Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of Pennsylvania for 2024. With a diverse economy and a strong focus on sustainability, Pennsylvania is well suited to be a leader in multiple sectors, including food processing, advanced manufacturing, medical technology, logistics, and aerospace. Steady population and employment growth mean the business leaders of tomorrow just might be joining the ranks of the Quaker State.
This year, we celebrate the accomplishments of knowledgeable, skilled women leaders across a range of industries. Leading in medical technology is honoree Mary Pao, the Chief Medical Officer of diversified biopharmaceutical company ANI Pharmaceuticals. In her role, Pao leads medical and scientific strategy across multiple autoimmune disease states.
We also honor Jennifer Neglia, the Global Trust Chief Data Officer and a Digital Assurance Transparency Partner at PwC, a multinational professional services firm. Neglia focuses on data strategy and governance to ultimately build regenerative AI.
Finally, we applaud the career of Rashmi Radhakrishnan, a leader in technology and innovation as a Vice President at Arcadia University, an institution that emphasizes experiential learning. Radhakrishnan leads the Enrollment Management and Technology divisions and also serves as Chief Information Officer.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Pennsylvania for 2024.
1. Kinnera Angadi
Vice President & Chief Product and Technology Officer, Verizon
Kinnera Angadi is the Vice President and Chief Product and Technology Officer at Verizon. Angadi brings more than 15 years of technology experience to this role.
Before joining Verizon, Angadi was the chief technology officer and chief product officer at Honeywell. She has also served as the senior director of software development and engineering at Comcast, leading the Multifamily (also multi-dwelling units, or MDUs) engineering team. As the engineering lead within the Digital Home organization, she led the development of end-to-end solutions for WiFi and IOT products for MDUs to deliver stellar products for our customers who live in multifamily homes.
Angadi earned an MS in computer science from Kansas State University and an undergraduate degree in information technology from Osmania University.
2. Theresa Zeller
Global Head of Learning Creation, Merck
Theresa Zeller is the Global Head of Learning Creation at Merck. She is an agile, passionate, and strategic global leader who creates innovative learning strategies and solutions to inspire and fuel growth for an organization of over 70,000 employees globally.
Zeller has been a trusted partner to executives in building workforce capability delivering excellence through her talented team using forward-thinking approaches. She has transformed the learning experience at Merck driving speed to performance and business value. Before her current role, she led learning in the commercial and manufacturing divisions of Merck. She is an engaging and inspirational leader with a track record of starting up and building high-performing teams in Merck, NovaCare, and Nutri/System.
Zeller received her BS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Pennsylvania State University and her MA in Training, Communication, and Organization Development from the University of Maryland. Outside of Merck, she supports nonprofit organizations in their strategic planning and leadership development and has co-owned a small business with her husband. She has a son and a Maltipoo.
3. Madelyn Toliver
Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion, PNC
Madelyn E. Toliver serves as a Vice President of PNC Financial Services Group’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) team. In this role, she oversees the management, support, and development of Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRG), which comprises employee leaders in PNC’s Northeast Territory. Prior to her current role, she managed the organization’s D&I Line of Business Councils supporting the executive committee’s D&I strategy to build and foster an inclusive culture. A few of her accomplishments are having established PNC’s first EBRGs and the organization’s D&I mentoring program.
Madelyn has more than 25 years of HR mid and senior-level management experience in the financial, education, and hospitality industries, functioning in various areas from training and development, performance management, benefits, recruitment, compliance, and organizational effectiveness. She also worked as an independent HR consultant working with both small and large companies. In addition to her current role, she is a past adjunct professor at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, serves as a deacon of her church, is the leader of a women’s conference that hosted 600+ participants, serves on the board of The Neighborhood Academy, an independent school for grades 6-12, and the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh where she chairs the advocacy committee. She also finds time to mentor high school and college students, and adults returning to college to complete their degrees.
Madelyn holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University, a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pa., and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pa. A transformational leader, she is the recipient of the following awards: Women of Color Magazine, Top Women in Finance (2019), Pennsylvania Diversity Council, Most Powerful & Influential Woman Award (2018), and Black & Gold Award, Annie C. Singelton (2018).
4. Jennifer Neglia
Global Trust Chief Data Officer & Digital Assurance Transparency Partner, PwC
Jennifer Neglia is the Global Trust Chief Data Officer and a Digital Assurance Transparency Partner at PwC. In her role, Neglia is focused on data strategy and governance. She is passionate about driving a consistent strategy around corporate assets and data on, which to build regenerative AI.
Neglia has over 25 years of experience serving clients primarily in the financial services industry, leading teams in financial accounting, system transformations, data governance, IT internal controls, and business process controls. Additionally, she is a leading thinker in the fast-evolving area of digitization of financial data and disclosures. She serves as the firm's US XBRL technology leader focused on delivering the full spectrum of data structuring services. Neglia is a partner champion for PwC’s Enrich program, which invests in the deeper career development of high-performing diverse PwC professionals. She also serves as the Women’s Inclusion Network leader for the Philadelphia office, providing programs, development, mentorship, and support for women of PwC locally.
Neglia was recognized by Crain’s NY in 2020 as a notable woman in accounting and consulting for her efforts in the XBRL space, developing a publically available data taxonomy that is being leveraged globally to further the transparency of reporting corporate ESG information. She graduated from Muhlenberg College in 1998 with undergraduate degrees in accounting and biology. She is certified as a CPA and CISA in the state of Pennsylvania. Additionally, she is also a member of Impact100 Philadelphia, a nonprofit engaging women in philanthropy.
5. Cynthia Hayes Karcher
Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor & Portfolio Manager, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Cynthia Hayes Karcher, Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor, and Portfolio Manager, began her career with Merrill Lynch in June of 1977. Founded in 1914, Merrill is one of the largest wealth management businesses in the world.
As a Wealth Management Advisor, Karcher draws upon her academic and industry experience and Merrill’s model portfolios and third-party investment strategies to provide a personalized and defined wealth management approach for her clients.
Karcher is a graduate of Dickinson College with an undergraduate degree in economics, cum laude, and was recognized as an Anthony Math Scholar, as well as a Dana Scholar. Combining the Total Merrill Platform, and a disciplined Wealth Management Process, Karcher can offer clients personalized strategic recommendations to address their complex financial needs. She holds the Series 3, 7, 8, 63, and 65 FINRA registrations. Karcher serves on the board of directors for Garvey Manor Our Lady of The Alleghenies and as an advisory board member to Catholic Charities. She has taken several courses through the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania.
6. Alicja Plonska
Senior Vice President & Branch Manager, Morgan Stanley
Alicja Plonska serves as a Senior Vice President and Branch Manager at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, an American multinational financial services corporation specializing in retail brokerage.
Plonska and her team develop personalized strategic advice to address the complex needs of individuals, business owners, and executives who have unique planning and wealth management needs. Her team combines the true intimacy and personal attention of a boutique shop and the global resources of one of the world’s largest financial services firms. Plonska has been awarded America's Top Women Wealth Advisors ranking by Forbes in 2021.
She is a magna cum laude Temple University graduate. She received her undergraduate degree and master’s degree simultaneously graduating with two majors, a minor, and a specialization. Polanski has also earned the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst designation, awarded by The Institute of Divorce Financial AnalystsTM.
7. Cristina Greysman
Head of AWS for SAP Alliance and Partners - Americas/WW Partner Programs, Amazon Web Services
Cristina Greysman’s over 20-year technology career spans leadership roles at startups and large corporations in business development, strategic alliances, channel partners, and program management.
After 18 years as an Amazon customer, Cristina became an employee in 2018! On the Public Sector team at Amazon Web Services, Greysman recruited and activated a community of partners to build AWS practices for US State and Local Governments and K-12 schools. Today, she is Head of AWS for SAP Alliance and Partner Community, Americas, where she and her team help SAP and partners migrate and modernize SAP software on AWS. Before Amazon, Greysman was vice president of partner recruitment and activation at SAP and senior director of partner experience at Sungard AS.
Greysman advocates for women pursuing careers in technology and the channel, serving as chairwoman of the Advancing Women in Technology community at CompTIA, an IT trade association. In 2019, the Philadelphia Business Journal recognized Greysman as a Woman of Distinction for her career-long dedication to business and community in the Greater Philadelphia region. For the past five years, industry publication CRN named her to the Women of the Channel list for her channel partner expertise.
8. Lea Ann Molineux
Vice President, Real Estate Delivery, McKesson
Lea Ann Molineux is a corporate real estate veteran with 30 years of diverse real estate and organizational leadership experience. Molineux leverages her experience – combined with a service mindset – to enable the enterprise through built environments that drive innovation. She has led various real estate disciplines across large and complex portfolios, including transactions, design and project management, sustainability, strategy, M&A, and facilities maintenance.
In her current role, Molineux is privileged to work with an amazing team of professionals who leverage the areas of transactions, design, and project management to deliver on McKesson’s mission of Advancing Health Outcomes for All.
Molineux is the past president of the Philadelphia Chapter of CoreNet and holds an MBA in Economics and Finance from the West Chester University of Pennsylvania. In her free time, she enjoys running on the Schuylkill River Trail and enjoying the fantastic restaurant culture of Philadelphia with family and friends.
9. Kinny Trivedi
Head of Master Data Management, Clinical Operations, The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
Kinny Trivedi is the Head of Master Data Management in Clinical Operations at The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. She first joined the company in 2015 as an IT project lead. At Johnson & Johnson, their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world, where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal.
Trivedi is a Certified Project Management Professional. She specializes in process re-engineering, developing system roadmaps, and technology projects with experience spanning all stages of the software development lifecycle, implementations, and support. She is results-oriented, well-organized, and an effective communicator focused on building strong relationships with peers and clients. Her area of focus has been data management, advanced analytics, and decision support to drive optimized efficiencies and relevant insights.
Previously, Trivedi was a manager of business advisory services at Grant Thornton LLP. Before that, she was a senior engineer at LECG-Smart. Earlier in her career, she worked with Pooja Communications as a technical consultant. Trivedi earned an undergraduate degree in computer science from Drexel University.
10. Elizabeth Craighead
Vice President, Experiential & Events, Live Nation
Elizabeth Craighead is Vice President of Experiential & Events for Live Nation’s Media and Sponsorship division. She oversees the team for custom events and hospitality programs globally, seamlessly integrating industry-leading brands like Citi, Salesforce, Cisco, AWS, Hilton, and Oracle, among many others, into the live music ecosystem through curated, elevated event programs and experiences.
Some of her career highlights include working on international tours with U2, Justin Timberlake, Guns N’ Roses, Coldplay, and Beyoncé, as well as C-suite hospitality programs at premier festivals like BottleRock, Lollapalooza, and Rock in Rio. She also played a key role in the Citi Sound Vault, an award-winning intimate concert series that has executed 30 shows in 5 years.
Before Live Nation, she worked for NYC Pride, managing a multi-day music event series, and then continued to run the onsite sponsorship for a national tour with Demi Lovato. Her career started as a wedding and corporate planner, working for a distinguished off-premise catering company in Philadelphia. She holds a degree in Sports, Entertainment & Event Management from Johnson & Wales University.
11. Vanessa Smith
President, ServiceNow
Vanessa Smith is the President of ServiceNow.org, which brings the transformational capacity of technology to nonprofits with a unifying platform and digital experience that centers everyone around the mission. Smith is a digital technology executive with more than 20 years of experience across sales and go-to-market functions. She was previously the SVP of global go-to-market for ServiceNow, where she oversaw the company’s global go-to-market strategy, with a focus on maximizing success and accelerating time-to-value for ServiceNow’s customers. Smith joined ServiceNow in September 2020, and the global go-to-market organization has been a key element of ServiceNow’s commitment to drive deeper customer success and build an exceptional partner ecosystem as it scales growth to $10 billion and beyond.
Smith’s philosophy that customer value is a mindset is at the heart of her approach to end-to-end customer engagement across the relationship lifecycle. Prior to ServiceNow, Smith spent 16 years at SAP in increasingly senior roles. Most recently, she was the head of SAP’s SuccessFactors Line of Business in North America, where she was responsible for driving human capital management sales and go-to-market strategy, overseeing core operations, including pipeline development, demand management, and revenue growth. Prior to that, Smith was regional vice president for SAP’s Strategic Customer Program, driving multi-year, technology-enabled strategic engagements with strategic accounts across North America.
Smith also served as chief of staff for former SAP CEO Bill McDermott and instituted the chief diversity officer role as part of the Office of the CEO's mission to drive diversity and inclusion as a marketplace differentiator for SAP. Smith has a BS in commerce from the University of Virginia and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Maryland.
12. Michelle Everill
CEO, Michelle Everill Coaching
Michelle Everill is the Owner, CEO, Coach, and Speaker through her company, Michelle Everill Coaching. She designed and applied self and organization improvement methodologies on mindset, self-leadership, grief, loss, relationships, culture, and behavior resulting in empowered individuals and teams with greater purpose, meaning, motivation, and productivity.
She was previously the senior director and head of clinical business operations at Bristol Myers Squibb. Under her leadership, she built a new organization of 51 team members to increase cross-functional collaboration and improve clinical trial performance across Clinical Trial Business Planning, Clinical Trial Business Delivery, Clinical Trial Planning & Execution, and Study Optimization & Assessment Planning (SOAP). Her efforts resulted in $300 million in savings over three years through process improvements, informed decisions, cost avoidance, and enhanced efficiencies.
Everill is skilled in analyzing complex data and applying insights across diverse environments. She co-led a pillar of the Innovation Program on trial design and modeling and served on various committees and core teams. Prior to Bristol Myers Squibb, she held senior positions at Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer. Everill holds an undergraduate degree in economics, behavioral science, and health from the University of Utah.
13. Catherine Monte
Chief Knowledge & Innovation Officer, Fox Rothschild
Catherine Monte leads Fox Rothschild in developing strategies for innovative programs and solutions, creating efficiencies through practice and business process re-engineering, and helping to enhance the delivery and value of client services and the client experience. Part of Fox’s senior administrative team, she works closely with the firm’s Innovation Committee and other professionals in providing program management for these initiatives.
Monte served as the firm’s chief knowledge officer before her promotion in 2019. She has added data analytics to her purview and continues to oversee knowledge management research, risk mitigation, and business/competitive intelligence initiatives. Previously, Monte worked as head of information services at Clifford Chance, and as head of reference services at Dewey Ballantine both based in New York City. She has also worked as a reference librarian at Pepper Hamilton & Scheetz and as a legal assistant at Drinker, Biddle & Reath in Philadelphia.
Monte graduated from Columbia University - Graduate School with an MLS in library science and from Haverford College with an undergraduate degree in English.
14. Willa Hightower
Vice President of Customer Operations, Pepco Holdings
Willa Hightower is the Vice President of Customer Operations for Pepco Holdings (PHI), a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation and one of the largest energy delivery companies in the Mid-Atlantic region. Hightower is responsible for all call center and service operations, customer field operations and billing, and revenue management, as well as large customer services for all PHI utilities. She is on the front line with customers daily, earning business by creating memorable moments through a personalized experience, proactive communications, and offerings. She is responsible for CIS and digital system support and the business planning process for the customer organization, focusing on expanding self-service offerings to meet evolving customer expectations.
Hightower has been in the utility industry for over 20 years. She is an experienced leader with a track record of success in achieving ambitious objectives, combining strategy, business acumen, and financial knowledge with a commitment to growth and development.
Before joining PHI, Hightower was the EU strategy director responsible for developing the broader utility of the future strategy with a focus on customer strategy. As the director of customer financial operations at PECO Energy Company, she was responsible for the billing, payment processing, and revenue collection of over $4 billion in annual revenues. She has implemented new process improvements with greater focus and attention on the customer and efficiencies.
Before joining customer operations, Hightower spent her first 10 years at Exelon in finance in various capacities with increasing levels of responsibility at ExGen and PECO. As the manager of revenue and load forecasting and regulatory support, she was instrumental in helping PECO file its first gas and electric rate cases in over 20 years. Before joining Exelon, she gained experience in the energy industry at Southern Company in Atlanta, GA. Hightower has a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Georgia State University.
15. Celeste Warren
Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion COE, Merck
Celeste Warren is the Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion COE of Merck. At Merck, they use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, they have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. They aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, they are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals.
Warren has 35 years of experience. As a senior leader within the Merck organization, she specializes in change management, organizational development, diversity and inclusion, staffing, HR analytics, culture change, and labor relations. Before joining Merck, Warren worked with Kraft Foods Group as an HR director. Warren graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with an MS in human resources and from the University of Kentucky with an undergraduate degree in telecommunications.
16. Leslie Gillin
Chief Growth Officer, Pagaya
Leslie Gillin is Pagaya’s Chief Growth Officer, overseeing the company’s global growth strategy, business development, partnerships, marketing and public relations, and external communications.
Gillin joined Pagaya in 2021 from JPMorgan Chase, where she served as chief marketing officer of the firm. In this role, she was responsible for global marketing, advertising, media, communications, sponsorships, and customer research and insights. She also served as the president of CoBrand Cards, partnering with some of the most high-profile brands and creating the largest co-brand card portfolio in the world. Gillin has also held senior executive leadership positions at Bank of America, Citi, and MBNA, which included assignments in Canada and the U.K. With over 30 years of experience, Gillin has extensive expertise in marketing, product, and business development for financial institutions. She adamantly believes in Pagaya’s mission to reshape the lending marketplace by using sophisticated AI and data-driven analysis to bring more Americans into the mainstream economy.
Gillin was recognized as a Top 25 CMO to Watch by Business Insider in 2020. She serves on the board of Establishment Labs, a women’s biotech company, and has served on the board of the Ad Council, MasterCard UK Forum, the Philadelphia International Council of the Arts, and the Delaware Bankers Association. She holds a degree in international relations and Spanish from the University of Delaware and attended the University of Salamanca. She resides in Philadelphia, PA with her husband and three children.
17. Janet Kirk
Senior Vice President and Financial Advisor, RBC Wealth Management
Janet Kirk is a Senior Vice President and Financial Advisor at RBC Wealth Management. Kirk received her CFP certification in 2006 and studied at Columbia University earning her Certified Portfolio Manager title in 2010. She has licenses for Life Insurance, Annuities, and Long-Term Care Insurance and credentials as an Estate and Retirement Planning Specialist.
Kirk has garnered a wealth of experience in various aspects of personal finance and investment planning. From budget and debt management and her specialty in retirement and estate planning, she has helped countless clients navigate through complex financial decisions. Her focus is on understanding the unique circumstances of every client, their goals and aspirations and to provide tailored advice and comprehensive Financial Plans that align with each client’s individual needs.
Kirk has served as Treasurer for several nonprofit organizations, including the Washington City Mission, and is a past board member of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Human Services and the Baptist Home Society. She is currently a member of the St. Catherine Laboure Parish Guild. She is active in the community, supporting Meals on Wheels, the Humane Society of Washington, PA, Washington Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra, Phipps Conservatory, pancreatic cancer causes, and Hekima Place, an organization supporting African children afflicted with AIDS. Her quest for knowledge is ongoing and she is constantly looking for opportunities to broaden her knowledge to better serve and add value to her clients and her community.
18. Stephanie Gorski
Strategy Managing Director & Global Strategy Lead for Software & Platforms, Accenture
Stephanie Gorski is a Philadelphia-based Strategy Managing Director in Accenture’s Strategy & Consulting practice and she is the Global Strategy Lead for Software & Platforms. Throughout her career, she has also advised companies across the communications, media, technology, and products industries.
Gorski is a forward-thinking thought partner and strategic advisor with expertise in companies that are driving industry-transforming innovation. She has an extensive understanding of marketing, sales, and product launch & a comfort level with the “fail fast mentality” to improve product trajectory. Gorski additionally has deep expertise in growth strategy, go-to-market strategies, SMB sales, M&A, digital transformation, and operating model redesign. She is passionate about helping companies and business units decide if it is best to “Build, Buy, or Partner”.
Gorski interned with Accenture in 2012 before joining full-time in September 2013. She holds an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University with a concentration in strategy. Before Accenture, Gorski was one of the first employees of two government start-ups (TARP and CFPB), where she was responsible for implementing the organization structure, integrating lean Six Sigma techniques, and developing office systems.
19. Jennifer Allison
Vice President of Human Resources, Keystone Human Services
Jennifer Allison is the Vice President of Human Resources for Keystone Human Services (KHS). KHS is a 204 million multi-state, multi-site, not-for-profit organization that provides a broad array of services in the areas of intellectual disability, mental health, and autism, as well as Head Start services through Capital Area Head Start and assistance dogs through Susquehanna Service Dogs. KHS offers technical assistance and educational opportunities to governments, regulators, and other affiliated organizations. Allison is responsible for the leadership of human resource and operations education functions for over 3000 employees.
Allison has held administration, management, consulting, and executive positions in private, public, and nonprofit organizations encompassing over 20 years of experience. She has extensive involvement in employee relations, managing change/organizational transitions, mergers and acquisitions, market trend analysis, leadership development, strategic planning, project management, process improvement, organizational effectiveness, talent acquisition, employee development, and retention, problem resolution/mediation, and the design and implementation of performance/compensation/benefit systems.
Allison received her undergraduate degree from Shippensburg University and a Master’s in Human Resource Management/Industrial Relations from Saint Francis University, where she also served as adjunct faculty teaching strategic compensation in the HR graduate program. She holds a certification in workplace mediation from the Atlanta Justice Center and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources with SPHR and SHRM-SCP designations. In conjunction with the Harvard Community Health Plan Quality Improvement Facilitator Program, she has facilitated corporate quality improvement efforts and led multidisciplinary Business Action Teams. Additionally, Allison has served as a jury analyst and implemented Jury Focus Groups for both defense and plaintiff counsel during trial preparation.
20. Anne Prisco
President, Holy Family University
Anne Prisco began her tenure as the sixth president of Holy Family University in July 2021. She has dedicated herself to advancing higher education and student success. Over the course of her impressive career, Prisco has served as an administrator, faculty member, researcher, and consultant. From 2012 to 2020, she served at Felician University, where she was their first lay leader. Prior to that, she served at several higher education institutions, including as a Vice President at Loyola Marymount University, and as a faculty member at St. John’s University. She has also held senior leadership roles at Hunter College and Lehman College, CUNY, and participated in research supported by the Ford Foundation on international education systems at New York University.
Prisco serves on the board of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP). She is also on the board of DePaul University. She is a member of the Forum of Executive Women, a founding president of Excelencia in Education’s Presidents for Latino Student Success, and a board member of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. She is a member of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and is a visiting faculty at Pepperdine University. She is frequently invited to speak on higher education policy, leadership, and transformational change. She has served on both state and national boards.
Prisco holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona with the highest distinction, an MBA in Finance from Fordham University, and a PhD in Economics and Education from Columbia University. She is the recipient of numerous academic, leadership, and service awards, including a public policy fellowship from Columbia University and the Wise Woman Award from the National Organization for Italian-American Women. She was also named to the Top 50 Business Women in New Jersey. In 2019-20, she awarded an Honorary Degree to Francesco Genuardi, Consul General of Italy – New York. In 2022, was honored with the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Award.
21. Lara Rhame
Chief US Economist & Managing Director, FS Investments
Lara Rhame serves as Chief US Economist and Managing Director on the Investment Research team at FS Investments, where she analyzes developments in the global and US economies and financial markets. Her fresh take on macroeconomic issues helps to inform and develop the firm’s long-term views on the economy, investment trends, and issues facing investors.
Rhame is a frequent guest on financial news outlets, including Bloomberg News, CNBC, CNN, and Fox Business. In 2018, she was recognized by the Money Management Executive as one of the Top Women in Asset Management. Additionally, Rhame was a recipient of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2018 Women of Distinction Award.
She is committed to the Philadelphia community and serves on the boards of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, Hyperion Bank, and Starr Garden Park. Rhame is also on the board of the Forum of Executive Women. She received an undergraduate degree in economics from Bates College.
22. Rashmi Radhakrishnan
Vice President of Enrollment Management, Technology & Innovation and CIO, Arcadia University
As Vice President and a member of the President's Cabinet, Rashmi Radhakrishnan leads the Enrollment Management and Technology divisions at Arcadia University. She also serves as the Chief Information Officer.
Radhakrishnan leads the development of strategies, data-informed pivots, innovative processes, and organizational structure to meet Arcadia’s enrollment goals and other key priorities. She drives enterprise-wide transformation work through effective change management, leveraging data analytics and insight for strategic decision-making and implementing operational strategies to increase organizational capacity. Previously, Radhakrishnan served in other technology leadership roles, where she led successful information security and data analytics and critical system implementations. An innovator and data geek at heart, Radhakrishnan was named a Top IT Pro in 2013 by the Philadelphia Business Journal for her work with business analytics, and she was named to the 2022 Higher Education Power 100 by City and State Pennsylvania.
Radhakrishnan completed the Chief Data Officer program at Carnegie Mellon University. She holds a Master’s degree in Instructional Technology from Jefferson University and an undergraduate degree in business from Meenakshi College in Chennai, India.
23. Erika Lloyd
Senior Client Account Manager and Principal, Woodard & Curran
Erika Lloyd is a dynamic senior client account manager with over 25 years of experience in providing innovative, programmatic solutions to national and global clients to meet their business objectives in the environmental services industry. She currently serves Woodard & Curran, an integrated engineering, science, design-build (DB), and operations company specializing in water and environmental projects, as the Senior Client Account Manager and Principal. They are a privately held firm with 1,200 professionals.
Lloyd has a diverse background in operational leadership, program and project management, environmental information management, and the use of technology to support and optimize operations. She is an exceptional leader skilled in building and managing trusted client relationships, seamlessly orchestrating complex projects, and working with cross-functional teams to deliver successful project outcomes. She serves as clients’ trusted advisor and is proficient in developing and implementing efficient and cost-effective strategies to meet sustainability and ESG, EHS compliance and oversight, and operational goals.
Lloyd earned a Master's in Geology from the University of New Hampshire and an undergraduate degree in geology from Bowdoin College.
24. Marybeth Gray
SVP of Health & Welfare Consulting, Trion
Marybeth Gray has spent more than 25 years in the employee benefits field as an advocate working to help put access to quality healthcare within reach of every employee and their family. She currently serves as a Senior Vice President of Health and Welfare Consulting with Trion, a Marsh McLennan Firm. She serves as the team lead and manages the overall account teams for her clients. She works with all-size employers to deploy cost-effective strategies that will raise the quality of care, increase access to equitable care, and lower the cost to both the employer and employee. Her strategic approach, coupled with her vast industry knowledge, is how her team develops solutions for cost drivers without cost-shifting to employees. Together with her team, Gray has saved clients millions of dollars with an innovative strategic approach that helps employers understand what’s coming next.
Formerly a VP with AON Consulting, Gray specialized in utilization and data management to understand key cost drivers. She is an expert in developing and redesigning pharmacy programs and understanding the cost drivers within these programs. She has developed key strategies for specialty medication, gene therapies, and many other emerging treatments employers will have to solve. Prior to Aon, she served as a national account manager with Aetna Inc., for eight years. Gray was responsible for clients with more than 10,000 employees operating in multiple locations. She served on the Aetna Presidents Roundtable Committee, fostering communications between clients and the president’s office regarding suggested changes that would improve Aetna’s operational procedures.
Recently, Gray was named EBN’s 2017 Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising, among 30 leaders whose unique client management strategies, innovative data manipulation, and other industry-leading skills are transforming the field. Gray is featured on the Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement site. She earned an undergraduate degree in health policy and administration from Penn State University.
25. Meghan Oakes
General Manager and Head of Hosted Enterprise Payments, FIS
Meghan Oakes is the General Manager and head of Hosted Enterprise Payments at FIS. Oakes joined FIS six years ago and was first responsible for leading large-scale transformation projects and rising to VP of Global Implementations for Integrated Receivables. Since 2021, she has served as Head of Hosted Enterprise Payments responsible for the growth and expansion of FIS’s ACH, Real-Time Payment, and Wire rail applications.
Oakes is an experienced payments executive with proven success in leading high-performing teams, driving strategic business growth, client engagement, and improving client satisfaction. She is most passionate about driving growth businesses with exceptional people, processes, and technology. Her favorite mantra is “what gets measured gets improved” and is constantly promoting a culture of innovation and revenue growth while tackling the industry's complex and rapidly changing landscape.
Throughout her career, she has served numerous roles of increasing responsibility related to finance, program management, and leadership, previously with Dana Holding Corporation and Pentair Inc., where she was responsible for global shared service operations, systems deployments, and finance management. Oakes graduated from Penn State University with a degree in finance.
26. Susanne Svizeny
EVP and Regional President of Greater Philadelphia, OceanFirst Bank
Susanne Svizeny joined OceanFirst Bank as the Regional President for Greater Philadelphia in May 2019 and was promoted to President of the Mid-Altantic region in January 2022, which includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Susanne and her team are focused on delivering full-service banking solutions and have particular expertise in working with businesses to provide customized financial services including commercial financing.
An executive with decades of banking experience serving the Philadelphia region, prior to joining OceanFirst, Ms. Svizeny was most recently Executive Vice President & Division Manager, Commercial Banking, at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Under her leadership, the Division established and managed a portfolio of more than 700 relationships. During her tenure at Wells Fargo, Ms. Svizeny founded the Women’s Market Growth Strategy for Middle Market Banking and was appointed to lead the Middle Market Banking Diversity and Inclusion Council.
Ms. Svizeny is actively committed to giving back to the community and serves on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia as well as the CEO Council for Growth. She is a graduate of The College of New Jersey and served as a member of the Board of Trustees where she served two terms as Chair. Susanne has served as a board member on nonprofit boards in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
27. Andrea Lawrence
Senior Vice President and Senior Wealth Advisor, Bryn Mawr Trust
Andrea Lawrence received her undergraduate degree in accounting from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia, and her JD and LL.M. in tax from Villanova Law School. Before joining Bryn Mawr Trust, Lawrence served as COO of Quantitative Foundation and provided family office and philanthropy consulting services through Tapestry Advisors, LLC, which she founded in 2007.
A former CPA and practicing trusts and estates attorney, Lawrence is a trusted advisor to nonprofits, family offices, and ultra-high-net-worth investors. Her areas of expertise include estate and charitable planning, private foundation administration, and business and family office succession planning.
Lawrence has a certificate in landscape design from Longwood Gardens and is a master gardener and master composter volunteer. She enjoys helping friends and family "bring nature beautifully back" through sustainable land management practices. An avid rower, Lawrence is treasurer of the historic University Barge Club of Philadelphia located at No. 7 Boathouse Row in Philadelphia. She played D1 tennis in college, is currently rated 5.0, and is captain of the 2023 USTA Addie Cup Team for the Middle States. She has formed several nonprofit youth sports organizations, notably, Blue Mountain Racing, in support of junior alpine ski racing. A naturalist at heart, she enjoys backcountry skiing, paddle boarding, and hiking with friends and family.
28. Kary Milan
Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Mount Aloysius College
Kary Milan serves as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Mount Aloysius College. Established in 1853, Mount Aloysius is a comprehensive, liberal arts and science-based college with a commitment to career-directed study. Rooted in Catholic traditions, Mount Aloysius College is one of 17 Mercy-sponsored colleges and universities in the United States and is a member of the Conference for Mercy Higher Education.
Previously, Milan served as the director of development and alumni relations with Penn State University. She has more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, development, major gift solicitation, event management, relationship-building, public speaking, volunteer management, program development, project management, and community engagement.
Milan earned her undergraduate degree from Seton Hill University and her master’s degree from the California University of Pennsylvania. Milan is a Certified Fund Raising Executive.
29. Gina Cline Rose
Chief Executive Officer, American Reading Company
Gina Rose is the Chief Executive Officer of American Reading Company (ARC), a mission-driven company, providing language arts solutions in English and Spanish K-12, in the pursuit of literacy and educational excellence for all students. They are a high-growth, triple bottom line, and 100% solar-powered organization. In ARC’s history, they have been recognized as one of the Top 500 Women-Owned Businesses in the US and received the Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Most recently, ARC was the first and only company among its peers to receive an “all green report card” for their K-12 curriculum after review by the nationally recognized nonprofit, EdReports.
Before her current role, Rose was the leader of the program and product development, children's publishing, and marketing division of ARC. She is the proud co-author of ARC Core, the first Language Arts curriculum to receive an ALL GREEN, top-rated review from Ed Reports for all grades K-8.
Rose graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Education in Reading, Writing, and Literacy and from Wesleyan University with an undergraduate degree in women's studies.
30. Nancy Rawson
Executive Vice President & Chief Impact Officer, Monell Chemical Senses Center
Nancy Rawson is the Executive Vice President & Chief Impact Officer at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, a nonprofit research institute whose mission is to advance public health through the understanding of taste, smell, and related senses.
Rawson’s career spans academia and industry, including a faculty position at the Monell Center studying the biology of taste and smell in humans and companion animals, and leadership roles in the pet and human food and ingredient industries, where she built research teams from the ground up and received awards for new product innovation. Since 2016, she has been in leadership roles at Monell, catalyzing Monell’s relationships with academic and industry partners around the world and leading strategic and operational planning activities to support the Center’s growth and success. She serves on the board of the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences and is a founding advisory board member for the Smell and Taste Association of North America.
Rawson has authored over 100 publications, holds multiple patents, and is active in the Association for Women in Science and the Association for Chemoreception Sciences. She holds a Master’s degree in Nutrition from the University of Massachusetts and a doctorate in biology from the University of Pennsylvania.
31. Deirdre Diener
Head of Digital, Data, & Commercial Platforms for NA Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicines
With over 26 years of Biopharmaceuticals U.S. and Global commercial leadership experience at renowned companies like GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novo Nordisk, and Accenture, Deirdre is a distinguished leader in the industry. Throughout her career, she has spearheaded U.S. and Global commercial teams across diverse therapeutic areas, successfully launching 16 brands and numerous new indications. Over the past 8 years, Deirdre has been at the forefront of scaling omnichannel capabilities and transforming go-to-market strategies by harnessing data, AI, and machine learning at across multiple major Pharmaceutical companies.
Deirdre is widely acknowledged as an industry luminary, particularly in fields such as customer and patient experience, Digital Transformation, omnichannel, and data strategy. Beyond her professional achievements, she is deeply committed to nurturing talent, especially aspiring women leaders, aiding them in career advancement and growth.
Currently serving as the Head of Digital, Data, and Commercial Platforms for North America Pharmaceuticals at Johnson & Johnson, Deirdre is also the visionary behind the Lisa Diener Domestic Violence Foundation (LDDVF). As the President of LDDVF, she has steered the organization to raise over $250K, providing crucial support to abuse survivors seeking to rebuild their lives in the tri-state area. Furthermore, as a proud single mother by choice, Deirdre collaborates with Penn Medicine and the community to empower women exploring modern family structures and fertility options.
32. Alexandra von Plato
Chairwoman, Publicis Health
Alexandra von Plato is the Chairwoman of Publicis Health. At Publicis Health, they are united around one purpose, creating a world where people are equipped and motivated to take control of their health. They transform healthcare marketing and communications into healthcare engagement. Plato has been a driving force in the healthcare industry for over two decades. In her current role, she has led the development of the global LifeBrands brand vision for Publicis Healthcare.
Plato served Publicis Health as the CEO and Digitas Health as the president and global chief creative officer. During their tenure there, she oversaw the global creative and strategic teams across multiple agencies in the US, Europe, and Apac. Before joining Digitas Health, Plato was the chief creative officer at Medical Broadcasting Company, where she was responsible for leading the creative development and production of several groundbreaking creative media projects, including creating and producing the nationally syndicated TV series “Prevention’s Bodysense,” producing and publishing ePharmaceuticals and the ePharm5, and creating many of the first digital marketing campaigns for iconic brands like Tylenol, Viagra, and Crestor.
Plato’s passion for healthcare and proven track record of success have made her one of the most respected leaders in the industry. Plato is a true pioneer in the field of healthcare marketing and communication, and her work has helped shape the way they think about and understand healthcare today.
33. Tonushree Mondal
President, Tonushree Mondal Consulting LLC
Tonushree Mondal is the Founder and CEO of a boutique HR consulting firm, Tonushree Mondal Consulting, and she works with senior leadership teams across their global clients. She is a recognized strategic partner providing practical business-relevant HR solutions across industry segments and geographies. Her focus areas include people strategy, culture, and leadership development, strategic workforce planning, career pathing and organization design, succession planning, performance management, and executive coaching.
Before starting her own business, Mondal was the SVP of organization effectiveness at the Hudson’s Bay Company (Saks, Lord & Taylor, Off Fifth, HBC), where she was responsible for talent and leadership development, change management, and communications. Before HBC, Mondal was the North American practice leader of the leadership and talent business at Mercer Consulting and a partner in the firm. As a part of her role, she led a team of partners and associates specializing in the areas of senior leader effectiveness and talent management. She spent 15 years at Mercer working closely with senior leaders across several different industries in large global companies on various issues of talent strategy and execution. At the onset of her career at Mercer, she spent five years in Asia helping clients on a wide array of talent and rewards-related issues, specifically large multi-national companies with local operations in Asia or local clients trying to expand their business globally.
Mondal has an MBA from India’s top business school in Human Resources and a graduate degree in Economics from Jadavpur University. She has published articles in WorkSpan and HRPS and has spoken at WorldatWork, HRPS, PA Conference for Women, Leap HR, and the HR Tech Conference. She is an ICF-certified coach and is Hogan and ELI-MP-certified.
34. Michelle McMurray
Vice President of Program and Community Engagement, The Pittsburgh Foundation
In December 2020, Michelle McMurray was named Vice President of Program and Community Engagement at The Pittsburgh Foundation, where she is responsible for the strategic direction, development, and management of the foundation’s grantmaking programs and community outreach efforts. McMurray joined the Foundation in 2014 and has served in multiple roles of increasing responsibility, including senior program officer and director of grantmaking. Over her tenure, she has led the creation of innovative initiatives, which include Small and Mighty and the Social Justice Fund, and has embedded equity practices across the foundation's grantmaking portfolios, which have significantly increased access to funding for small, community-based nonprofits and Black and Brown-led organizations. Under the foundation’s new strategic plan, McMurray will steward its commitment to invest $50 million of its unrestricted grant-making pool over the next five years to advance racial equity and racial justice.
McMurray is a seasoned leader with more than 20 years of professional experience, including academic research, clinical practice, policy advocacy, and organizational leadership. Throughout her career, she has been committed to serving low-income communities, working to eliminate racial inequities across systems, and strengthening the capacity of small, community-based nonprofits. Before joining the foundation, MichMcMurrayelle served as the CEO of Mental Health America Allegheny County, where she oversaw programs and advocacy to ensure the delivery of recovery-oriented services, increase awareness and understanding of mental illness, and protect the educational rights of students with mental health needs. She is the co-author of several book chapters and peer-reviewed articles documenting the relationship between race, income, age, and mental health.
McMurray earned multiple degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, including a Master’s in Social Work, an undergraduate degree in sociology, and a certificate in women's studies. She is the recipient of several awards recognizing her work to advance equity, including the national 2018 Emerging Leader in Philanthropy Award from the Association of Black Foundation Executives. In 2020, she was also recognized for her advocacy for Black communities by the Pennsylvania Governor's Commission on African American Affairs.
35. Mary Pao
Chief Medical Officer, ANI Pharmaceuticals
Mary Pao is Chief Medical Officer at ANI Pharmaceuticals, where she leads medical and scientific strategy across multiple autoimmune disease states. ANI Pharmaceuticals is a diversified biopharmaceutical company serving patients in need by developing, manufacturing, and marketing high-quality branded and generic prescription pharmaceutical products.
Prior to ANI Pharmaceuticals, Pao was managing partner and head of clinical affairs at Real Chemistry, a global healthcare consultancy, where she led medical strategy for a commercialization service platform designed to optimize launch success. In addition to working at Real Chemistry, Pao was a founding partner of Arcus Medica, a consulting company specializing in launch strategy and execution. She previously served at GSK as a global and a North American medical affairs oncology lead and at Genentech, as both clinical lead for the B-Cell Diagnostics Team and Rituxan Medical Affairs lead. She has over 30 years of basic science and industry experience developing novel therapies and executing launch strategies, working with medical affairs, clinical development, and commercial teams. Her disease state expertise includes hematology, oncology, rare disease, nephrology, neurology, and autoimmune disease.
Pao earned degrees from Princeton University in molecular biology and public and international affairs, and her MD and PhD from New York University School of Medicine. She completed her residency training at Harvard School of Medicine and her hematology and oncology fellowship training at Cornell Weill Department of Medicine and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
36. Cara Ciminillo
Executive Director, Trying Together
Cara Ciminillo is the Executive Director at Trying Together (formerly the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children), the voice for early childhood in southwest Pennsylvania. Ciminillo works to ensure early care and education providers are their best for our youngest and that the system providers operate through supporting their ability to focus on what matters to children’s optimal development, meaningful relationships, creativity, discovery, and play.
Ciminillo’s had a lifelong interest in bringing diverse individuals around a common goal. As a founding partner of the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, she has helped to establish an avenue, where various stakeholders work together to ensure play is valued as a critical element in the lives of all people of all ages. Before her tenure at Trying Together, Ciminillo was the project director for an evaluation and assessment collaborative at the University of Pittsburgh. She also spent thirteen years directing an international service program in native communities in Australia, the Caribbean, and North America.
Ciminillo graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Master of Education in Administrative and Policy Studies and from Bowling Green State University with an undergraduate degree in ethnic studies.
37. Cara Schlie
Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, RedSail Technologies
Cara Schlie is a seasoned leader and executive with over 19 years of experience in the healthcare technology and pharmacy software industry. She currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at RedSail Technologies, a leading provider of innovative solutions for independent pharmacies and healthcare organizations.
In her role, Schlie leads the commercialization, strategy, and execution of clinical, financial, and transactional programs for RedSail's Pharmacy Network, which comprises more than 12,000 pharmacies across the country. She is responsible for launching new program types, such as RxCash+, therapeutic, adherence, and copay assistance programs, that enhance the health outcomes of patients and the financial performance of pharmacies. She also oversees the go-to-market infrastructure design and pre/post-launch execution skills that enable RedSail to deliver value-added services and solutions to its customers and partners.
Schlie’s leadership style is strategic, data-driven, and collaborative. She has a proven track record of solving complex problems, building cross-functional relationships, and driving impact and change for the customers and the business. She has a passion for developing others, motivating teams, and sharing her knowledge and expertise. She is an active member of Duquesne University's Sales & Marketing Advisory Board and a recipient of the Young Alumna Achievement Award. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Duquesne University and a certificate from Wharton's Executive Development Program.
38. Sue Meitner
President & Founder, Centennial Lending Group
Sue Meitner is the President and Founder of Centennial Lending Group (CLG). In a traditionally male-dominated field, Meitner knew early on that she would start her own mortgage company one day. This goal was achieved in 2010 when she started Centennial Lending Group and ran this independent mortgage company until 2019 when CLG joined forces with Success Mortgage Partners. At that time, Meitner knew she had accomplished a lot as CEO but wanted more than running a successful mortgage company, being a best-selling author, and speaking about how to double client loan origination volume.
Today, Meitner works tirelessly to motivate and inspire her staff and other industry professionals, sharing her “keys to success” both online and in person using every platform available. In addition to her videos and podcast, Meitner is a member of the Women Mortgage Speaker Bureau, as well as several other professional women’s groups, encouraging others to believe in themselves to accomplish their goals.
With Meitner’s leadership, CLG truly embodies the term “Stronger Together.” Over the years, she has helped many industry professionals, inspiring them to grow and succeed in whatever path they choose. She has achieved many accolades and awards for being a trailblazer due to her passion and accomplishments, as illustrated in her best-selling book Crazy Lucky Girl: Do You Have The Keys To Success? Her latest book is Women Who Dream, a collaboration of stories from 30 inspirational authors, where Meitner shares her fresh perspective on the pursuit of happiness and success.
39. Melissa Richards
Chief People Officer, National Forest Foundation
Melissa Richards is the Chief People Officer of the National Forest Foundation (NFF). The NFF works with communities and organizations to conserve and enhance the watersheds, wildlife habitat, and wild places across a 193-million-acre National Forest System.
Richards previously served as the chief human resources officer for Verland, a $35-million-dollar service provider. Before joining Verland, Richards served as a director and VP of HR in the gaming industry for over 10 years. She has served on several community-based boards in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and Michigan. She is experienced in human resource management and strategic alignment, talent acquisition, learning and development, leadership development, organizational culture and engagement, benefit administration, employment law, and union labor relations.
Richards is a Pittsburgh native who boomeranged back to the area in 2017 and is a graduate of Penn State University.
40. Megan Dapp
Vice President of External Affairs, Triad Strategies
Megan Dapp brings more than 15 years of public affairs experience in several industry sectors, including healthcare, energy, and education. She currently serves as the Vice President of External Affairs for Triad Strategies.
Dapp previously spent 11 years working at a Harrisburg-based public affairs firm, where she successfully developed and executed multi-faceted advocacy campaigns on behalf of a variety of clients. She has managed public affairs campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels. Before that, she served as the State Advocacy Director for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, where she represented the organization to the state legislature. Dapp is a native of central Pennsylvania. She attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
41. Cassandra Bailey
CEO, Slice Communications
Cassandra Bailey is the CEO of Slice Communications, the founder and current Chairwoman of Social Media Day, Inc., and the creator of the My Mom Is… children’s book series. She has been working in marketing communications for more than 20 years and has authored two books on the subject, Pay Attention! and Social Media is About People. She believes that integrated public relations, social media, and email marketing efforts are critical for growing businesses and nonprofits looking to accomplish their goals.
With a background in international politics, economics, and philosophy, communications has become her passion and she has been tapped by various industry associations and the media to share her insights and experiences. She has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, and The Today Show and has written for, or been quoted in, Forbes, Philadelphia Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine, TheNextWeb, and several other publications. Bailey has also been named a Rising Star by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and received the Brava award from Philadelphia Smart CEO.
Bailey is deeply involved with her community and has served on boards for the Entrepreneurs’ Organization of Philadelphia; the Business Leadership Forum at The Union League of Philadelphia; the Small Business Board at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; Tree House Books; Pennsylvania 30 Day Fund; and Hopeworks. Bailey graduated from The Catholic University of America with a degree in international politics, economics, and philosophy. Additionally, she has completed programs in business education from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program and the WBENC Executive Program at the Tuck School of Business.
42. Rachel McCausland
Chief Philanthropy Officer, Longwood Gardens
Rachel McCausland is the Chief Philanthropy Officer of Longwood Gardens, a botanical garden that consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States in the Brandywine Creek Valley. It is one of the premier horticultural display gardens in the United States and is open to visitors year-round to enjoy native and exotic plants and horticulture (both indoor and outdoor), events and performances, seasonal and themed attractions, as well as educational lectures, courses, and workshops.
McCausland's previous roles include more than 10 years at Opera Philadelphia, where she most recently served as vice president of development. During her tenure at Opera Philadelphia, she oversaw significant growth, particularly in major and principal gifts. She also managed a two-year capitalization campaign and established the company’s legacy giving program, resulting in more than $10 million in deferred contributions. During this time, McCausland led the launch of a national and international fundraising program, broadening the donor base on an international scale, now across more than 30 states and six countries.
McCausland graduated from Drexel University with a Master of Science in Arts Administration and from Moravian University with an undergraduate degree in music performance and business. She regularly donates her time to other interests in greater Philadelphia’s nonprofit sector, currently serving as a Board member for the Hedgerow Theatre, and having served for several years as a peer grant panelist with the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and regularly appearing as a pro-bono guest lecturer since 2017 in the Arts Administration, Museum Leadership, and Arts & Entertainment Enterprise programs at Drexel University. Ms. McCausland was recently named to the Philadelphia Business Journal's prestigious Forty under 40 list.
43. DJ Krebsbach
Chief Culture Officer, Dell Boomi
DJ Krebsbach is the Chief Culture Officer of Dell Boomi. Boomi aims to make the world a better place by connecting everyone to everything, anywhere. The pioneer of cloud-based integration platform as a service and now a category-leading, global software as a service company, Boomi has the most extensive customer base among integration platform vendors and a worldwide network of about 800 partners.
As Chief Culture Officer, Krebsbach drives the operating rhythm of the company, including cultural initiatives such as employee onboarding, real estate and facilities strategy, and diversity and inclusion policies. She oversees productivity improvements throughout the company that have already resulted in significant savings in operating costs and positive response in the market. She is currently leading several strategic growth initiatives that will drive top-line growth, boost leadership cohesion, and enable a diversified environment. With over 15 years of working experience, Krebsbach is known for her creative thinking, solid business acumen, execution of initiatives, and thriving in cross-functional collaborative teams.
Krebsbach first got her start in 2003 as an assistant executive director at TiE. From there, she eventually rose to operations manager at Panera Bread, her most recent position prior to joining Dell Boomi. Krebsbach graduated from The George Washington University.
44. Donna Krah
Chief Human Resources Officer, Trinity Health
Donna Krah is the Chief Human Resources Officer of Trinity Health, one of the largest not-for-profit, Catholic healthcare systems in the nation. It is a family of 115,000 colleagues and almost 10,000 physicians and clinicians among 16 medical groups caring for diverse communities across 25 states.
Before joining Trinity Health, Krah was a chief HR officer at St. Francis Healthcare. Before that, she was a director of human resources at the American Board of Internal Medicine. Earlier in her career, she worked with Wesley Enhanced Living as an executive vice president. Krah graduated from Temple University with an undergraduate degree in management and human resource administration.
45. Samantha Hartzman
Head of Social Impact and Chief Diversity Officer, Duquesne Light Company
Samantha Hartzman is the Head of Social Impact and Chief Diversity Officer of Duquesne Light Company. For more than 100 years, Duquesne Light Company has provided safe and reliable electric service to communities in southwestern Pennsylvania. Today, their core values of safety, integrity, dependability, equity, and community enable them to serve more than 600,000 customers in two counties, including the city of Pittsburgh.
Hartzman is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in the ESG and social responsibility field. She is skilled in DEI and ESG strategy development and execution, community relations, corporate giving, and employee volunteering. She is a co-founder of an organization focused on uplifting and fostering a network of women-owned businesses in SWPA through funding and investment.
A strong strategic development professional, she holds a Bachelor of Arts focused in American Studies and English from the University of Virginia and a Master's in Business Administration from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.
46. Nicole Osterhout
Head of Events Marketing, Expedient
Nicole Osterhout is the Head of Event Marketing at Expedient, where she helps businesses and partners connect to Expedient and their services through in-person events, webinars, and other field marketing initiatives. Expedient is a full-stack cloud service and data center provider with local operations in 10 cities across the United States.
During her tenure so far, Osterhout has helped plan and execute over 250 Expedient and partner events of varying scales. Additionally, she has over 10 years of experience in marketing, including previous roles with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chick-fil-A, Walt Disney World, and others.
She graduated Valedictorian from Full Sail University with a BS in Sports Marketing and Media. In her spare time, Osterhout enjoys spending time with her family, reading a good book, and traveling when the opportunity arises.
47. Juliette Cho
Senior Director of Advancement, Benefits Data Trust
Juliette Hye-Young Cho is the Senior Director of Advancement at Benefits Data Trust. Benefits Data Trust (BDT) improves health and financial security by harnessing the power of data, technology, and policy to provide dignified and equitable access to assistance. Together with a national network of government agencies and partners, they efficiently connect people today to programs that pay for food, healthcare, and more while helping to modernize benefits access for tomorrow.
Before joining BDT, Cho served as the first female vice president of partnerships at Catchafire, a social good tech org that uses a network-based platform and SaaS approach to connect nonprofits with pro-bono volunteers, helping take it from working with 15 engaged funders to over 120. Her roots are in the social good and nonprofit sector, where she has served in fundraising leadership roles at internationally recognized NGOs like Pencils of Promise, UNICEF, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the American Red Cross, where she built powerful donor programs that engage and include individual givers, corporations, institutions, grassroots, and digital fundraising communities.
Cho is a proud first-generation (Korean) American and first-generation college graduate (at the University of Virginia), wife of a Marine Corps Veteran, mother to two beautiful and kind boys, and a new Philadelphian.
48. Margarita Davis-Boyer
Managing Director of Prevention and Family Support, Belmont Charter Network
Margarita Davis-Boyer is an innovator and driven social worker with 23 years of experience and an extensive history of working in nonprofit and educational settings. Davis-Boyer is expertly skilled in child welfare, social services, policy development, implementation of strategic planning efforts, crisis intervention, and program evaluation. She currently serves as the Managing Director of Prevention and Family Support at Belmont Charter Network. Davis-Boyer manages the five schools' social services component at the Belmont Charter network.
Davis-Boyer Davis-Boyer's commitment to empowering and uplifting youth is exemplified through her role as the founder and program manager of the Eagle Youth Program at Corinthian Baptist Church of Germantown. This program provides valuable support and guidance to youth in grades 6 through 12. Additionally, Davis-Boyer serves as the Vice President for the Scholarship Program, further highlighting her dedication to fostering opportunities for educational advancement. Her perspective provides a more in-depth approach to social work and youth development her story is a testament to what is possible when you are unwavering and your faith, and committed to adhering to purpose.
Davis-Boyer has a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts with a focus on Criminal Justice, as well as a Master's Degree in Social Work from Temple University. She has served as a member of both the Community Oversight Board and the Child Welfare Oversight Board, allowing her to continue advocating for the social and emotional well-being of youth in the foster care system. Davis-Boyer's impact extends beyond her traditional education pursuits. She has served as the founding youth development specialist and counselor for Temple University's Center for Social Policy and Community Development, the first appointed lower school social worker at Steven Girard College, the founding youth development specialist for the Department of Human Services in Philadelphia, and a founding resilient specialist for Vaux Big Picture High School.
49. Lyasha Bishop-Gaines
Executive Director, Early Excellence Project
Lyasha Bishop-Gaines is the Executive Director of the Early Excellence Project (EEP). She first joined the company in 2019. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the EEP stands as a beacon of innovation and promise. To help make running a successful center-based and home-based childcare center accessible for entrepreneurs carrying the passion to serve Black and Brown children.
Previously, Bishop-Gaines was a chief academic officer at The Learning Loft. Before that, she was a kindergarten teacher at Urban Academy Charter School. Earlier in her career, she worked with Lehigh University as a Lehigh liner.
Bishop-Gaines earned an EdD from Point Park University, an MBA in business administration and management from the West Chester University of Pennsylvania, an MS in teaching, learning, and curriculum from Drexel University, and a Master of Law in Education Law from the University of Pittsburgh and an undergraduate degree in history, Africana studies, and English from Lehigh University.
50. Linda Cozzi
St. Martins General Manager & CFO, Philadelphia Cricket Club
Linda Cozzi serves as both the CFO and General Manager at The Philadelphia Cricket Club (PCC), where her impact has been profound. She played a pivotal role in driving a remarkable over 200% increase in top-line revenue, ensuring the organization's financial stability and paving the way for future growth and expansion. With a wealth of experience spanning various industries, including food and beverage, sports and recreation, hospitality, manufacturing, and nonprofits, Cozzi excels in tackling complex challenges, forward-thinking, and managing risks.
Cozzi has a proven track record of effective board service, providing strategic oversight and leveraging her financial expertise to contribute to the success of various organizations. She has a strong background in corporate governance, having led the revision of by-laws, policies, and rules to adhere to industry best practices. Currently, Cozzi holds board positions at the Philadelphia and Vicinity Club Management Association and chairs the Philadelphia Club Foundation. She has also served on audit and by-laws committees for the Club Management Association of America, a global association with substantial membership and revenue.
Before joining PCC, Cozzi held progressively responsible roles in finance and operations at companies like Interstate Hotels Corporation, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Sara Lee Coffee & Tea, and Cherokee Town & Country Club, amassing over two decades of experience in strategic planning, finance, and accounting. Known for her ability to simplify complex financial decisions through compelling storytelling, she is highly regarded for her comprehensive business acumen and innovative approach to strategy. Cozzi has a BS in Accounting and an MBA in Finance from the University of TN at Chattanooga.