Before joining Liberty Mutual Insurance, Clemetson was a director of underwriting and claims training at Safeco Insurance. She graduated from the University of Washington with an undergraduate degree and later earned an executive development certificate in executive management.
10. Stacy Thibodeau
Vice President of Design, Nordstrom Product Group, Nordstrom
Stacy Thibodeau began her professional career 21 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President of Design at Nordstrom. Stacy is dedicated to inspire, empowered to engage, and driven to deliver powerful brands that emotionally connect loyal buyers and achieve organizational objectives. As a savvy design expert and business strategist, she has the ability to balance both art and science to deliver on expectations, leading the market, and capturing multi-million dollar sales.
With over 25 years of experience in apparel design including Ready to Wear (Women’s), Men’s, and Kids, Stacy is known for her ability to lead product vision, achieve relevancy in the market, and grow brand presence. She graduated from North Dakota State University with an undergraduate degree in apparel design and textiles.
11. Vanessa Grose
Vice President of Cloud Center of Excellence, Global Cloud Practice, Kyndryl
Vanessa Grose is the Vice President of the Cloud Center of Excellence and Global Cloud Practice at Kyndryl. She first joined the company in 2023. Grose is a results-driven leader with over 15 years of technology experience managing teams, leading projects, and delighting clients. She has a proven track record of success in software sales and technical go-to-market strategy and execution. Grose is a passionate coach who believes in building teams of great people, enabling them to be successful, and empowering them to do great things.
Previously, Grose was a head of customer engineering for the Pacific Northwest at Google and before that, an executive director at Puget Soundworks. Earlier in her career she worked with IBM as a Java virtual machine developer. Grose earned an MBA from the University of Washington - Michael G. Foster School of Business and an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Bethel University.
12. Michelle Vargo
Vice President of Shared Services, Puget Sound Energy
Michelle Vargo is Vice President of Shared Services for Puget Sound Energy (PSE). PSE is Washington state’s oldest local energy company. They serve 1.1 million electric customers and more than 800,000 natural gas customers in 10 counties. Vargo has extensive experience in utility operations and will lead PSE teams responsible for Corporate Shared Services, Operations Support, and Operations Training, Procedures, and Quality. She joined PSE in July 2023 from Seattle City Light, where she served as COO responsible for all utility transmission, distribution, and system operations functions.
Prior to that, she held a number of leadership roles, including deputy operating officer, and as a director in both Transmission and Distribution and Generation Operations and Engineering. Before joining Seattle City Light in 2013, Vargo worked in business development for the LNG industry and spent five years as an engineering officer in the United States Army. Vargo is a licensed professional engineer with an MBA from The University of Chicago. She received her undergraduate degree in civil engineering from the United States Military Academy and is a graduate of the Energy Executive Course at the University of Idaho.
13. Ashley Becker
VP & Head of E-Commerce & Omni Customer Growth, The Kraft Heinz Company
Ashley Becker is the Vice President and Head of E-Commerce and Omni Customer Growth of The Kraft Heinz Company. She first joined the company in 2014 as associate brand manager of planters. The Kraft Heinz Company is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, with eight $1B+ brands and global sales of approximately $25B. They've been a globally trusted producer of high-quality, great-tasting, and nutritious foods for over 150 years.
Previously, Becker was a corporate operations project manager at Lam Research. She earned an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an undergraduate degree in corporate communications and strategic management from the University of Southern California.
14. Felisa Martin
VP of Human Resources - Global Research, Bristol Myers Squibb
Felisa Martin is the Vice President of Human Resources in Global Research at Bristol Myers Squibb. She first joined the company in 2023. BMS is a New Jersey-based biopharmaceutical firm that discovers, develops, and commercializes medicines for patients who prevail over serious diseases. Martin is an accomplished HR leader with proven expertise in leading organizations in the design, implementation, and administration of human capital programs, processes, and initiatives. She has extensive experience in consulting on HR systems initiatives and collaborating as a thought partner with clients to achieve operational results. A trusted resource to senior management, she’s known for a customer-service-minded approach to driving organizational changes needed to attract, engage, reward, and sustain exceptional talent.
Previously, Martin was a director of human resources in global medicines development and medical affairs at Vertex Pharmaceuticals and before that a senior director of human resources at Montefiore Health System. Earlier in her career she worked with Shell as an organizational development manager. Martin earned an MS from Stony Brook University and an undergraduate degree in psychology from Stony Brook University.
15. Shane Fisher
Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group
Shane Fisher is a Managing Director and Partner of Boston Consulting Group. Boston Consulting Group is a global consulting firm that partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. Shane joined the organization in 2011. She is a core member of the Consumer practice specializing in retail, and an expert in digital marketing, retail media, personalization, and large-scale change.
In her recent case work, Fisher has led personalization capability builds including pilot test design, execution and measurement, scaling campaigns and tech and data builds. She leads the Women@BCG initiative for the Seattle office as well as pro bono work with local social and public sector clients. Fisher graduated from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School with an MBA in consulting and from the University of California, Santa Cruz with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
16. Patricia Gow
Executive Director of R&D Strategy and Operations, Amgen
Patricia Gow began her professional career 28 years ago. Today, she is the Executive Director of R&D Strategy and Operations in the Chief Medical Office of Amgen. Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing, and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.
Gow first got her start in 1995 as a director of strategic development at Phoenix International/MDSPS. From there, she went on to Allied Research Intl/Cetero, her most recent position prior to joining Amgen. Gow graduated from McGill University with an MS and an undergraduate degree in physiology and neuropharmacology.
17. Meredith Spencer
Area Vice President of Sales, Aveanna Healthcare
Meredith Spencer is the Area Vice President of Sales at Aveanna Healthcare. At Aveanna, they believe that the ultimate place for caring is right in the comfort of home. They are a new company that has quickly established itself as a pre-eminent, national leader in healthcare as well as homecare. They believe in clinical excellence, innovation, and compassionate care for every patient and family they are privileged to help. Spencer is an experienced and proven sales leader, sales trainer, and dietitian with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and healthcare industry. She is skilled in nutritional counseling, sales, public speaking, salesforce, training, leadership, and public health.
Before joining Aveanna Healthcare, Spencer was a pediatric national sales trainer at Abbott and before that a registered dietitian at Cook Children's Health Care System. Earlier in her career she worked with Tarrant County Public Health as a registered dietitian. She is a strong sales professional with a Master of Science, focused in nutrition sciences from Texas Woman's University.
18. Martsi Stuart
Controller and Vice President, LinkedIn
Martsi Stuart began her professional career 29 years ago. Today, she is the Controller and Vice President of LinkedIn. Stuart is a senior finance professional with progressive experience directing large cross-company projects, financial control management, external reporting, planning and forecasting, business plan development, acquisition integration, and accounting. Given her 20+ years working in technology and finance, she is exploring how to help young women build their confidence and financial acumen.
Stuart first got her start in 1994 as a senior manager of financial advisory services at PricewaterhouseCoopers. From there, she went on to KPMG, before eventually rising to GM in finance at Microsoft, her most recent position prior to joining LinkedIn. Stuart graduated from Seattle University with an MBA and from the University of Washington with an undergraduate degree in economics.
19. Beth Gray
Vice President of Enterprise West & Healthcare NA, Iron Mountain
Beth Gray is the Vice President of Enterprise West & Healthcare in North America at Iron Mountain. She is an executive sales and operations leader with 25 years of leadership experience including B2B sales and multi-unit operations management with success at developing the strategies necessary to maximize financial performance. She has a demonstrated ability to grow sales and profits through relationship building, negotiating favorable deals, building top-performing teams, securing strategic alliances, developing effective marketing plans, and closing deals with top decision-makers.
Before joining Iron Mountain, Gray was a VP of strategic partnerships at Office Depot and before that an adjunct professor at Texas Woman's University. Earlier in her career she worked with FedEx Kinko's as a regional manager. Gray graduated from Texas Woman's University with an MBA and from the University of Houston with an undergraduate degree in history.
20. Lynne Houserman
Vice President of CommandCentral, Motorola Solutions
Lynne Houserman is an 18-year veteran of the telecommunications and public safety industry. In her role as Vice President at Motorola Solutions, Houserman is responsible for CommandCentral, Motorola Solutions' cloud-based, mission-critical platform built for public safety which unifies voice, data, video, and analytics in one, connected ecosystem. Motorola Solutions is solving for safety. They build and connect technologies to help protect people, property, and places. Their solutions enable the collaboration between public safety agencies and enterprises which is critical for a proactive approach to safety and security.
Previously, Houserman was a president at Comtech Telecommunications Corp. and before that. a VP of network operations at Vonage. Earlier in her career she worked with AT&T Wireless Services as a manager. Houserman earned an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Washington.
21. Jennifer Houser
Vice President of Tax, Expedia Group
Jennifer Houser is the Vice President of Tax at Expedia Group. She first joined the company in 2017 as an international tax director. Expedia is a Washington-based online travel agency that provides solutions including tour management, ticket reservation, and hotel booking for individuals and businesses. Previously, Houser was a senior tax manager in international tax at Deloitte Tax LLP and before that a tax manager at PwC. She earned an MS from the University of Cincinnati and an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
22. Sara Staggs
Vice President of Strategic Operations, Aerotek
Sara Staggs is the Vice President of Strategic Operations for Aerotek. She joined Aerotek in 1998 as a recruiter in the Seattle, Washington office. For more than 35 years, Aerotek has built a reputation for providing the highest-quality staffing and workforce management solutions. Carrying their reputation forward, they have focused deep expertise in connecting light industrial and skilled trades talent with clients in the manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, and facility management industries across North America.
Over the years, Sara held various roles including account manager, business development manager, director of business operations, and director of divisional operations. Most recently, she served as executive director of regional operations for the Northwest. Staggs stepped into her current role in January 2020. In this new role, she is responsible for developing and fulfilling business strategy for Aerotek. She partners closely with executive leadership and leads a team in relentless pursuit of improved operational capabilities, commitment to innovation, proactive awareness of emerging technologies, and execution of strategic delivery solutions. Staggs earned an undergraduate degree in management from Washington State University.
23. Beth Bodensteiner
Chief Commercial Officer, Holland America Line
Beth Bodensteiner is the Chief Commercial Officer of Holland America Line. She first joined the company in 2002 as SVP in revenue management and product marketing. For 150 years, Holland America Line has been a recognized leader in cruising, taking their guests to exotic destinations around the world. Today, Holland America Line's fleet of 11 modern classic ships offers more than 500 sailings a year visiting all seven continents. Cruises include both popular and less-traveled ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Mexico, South America, the Panama Canal, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, as well as unique voyages to the Amazon, Antarctica, and their extended Grand Voyages. Bodensteiner earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington.
24. Jennifer Rock
Chief Accounting Officer, Zillow
Jennifer Rock is the Chief Accounting Officer of Zillow. She first joined the company in 2011 as manager of financial reporting. Rock oversees the company’s financial reporting and accounting teams. Since starting at Zillow before its initial public offering, Rock has helped lead the S-1 drafting process and shepherd the company through the acquisition of Trulia, while managing the preparation of every financial filing the company has made since becoming a publicly traded company.
Prior to becoming chief accounting officer, Rock held several leadership positions in financial reporting, technical accounting, compliance, and financial planning and analysis. Before joining Zillow Group, Rock worked in the audit practice at KPMG. She earned an undergraduate and a master’s degree in accountancy from Gonzaga, where she graduated summa cum laude.
25. Mary Stata
Chief Development Officer, Mercy Corps
As Chief Development Officer, Mary Stata leads Mercy Corps' global fundraising efforts with individual donors, foundations, and companies. She partners closely with the Office of the CEO, the Board of Directors, and the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer to position Mercy Corps as the partner of choice for high-impact philanthropists seeking to build a better world. Through her strategy and vision, Stata is guiding the fundraising team toward greater impact. Mercy Corps connects people to the resources they need to build better, stronger lives. They have responded to nearly every global emergency over the past 20 years. Since 1979, they have provided $3.7B in lifesaving assistance throughout the world.
Stata brings 15 years of professional experience spanning policy, philanthropy, and fundraising. She joined Mercy Corps in 2017 and established the Foundation Partnerships team, and has partnered extensively with Mercy Corps' teams around the globe to raise funds, including during our response to COVID-19. Stata started her career in education, living and working in rural India before focusing on peacebuilding and human rights policy in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Mercy Corps, she served as a program officer for Humanity United, traveling extensively throughout Africa and managing grantmaking programs in Burundi and Zimbabwe. Stata graduated from Calvin University with an undergraduate degree in political science.
26. Kristen Quillin
Chief Marketing Officer, YNV Group
Kristen Quillin is the Chief Marketing Officer of YNV Group. YNV Group is a holding company that began as a highly successful tech support start-up. In just a few years, they grew into a multi-brand group of companies serving global enterprise clients and governments. Today, their brands include Tek Experts, elev8, Cytek, Talentwize, Monifai, Everty, and Sandglass, and operate across the tech, real estate, and financial services sectors.
Quillin drives and delivers the creative marketing vision needed to inspire and empower marketing and cross-functional teams to maximize customer and employee engagement across the YNV brands. She brings with her an extensive background in growing organizations and brands to deliver the unexpected with over 25 years of experience in marketing and communications globally. Quillin joined from Microsoft where she was most recently a director of marketing and communications, customer experience, and success. At Microsoft, Quillin led an integrated marketing and communications team responsible for delivering compelling and strategic communications supporting Microsoft’s Connected Customer Experience strategy.
Prior to Microsoft, Quillin held various senior marketing leadership roles at Colliers International, including VP of global marketing and head of marketing and business development for EMEA. Quillin graduated from Washington State University with an undergraduate degree in English, business, and French.
27. Rebecca Blankenship
First Vice President and Pacific Northwest Operations Manager, Hill International
Rebecca Blankenship began her professional career 27 years ago. Today, she is a First Vice President and the Pacific Northwest Operations Manager of Hill International. Hill International is a Pennsylvania-based consulting firm that offers services such as project management and construction claims for sectors including energy and industrial.
Blankenship first got her start in 1996 as a civil engineering technician at the United States Air Force. From there, she went on to Bernardo Wills Architects before eventually rising to become a senior project manager at ALSC Architects. Blankenship graduated from Gonzaga University School of Leadership Studies with a PhD and from Indiana University - Kelley School of Business with an undergraduate degree.
28. Michelle Maggs
Vice President of Corporate Marketing, D-Wave
Michelle Maggs is the Vice President of Corporate Marketing at D-Wave, She first joined the company in 2022 as a VP of global communications and public relations. D-Wave is the leader in the development and delivery of quantum computing systems, software, and services and is the world's first commercial supplier of quantum computers and the only company developing both annealing quantum computers and gate-model quantum computers. Maggs is a corporate communications executive with two decades of success in driving brand awareness that informs, inspires, engages and builds trust that translates to business impact. She’s launched technology products ranging from quantum technology to hardware storage and cloud solutions to consumer electronics and online tools including enterprise software, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and aerospace technologies.
Previously, Maggs was an EVP of global technology lead at Current Global and before that, an EVP and general manager at Weber Shandwick. Earlier in her career she worked with Walt Disney Internet Group as a PR Administrator. Maggs earned an undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Oregon.
29. Rebecca Pomering
Chief Practice Officer, Moss Adams
As Chief Practice Officer, Rebecca Pomering oversees the firm's client service and growth strategies. She is responsible for the implementation and growth of the firm's national industry practices, as well as the firmwide marketing and business development functions. Pomering joined the firm in 1997 and spent 11 years as a management consultant, providing consulting services to wealth management firms across the country on business strategy and management.
In 2008, Pomering was named CEO of Moss Adams Wealth Advisors, a division of Moss Adams LLP, to lead the firm's integrated delivery of wealth management services. In this role, she was responsible for strategic planning, sales and marketing, team development, and mergers and acquisitions for the wealth management group, as well as the group's integration with the overall firm. She has co-authored two books on business management and is a frequent speaker on a broad range of leadership and management topics. She is a founding advisory board member of the Moss Adams Forum W initiative and is involved in a number of community organizations. Pomering graduated from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with an undergraduate degree in finance.
30. Jennifer Johnston
Chief Operating Officer, SunPower
Jennifer Johnston is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of SunPower. SunPower is a leading solar and energy services provider in North America. They offer the only solar and storage solution designed and warranted by one company that gives customers control over electricity consumption and resiliency during power outages while providing cost savings. As COO, she oversees SunPower's operations and customer care organizations. Johnston brings more than two decades of experience leading teams in operations, manufacturing, logistics, and finance.
Johnston most recently served as COO and CFO at a technology company at the intersection of robotics and retail services. Before that, she spent 10 years at Amazon, where she held both finance and business leadership positions across Amazon Fulfillment, Amazon Logistics, Amazon Go, and AWS, driving operational and financial scalability across each of the businesses. Johnston has also held various roles at large organizations including General Electric, Bristol Myers Squibb, Saint-Gobain, and the Gillette Company, where she oversaw complex operations, managed large teams, and drove significant improvements in efficiency and cost-effectiveness. She holds an undergraduate degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from Northeastern University.
31. Tracy Wiese
Chief Marketing Officer, Cambia Health Solutions
Tracy Wiese is the Chief Marketing Officer of Cambia Health Solutions. Cambia Health Solutions is a family of companies headquartered in Portland, Oregon, working to create a person-focused and economically sustainable healthcare system. Wiese brings more than 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership, most recently as chief strategy and marketing officer in the provider space for radiology, oncology, and interventional pain care. Her areas of expertise include cross-functional leadership, strategic growth, brand development, tech-enabled B2B and B2C marketing, sales enablement, and business intelligence.
Wiese has an undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College and executive education certificates in finance, product development, and health care administration from Carlson School of Management and St. Thomas Opus College of Business. She has served in a variety of volunteer leadership roles in her community.
32. Jennifer Stephens
Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Seagen
Jennifer Stephens began her professional career 23 years ago. Today, she is the Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs of Seagen. Seagen is committed to advancing late-stage clinical trials and expanding the development of its portfolio both in and outside the US to better the health of people with cancer. They are dedicated to improving patient outcomes through advanced antibody-drug conjugate technology designed to deliver cell-killing agents directly to tumor cells.
Stephens first got her start in 2000 as a manager of regulatory affairs at Genentech. From there, she went on to SHIRE-NPS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., before eventually rising to become a senior director of regulatory affairs at Gilead Sciences, her most recent position prior to joining Seagen. Stephens graduated from the University of Washington with an undergraduate degree.
33. Cynthia Tee
Senior Vice President of Engineering, Smartsheet
Cynthia Tee is the Senior Vice President of Engineering at Smartsheet. She first joined the company in 2021. Smartsheet is the enterprise work management platform. By aligning people and technology so organizations can move faster and drive innovation, Smartsheet enables its millions of users to achieve more. Backed by enterprise-grade security, Smartsheet is used by more than 75% of the companies in the Fortune 500 to implement, manage, and automate processes across a broad array of departments and use cases.
Previously, Tee was a VP of technology and commerce at Nordstrom, and before that a VP and executive director at Ada Developers Academy. Earlier in her career she worked with Schlumberger as a software engineer. Tee earned a master’s in computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
34. Kate Godfrey
VP & Chief Compliance Officer, Karl Storz Endoscopy
Kate Godfrey is a C-level biotech compliance and legal executive with almost 20 years of operational experience advising life sciences companies in high-growth transformations. Today, she is the Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer for the Americas for Karl Storz Endoscopy, a global medical technology company with 70 subsidiaries in over 40 countries. Founded in 1945 as a two-person business in Tuttlingen, Germany in the Black Forest, Karl Storz has grown to approximately 9,000 employees and has more than 15,000 products, and is recognized as an international leader in the world of endoscopy. In her current role, Kate designed, drove, and oversaw the implementation and operation of a robust company-wide corporate compliance program for Karl Storz to prevent and detect noncompliance with laws and regulations, unethical behavior, and/or criminal conduct. She is able to navigate this through her strong understanding of the regulatory landscape, industry knowledge, and the ability to assess risks, solve problems, interpret data, and communicate effectively.
Before joining Karl Storz, Kate spent almost five years in diagnostics as the chief compliance and privacy officer at Veracyte, Inc., and Adaptive Biotechnologies; the latter of which she helped not only build the compliance and privacy programs for but also take the company from early commercial stage to multi-product and navigate growth from $3B to $7B in market cap and from 200 to 800 employees. Kate is also versed in the structure and complexity of big pharma as she spent 8 years at Roche/Genentech in roles with increasing responsibility, building out a global compliance program within various Roche HQ sites.
Kate received her undergraduate degree from DePaul University, where she was a member of the World Series Women’s softball team and was a two-time Academic All-American. She received her JD from California Western School of Law, with a concentration in health law. She has both US and European compliance certifications and maintains a license to practice law in the state of Washington. In her spare time, she tries to raise awareness for epilepsy and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy through running events and social media, using the tag #run4joshua, as she lost her son this year to this disease and wants to educate others to try and prevent deaths by seizures.
35. Amy Masterson
Senior Vice President of Operations Services, MOD Pizza
With over 25 years of experience in driving organizational growth, performance, and profitability, Amy Masterson is a dynamic and innovative management professional and a respected and recognized HR consultant. She has a proven track record of leading full project lifecycles from concept to completion, including strategic planning, process improvement, and employee training. Currently, Masterson serves as the Senior Vice President of Operations Services at MOD Pizza, where she leverages her strong innovative, creative, analytical, collaborative, and decisive leadership skills to support the operations of more than 450 locations across the US. She is passionate about championing the people value proposition and the growth plan for the brand and the team. She designs scalable programs to provide meaningful work and drive results that meet current business goals and targets. She thrives in fast-paced, high-pressure environments and builds strong working relationships with her team, colleagues, and executives.
Before joining MOD Pizza, Masterson was a COO at Little Beet and before that a COO at Little Beet Table. Earlier in her career she worked with Starbucks as a store manager. Masterson graduated from Brandeis University with an MA and from Lewis & Clark College with an undergraduate degree in international affairs in Asian and Middle Eastern studies.
36. Sarah Jacob
Chief Product Officer, MedBridge
As MedBridge's Chief Product Officer, Sarah Jacob leads MedBridge's product strategy and product organization. Sarah has been a product leader in the digital health technology space for over 10 years, both at businesses that were acquired and ones that have gone public. She's built world-class product organizations in both startup and scaling environments, as well as built both enterprise and consumer-facing solutions.
Prior to her current role, Sarah served in multiple product leadership roles with companies including Optimize Health, Accolade, and CareCloud. She is an expert at developing differentiated products and loves to build and mentor Product organizations.
37. Stephanie Perry
Group Vice President of Operations, Sound Physicians
Stephanie Perry is the Group Vice President of Operations of Sound Physicians. She is a nationally recognized physician practice leader with expertise in strategic business development, fiscal management, transformational care, lean process improvement, billing, coding, documentation compliance, executive relations, high-level customer service, project management and education, and physician/staff recruitment and retention. She began her career in 2003.
Before joining Sound Physicians, Perry was a director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Virginia Mason Medical Center and before that, a regional director of operations at Bay Area Hospitalist Associates, Inc. Perry graduated from Fresno Pacific University with an MA in education, leadership, and organizational studies and from California State University, Fresno with an undergraduate degree in health administration.
38. Beth Riddell
Regional Vice President of Operations, Reliant Rehabilitation
Beth Riddell is the Regional Vice President of Operations at Reliant Rehabilitation. She first joined the company in 2019 as area vice president. Reliant Rehabilitation has provided patient-centered, outcome-driven physical, occupational, and speech therapy since 2002. Serving approximately 900 facilities in 40 states, they are dedicated to the ongoing growth of their over 9,000 therapists, quality outcomes for their patients, and partnerships focused on delivering excellence in senior healthcare.
Previously, Riddell was a regional manager at Brighton Rehabilitation and before that a divisional rehabilitation director at HCR ManorCare. Earlier in her career she worked with Kindred Healthcare as a speech-language pathologist. Riddell earned an MA from the University of Northern Colorado and an undergraduate degree in communication disorders from the University of Colorado Boulder.
39. Bradley O'Brien
Executive Vice President, Tommy Bahama
Bradley O'Brien began her professional career 35 years ago. Today, she is the Executive Vice President of Tommy Bahama. Established in August 1992, with corporate headquarters in Seattle, Tommy Bahama is an island-inspired lifestyle brand that defines relaxed, sophisticated style in men's and women's sportswear, swimwear, accessories, footwear, and a complete home furnishings collection. The company owns and operates over 160 Tommy Bahama stores worldwide, with 16 of those locations offering a Tommy Bahama restaurant & bar.
O'Brien first got her start in 1988 as a senior product manager at Ralph Lauren. From there, she went on to Old Navy, before eventually rising to VP of women's design and global trend at Sperry Top-Sider, her most recent position before joining Tommy Bahama. O'Brien graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with an undergraduate degree in studio art.
40. Anissa Lindgren
VP and Director of Compensation, Benefits & Talent Analytics, Sellen Construction
Anissa Lindgren is the Vice President and Director of Compensation, Benefits, and Talent Analytics of Sellen Construction. Sellen Construction is a locally owned and operated commercial builder. Founded in 1944 and headquartered in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle, Sellen builds iconic projects for the region's tech, science, arts, health care, and hospitality leaders. Lindgren has 19 years of experience. She began her career in 2004.
Before joining Sellen Construction, Lindgren was an account receivable assistant in the Credit Department at the University BookStore. She graduated from the University of Washington with an undergraduate degree in history.
41. Michele Smith
Chief Executive Officer, Museum of Pop Culture
Michele Smith is the Chief Executive Officer of the Museum of Pop Culture. The Museum of Pop Culture's mission is to make creative expression a life-changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities. MoPOP features music, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, gaming, fashion, art & more! Smith is a mission-focused leader with extensive experience in business development, operations, and finance in the nonprofit industry. Smith has a people-centered leadership style and approach to help drive an aligned vision and mission.
Before joining MoPOP, Smith will transition from her role as the chief business and financial officer with the award-winning cultural institution the Woodland Park Zoo. In her distinguished career at the Woodland Park Zoo, Michele led the organization through its recovery of COVID-19, with some of the most significant growth in revenue, events, guest services, admissions, automation, and finance. Smith graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with an undergraduate degree in business administration and management.
42. Nicole Keith
Vice President of Finance, Sana Biotechnology
Nicole Keith is the Vice President of Finance at Sana Biotechnology. Sana Biotechnology is focused on utilizing engineered cells as medicines for patients. The ability to modify genes and use cells as medicines will be one of the most important advances in healthcare over the next several decades. Sana is building differentiated capabilities across the spectrum of cell and gene therapy.
Keith is a chemical engineer with an MBA degree who enjoys working in biotechnology, a field where people work together to discover products and technologies that help people with serious unmet medical needs. She has 15 years of technical and business experience with a focus on finance, communications, engineering, and marketing at large companies and startups, including Genentech, Onyx, Gilead, Juno, and Sana. Keith earned an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Stanford University and an MBA. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University focusing on biotechnology, finance, and accounting.
43. Sarah Osmer
Chief Marketing Officer, SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic and Spa
Sarah Osmer began her professional career 25 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Marketing Officer of SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic and Spa. SkinSpirit is the premier destination for medical aesthetics and skincare for the face and body. They're proud to celebrate 20 years of excellence as a leading provider of Botox® and dermal fillers in the nation. Osmer is an experienced leader known for stepping up to tough challenges and seizing great opportunities. She develops fresh marketing strategies, turns plans into action, and not just meets, but beats goals.
Osmer first got her start in 1998 as a product manager at Wild Planet Toys. From there, she went on to Starbucks Coffee Company, before eventually rising to VP of customer management at T-Mobile, her most recent position prior to joining SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic and Spa.
44. Amy Pelly
Chief Financial Officer, Amperity
Amy Pelly is the Chief Financial Officer of Amperity. Amperity is the customer data platform that helps brands build the unified first-party customer data foundation they need to grow revenue, reduce costs, save time, and stay compliant. Their unparalleled solution creates accurate, reliable profiles by stitching together every type of rich customer data across disparate sources using patented AI and Machine Learning methods. Pelly brings over two decades of financial and operational experience at venture-backed tech and publicly traded enterprise software companies.
Previously, she held multiple roles at Onyx Software, where she helped the company go public in 1999, and served as its CFO while generating $120M in revenue. Amy also served as CFO for Basho Technologies, doxo, Gist (acquired by Blackberry), Tegic (an AOL subsidiary acquired by Nuance), and Wildseed (acquired by AOL). She earned her business administration degree from the University of Puget Sound.
45. Melissa Springer
Vice President of Customer Experience, Gravie
Melissa Springer is the Vice President of Customer Experience at Gravie. Gravie is one of the fastest-growing health benefits companies, offering health plans that cover 100% of the costs of the most common healthcare services. They work primarily with small and midsize employers, who for too long have had limited choices and few ways to self-fund their employee health plans. Springer is an innovative digital marketing leader and consultant. She has driven strategic plans and business growth, led large-scale product rollouts, and managed relationships with Fortune 100 companies.
Before joining Gravie, Springer was a product and customer insights at Amazon, and before that a director of membership marketing for North America at Nike. Earlier in her career she worked with Booz Allen Hamilton as an associate. Springer graduated from George Washington University with an MBA and an undergraduate degree in political science.
46. Kim Mulvaney
Executive Director, Era Living
Kim Mulvaney is the Executive Director of Era Living. Since 1987, Era Living has been dedicated to fostering a healthy and engaging environment of whole-body wellness, culture, warmth, and social fulfillment, providing compassionate care and enriching activities at all eight communities it manages. Mulvaney is a versatile and influential executive with extensive experience in growth marketing, branding, P&L management, digital product launches and feature development, internal and external communications, integrations, and M&A due diligence.
Before joining Era Living, Mulvaney was an SVP and senior business director of marketing strategy and business analytics at Capital One and before that, a director of education marketing at TD Ameritrade. Earlier in her career she worked with Capital One as a senior marketing and business analyst. Mulvaney graduated from NYU Stern School of Business with an MBA and from St. Mary's College of Maryland with an undergraduate degree in mathematics.
47. Katie Townsend
Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Seattle Kraken
Katie Townsend is the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Seattle Kraken. She first joined the company in 2019 as vice president of corporate communications. The Seattle Kraken is a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken competed in the National Hockey League as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and began play during the league's 2021–22 season. They play their home games at Climate Pledge Arena.
Previously, Townsend was a VP of communications at WE Communications and before that, a senior producer in the Olympic torch relay at BBC News. Earlier in her career she worked with Canal C as a producer. Townsend earned an undergraduate degree in English literature and Hispanic studies from the University of Nottingham.
48. Renuka Ayer
Chief Financial Officer, Agility Robotics
Renuka Ayer is the Chief Financial Officer of Agility Robotics. She is a senior executive and strategic business partner with a distinctive track record of success in managing organizational change, achieving operational effectiveness and efficiencies, and delivering value-added financial analysis. She has the ability to build high-performance finance teams and partner with operations to deliver superior business results, even during challenging times. She has significant experience in a wide range of start-up, joint-venture, acquisition, restructuring, and ownership transition situations in the United States, China, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Before joining Agility Robotics, Ayer was a CFO at Glowforge and before that a CFO at Pulse Electronics Corporation. Earlier in her career she worked with Ford Motor Company as a controller, finance manager, and analyst. Ayer graduated from UMass Boston with an MBA and from the National University of Singapore with an undergraduate degree in finance.
49. Rana Muminoglu
Chief Financial Officer, Concentric
Rana Muminoglu is the Chief Financial Officer of Concentric. Concentric is a risk management firm that provides security services and intelligence solutions to keep people safe worldwide. Muminoglu is a results-driven strategic finance leader with experience across a diverse range of businesses in technology, e-commerce, and impact investing. With 20 years of experience, she is a reliable business partner and is passionate about blending strategic thinking with operational effectiveness. She has hands-on experience in fast-paced organizations, developing teams, driving scalable solutions, and impacting enterprise value.
Muminoglu first got her start in 1999 as a senior associate at KMPG. From there, she went on to Good360, before eventually rising to VP of finance and operations at Elevar Equity, her most recent position prior to joining Concentric. Muminoglu graduated from the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business with an MBA and from Boğaziçi University with an undergraduate degree in business management.
50. Nadia Dac
Chief Commercial Officer, Omeros Corporation
Nadia Dac is the Chief Commercial Officer of Omeros Corporation. Omeros is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing, and commercializing small-molecule and protein therapeutics for large-market and orphan indications targeting inflammation, complement-mediated diseases, disorders of the central nervous system, and immune-related diseases, including cancers. With deep expertise spanning all commercial functions including marketing, market access and promotion, sales, pipeline management, business development, and partnerships, Dac brings almost three decades of international experience building teams and launching products as a strategic commercial leader at large and small biopharmaceutical companies. She joined Omeros from her most recent role as the chief commercial officer at Alder Pharmaceuticals where she built the commercial team to launch Vyepti® in the migraine prevention market, which later was acquired by Lundbeck.
Before joining Alder, Dac served as vice president of global specialty commercial development at AbbVie where she led the therapeutic area and business development strategies for neuroscience, virology, hepatology, renal, cystic fibrosis, and women's health. Prior to AbbVie, she held several roles of increasing responsibility at Novartis, building the commercial organization that successfully launched Gilenya® and Extavia®. Before Novartis, Dac led marketing for Biogen’s multiple sclerosis products Tysabri® and Avonex® and for Pfizer’s Alzheimer's product Aricept®. She also spent several years in positions of increasing responsibility at Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lilly where she started her career in marketing and sales. Dac graduated from Rutgers University.