Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of Massachusetts for 2024. As one of the oldest states in the Union, Massachusetts has a rich history of innovation and education, home to world-renowned institutions like Harvard and MIT. The state has seen consistent growth in population, employment, and business, making it an attractive destination for both up-and-coming and established professionals. The top industries in The Bay State include innovative fields like information technology, aerospace, robotics, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and green technologies, as well as traditional sectors like financial services, academics, insurance, and healthcare.
Leading the way in the healthcare field is Elif Eracar, the Chief Customer Officer at Cohere Health. Eracar leads all aspects of Cohere’s end-to-end client delivery operations while strategically enhancing customer interactions across all touchpoints.
Next, we congratulate financial executive Shelby Saad-Callahan. As a Tax Partner for EY, Saad-Callahan uses her more than 22 years of private- and public-company tax experience to focus on partnership transactions, tax compliance, tax planning, and consulting services.
Finally, we honor the accomplishments of Kendalle Burlin O’Connell, the Chief Executive Officer and President of MassBio. O’Connell advocates for Massachusetts life sciences companies to ensure innovative research, development, and manufacturing for breakthrough therapies and cures.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Massachusetts for 2024.
2. Rosa Colon-Kolacko
President & Founder, Global Equity Learning
Rosa Colon-Kolacko is the President and Founder of Global Equity Learning, where she provides strategic advisory and learning solutions for your organization to enable the delivery of equitable experiences for all. Colon-Kolacko is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience in spearheading diversity, inclusion, and equity strategies, as well as managing change management teams and various human resource functions across a range of industries and geographical locations. She has made significant contributions to global pharmaceuticals, health systems, academia, government, and nonprofit boards.
Colon-Kolacko’s impressive professional background includes serving as the chief diversity officer and SVP of the Learning Institute at Christiana Care Health System in Delaware, as well as holding the position of SVP and chief people officer at NY City Health + Hospital. Additionally, Colon-Kolacko successfully ran her own diversity and global learning consulting firm, catering to esteemed clients, such as Jefferson Health and Baptist Health in South Florida.
During her earlier career, Colon-Kolacko held influential positions at Bristol Myers-Squibb and SmithKline Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline). She earned a PhD in Organizational Development and Change from Benedictine University, an MBA from Henley Business School at the University of Reading in England, and a post-graduate marketing diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing in London. She has made significant contributions to academia, holding positions as a professor of professional practice at Bowling Green State University and as adjunct faculty at Georgetown University, the University of Delaware, and Thomas Jefferson University.
3. Samantha Santiago
Chief Operating Officer, Datavant
Samantha Santiago is the Chief Operating Officer at Datavant. She is responsible for the non-embedded retrieval of medical records and drives innovation and automation to improve the client experience. She has direct P&L responsibility for $500 million and leads a global team of 2,000. Santiago has nearly 20 years of experience and an impressive background in bringing strategy deployment, innovation, and process improvement within the financial services, supply chain, and insurance industries.
Santiago was previously the head of claims strategy and automation at Farmers Insurance. Her journey has included positions with Liberty Mutual, Toyota Financial Services, Hyundai Capital America, Staples, and Farmers Insurance. Santiago is a pioneering strategy executive for Farmers Insurance and serves a critical role as a leading technology and innovation influencer within the Insurance industry. In her current role, Santiago is responsible for developing an overarching, topline claims strategy, and she has responsibility for claims digital transformation, advanced analytics, claims customer experience, centralized strategy, and competitive intelligence.
Santiago is also a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black belt, a professional designation signifying that she is highly trained in the art of improving results using lean concepts and advanced statistical analysis techniques. She was nominated as Staples's “US Businesswoman of the Year” and is an active external speaker on technology, innovation, and leadership. With a deep passion for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Santiago is a founding member of CHIEF in Los Angeles, a private network dedicated to advancing Women in Leadership and keeping them at the leadership table. She is an alumnus of the Next Generation Executive program and is an active member of the Partnership community.
4. Christina Crowley
SVP of Services Operations, Dell Technologies
As SVP of Services Operations, Christina Crowley leads a team of over 1,500 professionals dedicated to enhancing operational support for Dell Technologies Services. She is responsible for directing initiatives aimed at driving operational excellence and executing cutting-edge innovations throughout Dell Technologies Services while ensuring Dell delivers an unparalleled end-to-end service experience for both customers and team members. Crowley oversees cross-functional initiatives, such as the Voice of the Customer office and Services Sales Operations teams, ensuring alignment across Dell's various divisions.
Crowley is passionate about diversity and inclusion, mentorship, and professional development. She serves as the executive sponsor of the New England chapters for True Ability and Veterans and Supporters. In her 12 years at Dell, Crowley has held various strategic leadership roles in global partner services sales, license management services, education services, renewal sales, and global business services. In these positions, she was responsible for driving programs that focused on revenue growth, cost optimization, and customer experience. Before Dell Technologies, Crowley built the software compliance team at Oracle Corporation.
In 2023, Crowley was named a CRN's Mentor of the Year, a Channel Chief, 100 Most Powerful Women of the Channel, and an Inclusive Channel Leader. Outside of Dell, she sits on the Board of the Boston American Heart Association, The Conference Board’s Leadership Council on Advancing Women, and the Massachusetts Commonwealth Corporation Board. She is a Certified Public Accountant.
7. Shelby Saad-Callahan
Tax Partner, EY
Shelby Saad-Callahan is a Tax Partner and the East Region EY Private Leader. She has more than 22 years of private- and public-company tax experience. Her primary focus has been on partnership transactions, tax compliance, tax planning, and consulting for clients in various industries, including law, healthcare, real estate, and venture capital/private equity, as well as for other professional services partnerships and limited liability companies.
Saad-Callahan conducts technical training for members of the Partnership Group. She also provides technical training to EY employees in various offices. She started at EY as a senior tax manager, where she was responsible for co-leading the Partnership Group in the Boston office and assisting clients on complex public and private partnership transactions. Previously, Saad-Callahan was a member of the Joint Ventures and Partnerships Tax Consulting Group in Ernst & Young LLP’s National Tax Department, based in Washington DC from September 2005 through September 2007. Saad-Callahan holds a BS in Accountancy from Boston College and an MS in Taxation from Northeastern University. She is a licensed CPA in Massachusetts.
8. Maura Quinn
VP of Early Career & DEI Talent Acquisition Programs, Liberty Mutual Insurance
As VP, Maura Quinn leads Early Career, DEI, and Talent Acquisition Programs at Liberty Mutual, the eighth largest global property and casualty insurer based on 2023 gross written premium.
Quinn has dedicated her career to designing and implementing innovative recruiting initiatives and executing best-in-class customer service to better attract, engage, and hire talent from all backgrounds for internships and entry-level positions. Her commitment to social, cultural, and economic equity in the workplace allowed her to expand her DEI responsibilities to help source and attract talent at all levels across the enterprise. She began this career journey with Liberty Mutual 23 years ago as a new college graduate.
Quinn graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management and Marketing. She currently serves on the College Industry Board, the Association of Campus Recruiting Executives, and the Vice Chair of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Board of Directors. In 2016, Quinn was the recipient of the NACE / Direct Employer’s Catalyst Award, and in 2023, she received the RippleMatch Exceptional Leader Award, Enterprise Early Career Program.
10. Clair Williams
EVP and Global Head of Middle Office, Collateral Management & Investment Analytics, State Street
Clair Williams is a global C-suite financial services executive and board director who possesses more than 30 years of leadership, investment, risk management, custodial, and operations experience at the G-SIFI level. She is a hands-on leader, partner, advisor, and mentor who advocates for the propulsion of both growth and positive change in the industry.
Williams presently serves as Executive Vice President, Global Head of Middle Office (MO), Collateral Management (CM), and Investment and Performance Analytics (IA) at State Street. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing State Street's MO, CM, and IA operations for more than 75 investment managers, asset owners, and insurance clients globally. Williams also plays a pivotal role in supporting and servicing State Street Alpha's front-to-back strategy. She oversees a team of approximately 7,000 professionals across more than 30 locations.
Additionally, Williams is a leading member of State Street's Global Operating Group, Global Conduct Committee, and Global Executive Talent Council and the EMEA Lead for the Professional Women's Network.
12. Kathleen Federico
SVP & Chief People, Brand, and Communications Officer, MITRE
Kathleen Federico is the Senior Vice President and Chief People, Brand, and Communications Officer at MITRE. She was previously the chief people and corporate strategy officer, where she led MITRE’s talent and people programs, strategic communications, and corporate strategy. Federico uses her deep expertise and diverse experience to shape the values and culture of the organization, with a focus on innovation, opportunity, and growth through the lens of inclusion and diversity.
Federico is recognized for her business acumen, having led several industries in modernizing their talent management, compensation, learning and development, and operations. Previously, Federico was chief human resources officer for Civitas Solutions, where she oversaw the transformation of the organization’s HR enterprise. She also held dual roles as senior vice president of sales and HR at World Travel Holdings, the world’s largest cruise agency.
Federico is the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Association of Colleges and Employers Employer Recruiting Champion 2021. She also serves on the board of directors for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Edinburg Center, and the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Business Round Table. She is a member of the Massachusetts High Technology Council and holds a bachelor’s degree from Merrimack College.
View the complete list of awardees.
15. Melissa Ortega
System Vice President of Ambulatory Pharmacy Services, Tufts Medicine
Melissa Ortega is a transformational leader in the healthcare industry, demonstrating a deep commitment to providing exceptional patient care. As a highly accomplished pharmacy executive, she has been instrumental in advancing the pharmacy practice and programs across the care continuum and health system, revolutionizing the healthcare delivery model. As the System Vice President of Ambulatory Pharmacy Services at Tufts Medicine, a leading integrated health system, Ortega leads with unwavering dedication to pharmacy operational and clinical integration initiatives for community, specialty, home infusion, retail pharmacies, and clinical pharmacy services.
Ortega’s passion lies in building robust clinical programs and seamlessly integrating pharmacy services at every episode of care, amplifying medication outcomes, and care transitions, and reinforcing optimal site-of-care strategies. Her strategic focus on driving innovation, promoting patient-centered care, and cultivating a positive work environment empowers her team to consistently deliver service excellence in all they do. Ortega’s expertise expands across diverse healthcare settings, including acute care and outpatient environments, where she leverages cutting-edge technology to enhance medication outcomes. She actively promotes diversity and inclusion in healthcare while collaboratively engaging stakeholders to address the dynamic needs of the community. Her commitment to research and knowledge dissemination is evident through her published research and extensive presentations.
As president and legislative chair of the Massachusetts Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the inaugural Executive Committee chair of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Section of Community Pharmacy Practitioners, Ortega has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a strong commitment to elevate and advocate for the pharmacy profession. She is dedicated to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, playing an active role both locally and nationally. For her outstanding achievements, she has been recognized as an ASHP, Carol Emmott, and the American College of Healthcare Executives Fellow. Ortega earned an MS in Health-System Pharmacy Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy and a PharmD from Nova Southeastern University.
16. Patti Fletcher
Chief Strategy & Practice Officer, TalentLign
Patti Fletcher is the Chief Strategy and Practice Officer at TalentLign. TalentLign helps organizations overcome intricate talent and human capital challenges by integrating and aligning digital innovation and functional insights with deep industry expertise to deliver solutions that drive tangible business outcomes.
Fletcher is a research scientist, writer, and keynote speaker, transitioning from full-time enterprise software C-suite roles and part-time strategic consulting to advisory. With deep expertise as a Doctorate of Management researcher and large enterprise operator whose career has been marked by category creation and disruption, she elevates HCM strategies to transform workforces into sustainable competitive advantages.
Over 25 years, Fletcher has served as a senior executive, leading large-scale external market and internal cultural transformation at SAP, IBM, IHS, Workhuman, Limeade, and HR.com. As a strategic consultant and advisor in private practice, she has collaborated with Kaiser Permanente, AIG, Promach, Salesforce, NASA, EY, other Fortune 500 organizations, and several start-ups and scale-up businesses.
17. Jeanne Duca
Vice President of Brand & Experience, BCN Telecom
As Vice President of Brand and Experience at BCN, Jeanne Duca spearheads brand development and leads Marketing and Sales Enablement initiatives, enhancing the BCN experience for the team, sales partners, and customers. Duca is the executive leader responsible for BCN's recent system and procedural advances in the design and delivery of quotes and customer proposals and leads the team responsible for this work.
Since joining BCN in 2016 as vice president of marketing, Duca has leveraged 15 years of expertise in brand management and channel marketing. She was recognized by CRN as a Women of the Channel in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 for her leadership, vision, and contributions to channel growth and innovation. Before BCN, she led the Channel Marketing team at XO Communications and ran a brand consulting firm specializing in support for technology companies.
Duca holds a BS in Advertising from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
19. Ashley Larochelle
Vice President of People & Culture, Thermacell Repellents
Ashley Larochelle is the Vice President of People and Culture at Thermacell Repellents, Inc., a privately held company with a mission to liberate people who love the outdoors from the harmful effects of insects. Thermacell Repellents is a high-growth consumer products company with a mission to liberate people who love the outdoors from the harmful effects of insects.
Larochelle has 15 years of experience working with both large and small companies in the finance, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. Most notably, she was the director of vision activation for MegaFood, a leading producer of premium supplements, where she delivered strategic corporate communication, culture, and engagement and led a variety of projects aimed at supporting the company's business objectives and vision. Larochelle also drove a multi-year social impact effort to become a Certified B Corporation and helped the company earn a spot on the best places to work list for the State of New Hampshire.
Larochelle holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Finance from Rivier University in Nashua New Hampshire.
20. Lauren Morton
VP of Business Operations, Science Exchange
Lauren Morton is a recognized leader at the nexus of science, technology, and business. Drawing from a wealth of educational and professional experiences, she has solidified her reputation as an outstanding operations expert within the business landscape.
As VP of Business Operations at Science Exchange, Morton leverages her expertise in project management and client engagement to drive impactful initiatives and manage a broad scope of company operations. Her strategic insights and leadership are instrumental in advancing the company's mission of accelerating scientific breakthroughs through collaboration. Before her tenure at Science Exchange, Morton excelled at Deloitte, where she managed engagements specializing in strategy and business transformation for life science clients. Her experience working with top-tier pharma companies provided her with a deep understanding of the intersection between technology and business strategy, enabling her to drive sustainable growth and innovation.
Morton’s academic achievements include holding a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University, where she laid the groundwork for her career with a solid foundation in engineering principles and problem-solving. She then earned her Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, further honing her strategic thinking and leadership skills. Beyond her professional achievements, Morton is deeply committed to community engagement and mentorship. She actively volunteers her time to mentor engineering students at Northeastern and promote STEM education initiatives, reflecting her dedication to empowering the next generation of leaders.
21. Dune Thorne
Partner & Head of Growth and Strategy, Brown Advisory
Dune Thorne is a Partner at Brown Advisory, where she serves on the Executive Committee and is the Head of Growth and Strategy for the Private Client and Endowment and Foundation Business. Brown Advisory is an investment advisory firm that manages over $140 billion for institutions and families from 14 offices globally. Thorne’s work has evolved to focus on sustainable and impact investing, diversity and inclusion, and the intersection between investing and philanthropy.
Thorne has been honored with numerous awards, including the EV Kids Youth Champion Award, in 2018, World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader, in 2013, Advisor One’s Top 50 Women in Wealth, in 2011, and Boston Business Journal’s Emerging Leader in 2011. A frequent speaker, and radio and television interviewee, she authored her own TEDx talk, “Jump to the New S Curve: Unleash the Power of Inclusion” and has been quoted in financial journals, as well as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Forbes.com. In 2010, she founded Invest in Girls, a nonprofit focused on financial literacy for under-represented high-school girls that now works with over 4,500 girls across the country and is continuing to grow and expand through its combination with The Council for Economic Education.
Thorne attended Harvard Business School, where she received an MBA and was the recipient of a Summer Social Enterprise Fellowship in 2003. She holds a BA from Dartmouth College in Economics, where she was also captain of the Division 1 nationally ranked Women’s Lacrosse team and received All-Ivy Academic Honors. She is also a graduate of the Boston Center for Community & Justice Lead Boston Program and the Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century at the Harvard Kennedy School.
22. Lynn Benander
President, Co-op Power
Lynn Benander is a community entrepreneur and activist supporting the development of community-based renewable energy enterprises that bring ESG benefits – jobs, customer savings, wealth, ownership, and justice – to their communities as a vehicle for a just transition to a more equitable and just society. Lynn looks for ways to build hope in communities left with nothing in our society. Hope is the most powerful antidote to the injustice, despair, and trauma in our culture today and Lynn’s supporting initiatives all over the country bring hope to those who need it most.
Lynn has served as the President of Co-op Power for 20 years, managing a multi-race, multi-class network of community energy co-ops serving the Northeastern US. She supported the development of a dozen energy efficiency, solar, and biofuel enterprises and developed 6 MW of community-owned solar. She has worked with others to develop strategies for communities, especially low-income and BIPOC communities, to scale and own their solar projects. She’s supporting municipalities, nonprofits, and BIPOC community leaders to direct, build, and own their own solar using the new IRA Direct Pay financing and resources from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
Lynn was a founding member and one of the first Directors for the People's Solar Energy Fund, a cooperative loan fund governed by its member community-based solar developers, supporting the development of 500MW of EJ community-led, community-owned solar, and the jobs, power and money that it generates for local communities. She was a founding member and the first manager for the Green Energy Justice Cooperative developed under the leadership of Blacks in Green in Chicago where they developed a pipeline of 15 MW of solar projects in their first year.
Lynn is also a consultant to Sunwealth, consulting on project development strategy and securing corporate and government investments to fund community-based solar projects across the country. She is a member of Just Transition PowerForce organized by Emerald Cities and the NAACP, and is active on her town’s energy committee. She serves as the Treasurer for Conway School of Landscape Design and frequently facilitates Offers and Needs Markets developed by the Post Growth Institute as one way for people to experience the power of cooperation and move from scarcity to abundance together in a couple of hours.
View the complete list of awardees.
23. Deirdre Leid
GM Hardware Business Unit, Hudl
Deirdre Leid is Vice GM for Hudl’s Hardware Business Unit. She previously served as the VP of Hardware, leading a team of engineers, product managers, and supply chain professionals to develop industry-leading smart camera solutions to automatically record, upload, and livestream game film for sports teams worldwide.
A strategic-minded executive with more than 20 years of experience in the consumer technology space, Leid combines operational excellence, product management, and business management to create innovative software/hardware products for large-scale consumer markets. She and her team are committed to professional mentoring, coaching, and supporting young professionals, specifically young women, in navigating and excelling in the technology industry. Before joining Hudl, Leid held roles at Sonos, Bose, and Harman, where five of her products received the prestigious Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Award.
Outside of work, Leid is passionate about giving back to the community, dedicating time towards supporting organizations that unlock opportunities for girls worldwide as a fundraiser for HopeForGirlsAfrica.org and a mentor for local Technovation Challenge teams. Additionally, she supports Boston area veterans as a volunteer with the New England Center and Home for Veterans. She has also been a mentor and advisor to two consumer startups and past president of Wayland Youth Basketball. Before her corporate ventures, Leid served in the US Coast Guard from 1990 to 1995. At 25 years of age, she became one of the youngest commanding officers of a Coast Guard Cutter and one of the few women at that time to hold the position. She was also involved in search-and-rescue efforts during the “perfect storm” of 1991, the notorious nor’easter that swept northward along the US Atlantic coast and claimed 13 lives.
24. Danielle Baptiste
Vice President & General Manager, Software, Onto Innovation
Danielle Baptiste serves as the Vice President and General Manager of Software at Onto Innovation, a renowned industry leader in process control. Leveraging its global presence and an extensive range of cutting-edge technologies, Onto Innovation specializes in diverse areas, such as un-patterned wafer quality, 3D metrology spanning nanometer-scale transistors to large die interconnects, macro defect inspection of wafers and packages, metal interconnect composition, factory analytics, and advanced semiconductor packaging lithography.
A leader and strategist in the world of software and digital transformation, Baptiste has over 20 years of experience leading cross-functional teams around the world in business and software consulting, engineering, technical service, customer success strategy, marketing, and product management. Advocating for clients and partners globally, she brings valuable perspective and insights to the SaaS and hybrid cloud collaboration portfolio she leads.
Baptiste began her professional journey in 1994. Before her tenure at Onto Innovation, she held the role of associate vice president of product management at HCL Software. Before that, she served as an executive director of offering management at IBM. Earlier in her career, she excelled as an account executive at McAfee. Danielle is an alumnus of the University of Rhode Island, where she obtained her undergraduate degree.
25. Tara Rudnicki
President, Tobii Dynavox
Tara Rudnicki is an advocate and champion for the rights of people with disabilities. With over 20 years of leadership in assistive technology, special education, and accessibility, she has been critical in expanding education and access to these life-changing technologies. A highly visible name in assistive technology, Rudnicki has extensive knowledge and expertise that has allowed her to serve the collective needs of those with disabilities and allow them to live fuller, more independent lives.
Rudnicki spearheaded an industry and community coalition to expand federal healthcare coverage for speech-generating devices for those with communication and mobility impairments. In addition to her current role as North American President of Tobii Dynavox, Rudnicki has been elected President of the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA), where she has served 10 years on the Executive Committee, working collaboratively with the industry to expand education and best practices.
Rudnicki led Tobii ATI, the North American division of Tobii’s assistive technology business. She began her career as a bookkeeper, eventually rising to the president of the company. She led the acquisition of the company to Tobii in 2008. Tobii, the global leader in eye tracking, brought its groundbreaking eye-tracking technology to assistive technology to greatly expand access to AAC devices. In 2014, Rudnicki led the acquisition of Dynavox, the industry’s largest supplier, merging the companies to become Tobii Dynavox. Rudnicki oversees the North American market, including the education division, online sales, funding, customer service, and marketing.
26. Priyanka Sharma
Vice President, World Education
Priyanka Sharma is the Vice President of World Education. She is responsible for overseeing various projects and centers of expertise based in the United States. These include the EdTech Center, National College Transition Network, New England Literacy Resource Center, and SABES Program Support Center. World Education is a Boston-based international nonprofit dedicated to improving people's lives around the world through education and economic and social development programs rooted in basic education and literacy.
Sharma takes charge of initiatives focusing on post-secondary career readiness, technology integration, digital transformation, and the development of digital skills. One of her key roles is co-leading Digital US, a national initiative that adopts a cross-sector approach to create a learning and working ecosystem that promotes digital resilience for all individuals engaged in learning and work. Additionally, Sharma directs the New England Literacy Resource Center and leads collaborative projects involving policymakers, professional developers, and practitioners.
An expert in innovative project design and implementation, Sharma continues to provide leadership to multiple national initiatives on college and career readiness, technology integration, and digital equity. She holds a degree in biology and anthropology from the State University of New York.
27. Christina Wirth
Executive Director, Pricing & Commercial Enablement, KPMG US
At the forefront of professional services innovation, Christina Wirth is the Executive Director and co-founder of the KPMG US central pricing function. With nearly two decades of strategic pricing and commercial experience in professional services and B2B industries, she has built and led value-based pricing functions at two of the Big 4 firms and spearheaded numerous transformation programs at multi-billion-dollar corporations, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in annual recurring incremental profit.
With a passion for people and a value-centric mindset, Wirth leads a large, multi-disciplined team of talented strategists, analysts, and problem solvers, poised to revolutionize the professional services industry by aligning client needs to value. Wirth holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Finance and is a Certified Pricing Professional. She is an esteemed lecturer, having presented to business school students and professionals at international conferences about pricing and business transformations. She has published multiple thought leadership pieces, most recently with The Professional Pricing Society.
Wirth lives in South Boston with her husband and their young daughter. She is an advocate for balancing personal well-being with a demanding career. An avid runner, she has completed multiple domestic and international marathons and is training for the New York City Marathon. She is deeply committed to mental health, actively supporting Samaritans, Inc. in the battle for suicide prevention, and assisting children in need within Boston and the community through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts.
28. Tiffany Mosher Taylor
Head of People, Canoe Intelligence
Tiffany Mosher Taylor is a seasoned people resources practitioner with more than 25 years of experience leading corporate human resources teams to drive business outcomes and goals. As the Head of People for Canoe Intelligence, Taylor leads Canoe’s People Strategy practice to ensure the availability of world-class talent to drive the company’s success. Her responsibilities include strategic talent acquisition, leadership, manager, and employee development; business partnering; and compensation and benefits.
A respected and accomplished HR executive, Taylor has held multiple senior HR executive-level roles and has deep experience in developing corporate human resources strategies that recruit, retain, and develop top talent. She is a thoughtful and accomplished leader, with experience in a variety of industries, including high-tech, professional services, consumer goods and publishing, including stints with Appcues, PatientPing, DataXu, Akamai Technologies, Borland Software, Cengage Learning, SharkNinja, and Aramark.
Taylor holds both her BA and MA in Communications from the University of Maine. She also has a Business Certificate from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
29. Tanya Bodell
Partner & Executive Director, StoneTurn Group LLC
Tanya Bodell is the Partner and Executive Director of the StoneTurn Group LLC. She is a leader in the energy industry transition, serving as a trusted advisor to business executives and top levels of government. An expert in energy and its impact on the environment, she advises established businesses on their sustainability strategies, develops new entry strategies for advanced energy technologies, and serves as an expert on policy, regulatory, and litigation matters, levering more than 25 years of experience in energy and environmental matters.
Bodell helps clients to unlock value through informed business decisions that create competitive advantage. She has led several strategic and highly quantitative analyses focused on the power sector and the fuels industry, as well as renewables, energy storage, hydrogen, and new technologies. She interacts extensively with executives, corporate boards, and senior management of energy companies, adding value through the development of business strategy, expert insights, and transaction support. She has advised on billion-dollar acquisition opportunities and managed billion-dollar energy procurement processes. Bodell also has significant experience in high-stakes regulation and litigation in, which hundreds of millions of dollars are at risk in North America and abroad.
Bodell has served as the president of the Northeast Energy Commerce Association, vice chair of the International Chamber of Commerce Center for Expertise, and chair of her town’s Alternative Energy Committee. She regularly speaks on energy trends and authors articles that provide insights on business issues facing market participants operating in the energy industries.
View the complete list of awardees.
32. Kendalle Burlin O’Connell
Chief Executive Officer & President, MassBio
As CEO and President, Kendalle Burlin O’Connell leads the strategic direction for MassBio and drives policy advocacy for the industry to ensure that Massachusetts life sciences companies have the best environment possible to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize breakthrough therapies and cures for people around the world. Pursuing innovation and delivering for members are the hallmarks of O’Connell’s more than 14 years at MassBio. This includes the launch of several multi-year initiatives focused on realizing a diverse and equitable life sciences industry, supporting the continued growth and sustainability of the industry throughout Massachusetts, and providing resources and solutions to companies across the industry value chain.
O’Connell has played a critical role in MassBio’s growth into the largest life sciences trade association in the world with over 1,600 members. She has overseen the rebranding of several of MassBio’s core programs and services and has led the development of the MassBioHub conference and business center. In 2022, she was instrumental in the launch of MassBio’s newest entrepreneurial accelerator program, MassBioDrive, and MassBio’s Innovation Week, two initiatives focused on advancing breakthrough science and providing opportunities for innovators from diverse backgrounds in all areas of the life sciences ecosystem. She also built a professional relationship with Beacon Capital Partners to create the MassBio workforce training center in Dorchester.
O’Connell is a 2022 recipient of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Inspire Award recognizing outstanding women leaders in the Cambridge community, a 2022 Boston power player as named by Axios, a 2021 Executive Fellow in the inaugural class of the Civic Action Project Collaborative, and a 2019 Boston Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree. Currently, she serves as vice chair of the Eastern New England Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society, co-chair of the 2022 New England Researchers program, a board of director for the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation, and an advisory committee member for the Suffolk University Law School All Rise Program. O’Connell graduated cum laude from Sacred Heart University with an undergraduate degree in economics and political science and received her JD from Suffolk University Law School.
33. Elif Eracar
Chief Client Experience Officer, Cohere Health
Elif Eracar serves as Chief Customer Officer at Cohere Health. She leads all aspects of Cohere’s end-to-end client delivery operations, including solutions consulting, business process transformation, implementation, technical delivery, quality assurance, and ongoing customer and provider success. Cohere Health offers intelligent prior authorization solutions to improve patient outcomes while reducing administrative expenses.
Eracar excels at strategically enhancing customer interactions across all touchpoints, ensuring a seamless, engaging, and deeply satisfying experience that not only meets but exceeds expectations. She is adept at using insights from customer data to drive innovations in service delivery, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and client-centricity within the organization.
Eracar is experienced in driving revenue growth and spearheading mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare industry. She leads teams to launch innovative products while ensuring the alignment of technology initiatives with corporate strategy to spur expansion, improve customer experience, and enhance competitive advantage. Previously, Eracar was an SVP of professional services and customer support and privacy officer at American Well. Earlier in her career, she worked with Voxware as a project manager. Eracar earned an MS in Information Systems and an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering from Northeastern University.
34. LeeAnn Manning
Partner, Floyd Advisory
LeeAnn Manning is a Partner at Floyd Advisory. She is a recognized leader in both the accounting industry and the Boston community. Manning has considerable experience advising executive management, audit committees, and their counsel on a broad range of accounting, finance, and business-related issues. She has assisted legal counsel across a range of industries with business disputes, internal investigations, SEC-related matters, white-collar defense matters, government inquiries, monitorship and remediation efforts, post-acquisition disputes, and other forensic accounting assignments.
Manning has presented findings and observations to several government agencies, including the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Education, and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. She has also provided testimony as an expert witness and has served as a neutral accountant assisting with the resolution of business disputes. In addition to her extensive work serving clients, she leads strategic growth and people initiatives for Floyd Advisory’s Boston office.
Before joining Floyd Advisory, Manning was a managing director in the forensic and advisory services practice at Grant Thornton LLP. She was also a director in the financial consulting practice at Huron Consulting Group and previously worked at Arthur Andersen in the audit and disputes consulting practices. Manning serves as chair of the board of trustees for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) and is a member of BGCB’s Strategic Planning, Governance, and Diversity Committees. She is also actively involved in the Massachusetts Society of CPAs, serving on the Women in Accounting Committee and the Women’s Mentor Circle. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and two daughters.
35. Yvonne Pytlik
Outsourced Chief Compliance Officer, ACA Group
Yvonne Pytlik is a senior executive and one of the industry’s most highly regarded strategists in compliance risk management for financial institutions. She is a lecturer at Columbia University teaching their graduate degree in ERM and Strategic Risk Management Program. She currently serves as the Outsourced Chief Compliance Officer at ACA Group, a leading global provider of governance, risk, and compliance consulting services and technology solutions.
Before joining ACA Group, Pytlik was the chief compliance officer and head of regulatory compliance, risk management, and strategic planning at HSBC Global Asset Management and Deutsche Bank. Here she was responsible for global compliance risk management divisions across all business lines, including capital markets, investment banking, asset management, and private wealth management. During her 25 years in the industry, Pytlik made numerous significant contributions to several financial institutions on overall compliance organizations, including the development and implementation of global compliance risk management functions in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions. She was also responsible for the development and implementation of HSBC’s and Deutsche Bank’s highly praised global chief compliance officer program oversight initiatives for the asset management division.
Pytlik was a lead senior consultant in the Advisory and Information Risk Management Practice at KPMG, LLP, where she managed and supervised strategic business/information risk assessment and process reengineering engagements for KPMG clients. Her experience also includes over 10 years in internal audit at major financial institutions, with a focus on the asset management and investment management business. She is a member of numerous professional risk and compliance organizations, including serving for the Risk Management Association, Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee, and Audit Committee since 2012. Pytlik is currently on the board of advisors at Mass General Hospital/NWH. She earned an MBA from Suffolk University and a BA in Management from the University of Massachusetts. She also is a Certified Public Accountant.
36. Sarah Hoit
Co-Founder & Chairman, Social Impact Partners
Sarah Hoit is a social entrepreneur, executive, and consultant. In both the private and public sectors, she has founded, led, and served organizations that deliver meaningful social impact. Currently, Hoit is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Social Impact Partners, bringing together a consortium of public and private leaders committed to combatting Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions and promoting solutions for brain health and longevity. She is also the founding member of Every Day Matters, an organization focused on bringing products and services to the market that promote brain health, food as medicine, and longevity. Hoit also works in partnership with the Future Commerce Initiative to deliver health strategy, leadership development, senior living, and retail health programming to leading organizations worldwide.
Hoit was previously the chief social impact officer for BioVie, Inc., an innovative pharmaceutical company that, through people-centered science, creates groundbreaking innovations to combat diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. From 2007 to 2021, she was the co-founding CEO and chair of Connected Living, Inc., a technology company created to connect an aging population. Connected Living created an accessible, digital, virtual social network for seniors and senior living communities. The network provides a high-tech and high-touch way for seniors and families to connect, access goods and services, and enhance quality of life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company became an essential service. In 2021, she successfully orchestrated the sale of Connected Living to Omega Healthcare Investors (NYSE: OHI).
Previously, Hoit was the founding CEO and chair of Explore, Inc., a technology and services education company that elevated elementary and middle school students academically and socially through the integration of experiential learning, homework support and skill lessons, physical education, and community service. Earlier, she served as the director of business planning in the White House Office of National Service and as deputy director of AmeriCorps, where she was a senior leader of the national service program that has enabled more than one million youth to serve their country. Hoit holds a Bachelor of Arts with honors from Dartmouth College and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School (HBS), where she was awarded a public service fellowship. She has been a guest lecturer on social entrepreneurism at HBS and Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, is a strategic adviser to C-Street Advisory Group, and serves on the nonprofit boards of CaringKind, Dementia Friendly America, and Tenacity. She actively serves as Chair of Argentum’s Women in Leadership committee, which launched the industry’s first mentorship match program in 2022.
37. Jessica Steier
CEO, Vital Statistics Consulting
Jessica Steier is the co-founder and CEO of Vital Statistics Consulting (VSC), which specializes in health program and policy evaluation using data science and advanced analytics. They are a Federally (SBA and USWCC) and State of New Jersey Certified Women-Owned Small Business. With a team of expert consultants, VSC helps its clients improve healthcare outcomes while managing the cost challenges of this demanding sector.
An accomplished public health expert specializing in science communication, Steier is committed to providing clients and the general public with accurate, unbiased, and methodologically sound information. Through her podcast and other public avenues, she strives to connect citizens with accurate evidence about the forces that affect all of their lives. While working in the private sector and academia, Steier has built a career founded on providing data-driven solutions in real-world environments.
Holding a Doctorate in Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Management from the CUNY Graduate Center, Steier’s career has included stints as an assistant professor and research coordinator at Hofstra University. She has also held field positions with the Lewin Group (as a senior health policy consultant), the Nassau County Department of Health (research consultant), and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (tobacco policy researcher). Steier continues to dedicate herself to public health and the active dissemination of accurate data to subject-matter experts and scientific knowledge to the general public.
38. Beth Miller
Executive Director, Creative Education Foundation
Beth Miller is a 20-year nonprofit leader who is passionate about history, education, leadership, and creativity. As the Executive Director of the Creative Education Foundation (CEF), she has grown and professionalized all contributed and earned revenue streams, including the development of Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Professional Development training for public school educators and administrators. Miller and the CEF team have successfully navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and have developed new virtual programs, which have expanded the CEF audience. Currently, she is exploring collaborative partnerships with The Illumination Project, the Center for Policing Equity, and various national Invention Conventions.
Miller taught writing at Trinity College for 10 years and served as a Writing Fellow at Quinnipiac University, where she taught and assisted with writing program curriculum design. She earned her BA in Women’s Studies (2000) and her MA in American Studies (2003) at Trinity College, graduating with distinction for both degrees. She was also inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. For her scholarship and community service, Miller received the Ann Petry Book Prize in American Studies, the D.G. Brinton Thompson Prize in United States History, the Samuel S. Fishzohn Award for Civil Rights and Community Service, the Elma H. Martin Book Prize for Student Leadership, and the Tyler Award for Interdisciplinary Studies.
Miller currently serves as a trustee of the Ahearn Family Foundation and recently completed her tenure as a member of the Trinity College National Alumni Association Executive Committee. In 2005, she was hired to write “A Life-Giving Spirit:” 75 Years at the Bushnell, which was a history of The Bushnell Memorial Theater in Hartford, Connecticut. In 2017, she received an honorary PhD in Arts and Humane Letters from Southern New Hampshire University for her academic and professional achievements. Her award-winning senior seminar thesis, “Challenging Race and Gender Boundaries in Antebellum America” about Prudence Crandall, was adapted as the play, “An Education in Prudence,” produced by the Open Theater Project in Boston, Massachusetts, in February 2018. In 2019, Miller was recognized by her alma mater as one of the “50 for the next 50 Years,” which celebrated Trinity’s 50th anniversary of co-education by honoring 50 professors, alumni, and students as Trinity’s current and future women leaders.
View the complete list of awardees.
39. Jessica Sacchetti
President, 20-20 Services LLC
Jessica Sacchetti is the President of 20-20 Services LLC. As President, Sacchetti is passionate about developing learning programs that help professionals meet their goals. 20-20 provides continuing professional education to accounting and advisory firms and government agencies across the nation.
Sacchetti brings 20 years of experience in the accounting industry, working with accountants, auditors, and tax professionals. She continues to work closely with employers and individuals to create learning solutions that address key organizational and individual needs. Before her current role, she led the product development efforts at 20-20 Services, LLC. She specialized in creating and customizing training programs to best meet the needs of young professionals nationwide.
Sacchetti began her career at Deloitte & Touche LLP, where she served as an audit manager. She is a CPA, licensed in Massachusetts, and is a member of the AICPA. She holds an undergraduate degree in accounting from Stonehill College in Easton and an MA in Taxation from Bentley University in Waltham, MA. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member in the Business Department at Stonehill College in Easton, MA.
40. Melinda Monasterski
Market President, Genesis Healthcare
Currently, Melinda Monasterski is an Operational Market President for Genesis Healthcare. She has been responsible for skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities across, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut, NJ, Massachusetts Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. With experience in both union and non-union labor environments, Monasterski’s focus remains on achieving excellence across all lines of business, which includes aligning care quality practices with Medicare and Medicaid Services expectations, utilizing technology to champion Center business processes, and a constant focus on clinical quality and four wall profitability.
Monasterski has been an agent of change to the structural transformation of the market model, focused on enhancing Genesis' ability to drive expertise within centers and ensure swift movement in operational and clinical needs. Before her current role, Monasterski also led transformative efforts through partnerships with the local government on efforts focused on transitioning a local town into a Dementia Friendly Community. The governor honored this effort in 2016 for bridging the gap in the care continuum for seniors in ways that expand across every community aspect.
Monasterski has daily involvement with the community across both the healthcare and non-healthcare spectrum, including The Alzheimer's Association, various Women's Leadership groups, and partnerships with local hospitals that provide direct support to the community's needs. She also is a National Committee member of DEI for Genesis, which promotes and brings equal representation and opportunities for all groups regardless of psychosocial, race, gender, or economic barriers. When Monasterski is not working, her priority is her three young daughters, her husband, and their dogs and chickens. She enjoys reading and has the goal of reading three novels per month. She often enjoys family time on the shore in Connecticut and traveling to Michigan to visit family.
44. Tamie Thompson
Managing Director, JLL
Tamie Thompson is a strategic real estate advisor at JLL, focusing on science and technology companies, site selection, relocation, and negotiation services. She started her career in 1980 at Spaulding and Slye by becoming the first woman broker in any firm in Boston.
During her 40-plus-year career, Thompson has held numerous leadership and managerial positions as a trailblazer for women. Among her many achievements, she was a partner at Spaulding and Slye before the companies’ sale to JLL in 2006. She was the first woman president of the Commercial Brokerage Association and the first woman awarded the prestigious Commercial Brokerage Association Broker of the Year Award in 2005 for a career of leadership, charitable giving, and high ethical standings. There have only been three women to receive this honor. In 2011, she was named to the Boston Business Journal’s Women’s Business Hall of Fame and was recently awarded the 2022 CREW Leadership Award, the organization’s highest honor.
Over the years, Thompson has been a featured industry speaker and served on numerous boards, including The Pingree School in Hamilton, Mass, and the Sport Museum (Boston), where she is currently serving on the board of director’s executive committee. Thompson attended Boston College and was named the female athlete of the year in 1980, and she was inducted into the BC Hall of Fame in 1985 for soccer and lacrosse. She was the first woman president of any Division I Varsity Club in the country, and in 2021, she was named one of six Legends of Boston College Athletics, the only woman named.
45. Kelly Lear Nordby
Managing Director, Ankura Consulting Group
Kelly Lear Nordby is an economist and Managing Director at Ankura Consulting Group based in Boston. She specializes in applying economics, econometrics, finance, and statistics to antitrust, consumer, mass torts, and other complex commercial disputes.
Nordby has over 20 years of experience providing clients with rigorous economic analyses of damages, loss, and class certification issues. She has submitted expert reports and provided testimony in arbitration and federal court proceedings. She has worked on matters involving allegations of price fixing, bundling, foreclosure, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of statutory duty, non-disclosure of product defects, abusive tax shelters, environmental contamination, crop damages, property value diminution, patent infringement, and patent misuse. In addition, Nordby applies her expertise in finance to analyze or develop models of counterfactual investment portfolio returns, lost profits, reasonable royalties, and prejudgment interest.
Nordby conducts research and has published articles on class certification, antitrust, and industrial organization. Previously, she taught graduate and undergraduate-level economics and statistics courses at Northeastern University, the University of San Francisco, Indiana University, Purdue University at Indianapolis, and Indiana University. Nordby has also held positions with other global consulting firms. She is an active volunteer and has served as treasurer for two nonprofit organizations.
46. Treniece Harris
Associate Professor of the Practice in the Lynch School Mental Health Counseling Program, Boston College
Treniece Harris is the Associate Professor of the Practice in the Lynch School Mental Health Counseling Program at Boston College.
Previously, Harris spent over 20 years as a psychologist and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, providing therapy to people from all ages and all walks of life. Her focus has been on learning and teaching others how to provide therapeutic services that value the person, and their cultural background and incorporate all their social determinants of health. Harris founded CULTURA Psychotherapy & Consulting, LLC, to centralize all of these services and to fully implement what she named the CULTURAscope Model of Health & Advancement. She aims to empower people and organizations across the world to be their most fulfilled and most effective through strength and humility.
Harris graduated from Howard University with a PhD in Clinical Psychology and from Hampton University with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
View the complete list of awardees.