Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of Jacksonville for 2024. Jacksonville is the largest city in landmass in the continental United States. A rapidly growing metropolitan in Northeast Florida, with approximately 1,000,000 residents, The River City caters to some of the most profitable industries across the globe – with exceptionally talented women leaders at the helm of well-known companies and organizations.
The largest industry in Jacksonville is healthcare, with nearly 14% of the population working in this field. Among them is awardee Betsy Chapin Taylor, an award-winning author, speaker, and consultant drawing on 30 years of experience in healthcare. She serves as the CEO of Accordant, a philanthropy consulting firm specializing in working with hospitals and healthcare systems.
The next largest industry is retail, employing over 12% of workers, including honoree Claudia Keyes, the Senior Vice President of Operational Excellence and Sales Agency at Acosta. After learning the retail industry inside and out through top leadership positions at mega-retailers like Walmart and Sam’s Club, Keyes joined Acosta, a sales and marketing powerhouse behind some of the most recognized brands in the world.
Finally, we recognize women leaders in finance and insurance, the third largest industry in Jacksonville with nearly 10% of the workforce. Recognized for her mission-driven and tailored approach to client services, Diane Pauly is a senior executive at Morgan Stanley, a leading global financial services firm, where she brings her vast knowledge of the municipal bond trading industry.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Jacksonville for 2024.
1. Debbie Segers
Senior Vice President, Senior Deputy General Counsel, and Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, FIS
Debbie Segers has several leadership roles at FIS, a leading provider of technology solutions for financial institutions and businesses of all sizes and across any industry globally that enables the movement of commerce by unlocking the financial technology that powers the world’s economy.
Segers serves the company as Senior Vice President, Senior Deputy General Counsel, and Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, a leadership role she’s had since 2010. Her primary skills and focus areas include cross-functional problem-solving, marketing advisement, commercial litigation, risk evaluation and mitigation, intellectual property management and protection, strategic communications, and team development. She is also a skilled DEI ambassador and considers being an advocate for her team to be part of her job.
In recent years, Segers has emphasized continuing education, earning several accreditations through LinkedIn Learning, including Building Accountability into Your Culture, Building Trust, and Communicating with Empathy. She has also served as a board member of the Business Law Advisory Board at the University of Arkansas School of Law, where she earned her JD.
2. Kimberly Jones
Senior Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer, Baptist Health
Kimberly Jones is the Senior Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer of Baptist Health Foundation. Founded in 1924 in Louisville, Kentucky, Baptist Health is a full-spectrum health system dedicated to improving the health of the communities it serves. The Baptist Health family comprises nine hospitals, employed and independent physicians, and more than 400 points of care, including outpatient facilities, physician practices, and services, urgent care clinics, outpatient diagnostic and surgery centers, home care, fitness centers, and occupational medicine and physical therapy clinics. In this role, Jones is responsible for leading and growing all areas of fundraising and stewardship that are essential to the mission, vision, and values of our nonprofit health system.
Prior to joining Baptist Health, Jones was Chief Development Officer for UF College of Medicine-Jacksonville and Assistant Vice President for UF Health-Jacksonville, where she was responsible for all fundraising, engagement, and development strategies and efforts across the continuum of donors. Prior to that, she led University Advancement at Jacksonville University, where she successfully completed a $120 million comprehensive fundraising campaign in collaboration with trustees, alumni, friends, and faculty.
Jones attended the University of Florida, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Relations, and the University of North Florida, where she received her Master of Business Administration.
3. Diana Sorfleet
Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, CSX
Diana Sorfleet was named Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer in July 2018. Her responsibilities include aviation, facilities, human resources, people systems and analytics, and total rewards. She had a key role in orchestrating the company’s pandemic response, guided the development and implementation of a comprehensive social justice action plan, and, previously, as Chief Human Resources Officer, was responsible for managing the company’s workforce strategies during the scheduled railroading transformation.
Sorfleet joined CSX in June 2011 after many years in human resources with Exelon, where she rose to vice president for diversity and development. She is a member of the Conference Board’s Chief Human Resources Officers Council and has participated in several additional professional organizations during her career. In 2016, Sorfleet was recognized by Black Enterprise as one of the most influential, highest-ranking executives leading diversity initiatives among the nation’s largest companies. She was also recognized by Diversity MBA in 2012 as the Top 100 under 50 Diverse Executives.
Sorfleet is a graduate of the Loyola University of Chicago, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Subsequently, she earned a Master’s degree in Management and Human Resources from National Louis University, as well as a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
4. Roslynn Williams
Chief People Officer, Dun & Bradstreet
Roslynn Williams is the Chief People Officer of Dun & Bradstreet. She first joined the company in 2014 as executive leadership development. Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, enables companies around the world to improve their business performance. Dun & Bradstreet's Data Cloud fuels solutions and delivers insights that empower customers to accelerate revenue, lower costs, mitigate risk, and transform their businesses.
Williams is a strategic, results-oriented executive with core strengths in human resources, people development, process transformation, operational efficiencies, offshoring, project management, data and analytics, and executive coaching. As an implementation-minded executive, her success and leadership are demonstrated through effective measurements/metrics, focused change management, and organizational effectiveness efforts with an emphasis on transparency of communications, knowledge sharing, mentoring, and coaching.
Previously, Williams was a founder and executive coach at Madison Lewis Group, Inc. Before that, she was a VP of HR, business advisor to CTO and CIO, and global people development leader at AOL. Earlier in her career, she worked with Capgemini (formerly Ernst and Young, LLC) as a consulting services manager. Williams earned an undergraduate degree in economics and management from The Wharton School.
5. Rachael Mueller
Chief Development Officer, Goodwill Industries of North Florida
Rachael Mueller is the Chief Fund Development Officer of Goodwill Industries of North Florida. Goodwill of North Florida is a diversified human service organization, self-funded by its network of retail stores. For over eighty years, they have been turning donations into jobs. As Chief Development Officer, Mueller will develop and implement a mission-driven fundraising strategy to connect donors to the mission of Goodwill as they continue to change thousands of lives by removing barriers to employment through training, education, and career opportunities. Mueller is passionate about creating organizational sustainability for nonprofits through fundraising and marketing efforts.
Mueller has more than 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She is an active member of the Planned Giving Society of Northeast Florida, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Women’s Giving Alliance through the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida. Throughout her life, she had her hands full of leadership and volunteer roles, student government, pro bono work, and much more.
Mueller obtained her bachelor’s degree from Flagler College and her JD from Florida Coastal School of Law. While in law school, Mueller found healthy breaks from the books by volunteering in the nonprofit sector. She quickly found space to use her intellectual knowledge, while combining her passion for the industry, and more importantly, the individuals that they serve.
6. Dana Karzan
Chief Marketing Officer, VyStar Credit Union
With a profound focus on helping organizations deepen customer relationships, Dana Karzan is an innovative leader, product marketer, and brand strategist with over 20 years of experience across banking and fintechs. Currently, Karzan is Chief Marketing Officer at VyStar Credit Union, where she leads brand, marketing, advertising, social, and community engagement for this purpose-driven organization. At VyStar, their work is inspired by the people, businesses, and communities they serve every day.
Karzan is a consumer insight-driven global leader with deep experience in payments, fintech, commerce, and consumer strategy. She is a change agent who is highly collaborative, passionate, articulate, and able to achieve results others believe to be impossible. Prior to VyStar, Karzan has held leadership roles across marketing, digital, product management, and strategy for notable technology and financial services organizations, including Facebook, Citibank, Wells Fargo, GE, Lloyds TSB, and US Bank. Karzan is an active board member of Groundworks JAX and the Jacksonville Symphony. She earned an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management and an undergraduate degree in international studies from American University.
7. Laurie Santana
Chief of Transportation Planning, City of Jacksonville
Laurie Santana is the Chief of Transportation Planning of the City of Jacksonville. Over the past 34 years, Santana has worked for both private industry and public service to help plan and design lasting community developments. She was responsible for the Mobility Element of Concurrency and Mobility Management System for Jacksonville and worked to develop the multi-modal transportation analysis, ordinance drafting, and implementation of the new City of Jacksonville 2030 Mobility Plan, resulting from the most recent SB 360 requirements.
She previously worked to help create sustainable transportation solutions for Maricopa County, Arizona, the most populous county in the state. Before that, she was the principal transportation planner for the City of Peoria and a transportation specialist for Jacksonville. Her first industry role was as a transportation planner for King Engineering Associates, a multi-discipline engineering and management firm.
Santana graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an undergraduate degree in geography and cartography.
8. Eleanor Lynch
Senior Vice President of Operations, Memorial Hospital Jacksonville, HCA Healthcare
Eleanor Lynch joined HCA Florida Memorial Hospital as the Senior Vice President of Operations in May of 2012. HCA Healthcare is one of the nation's leading providers of healthcare services, comprising 183 hospitals and over 2,3000 sites of care in 20 states and the United Kingdom.
In her current role, Lynch provides operational leadership to multiple ancillary departments. She recently spearheaded the establishment of a Level-II Trauma Center with the State of Florida. She led the team from start-up, including the development of clinical protocols, a formal site survey, and a legal challenge to achieve full certification with no deficiencies identified. She has executive responsibility for the Trauma Level II program, a 27-bed adult psychiatric unit, a 14-bed geriatric psychiatry unit, the Intensive Outpatient and Partial Hospitalization Psych Program, rehabilitation services, the Outpatient Wound Care Center, the Bariatric Surgery Center, oncology services, the VA service line, food and nutrition, environmental services, transport, and laundry.
Prior to joining HCA, Lynch served as the assistant CEO of Carolinas Hospital System in Florence, South Carolina. There, she had direct administrative oversight of multiple departments, including the laboratory, wound care, the drug and alcohol unit, the inpatient rehabilitation unit, the comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation center, the transitional care unit, respiratory, the sleep lab, and occupational health programs. She was responsible for physician recruitment and worked closely with the CEO on physician selection, contract negotiations, practice development, and physician alignment strategies.
Lynch holds a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership from Webster University, and she completed her Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of the Philippines. She also served as a professor of physical and occupational therapy at the University of the Philippines and cherishes her long-standing, clinical career in the field of rehabilitation.
9. Aimee Boggs
Senior Vice President of Investments, Raymond James
Aimee Boggs is a Senior Vice President of Investments of Raymond James. She first joined the company in 2013. Founded in 1962 and a public company since 1983, Raymond James Financial is a Florida-based diversified holding company providing financial services to individuals, corporations, and municipalities through its subsidiary companies engaged primarily in investment and financial planning, in addition to capital markets and asset management. Through its three broker/dealer subsidiaries, Raymond James has approximately 8,400 financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada, and overseas. The company has been ranked as one of the best in the country in customer service, as a great place to work, and as a national leader in support of the arts.
Previously, Boggs was a VP and financial advisor at Morgan Stanley, where she worked with clients to create and manage personalized investment and wealth management strategies to identify and pursue family and personal financial goals. Before that, she was a financial reporting manager at Koger Equity, Inc. Earlier in her career, she worked with Ernst and Whinney as a senior auditor. Boggs earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of North Florida, a degree in French studies from the University of Bordeaux, and a degree in international business from the University of Colorado Boulder.
10. Denise Kalpakian
Vice President and Senior Operations Manager, Bank of America
Denise Kalpakian is the Vice President and Senior Operations Manager of Bank of America, a North Carolina-based financial institution that provides personal and commercial banking products and services for individuals and businesses. Kalpakian has nearly four decades of management experience with Bank of America. In her current role, she manages a Case Resolution Operations team, strategizing and resolving mortgage litigation.
She previously spent ten years with Legal Order Processing, overseeing the fulfillment of subpoenas and garnishments/levies. She also has over 20 years of management experience in the financial centers, servicing customers with their financial needs. Kalpakian earned a degree in business management from Greenfield Community College. She’s a current member of Bank of America’s Inter-Generational Employee Network (IGEN) and the Jacksonville Chapter of LEAD for Women.
11. Nancy Sabin
Vice President, US Marketing and Connected Commerce; Vision Care, Johnson & Johnson
Nancy Sabin is Vice President of US Marketing and Connected Commerce at Johnson & Johnson Vision. Johnson & Johnson is a leading producer of medical devices and pharmaceuticals and the owner of many well-known consumer brands. Sabin leads a US team of over 50 marketing, digital strategy, and connected commerce leaders to achieve excellence across marketing functions, elevating engagement with customers and consumers and delivering significant business performance for Johnson & Johnson Vision.
She first joined the company in 2002 as a marketing manager. She quickly moved through the ranks, being promoted to group product director and then to director of marketing. She then served as vice president of marketing and global franchise before accepting a role as marketing director of smoking cessation, where she was responsible for the end-to-end delivery of J&J Consumer’s global Smoking Cessation (SC) business. She drove growth agenda and strategic planning via key new product development, commercial innovation, and business models. From there, she was the global marketing leader of surgical vision, driving the strategic growth agenda for the industry-leading global cataract implant business, her final role before VP of US Marketing and Connected Commerce for J&J Vision.
Sabin is a global commercial leader with a track record of delivering innovation and sustained business growth across CPG and med-tech industries. She’s a results-oriented, decisive leader recognized for her ability to build and manage iconic brands, drive strategic transformation and innovation agenda, and inspire organizations to implement the vision. Sabin earned an MBA from The Wharton School and an undergraduate degree in civil and environmental engineering from Duke University.
12. Alexandra Geist
Vice President, Sales for Travel, Transportation, Hospitality, Salesforce
Alexandra Geist is the Vice President of Sales for Travel, Transportation, and Hospitality at Salesforce, a leading cloud-based CRM software that makes it easier for companies to find prospects, close deals, and connect with customers. Geist is a strong leader with a proven record of leading top-performing sales teams.
Geist has spent over 20 years as a highly successful, process and results-oriented technology sales professional. As a sales leader, her focus is on helping companies transform the needs of their business into a technology strategy that gives them a competitive advantage and meets their financial goals, including revenue growth and cost containment. Her priorities are centered on developing a sales team that understands client workflow, identifying opportunities, and presenting strategic solutions that result in revenue growth and long-term client relationships.
She is highly adept in leveraging market research, coupled with industry directives, to develop strategies propelling businesses to the forefront of the market.
Geist studied journalism, German studies, and languages at The University of Georgia. She’s also volunteered in multiple leadership positions for the Junior League of Atlanta.
13. Diane Pauly
Senior Vice President of Wealth Management, Financial Advisor, and Portfolio Management Director, Morgan Stanley
Diane Pauly is a Senior Vice President of Wealth Management, Financial Advisor, and Portfolio Management Director at Morgan Stanley, a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management, and investment management services. Pauly has been part of The Jaffe Group at Morgan Stanley for 30 years, concentrating on customized portfolio management, asset preservation strategies, estate planning strategies, personal and business retirement plans, and family wealth management.
As a leader in the financial services industry, Pauly’s mission is to help clients accumulate and preserve wealth through sound investment management by providing valuable, custom-tailored advice and service. She began her career in the municipal bond trading industry in New York City and held previous leadership roles at Wachovia Securities and Prudential Securities.
A native of New York, Pauly graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. She’s active in the community and was appointed to the South Jacksonville Rotary Board of Directors, serving as a member and committee chair from 2014 to 2018.
14. Tanya Johnson-Coomes
Vice President, Global Finance and Credit Trading Middle Office, Deutsche Bank
Tanya Johnson-Coomes is the Vice President of Global Finance and Credit Trading Middle Office at Deutsche Bank, a Germany-based financial institution that provides personal and commercial banking products and services for individuals and businesses.
Johnson-Coomes is a business executive guiding organizations to think broadly and strategically about the controlled implementation of their mission. She has over twenty years of experience in operational due diligence, SWOT analysis, process risk management, performance improvement analysis, and change management. She has the ability to manage across the broader organization through leadership and to inspire people at the highest level. She has excellent communication and influencing skills. A detail-oriented professional, she is focused on the implementation and structures necessary to move from vision into reality, utilizing a keen emphasis on financial performance, efficient operations management, and lasting solutions for minimizing losses from failed internal processes, inadequate controls, and emerging risks. She’s held several other leadership roles at Deutsche Bank, including assistant vice president and multiple VP roles.
Johnson-Coomes first got her start in 1998 as an educator and department chair at Duval County Public Schools. From there, she worked in business analysis for Allstate, operations for Artisan E-Learning, and then as an associate director of business and finance for the University of Florida. After nearly eight years in this role, she was appointed deputy director of MOCA Jacksonville, her most recent position prior to joining Deutsche Bank. Johnson-Coomes graduated from the University of North Florida with an MBA.
15. Kay Fellows
Vice President of Enterprise Accounts, Innovation, and Solutions, Medtronic
Kay Fellows is the Vice President of Enterprise Accounts, Innovation, and Solutions for Medtronic, a leader in global healthcare technology that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions.
Fellows first joined the company in 2002 as a senior business systems analyst. She was quickly moved through the ranks from product manager to territory manager and field trainer to district manager. She first attained director status in 2014 as the director of strategic sales and development. By the spring of 2015, she was promoted to the director of strategic sales and then to senior district manager a few years later. She joined the C-suite in 2021 as VP of the South Central Region and was appointed to her current role in late 2022.
As a talented commercial leader, Fellows has proven success in collaboration across multiple business units and diverse product categories with a goal of serving patients and customers. She recruits and retains diverse teams that use analytical tools, corporate resources, and collaborative experience to develop and execute strategies to win. Her personal mission is to connect, align, and perform, and she has a passion for evolving the Medtronic strategy and developing programs and solutions that strengthen the Medtronic value proposition to healthcare partners across all specialties of care.
Previously, Fellows was a senior management consultant at Smoak, Davis & Nixon, LLP. Before that, she was a management consultant at PwC. Fellows earned an MBA from the University of North Florida’s College of Business Administration and an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of South Florida.
16. Franchesca Williams
Senior Vice President and Director of Third Party Risk Management, Ameris Bank
Franchesca Williams is the SVP and Director of Third Party Risk Management at Ameris Bank, a financial services institution that provides personal banking, business banking, and loan solutions.
Williams has over 13 years in the third-party risk management field in financial services. She is a detail-oriented risk professional with extensive knowledge and application of risk management principles, program design, and implementation. She is proficient in establishing strong and successful policies, procedures, and processes to mitigate risk at each level of the organization, and her experience includes direct contact with all levels of internal clients, suppliers, subcontractors, and other key stakeholders for a variety of risk concerns for prevention and risk mitigation for financial products and services. She thrives on working collaboratively with internal and external clients to drive results and provide advisory guidance for sound risk decisions by the business.
Prior to her role at Ameris, Williams served as the VP of third-party risk management at VyStar Credit Union. She currently holds the Certified Regulatory Vendor Program Manager IV (CRVPM IV) certification, and she has a CCM Advanced Practitioner (CCMAP) certification. She’s also a Certified Third Party Risk Professional with experienced knowledge of compliance and regulatory requirements for a successful risk management program aligned with applicable laws and regulations. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Phoenix.
17. Claudia Keyes
Senior Vice President of Operational Excellence and Sales Agency, Acosta
Claudia Keyes is the Senior Vice President of Operational Excellence and Sales Agency of Acosta. Acosta's experts stand at the forefront of retail, crafting headquarters selling and omnichannel growth strategies that enable leading brands throughout North America and Europe to excel in their categories.
Before this role, she served Acosta in other key leadership roles, including in market strategy and planning and Acosta solutions, where she led a centrally managed administrative organization of over 500 onshore and offshore resources supporting the Acosta HQ Sales organization at scale and across all channels, driving sales and generating revenue through operational results enabled by documented standard processes for promotional contract generation, order management, claims management, and trade promotion management and fund reconciliation via proprietary systems.
Keyes first got her start as a pharmacy technician at EPI of Florida. From there, she went on to Phar-Mor, before eventually rising to founder at SoliMar Consulting, her most recent position prior to joining Acosta. Throughout her career, she worked at several prominent companies, including multiple manager roles at Sam’s Club, and WalMart. Keyes graduated from Florida Atlantic University with an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering.
18. Ixiim Flores
Head of Strategy and Business Planning Operations in the US Acquiring and Enablement, Visa
Ixiim Flores is the Head of Strategy and Business Planning Operations in the US Acquiring and Enablement of Visa. Visa is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories.
Flores is an exceptional leader with a proven track record of success in sales and strategy roles. A broad-minded thinker who excels in creating and implementing strategies, processes, and programs that generate results, she is highly skilled in strategic planning, influence management, business development, and community relationships.
Flores first got her start in 1997 as an assistant branch manager at Wells Fargo. From there, she went on to Bank of America Merchant Services, before eventually rising to EVP of customer success, business development, sales operations, and training at SpotOn Transact, LLC (SpotOn), her most recent position prior to joining Visa. Flores graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with an undergraduate degree.
19. Molly Quinn
Head of CGM Finance Jacksonville, Macquarie Group
Molly Quinn is the Head of CGM Finance Jacksonville of Macquarie Group. Macquarie is a global financial services organization with an Australian heritage, operating in 34 markets, that empowers people to innovate and invest for a better future. Quinn is an accomplished finance and accounting professional with 20 years of experience, mainly in IB finance and product control. Before starting her current role in 2021, Quinn served Macquarie as the head of product control, leading the commodities and credit markets.
Before joining Macquarie Group, Quinn was a product control director at Barclays. Before that, she was a product control director at UBS. Earlier in her career, she worked with Arthur Andersen as an associate. Quinn graduated from the University of Connecticut-Stamford with an MBA and from The State University of New York with an undergraduate degree in accounting. She’s also a CPA with Six Sigma certification.
20. Selena Clark
Assistant Vice President and Global Wealth and Investment Management (GWIM) Senior Operations Project Analyst, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Selena Clark is the Assistant Vice President and Global Wealth and Investment Management (GWIM) Senior Operations Project Analyst for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, a financial services institution dedicated to shaping the future responsibly and helping clients thrive in a changing world, from local communities to global markets. Clark previously served the Bank of America Merrill Lynch as the GWIM operations analyst and then as a GWIM operations team manager.
Before joining Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Clark was a lead teacher at La Petite Academy, where she planned and implemented both long- and short-range activities in accordance with curriculum objectives, developmentally appropriate practices, and program philosophy. Before that, she was a teacher at Community Life Kidz CDC. Earlier in her career, she worked a variety of service-focused roles, including a bakery associate at Winn-Dixie and an associate at The Bon Ton Stores Inc.
Clark graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi with an MS in family and consumer sciences and human sciences and from Florida State University with an undergraduate degree in family and consumer sciences and human sciences.
21. Debra Zoppy
Second Vice President and Head of TPRM and Op Risk Business Resiliency, Guardian Life
Debra Zoppy is the Second Vice President and Head of TPRM and Op Risk Business Resiliency of Guardian Life. Guardian is a New York-based company that provides professional services, such as health insurance and employee benefits for businesses. Zoppy has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry as a leader in resilience and risk management practices. Over the course of her career, she has developed and matured business resiliency programs and third-party risk management programs at Lehman Brothers, Deutsche Bank, TD Securities, Alliance-Bernstein, and Guardian.
Before joining Guardian Life, Zoppy was a vice president of contingency planning services at AllianceBernstein. Before that, she was a consultant at Eagle Rock Alliance. Earlier in her career, she worked with Lehman Brothers as a managing director of business continuity. Zoppy graduated from Middlesex College with an undergraduate degree.
22. Tara Travieso
Strategic Growth, National Accounts, Carrot Fertility
Tara Travieso is a Lead strategist dedicated to strategic growth in national accounts at Carrot Fertility, the leading global fertility healthcare company. She serves national and international employers, focusing on growth for the leading global fertility benefits solution in the world.
She previously served the firm as a consultant relations executive. In this role, Travieso partnered with employee benefits consultants across the country and developed key strategic partnerships. With more than 15 years in the employee benefits consulting space, working at prestigious multinational firms, Travieso brings innovative ideas and strategies to help clients improve the employee experience, manage budgets, and navigate the complexities of benefits legislation.
Travieso authored and published two children’s books, one of which was an Amazon #1 Hot New Release. She was featured on LIVE with Kelly and Ryan, Good Morning America, and many other national media outlets. As a mother of two young girls, Travieso spends much of her time outdoors and cooking with her family.
23. Tina Brletich
Vice President, Head of Managed Care and Clinical, AmTrust Financial Services
Tina Brletich is the Vice President and Head of Managed Care and Clinical of AmTrust Financial Services, which provides insurance protection, warranty programs, and risk management expertise to small businesses, professional and financial services firms, retailers, and more.
Brletich has 25 years of combined experience in clinical nursing, strategy consulting, and healthcare industry experience. She is skilled in managing teams and communicating research, analyses, and strategic recommendations to C-level executives. Before her role at AmTrust, Brletich was an SVP of client analytics and growth at One Call and an engagement manager at L.E.K. Consulting. Earlier in her career, she worked with Penn Medicine (University of Pennsylvania Health System) as a trauma and ICU nurse.
She has an MBA from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. She’s also a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
24. Jannet Walker-Ford
Senior Vice President and Principal Director, National Transit and Rail Business Line Leader, WSP
Jannet Walker-Ford is a nationally recognized transportation industry executive with WSP USA, a leading engineering and professional services consultancy. A tireless advocate for equity in transportation and the power of public transit to transform communities, Walker-Ford has more than two decades of diverse expertise including management consulting, technology, mobility, and transportation systems. With a focus on equity, sustainability and community building she has served in executive leadership and strategic advisor roles on ground-breaking programs and projects for large transit and transportation agencies across the US. She regularly draws on her two decades of experience for national consultancy firms and as the Deputy General Manager/Deputy CEO and CIO at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.
In her role with WSP, she serves as the senior vice president & national transit and rail business leader, responsible for leading and growing the firm’s business in national transit and rail markets including the national practices for freight delivery, passenger rail, systems, technical project delivery, bus rapid transit and zero emissions. At every opportunity, Jannet leads with gratitude – continually recognizing her team, clients, and industry partners for their contributions and accomplishments.
Recognized by Railway Age as a 2023 Woman-in-Rail, she serves on multiple international and national boards including the current Chair of WTS International, the APTA Executive Committee, ENO Transportation, Jacksonville Board of Trustees, and the NFI Corporate Board. She has received numerous awards recognizing her success and advocacy including the 2022 American Public Transportation Association’s Business Member of the Year; 2021 WTS Northeast Florida Woman of the Year, 2019 Women of Color STEM Technology All-Star Award; and a 2019 Conference of Minority Transportation Officials’ Women Who Move the Nation honoree.
25. Danielle Leiby
Lead HR Business Partner, World Insurance Associates
Danielle Leiby is the Lead HR Business Partner of World Insurance Associates, a unique insurance organization offering top products and services from all major carriers, combined with personal service from local professionals. Leiby is a retired 20-year Navy veteran, where she served as a helicopter pilot. She learned so much during her time in the Navy, and she’s very proud of the sailors that she had the opportunity to lead. In April of 2023, she began her transition into a corporate role.
As Lead HR Business Partner, she uses her leadership skills to support the employees and teams as they continue to grow and excel. Her leadership pillars include empathy, agility, operational excellence, collaborative team building, strategic planning, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Leiby graduated from the University of San Diego with an MS in international and global studies and from the United States Naval Academy with an undergraduate degree in mathematics.
26. Allishia Bauman
Vice President and Executive Director, City Year
Allishia Bauman is the Vice President and Executive Director of City Year. City Year helps students and schools succeed while preparing the next generation of civically engaged leaders who can work across lines of difference. Bauman is passionate about people and is experienced in building strong teams, culture, deep collaboration, inclusivity, and equity at every level; she has held many positions professionally and as a volunteer, where she has deeply contributed to these aspects of work.
A SHRM Certified Professional through the Society for Human Resource Management, Bauman most recently served as the managing director of people, operations, and strategy at City Year Jacksonville, where she has worked for almost eight years. She has been on the executive leadership team, leading human potential efforts, as well as the leader of the operations department and leader of strategic planning and goal setting. She has also sustained an effective support structure for the director-level leadership team. She leads internal communications, all of which puts people first and results in the advancement of City Year Jacksonville's mission to put students first.
A proud Jacksonville native and product of Duval County Public Schools, Bauman earned her associate's degree from Florida State College of Jacksonville and later earned her Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Studies from the American Women's College at Bay Path University. In the past, she has been an engaged community steward supporting organizations and groups, such as the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, TEDxJackosnville, and the Women's Giving Alliance.
27. Angie Langlois
Partner, Ascendo Resources
Angie Langlois is an entrepreneur, staffing industry leader, and active philanthropist. She currently serves as a Partner at Ascendo Resources, a leading staffing and consulting solutions firm.
Langlois earned a Bachelor of Arts from East Carolina University. As a fresh graduate, she ran her own successful sales and marketing company in South Florida. Langlois then joined a large international staffing firm, where she quickly became a top producer. Langlois rose through the ranks to become a senior manager in Jacksonville. Langlois eventually opened Angie's Staffing and built it into a very profitable staffing firm. She sold her business to Ascendo Resources in 2019, and she has remained a Partner at Ascendo since the acquisition. Her motto is, “Work hard, have fun, and give back.”
28. Caral Edelberg
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Edelberg & Associates
Caral Edelberg, CPC, CPMA, CAC, CCS-P, CHC, Founder and Chairman, Edelberg & Associates. Caral is a widely recognized expert on revenue cycle management, on-site process improvement, coding and compliance. E&A provides coding and compliance support for many medical specialties/sub-specialties. Caral has personally managed coding, billing and compliance improvement projects for hundreds of facilities across the country. She develops training, auditing and monitoring tools while providing on-site analysis of process flows and oversees compliance audits used to identify coding and billing problems for many medical specialties.
Caral has been awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership in the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) for her outstanding work in the medical profession and the Association. This is a unique honor for a non-physician. She is a long-term member of the Coding and Nomenclature Advisory Committee for the American College of Emergency Physicians and chairs the ACEP Sub-Committee tasked with the development of ACEPs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on coding and reimbursement. She is also the longest-service faculty member on the Coding and Reimbursement conferences sponsored by ACEP. Caral is a recipient of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Faculty Award for exceptional faculty performance and the “Over the Top” Outstanding Faculty Award for teaching excellence, which she has received twice.
In addition, Edelberg serves as faculty for courses hosted by state and national organizations and is a frequent speaker for audio conferences sponsored by numerous medical organizations. She was chosen as one of Jacksonville, Florida’s 25 Top Women Business Leaders in 2023.
Caral has published extensively in areas of compliance, coding, and revenue cycle management. She was a columnist for ED Management; is a frequent contributor to ACEP Now; is on the editorial advisory board for ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert published by The Coding Institute; is a co-author of ED Coding for Emergency Medicine Volumes 1 and 2 published by ACEP; is a co-author of Emergency Department Management Volumes 1 and 2 published by McGraw Hill as well as numerous additional publications and texts. She also co-authored the Emergency Medicine Study Guide and Emergency Medicine Specialty Examination for the Advanced Board of Medical Coding (ABMC); authored the Emergency Medicine Study Guide and Emergency Medicine Competency Examination published for Ingenix/AAPC; served as author/editor of the Emergency Department Answer Book published by United Communications; and co-authored the current Emergency Medicine Study Guide and Competency Examination for the AAPC.
She has authored articles and columns in many national publications including “HFM” published by the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and Coding Edge published by the AAPC. She is the founding editor and currently serves on the editorial advisory committee of ED Coding Alert. She served on the editorial advisory board of ED Management for whom she also authors a quarterly column on ED coding and compliance issues. In addition, she served as a consulting editor and advisory board member for OPPS Insider and APC Advisor. She is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Emergency Department Practice Management Association (EDPMA). Caral is also AHIMA certified Instructor in ICD-10 diagnosis coding.
29. Christina Villar
Head of Global Clinical Operations, Philips
Christina Villar is a pharmaceutical and medical device executive and consultant with more than 20 years of experience overseeing public health, policy, preclinical, and clinical research conducted by industry, contract research organizations, academia, and non-governmental organizations. Villar has partnered with international regulatory authorities, including the US FDA, the UK DFID, and the Netherlands RIVM in the development and implementation of training initiatives for industry in the areas of GMP, GLP, vaccine manufacturing, product release and testing, and GCP. While working with the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, Villar collaborated with USAID, the World Bank, and other donor organizations to establish and fund a critical childhood vaccine training initiative.
Villar has led the conduct and oversight of anti-infective, surgical, ophthalmology, cardiovascular, immunology, biologics, and oncology device, drug, and combination product studies both nationally and internationally. In her current role at Philips as Head of Global Clinical Operations, Villar leads global teams to plan and execute clinical studies, including consumer products, cosmetics, and medical devices. At Johnson and Johnson, Villar led the Vision Care clinical affairs team to conduct more than 400 clinical trials in five years through lean, process-led management. Villar was formerly with Stealth Peptides, Inc., where she conducted preclinical and clinical research in cardiovascular and ophthalmology indications for new chemical entities manufactured in China.
Villar received a Master’s degree in Public Health and International Health Policy from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the American University.
30. Sharon Fletcher, Ph.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Birdsong Hearing Benefits
A three-time CEO, Sharon Fletcher is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Birdsong Hearing Benefits, a third-party administrator for hearing health benefits. She’s a highly accomplished CEO with a track record for being thrust into completely new businesses, quickly determining the leverage points, developing a plan to grow shareholder value, staffing the organization for success, and motivating the team to deliver the plan. She is deeply steeped in the healthcare sector but has also demonstrated the same approach and results in industries ranging from technology to consulting to airlines. Fletcher is considered to be an outstanding coach by the thousands of people she has touched.
Formally, Fletcher has served as the president of Fluent Health, a technology-enabled application platform delivering cost-effective value to the healthcare sector. Fluent Health is a for-profit entity of Presbyterian Health System, a $4 billion premier integrated health delivery and plan system. Her hi-flying career also includes eighteen years of experience in airlines. Her many achievements include being nominated to be a member of Women Business Leaders of the US Health Care Industry Foundation and being recognized as one of Oklahoma’s Outstanding 2018 Chief Executive Officers of the Year. Her extensive board experience includes several United Way chapters, The American Heart Association, Tulsa’s Chamber of Commerce, chair of the Fundraising Committee, and the Healthcare Advisory Board. She is also a member of The National Association of Corporate Directors.
Fletcher holds a PhD from Northcentral University, an MBA from the University of Mary, an MS from La Roche College, and a Bachelor of Science from Point Park University. She also obtained an Executive Leadership Program Certificate from Cornell University in Finance. She resides with her family in Saint Augustine, Florida, enjoys travel, and reads five books a month.
31. Lauren Hayes
Chief Experience Officer, Jaid
Lauren Hayes joined Jaid as Chief Experience Officer in 2023. Jaid is an AI-powered platform that identifies and extracts critical data from across diverse company and customer communications. Hayes is a targeted and visionary executive leader who drives client excellence across large client-facing teams, balancing innovation and pragmatism to achieve positive outcomes and growth. She delivers results through problem-solving, relationship-building, and championing employee engagement.
In her current role, Hayes champions the customer experience for all facets of client engagement post-sale, including onboarding, training, customer support, and customer success. She moved to the early-stage start-up after 10 years at FIS, where she held various leadership roles ranging from risk and information security and regulatory compliance to M&A and global operations. She spent the last five years at FIS as a VP in the global client engagement organization, leading various CX and client relations teams focused on client product training, product onboarding, client support, client communications, and reporting and governance. She also served as chief of staff to the chief customer officer. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Management from the University of Florida.
32. Amanda Baggett
Partner and Founder, Baggett Law
Amanda Baggett is a Partner and Founder of Baggett Law. Baggett is not only a personal injury attorney, but she is also an expert in construction law. This unique background gives her specialized expertise in cases involving roadway design and construction issues, including work zone accidents. Prior to Baggett Law, she spent many years working as defense counsel for engineers and contractors in personal injury and wrongful death cases arising from car accidents on Florida roadways. Baggett became Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar in 2012.
Baggett is a leading female attorney in Northeast Florida. In 2014, she received the Jacksonville Business Journal’s “Women of Influence” award. A longtime advocate of women’s rights and advancement, Baggett is a member of the Jacksonville Association of Women Lawyers and the Florida Association of Women Lawyers. She received an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell, an honor given to only 10% of all attorneys. She has been named to the Super Lawyers List every year since 2009 and has repeatedly been recognized for excellence in her profession by Florida Trend Magazine. Baggett earned a JD from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law and an undergraduate degree in advertising from The University of Georgia.
33. Cerita Battles
Managing Director and Head of Affordable Lending, Chase
Cerita Battles is the Managing Director and Head of Community and Affordable Lending at JPMorgan Chase, a financial institution that serves nearly half of America's households, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans, and payment processing. Battles has over 30 years of experience in the financial industry with 24 years specializing in mortgages. In her current role, Battles is responsible for building, implementing, and ensuring the execution of the company’s strategic plan and goals to increase and enable sustainable homeownership among low-to-moderate income and minority homebuyers and communities across the United States.
Battles is affiliated with several corporate advisory boards within the mortgage industry. She is a lifetime member of the Fort Mose Historical Society, where she sits on the Advisory Board, and she was also recognized as one of the “Most Powerful & Influential Women” of the State of Florida’s Diversity & Leadership Council in 2012. Battles graduated from the University of Phoenix, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. She is a native of St. Augustine, Florida, where she currently resides with her husband and daughter. Battles is an ordained minister and reverend at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, St. Augustine, and is a licensed Zumba instructor.
34. Michelle David Conway
Director and Head of Customer Engagement, Citi
Michelle David Conway is the Director and Head of Customer Engagement at Citi, a financial service institution that enables growth and economic progress by safeguarding assets, lending money, making payments, and accessing the capital markets on behalf of their clients.
In her current role, Conway is responsible for furthering a client-obsessed strategy and synergies between customer engagement development workstreams, along with the delivery of new customer features. She maintains a major focus on "fixing the basics" within existing features with impacts across all areas of technology to operations and driving automation of intake and assignment of customer and employee pain points across North American technology teams. She focuses the AIML team on scaling the customer listening platform, AI solutions, and automation capabilities. Prior to this role, she held multiple other leadership roles at Citi, including senior vice president, vice president, and application development group manager. She started at the company as an INROADS intern and then as a systems analyst and Java developer.
Conway graduated from the University of Florida with an MBA and from the University of North Florida with an undergraduate degree in computing, information science, and computer information systems. She currently volunteers as a mentor for Take Stock in Children and Achievers For Life.
35. Betsy Chapin Taylor
Chief Executive Officer, Accordant
Betsy Chapin Taylor is an award-winning author, speaker, and consultant drawing on 30 years of experience in healthcare, philanthropy, and board governance. She serves as CEO of the healthcare consulting firm, Accordant, which focuses on advancing philanthropy and board governance.
Taylor is the author or editor of multiple books, including Healthcare Philanthropy: Advance Charitable Giving to Your Organization’s Mission, Boards & Philanthropy: Developing the Next-Curve Revenue Source, Redefining Healthcare Philanthropy, Advancing the CEO’s Role in Healthcare Philanthropy, Transforming Health Care Philanthropy, and Systemization & Regionalization of Health Care Philanthropy. Her work has also been featured in trade publications, including Healthcare Executive, BoardRoom Press, Modern Healthcare, Trustee, STAT, Wharton Healthcare Quarterly, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Forbes, FierceHealthFinance, Healthcare Philanthropy Journal, Chief Executive Officer, Becker’s Hospital Review, and more. She has also contributed more than 40 resources to the American Hospital Association’s trustee website.
In addition to leading Accordant, Taylor is a faculty member for the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), a faculty member for The Governance Institute, and a frequent speaker at conferences for healthcare, philanthropy, and governance in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the National Speakers Association, and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy. She holds the highest level of certification in health philanthropy as a Fellow of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (FAHP) and was recognized with AHP’s highest professional honor, the Si Seymour Award, in recognition of her contributions to the profession.
She received a Master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University and an MBA from the University of Georgia. Advancing healthcare is also deeply personal to Taylor – she’s a breast cancer survivor, and her personal and family health experiences fuel her authentic passion and purpose to elevate health and well-being for all people.
36. Marlene Mullen-Clayton
Chief Medical Director, Performant
Marlene Mullen-Clayton is the Chief Medical Director of Performant. Billions of dollars are lost each year to waste, improper payments, and unpaid debts. Performants help organizations enhance revenue and contain costs by preventing, identifying, and recovering outstanding and improperly paid assets.
Mullen-Clayton is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine licensed to practice medicine in the United States. She has more than 20 years of practice experience and 12 years of experience performing audit and payment integrity reviews for Medicare, Medicaid, and managed care. She serves as a contract medical director for Performant, supporting the CMS Region 1 RAC contract. She is a subject matter expert in healthcare quality, Medicare reimbursement and compliance, inpatient care management, interactions, and public relations with hospitals, commercial payers, and government agencies. Mullen-Clayton’s background and relevant experience include contributing and developing strategic initiatives; coordinating, overseeing, and executing high-level client and interdepartmental interactions and presentations; and ongoing quality, policy, and process refinement, as well as client support, through audit activity and retrospective medical review.
Prior to joining the Performant team, Mullen-Clayton served as Optum’s executive medical director of the strategic and tactical advocacy team, coordinating ongoing quality, policy, and process refinement and client hospital support through audit activity and OIG investigations. She led a large team of healthcare professionals performing case reviews, and through leadership and direct action, she increased the number of cases reviewed and improved the appeal success rate. She also has expertise in providing second-level medical necessity reviews for client hospitals. Mullen-Clayton graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with an MBA and from LaSalle University with an undergraduate degree in biology.
37. Lynn Elston
Head of Change Management and Portfolio Governance, Risk, and Compliance, BNY Mellon
Lynn Elston is the Head of Change Management and Portfolio Governance, Risk, and Compliance for BNY Mellon. Established in 1784, BNY Mellon is America's oldest bank and the first company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Elston focuses her career at the intersection of technology, risk, and business operations. She joined BNY Mellon's risk and compliance organization in mid-2021, and she heads the Transformation and Strategy Team's Portfolio Oversight and Governance function. She enjoys engaging with partners across risk and compliance, as well as technology organizations.
Before her current role, Elston was at Vanguard. She started as a risk manager and spent 16 years delivering value for sales, client services, marketing, operations, asset management, fintech, CRM, IT, finance leading PMO, change management, and delivery teams. She rose through the ranks, working her way up to the head of identity and access management risk, control, governance oversight, and transformation.
Prior to joining Vanguard, she had several roles at Fidelity Investments as a strategic IT consultant and delivery manager to AML Compliance officers, auditors, and the general counsel. She’s also had software delivery roles in manufacturing and retail. Elston earned an MBA from Questrom School of Business at Boston University and an undergraduate degree in computer science and mathematics from the State University of New York at Fredonia.
38. Dana Mattera
Founder and CEO, First Coast Service Solutions
Dana Mattera is the Founder and CEO of First Coast Service Solutions, where she brings an unparalleled wealth of expertise in steering organizations toward operational efficiency and success. First Coast Service Solutions, Inc. helps government agencies and corporations function efficiently by providing supplies needed for their maintenance, repairs, and operations.
Mattera’s leadership is grounded in a strong foundation of hands-on experience across various facets of business development, marketing, and government contracting. At First Coast Service Solutions, she spearheads a team dedicated to enabling government agencies and private corporations to thrive through the seamless procurement of maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) supplies. Her vision ensures the accurate and compliant delivery of essential supplies encompassing electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and building equipment, all while maintaining an unwavering focus on precision, efficiency, and quality.
Mattera has honed her expertise as board chair and contract manager at Global Empire Logistics, Inc., where she showcased her proficiency in managing substantial contracts, guaranteeing the timely delivery of top-tier products. Notably, she proactively secured city, state, and private MWBE contracts conducted in-depth market research, rebranded and employed innovative business development strategies, and established lasting client relationships that fostered repeat business. Mattera earned an MS in computer science and data science from Nova Southeastern University and an undergraduate degree in integrative neuroscience from Binghamton University.
39. Emily Fridman
Head of Design and Innovation in CX, Cognizant
Emily Fridman is the Head of Design and Innovation in CX at Cognizant. Cognizant engineers modern businesses, helping their clients modernize technology, reimagine processes, and transform experiences so they can stay ahead in our fast-changing world. Fridman is a strategic, conceptual leader with a passion for shaping the intersection of design and emerging technology. She has a track record of building dynamic, interdisciplinary teams from the ground up, driving CX transformation through generative AI, IOT, and spatial computing across digital and physical environments.
Fridman first got her start in 2006 as a manager of interactive project management at Sapient Corporation. From there, she went on to IQ, before eventually rising to SE regional director of digital experience design at Gensler, her most recent position prior to joining Cognizant. Fridman graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with an undergraduate degree in biochemistry, science technology, and culture.
40. Kelly Straub
Head of Growth Channels, Sanofi
Kelly Straub is the Head of Growth Channels at Sanofi, an innovative global healthcare company. In this role, she leads the development and execution of strategies to drive growth across key customers and channels, while collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive initiatives, such as innovation, digital strategies, and customer- and channel-specific activations to realize exponential growth. She implements data-driven decision-making to measure and optimize channel and customer performance and mentors a team of channel specialists, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. Among these responsibilities, Straub also manages budgets, allocating resources for maximum impact and ROI. Prior to this role, Straub held multiple leadership positions at Sanofi, including director of sales and agency operations, senior director of sales, and the head of e-commerce.
Straub first got her start in 1999 as a product and sales development manager at Tribune Co. (The Baltimore Sun). From there, she went on to Acosta, before eventually rising to SVP of global accounts and business development at Sysco, her most recent position prior to joining Sanofi. Straub attended the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, earning an MBA, and Florida State University, earning an undergraduate degree in communications and political science.
41. Ramona Pringle
Lead HR Business Partner, P&C, The Hartford
Ramona Pringle is the Lead HR Business Partner, P&C of The Hartford, a financial services, investment, and insurance Fortune 500 company that strives to make an impact in ways that go beyond an insurance policy. Pringle first joined the company in 2016 as head of specialty commercial human resources and HR business partner.
Previously, Pringle was a vice president of human resources in North American commercial insurance at Chubb NA, a world leader in insurance. Before that, she was an assistant VP and regional HR manager at Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. Earlier in her career, she worked with Barnett Bank in the human resource department. Pringle earned an MS from The University of Texas at Arlington and an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Florida.
42. Barbara Finke
Audit Partner, BDO USA
Barbara Finke is the Audit Partner of BDO USA, an accounting company that delivers assurance, tax, and financial advisory services that are tailored to each client’s industry, unique needs, and goals. Finke started at BDO as an audit director. She is a relationship-driven, technically-oriented leader with experience in project management, assurance services, and client and team management.
Finke first got her start in 2004 as a senior accountant at James City County. From there, she went on to The LBA Group, before eventually rising to budget director at Episcopal Children's Services, Inc., her most recent position prior to joining BDO USA. Finke graduated from the Florida State University College of Business with a Master’s degree in Corporate Accounting and from the Florida State University College of Business with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
43. Rhode Meone-Malangwasira
Human Resources Director, PACE Center for Girls
Rhode Meone-Malangwasira is the Human Resources Director, PACE Center for Girls, an organization that provides year-round safe and supportive academic and counseling programs to help girls understand their past and prepare for their future. Meone-Malangwasira has been immersed in the world of human resources since 2004, accumulating over 20 years of experience across corporate and nonprofit sectors. Adept in all facets of HR, she excels in employee relations, total rewards, compensation, talent development, recruiting, and strategic planning.
For over a decade, Meone-Malangwasira has navigated the corporate landscape, earning a reputation for strategic thinking and a genuine concern for employee well-being. As she climbed the ranks, her proficiency in diverse HR domains solidified, leaving a proven track record in cultivating positive workplace cultures. In the last two years, she successfully transitioned to the nonprofit sector, broadening her expertise and showcasing adaptability. This move reflects her commitment to contributing to diverse workplace cultures and overcoming unique challenges in nonprofit organizations.
At the core of her HR journey is a deep passion for helping people. As an HR director, Meone-Malangwasira thrives on creating environments that nurture personal and professional growth, embodying the transformative power of HR to elevate individuals and organizations. Throughout her career, she’s remained committed to strategic HR practices. From crafting talent development initiatives to innovative compensation structures, she consistently aligns HR practices with organizational goals, driving success at every turn.
Looking ahead, Meone-Malangwasira remains dedicated to HR as not just a career but a calling – a guiding force in fostering excellence by recognizing that an organization's heart lies in its people. She continues to illuminate the path toward success in the ever-evolving landscape of human resources.
44. Cheryl Imperato
Managing Director, Fidelity Investments
Cheryl Imperato is the Managing Director of Fidelity Investments. At Fidelity, their goal is to make financial expertise broadly accessible and effective in helping people live the lives they want by focusing on a diverse set of customers, from 23 million people investing their life savings to 20,000 businesses managing their employee benefits and 10,000 advisors needing innovative technology to invest their clients' money. Prior to her promotion to director, Imperato served Fidelity Investments as a workplace planning consultant and associate.
Before joining Fidelity Investments, Imperato was a professional development advisor at the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). Before that, she held multiple roles at CE Broker, where she was promoted from continuing education expert to partner support specialist and finally to key account manager. Earlier in her career, she was an assistant operations manager and marketing manager for Melinda Rose Design. From 2009 to 2013, she ran her own design firm called Mother’s Touch, where she designed a children’s accessories line. Imperato graduated from Brandman University with an undergraduate degree in organizational leadership.
45. Lindsay Williams
Director of Development Pipeline, US and Canada, Firehouse Subs
Lindsay Williams is the Director of Development Pipeline in the U.S. and Canada of Firehouse Subs, a restaurant chain with a passion for hearty and flavorful food, heartfelt service, and public safety. Founded in Jacksonville, Florida in 1994 by two brothers and former firefighters, Firehouse Subs is a brand built on decades of fire and police service, hot and hearty subs, and its commitment to saving lives through the establishment of the nonprofit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation®.
Williams is an experienced senior administrative professional with over 20 years of experience. She has a demonstrated history of working in the restaurant industry, as well is an accomplished legal professional skilled in sales, management, contracts, franchising, and customer service.
Williams first got her start in 2003 as a branch manager and licensed loan officer at Allied Home Mortgage. From there, she went on to the Law Offices of Christopher M. Bohne/Rocky Point Title & Insurance and then to Insured Title Agency as a marketing representative. She eventually rose to the role of franchise development coordinator at i9 Sports Corporation, her most recent position prior to joining Firehouse Subs. Williams graduated from West Liberty University with an undergraduate degree in business and sports management.
46. Cindy Rogers
Executive Director Support Services, UF Health Jacksonville
Cindy Rogers is the Executive Director of Support Services of UF Health Jacksonville. She first joined the company in 2018 as director of the Wildlight Ambulatory Campus, before being promoted to director of operations with a focus on project management. At UF Health Jacksonville, exemplary medical care is complemented by outstanding service. Their mission to heal, comfort, and educate guides every interaction with patients, families, and visitors. As the Executive Director of Support Services, Rogers oversees centralized support services and the planning and design of space and operations workflows for new and existing facilities. She is a transformative leader with exceptional experience in health administration, focusing on operations, strategic planning, talent management, and physician practice leadership.
Previously, Rogers was a director of operations in Duke Primary Care at Duke University Health System. Before that, she was in her first role at UF Health Jacksonville as the administrative director of orthopedics and orthopedic surgery. Earlier in her career, she was an operations manager at Nemours and the director of risk management, security, and safety services at HCA Healthcare.
Rogers earned an MS in health services administration from Florida International University and an undergraduate degree in health services administration from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
47. Samantha Kwiatkowski
Regional Director of Prevention, CAN Community Health
Samantha Kwiatkowski is the Regional Director of Prevention for CAN Community Health, a nonprofit founded in 1991 whose mission focuses on contributing to the health and well-being of people living with HIV, Hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infections. Since joining CAN in 2017, Kwiatkowski has provided strategic leadership and operational oversight for the organization's efforts in North Florida to prevent new cases of the aforementioned conditions through comprehensive education, health screenings, community outreach, and linkage to treatment and prevention medications. Additionally, Kwiatkowski is key in supporting the organization's fiscal sustainability through the writing for and programmatic management of federal and state grants. Kwiatkowski is a subject matter expert on sexual health education with over a decade in the field and has presented at numerous state and national conferences on the topic. She has also been published in several academic journals.
Kwiatkowski possesses a Master of Public Health from Montclair State University, where she received an award for outstanding graduate student research. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the State University of New York at Albany, and she’s a Certified Health Education Specialist. She ultimately aims to address and mitigate health disparities rooted in social injustice through her leadership, advocacy, and education practices and is particularly passionate about the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals. In 2021, she was named a Rainbow Awards honoree for her outstanding work and advocacy for the Jacksonville LBTQIA+ community. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and stepdaughter.
48. Kimber McCafferty
Director of Marketing, LiveOak Fiber
Kimber McCafferty is the Director of Marketing of LiveOak Fiber, a telecommunications company with a mission to provide broadband services to homes and businesses in Florida and Georgia. It’s a start-up with $ 150 million in funding that will begin laying a superior fiber optic solution for rural America along the Florida/Georgia line from I-95 east through the panhandle.
In this role, McCafferty is tasked with disrupting the market, as the company will offer no contracts, no data caps, and simple pricing with plans to fit every budget and the best fiber optic option available around the world today. LiveOak Fiber will also be hiring all local people. McCafferty will serve as the marketing helm of bringing this concept to market.
Previously, McCafferty was an executive at McCafferty Communications. Before that, she was an expert host and product spokesperson at HSN Expert Host. Earlier in her career, she worked with Newstalk 690 WOKV as a reporter and anchor. McCafferty earned an undergraduate degree in mass communications, specializing in broadcast journalism, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
49. Sherry Anderson
Senior Director of Global PMO, JLL
Sherry Anderson is the Senior Director of Global PMO of JLL, a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. Anderson has over 20 years of experience. In that time, she’s developed into an effective cross-divisional leader with proven success in process design and program implementation with extensive experience in change management, project management, and facility management. She has a demonstrated ability to deliver complex, multimillion-dollar initiatives to achieve the highest quality standards while meeting budget and schedule goals. She has the ability to forge successful relationships with cross-functional teams at all levels of an organization, along with mentoring team members.
Anderson started her career as a property manager at Trammell Crow Company in Jacksonville, Florida. From there, she had roles of increasing responsibility at CB Richard Ellis and Bank of America. Her first role at JLL was as a senior director of program and change management in charge of transitions. She then briefly served as COO of Freedom Home Buyers before returning to JLL as the director and lead change manager, where she focused on business transformation, collaborative problem-solving, and organizational development. She was promoted to her current role in 2023.
Anderson graduated from the University of Phoenix with an undergraduate degree in business administration and management.
50. Dawn Kemp
Senior Director, Optum
Dawn Kemp is the Senior Director of Optum, a Minnesota-based healthcare company that provides helpful services like personalized care, pharmacy benefits, and health reimbursement for individuals. With nearly four decades of experience, Kemp is excited about additional opportunities in the ever-changing world of pharmacy benefit management. She plans to continue pursuing her passion for writing and working to end the cycle of poverty at the Guatemala City landfill.
She started at Optum as a strategic account executive before being promoted to her current role in 2021. Before that, Kemp was a senior account manager at ProCare Rx and a sales representative and proposal analyst for Florida Blue. As a sales rep, she sold and retained group health, life, dental, and disability products to employer groups throughout Northeast Florida. As a proposal analyst, she responded to RFPs from large group employers throughout Florida. Before that, she worked in small group marketing for Prudential Financial where she was responsible for all phases of marketing and promotion of small group healthcare products nationwide, working with in-house sales reps and Prudential agents, as well as independent brokers.
Kemp graduated from Stetson University with an undergraduate degree in English language, literature, and letters.