Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Chief Operating Officers of 2024. The Chief Operating Officer has an exceptionally important role to play on executive leadership teams. COOs run the day-to-day operations that keep the teams moving forward with the organization’s mission and goals, while also serving as second in command behind the CEO.
In recent years, more companies have realized the significance of this role, and the key skills of collaboration, engagement, and proactive management are well-suited for the women leaders of the future.
Join us as we celebrate the fine work of Vanessa Hunter, the Chief Operating Officer for The Higdon Group, a global social media, marketing, and personal development training company. A direct sales industry veteran, Hunter brings to this role over 25 years of experience leading high-growth teams and executing company goals to achieve the greatest impact.
Also among this year’s awardees is Denise Nicholson, the COO and Vice President of Mission Portfolios for Soar Technology, a spin-off of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Michigan. Nicholson is a leading executive known for her unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen, spanning government, academia, and industry.
Finally, we honor talent acquisition superstar, Christine Gilo, the Founder and COO of MOGEL, a global Recruitment Process Outsourcing firm. Gilo is an award-winning global leader in RPO with over 20 years of experience in workforce solutions and human capital management.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Chief Operating Officers of 2024.
1. Karen Hanlon
EVP & Chief Operating Officer, Highmark Health
Karen Hanlon is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Highmark Health. Highmark Health, a Pittsburgh, PA-based enterprise that employs more than 42,000 people who serve millions of Americans across the country, is the parent company of Highmark Inc., Allegheny Health Network, enGen, and Helion.
With more than 20 years of finance experience, Hanlon is a key leader, strategist, and visionary for Highmark Health, helping to guide the organization’s mission to create remarkable health experiences that free people to be their best. During her tenure at Highmark, she held several positions within the finance division before becoming the chief financial officer and treasurer of Highmark Health in 2014 and the COO of Highmark Health in 2018.
Hanlon began her career in public accounting at KPMG Peat Marwick before joining Highmark Inc. in 1997. Hanlon graduated from Grove City College with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
4. Airica Steed
Chief Executive Officer & President, The MetroHealth System
Airica Steed is the CEO and President of The MetroHealth System, redefining health care by going beyond medical treatment to improve the foundations of community health and well-being. In her role, Steed is accountable for the executive leadership and strategy of the system, as well as advancing the mission of MetroHealth to be the most admired public health system in the nation. She is dedicated to fostering innovation, community, and health equity focus, high-quality outcomes and service, and financial strength.
Previously, Steed was the system executive vice president and chief operating officer for Sinai Chicago Health System and flagship president of Mount Sinai & Sinai Children’s Hospital, where she was charged with leading strategy and operations for four acute, post-acute, and specialty care hospitals, multi-specialty medical group/physician enterprise comprised of over 4,000 caregivers and 800 physicians. She has spearheaded a multifaceted clinical, operational, and financial transformation geared towards achieving a cumulative over $75 million margin improvement, top decile quality/safety performance, and profitable growth, as well as making monumental groundbreaking advancements in advancing health equity and eradicating healthcare disparities across marginalized communities.
Steed is a highly accomplished and award-winning transformational healthcare executive with over 20 years of exceptional leadership skills and a proven track record of driving results and execution excellence. She is recognized as a strategic and visionary change leader, transformational architect, and international expert in Lean Six Sigma, Malcolm Baldrige framework, and “Big 4” management consulting across community and specialty hospitals, ambulatory clinics and networks, academic medical centers, multi-site clinical integrated healthcare systems, and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Steed is a results-driven change agent with significant experience in large-scale strategy initiatives to drive high-quality care, operational efficiencies and turnarounds, customer satisfaction, workforce and provider engagement, profitable growth, and value optimization. She is an avid speaker on both a national and international level and a published author. She received her EdD with distinction, MBA, BSN, and numerous certifications. On top of her many accolades, her most prized accomplishment is being a devoted mother to four children.
5. Catherine Pearson
Executive Vice President & General Manager, SpringBoard Healthcare
Catherine Pearson is the Executive Vice President & General Manager, of SpringBoard Healthcare, a consulting, education, and talent acquisition partner for leading hospitals and healthcare organizations that are looking to develop, optimize, or expand their cardiovascular service lines.
Pearson previously served SpringBoard Healthcare as the general counsel and chief operations officer, where she was responsible for employment law, contract negotiations, integration of acquisitions, talent management, compliance, credentialing, and business streamlining. Pearson brings 17 years of experience with significant employment, litigation, and healthcare experience. She is an expert in reducing operational inefficiencies and streamlining workflows to support rapid and sustained growth.
Prior to joining Springboard, Pearson was general counsel and chief administrative officer for SimonMed, where she assisted with strategy development, provided legal and healthcare regulatory counsel, reorganized the corporate structure, and addressed payer concerns. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School with a JD and from Seattle University with an undergraduate degree in philosophy and English.
6. Kisha Hawthorne
Chief Operating Officer & SVP, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Kisha Hawthorne is the Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Care Network at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). In this capacity, she provides strategic leadership of CHOP Care Network primary care, specialty care, urgent care, hospital affiliate, and behavioral health services. With a healthcare career spanning more than 20 years, Hawthorne has extensive experience in hospital operations, information services, revenue cycle, and project management. As COO, she manages net operating revenue of $202 million across five profit-and-loss service lines. She leads network growth and business development strategy. She champions diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives focusing on employee recruitment, development, and retention.
Before her current role, Hawthorne served as CHOP’s SVP and CIO for seven years. As CIO, she was responsible for the strategic leadership of the Information Services (IS) department, managing a $50 million capital budget, a project portfolio of more than 90 large and mid-size projects, and 550 full-time staff members. As an executive leader, Hawthorne serves on various CHOP committees, including Strategic Growth, Ethics, and Patient Safety Executive Committee. For 10 years, she served as an executive sponsor for the Multicultural Professionals Network (MPN), one of CHOP’s Employee Resource Groups (ERG).
Hawthorne is often a guest speaker for CHOP programs and symposia as well as many external professional, educational, and civic organizations. She is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including being named a winner of the 2020 Minority Business Leader Awards by the Philadelphia Business Journal. She was also nominated for the 2021 and 2020 Philadelphia CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards. Hawthorne holds a PhD in Information Studies from Drexel University’s College of Computing and Informatics (CCI). She is a graduate of Florida A&M University, the University of Minnesota, and St. Thomas University (St. Paul, MN).
9. Shannon Banks
COO, MaineHealth
Shannon Banks is the COO of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system that consists of nine local health systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and 1,700 employed providers working together through the MaineHealth Medical Group.
Banks is a skilled executive leader with a passion for helping organizations and teams clarify their vision and develop and implement clear strategies for accomplishing their goals. She engages stakeholders in assessing the environment, establishing or refining a clear vision, and designing a pathway to accomplish business results. She values being part of a diverse team with a shared interest in improvement. A skillful communicator, she solicits input from all voices and builds high trust and highly engaged teams where members put their best skills and intelligence toward achieving shared goals.
Previously, Banks was a lecturer for the University of Southern Maine and an adjunct practitioner faculty member at Bates College. Banks earned a Master of Science in Organization and Management from Antioch University New England and an undergraduate degree in psychology from Bates College.
10. Kedma Brown
COO, dentsu Media in the Americas
As the Chief Operating Officer, of Americas, Kedma is driving and accelerating dentsu Media’s transformational journey designed to increase efficiency, automation, and consistency while reducing complexity.
Kedma is a distinguished, passionate, and experienced executive who has led organizations globally through periods of change by applying innovation to elevate user experience and drive significant, sustainable value. Her relentless focus on both the business and its people, combined with her operational rigor, and expertise in digital and technology transformation, makes Kedma a force for spearheading and implementing innovative technology-driven solutions and processes that drive growth and operational excellence. Over the last 25 years, Kedma has earned a reputation as a business transformation leader across a variety of disciplines, including advertising, marketing, business operations, project management, media, and technology. Prior to working at dentsu Media, she worked at various top Fortune 1000 companies like Ogilvy, TBWA\Chiat\Day, Samsung, and Scholastic.
Kedma has built a brand of leading with compassion, championing visibility, and creating more equitable and inclusive environments while mentoring others as they pave their way in the industry. Continually lifting others as she leads by example, Kedma aspires to be a role model for a female-forward and diverse future. A native New Yorker, Kedma graduated from The Fashion Institute of Technology in NY with a BS in Marketing Communications.
12. Stephanie Buckner
Chief Operating Officer, Altair
Stephanie Buckner is the Chief Operating Officer of Altair. She first joined the company in 2011 as a partner solutions manager. Altair is a global leader in computational science and artificial intelligence (AI). They enable organizations across all industries to compete more effectively and drive smarter decisions in an increasingly connected world while creating a more sustainable future.
As COO, Buckner is responsible for Altair's corporate development efforts and field operations, sales, and technical support globally. Previously she served as senior vice president of corporate development, where she was responsible for building strategic partnerships across Altair’s entire ecosystem, including software, hardware, cloud, the Altair Partner Alliance, and with customers.
Earlier in her career, Buckner held senior management roles at Altair, including director of strategic alliances, where she surpassed aggressive new partner enrollment goals and was responsible for scouting, selling, onboarding, and managing relationships with third-party B2B software providers. Additionally, during her time at Altair, she was the co-founder and chief executive officer of WEYV, a multi-content platform built on Altair’s patented digital content licensing model. Before joining Altair, Buckner held analyst roles at Cisco Systems and American Express. Buckner earned a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan.
View the complete list of awardees.
15. Karen Burke
Chief Operating Officer, YWCA USA
Karen Burke is the Chief Operating Officer of YWCA USA. YWCA USA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities.
With over 20 years of executive leadership experience and a lifelong dedication to gender and racial equity, Burke is passionate about advancing the YWCA's mission and vision. She is recognized for achieving programmatic and operational excellence in organizations. Previously, Burke served as the CEO of YWCA Bellingham, where she contributed significantly to the organization's sustainability. She also worked as the Executive Director of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services in Whatcom County, where she expanded the mission's impact by merging organizations, developing new housing facilities, and expanding services.
In addition to her work in nonprofit organizations, Burke served as the director of the Lummi Nation Tribal Court. In this role, she played a vital role in creating and managing programs, such as the Lummi Drug Court and the Lummi Juvenile Justice Project. Additionally, she was the founding Director of the Lummi Nation Child Support Program, one of the first Tribal programs of its kind in the United States. Burke is also a civic leader in her community, serving on several local boards and commissions on homelessness, gender-based violence, child safety, mental health, missing and murdered indigenous women, and criminal justice reform. Burke earned an undergraduate degree in liberal arts and sciences/liberal studies from Western Washington University.
17. Debora Jones
Chief Operating Officer, ProSearch
Debora Jones is the Chief Operating Officer at ProSearch, a leading provider of tech-enabled solutions to corporations and law firms, working closely with some of the largest companies in the Fortune 500 as a trusted partner that brings efficiency to the legal process and spending.
As Chief Operating Officer, Jones works closely with the CEO to execute ProSearch’s business strategy, managing the company’s operations, business development, and service delivery. Jones brings significant expertise in scaling operations, unlocking revenue opportunities, and building exceptional business cultures. Her extensive experience includes recently working as COO with Exterro, where she spent more than a dozen years in progressive leadership roles at Lighthouse Global and practiced as a litigation attorney at two prominent law firms. Her leadership experience also includes board positions with Washington Women Lawyers and the Seattle chapter of Women in eDiscovery™, and she has served as a program and committee chair with the Association of Corporate Counsel.
Jones earned a BA in Psychology from the University of Washington and a JD from George Washington University Law School. She holds a patent on redaction technology and is a frequent speaker and published author on eDiscovery and legal technology. A thought leader in the industry, she actively contributes as a speaker and author on emerging legal technology issues.
18. Sarah Browning
Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President, Moss
Sarah Browning is an accomplished and highly adaptable C-level executive with a proven record of driving global organizational transformations. She has over 20 years of management experience and is adept at leveraging technology and lean operating principles to institute scalable processes across all areas of business. Browning is the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Moss, a brand experience manufacturing company specializing in sustainably blending materials, technology, and techniques for brand activations.
Browning joined Moss in 1998 and previously held positions as EVP of global operations, SVP of operations, executive director of strategic business operations, and various director positions in technical design and manufacturing at Moss. She holds a diverse range of experiences in operations, information systems, lean manufacturing principles, mergers and acquisitions, global workforce management, and marketing.
A person of integrity, Browning is an energizing leader who ignites passion for possibility in the company culture. She is proficient in change leadership and works to form engaging work environments. She is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and holds an MBA with a minor in Information Systems, from Keller Graduate School of Management, where she graduated with distinction. Browning continues her executive education at Kellogg Northwestern. She achieved her education while working full-time and raising three kids, a testament to her relentless perseverance.
20. Kara Solarz
Chief Operating Officer, Hplex Solutions
Kara Solarz is the Chief Operating Officer of Hplex Solutions. Hplex Solutions specializes in several service areas, including development, owner representative, real estate consulting and brokerage services, business consulting, and property management.
Solarz joined Hplex Solutions in 2010 as a property manager but quickly established herself as an integral part of the senior leadership team. She led an initiative to modernize and improve upon the company’s property management system, enhancing value and efficiency for both clients and Hplex.
Previously serving as vice president of real estate and property management, she now directs a team of property managers responsible for several facilities across the country, totaling roughly three million square feet. Her clients appreciate her emphasis on outstanding service and attention to detail. In her role, she has facilitated the opening of new medical buildings, worked closely with staff to ensure a smooth transition, and has overseen numerous remodels of existing spaces. Solarz holds a real estate license in the state of Ohio. She graduated from the University of Dayton and from Ashland University. She is also a member of BOMA and volunteers in her community.
21. Missy Foristall
Global Chief Operating Officer & Americas CEO, DEPT
For more than 25 years, Missy Foristall has spent her career driving innovation and digital transformation for both consumer and enterprise brands. As Global Chief Operating Officer and Americas CEO at DEPT, she continues this work by bringing integrated end-to-end digital experiences to clients and their customers.
Prior to joining DEPT, Foristall was a VP of the digital business group at IBM in a number of digital transformation roles, from leading IBM’s 1,700-person internal agency to managing the digital design group and marketing platform products. Previously she also led digital marketing groups at Martha Stewart, JP Morgan Private Bank, and Razorfish. As managing director for Razorfish’s New York office and executive sponsor for several high-profile client accounts, Foristall oversaw emerging platforms, creative, and delivery of projects.
Foristall is passionate about empowering women and providing support and mentoring. She leads the DEPT Women’s Employee Resource Committee and has recently launched a Women’s Mentoring program. Originally born and raised in New York and a graduate of Hartwick College, Foristall now lives in Connecticut with her husband and two daughters.
23. Grace Woods
Chief Operating Officer, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Grace Woods is the Chief Operating Officer for the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is the national association of over 15,000 attorneys and law professors who practice and teach immigration law. Founded in 1946, AILA is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that provides continuing legal education, information, professional services, and expertise through its 36 chapters and over 50 national committees.
At the AILA, Woods is responsible for executing AILA’s strategy focusing on optimizing operating performance at all levels and maximizing AILA’s business strategies ensuring future growth and sustainability. Woods plays a critical role in ensuring teams are delivering against key business metrics and leads the design and integration of organization systems and processes to ensure alignment and increased operational efficiency.
Woods is a Certified Association Executive and a member of the PA and District of Columbia bars. She received her JD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and her BS from Penn State University.
24. Beverly Riddick
Chief Operations Officer, Urban Resource Institute
Beverly Riddick is Chief Operations Officer at Urban Resource Institute, where she is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the Operations Division by working with the CEO and senior management to establish and execute the goals, strategies, plans, and policies of the Operations Division. Founded in 1980, Urban Resource Institute (URI) offers innovative client-centered services to help transform the lives of domestic violence survivors and homeless families, with a focus on communities of color and other vulnerable populations.
Before joining URI, Riddick served as Executive Director at Ready To Work Business Collaborative, where she built and launched a national nonprofit organization that connected employers to upskilled but overlooked members of the workforce to help them achieve their profit and performance goals. Riddick spent the prior twenty years at HOMECorp as executive director championing Montclair, NJ, community values through affordable housing development and community revitalization. Previously, Riddick was an assistant vice president at Chemical Bank of New Jersey. Earlier in her career, she worked with the Bank of Boston as an assistant vice president.
Riddick holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy Analysis from Claremont Graduate University. Riddick earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Studies from Mount Holyoke College.
View the complete list of awardees.
28. Rukmini Banerjee
Chief Operating Officer, Vouch Insurance
Rukmini Banerjee is the Chief Operating Officer at Vouch. She is accountable for delivering operational capabilities across the entire client journey. Vouch offers protection exclusively for startups, from seed to scale. Vouch is a new, technology-first insurance company backed by $160 million in funding from investors. Vouch is building new technology to solve real problems, writing policies that cover relevant startup scenarios, and designing simple experiences in an otherwise frustrating industry.
Before her current role, Banerjee was the chief people officer at Fetch Rewards, where she was responsible for enabling talent as a strategic resource for business growth. She was committed to creating inclusive environments and cultures, where everyone could thrive. Through her two-year tenure, Fetch Rewards saw a period of hyper-growth from 3 million to 11 million users and from 140 employees to over 700. Banerjee led the building of foundational capabilities around hiring, onboarding, people operations, employee connectivity, and Inclusion and Belonging that facilitated the growth and scaling of talent.
To her roles, Banerjee has brought over two decades’ worth of strong business acumen, experience in managing people operations, and a fierce drive for helping women, POC, and young professionals advance in their industries. She has experience working across the financial services spectrum - insurance, mortgages, retail banks, and credit card operations. Her last role was in the consumer tech industry. She also has global experience working in Australia and India for Fortune 500 companies like GE and HSBC.
Banerjee holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing from XLRI, India. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Jadavpur University in India and is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt from GE.
33. Michelle Potter
COO & Senior Managing Director, KCIC
Michelle Potter is the Chief Operations Officer and Senior Managing Director of KCIC, a consulting firm that helps companies manage their product liabilities. Her day-to-day role is to manage client relationships and lead projects to develop and implement claims processing procedures and systems, as well as to perform complex analyses of different types of claims and insurance. Within KCIC, Potter is tasked with helping the company grow through business development activities and internal initiatives.
Potter is an authority on the current state of the asbestos litigation industry. She started her career as an associate director at Navigant Consulting Group, a leading global provider of consulting services to the public and commercial markets with broad capabilities in management, technology, and risk consulting. After a decade with Navigant, she landed her first role at KCIC as manager, working her way up to managing VP, senior manager, and vice president, before being promoted to her current role. Potter graduated from William & Mary with an undergraduate degree in economics.
34. Denise Nicholson
Chief Operating Officer & VP of Mission Portfolios, Soar Technology
Denise Nicholson is the Chief Operating Officer and VP of Mission Portfolios of Soar Technology. Soar Technology, LLC, is a spin-off of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Michigan and is rooted in cognitive science and innovative multidisciplinary research. With a deep understanding of human perception, memory, performance, learning, and emotion, the SoarTech team of scientists and engineers from leading universities integrates domain knowledge analysis and systems engineering with user design features that perform the way humans do.
Nicholson is a leading executive known for her unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen, spanning government, academia, and industry. Her impact at SoarTech is profound, professionalizing business development and project execution processes in preparation for a recent successfully managed acquisition. With a focus on AI/ML technologies, Nicholson contributes to various DoD domains, including Autonomy, C4I, and Training and Simulation. She excels in concept creation and ensures effective project execution through staff alignment.
As the head of the engineering team, she fosters an innovation-driven culture, achieving key performance indicators that significantly contribute to SoarTech's growth. Nicholson's multi-faceted background and strategic prowess position her as a key player in shaping the future of AI technology for the military's toughest challenges. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and ability to lead mission-critical initiatives set her apart as a dynamic leader in the field, making her a driving force behind SoarTech's success. Nicholson graduated from the University of Arizona with a PhD and an MS in optical science and from Clarkson University with an undergraduate degree in electrical computer engineering.
36. Ashley Georgulis
Chief Operating Officer, The Nanny League
Ashley Georgulis is the Chief Operating Officer for The Nanny League. In this role, she meticulously connects families with highly educated, skilled, and nurturing childcare professionals – nannies, household managers, personal assistants, special needs caregivers, private educators, and newborn care specialists.
Before joining The Nanny League in 2018, Georgulis spent seven years in the education publishing industry from elementary education to professional development. The oldest of four, with five years of nanny experience, her passion for childcare, development, and education was planted at a young age and has continued to flourish.
Georgulis graduated Magna Cum Laude from Texas State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Marketing. She launched her career in educational publishing, where she spent several years in marketing, advertising, public relations, and sales. Georgulis pursued her Master’s degree in Organizational Development from Saint Louis University, where she discovered a passion for growing individuals and entities. She currently resides in Houston, TX, with her husband, daughter, son, and rambunctious pup. She is an avid runner and cyclist.
37. Lauren Izaks
COO & Executive Vice President, All Points Public Relations
Lauren Izaks is the COO and Executive Vice President of All Points Public Relations, an integrated PR agency that specializes in the franchise industry. She co-founded All Points PR in 2011 and has helped fuel the agency’s ascension to the top of the franchise industry’s competitive PR set. Today, All Points PR serves dozens of clients ranging from startups and seasoned entrepreneurial enterprises to international franchise brands.
Izaks’ savvy business sense, combined with stellar organization and planning, keeps All Points PR on track. From conceptualizing and systematizing internal processes to accounting, HR, hiring, technology, and training, Izaks does it all with grace, understanding, and attention to detail. She is the visionary behind the company’s sustained growth, creating pathways for new agency services and departments while also building out strategic recruitment plans to fill newly formed positions with top talent. Izaks has also been the driving force behind some of All Points PR’s most substantive work, including launching the Positive Impact program, which includes quarterly volunteering and service events for agency team members to contribute to the Chicagoland community together. In addition, Izaks co-founded the Northern Illinois Franchise Association, an organization designed to help franchisors, franchisees, and suppliers grow personally and professionally through quarterly events covering a range of timely topics related to franchising, government relations, the economy, and more.
A graduate of Indiana University, Izaks holds an undergraduate degree in education and a postgraduate Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Northwestern University. Izaks earned a leadership certification through Northwestern University and has since begun an additional Master’s degree in Information Design and Strategy.
39. Chris Barrett
Chief Operating Officer, National Utility Contractors Association
Chris Barrett is an experienced nonprofit executive with over 28 years of experience in management and association operations. She is passionate about association work and focuses on delivering exceptional customer service and member value. Currently, Barrett is the Chief Operating Officer at the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) in Fairfax, VA. She is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the association.
In her previous role at the Marine Technology Society (MTS) in Washington DC, Barrett served as the Interim executive director and as the director of operations. She directly managed all functional and operational areas of this professional society.
From 2000 to 2008, Barrett worked at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), Alexandria, VA, as the Senior Manager of Career Services. Her work with AAPS gave her many valuable tools that allowed her to progress her career in association management.
40. Christine Gilo
Founder & Chief Operating Officer, MOGEL
Christine Gilo, Founder of MOGEL RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) is a highly respected leader and innovator in the human capital and talent acquisition industry. With over 20 years of experience in the field and a deep understanding of workforce solutions and human capital management, she has developed unique and effective approaches to recruitment.
Throughout her career, Gilo has held executive positions in Fortune 500 recruitment firms and Top 25 law firms, solidifying her expertise and shaping her industry perspective. Drawing from her extensive experience, she has become a trailblazer in the field, constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional recruitment practices. Gilo’s visionary mindset led her to establish MOGEL, a global Recruitment Process Outsourcing firm headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. At MOGEL, she built the company on an innovative business model that prioritizes connecting companies with the right individuals for the right positions, resulting in an average of 58% cost savings to her clientele. This approach reflects her belief in the power of meaningful connections and the positive impact they can have on businesses and individuals. Under her leadership, MOGEL has become a trusted partner for organizations seeking exceptional talent solutions. Her commitment to personalized and strategic recruitment has propelled the company to new heights, earning recognition and admiration in the industry.
Gilo’s unwavering passion for human capital and talent acquisition, combined with her extensive experience and innovative mindset, have positioned her as a driving force in the industry. She continues to shape the future of recruitment by challenging conventional norms and fostering connections that create lasting success for companies and individuals. Gilo’s expertise and dedication make MOGEL an ideal partner to help navigate the complex landscape of talent acquisition and workforce solutions.
View the complete list of awardees.
42. Lucy Benedetti
Chief Operating Officer, South Dade Kia of Miami
Lucy Benedetti is a professional in the automotive industry. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, she began her career at Toyota Motors in 1991. Embracing the Toyota philosophy, she delivered outstanding results that led to significant economic gains, enabling her to make strategic investments. In 1992, she crossed paths with her husband, Mario JT Benedetti, a third-generation car dealer who owned a Toyota dealership in Prosperi Cumana. Their partnership blossomed into marriage, and the couple has two beautiful children.
Transitioning to Cumana, Benedetti collaborated with her husband, immersing herself in the Japanese standard and adapting to the evolving industry requirements. In July 2009, they relocated to Miami, where they seized an opportunity to purchase a Toyota dealership in Homestead, FL, marking the inception of South Dade Toyota. They successfully established South Dade of KIA Miami in September 2019. Their collaborative efforts culminated in the inauguration of a third dealership, South Dade Kia Homestead, in October 2022, with Benedetti overseeing the operations of all three dealerships.
Benedetti launched the South Dade Education Fund in 2021, a foundation to support education programs, and with South Dade Kia, she spearheaded a new campaign, "Her Drive Her Voice," where the company aims to revolutionize the way business is conducted with women.
43. Mary Bell Love
Partner & Chief Operating Officer, The MACH 1 Group
Mary Bell Love is a public affairs expert with extensive media relations, political strategy, crisis management, and strategic communication expertise. As a Partner and Chief Operating Officer for The MACH 1 Group, Love manages a wide breadth of clients – from higher education institutions and nonprofits to trade associations. As director of the firm’s natural resources practice, she specializes in oil and gas, water, and electric industry communications.
Previously, Love served as director of public affairs for the Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC), where she was nominated for Outstanding Women in Texas Government. Her experience and savvy have received attention locally and nationally. She received a Bronze Stevie award for Female Executive of the Year (2023) and Agency Planner of the Year (2023) from the Austin Alliance for Women in Media and a nomination for Austin Business Journal’s Women in Business (2022), which celebrates Central Texas women at the top of their industry.
A seventh-generation Texan, Love is passionate about sharing her talents to serve her local community. She is the co-founder and board member of the American Energy Institute and serves on the board of directors for the Pink Granite Foundation and Women’s Symphony League of Austin. She’s a former board member of the Austin Alliance for Women in Media and the KLRU Community Advisory Board. In addition, she serves on the Austin Business Journal Leadership Trust and is an active member of Women Communicators of Austin and the Public Relations Society of America. Love earned both her Bachelor's and Master’s of Fine Arts degrees from Texas State University. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling the world with her husband, Jarod, and spending time at her family's ranch with their dogs, Henry and Rory.
44. Vanessa Hunter
Chief Operating Officer, The Higdon Group
A direct sales industry veteran, Vanessa Hunter is the current Chief Operating Officer for The Higdon Group, a global social media, marketing, and personal development training company based in Naples, Florida.
Hunter has over 25 years of experience in the direct selling and network marketing industry. With a proven track record of sales growth and operational efficiency, Hunter’s experience in business operations, leading high-performance sales teams, executing effective marketing strategies, field leadership training, and strategic business development is instrumental in executing the company’s goal of achieving greater global impact and brand awareness.
Before this appointment, Hunter held various C-suite positions within the industry for over 20 years and served various clients as the CEO of her own company, The Brand Muse Creative Marketing, established in 2017. Her results-driven, people-centric leadership style has unified high-performance teams and facilitated rapid revenue growth for several global companies.
47. Katie Alberts
Chief Operating Officer, Reach Records
Katie Alberts is the Chief Operating Officer of Reach Records, an American independent record label specializing in Christian hip hop. The label was founded in 2004 by Ben Washer and the hip-hop artist Lecrae. In addition to Lecrae, the Reach Records roster contains artists like Tedashii, Trip Lee, Andy Mineo, 1K Phew, WHATUPRG, Wande, Hulvey, and Limoblaze. The hip-hop collective 116 operates under the label and consists primarily of the label's solo acts.
Spending the majority of her career focused on the digital market and adjusting to the streaming movement, Alberts stepped into a role as an executive overseeing digital endeavors for the label. As COO, she oversees financial strategy, distribution, sync, digital marketing, and all operational functions of the label. She’s passionate about independent artists and labels and advocating for women in leadership within the music industry.
Earlier in her career, she worked with the Georgia Institute of Technology as a mathematics undergraduate teaching assistant. Alberts graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with an undergraduate degree with a concentration in marketing.
48. Gina Pomponi
President and Chief Operating Officer, Bluewater Media
Gina Pomponi is the President and COO of Bluewater Media. Bluewater is a converged agency that brings all aspects of research, creativity, production, digital commerce, and offline and online media together under one roof.
For more than 30 years, Pomponi has developed strategies and managed successful campaigns across retail, insurance, financial, high ticket lead generation, drive to the web, and direct sales. While managing over $100mm in billings at Mercury Media and Direct Response Media, she honed her skills to become one of the savviest media thought-leaders in the industry.
Pomponi joined Bluewater in late 2015 as a partner and quickly jumped in and built the media division into a multi-million-dollar diversified business supporting a constantly growing staff. She’s driven over 11X in media growth and created Bluewater’s Account Management team to provide direct client support.
View the complete list of awardees.