In a world the place we’re experiencing a lot change politically, economically, socially and within the client market, there’s one fixed that retains us going: ladies. It doesn’t matter what, ladies are rising to the event and paving a path for his or her successors. With grace and dignity, they conquer setbacks and challenges—resembling cash woes, divorce, loss, grief and parenting—and in some way persevere. Ladies are extremely resilient in all areas of life. In a nutshell, they kick ass.
Ladies have additionally at all times demonstrated a exceptional capability for resilience—whether or not balancing careers and households, navigating systemic boundaries or overcoming private hardships, they discover methods to maneuver ahead. Regardless of the obstacles they face, ladies proceed to guide with empathy and imaginative and prescient. Their perseverance is a testomony to their energy and dedication, proving again and again that it doesn’t matter what life throws their manner, ladies will rise, thrive and lead the cost for a extra inclusive and equitable world.
These days, extra ladies are taking up entrepreneurial roles, pushing boundaries and rewriting the narrative of what it means to be a pacesetter in enterprise, philanthropy and past. At SUCCESS® journal, we’re proud to have fun these ladies via our annual Ladies of Affect awards marketing campaign, recognizing trailblazing ladies who aren’t solely shaping the current however are additionally laying the groundwork for future difference-makers to thrive.
The rise of ladies entrepreneurs
The rise of ladies in management roles is among the most inspiring and transformative shifts in right now’s enterprise world. Extra ladies than ever are breaking via the glass ceiling and moving into positions of energy throughout industries, from CEOs and entrepreneurs to political leaders and philanthropists. This progress displays not solely their skilled capabilities but in addition their means to adapt, innovate and persevere within the face of adversity.
What’s driving this progress? For a lot of, entrepreneurship is not only about making a profitable enterprise—it’s about creating alternative. Ladies are more and more launching ventures in industries starting from tech to well being care, training to trend, and all the pieces in between. They’re tackling advanced challenges, fixing real-world issues and, within the course of, creating jobs and driving innovation.
However their success is not only about enterprise—it’s additionally about goal. Feminine entrepreneurs are infusing their corporations with a way of mission, whether or not it’s advancing sustainability, advocating for social justice or prioritizing wellness and inclusivity. They’re not simply constructing companies; they’re constructing a greater world for future generations.
In accordance with current research, the variety of female-owned companies has skyrocketed, and girls have launched startups quicker than their male counterparts. Ladies entrepreneurs had a 41% year-over-year progress fee from 2023 to 2024, and girls now maintain 10.4% of CEO positions in Fortune 500 corporations, in line with Ladies Enterprise Collaborative—a gradual improve that highlights their rising affect throughout industries.
Making vital strides
The next statistics show the rising tide of feminine entrepreneurs and enterprise leaders who aren’t solely thriving but in addition are creating pathways for future generations of feminine entrepreneurs and CEOs. We must be extraordinarily happy with our progress, and that’s why we proceed to have fun excellent people from all over the world.
1. Growing variety of ladies entrepreneurs
In accordance with the International Entrepreneurship Monitor 2020/2021 report, ladies account for about 33% of excessive progress entrepreneurs globally, a major rise in recent times. This development is particularly seen within the tech, well being and client items industries, the place ladies are main the best way in growing new options and creating thriving companies.
2. Ladies in startups
A report by PitchBook revealed that female-cofounded corporations within the U.S. raised a file $64.4 billion in enterprise capital funding in 2021. Whereas ladies are nonetheless underrepresented in comparison with their male counterparts, this progress is critical in rising the visibility and affect of women-led corporations within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
3. Progress in women-owned companies
Knowledge from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that the variety of women-owned companies grew by 21% from 2014 to 2019, outpacing the expansion of all U.S. companies, which grew by simply 9%. This progress development is predicted to proceed, pushed by ladies entrepreneurs throughout all sectors.
4. Ladies entrepreneurs and innovation
In accordance with the American Categorical 2019 State of Ladies-Owned Companies Report, female-owned companies now account for about 42% of all U.S. companies. And in line with the beforehand talked about International Entrepreneurship Monitor report, 1 in 3 feminine entrepreneurs within the U.S. is concerned in high-growth sectors like expertise, which reveals that girls are making vital strides in reshaping industries which can be historically dominated by males.
5. Ladies within the tech {industry}
Ladies are making notable inroads in tech entrepreneurship. PitchBook’s earlier report additionally discovered that feminine tech firm founders noticed over $30 billion in investments in 2021, a rise of 82.9% from 2020. This highlights the rising recognition of the worth ladies convey to innovation-driven sectors.
6. Entrepreneurial success and gender parity
In accordance with Bizee, ladies are over 20% extra possible than males to reach constructing worthwhile companies within the early phases, a statistic that underscores the resilience and progress mindset ladies convey to entrepreneurship.
Celebrating the SUCCESS ladies of affect
This 12 months’s Ladies of Affect honorees exemplify the facility of growth-minded management. They’re visionary entrepreneurs, dedicated advocates, resilient enterprise ladies and compassionate caregivers—ladies who’ve demonstrated that they’ll do all of it. Their tales are a testomony to the energy, versatility and tenacity of ladies across the globe, and their collective influence is a strong reminder of the transformative drive ladies are in shaping the way forward for enterprise and society.
On this problem, we’re proud to announce our high 50 nominees, in addition to introduce our WOI winner, Carey Lohrenz, who demonstrates precisely what our SUCCESS mission is all about: main with authenticity and provoking others to be resilient, irrespective of who you’re or what you do. As you’ll be taught, Lohrenz is a world-class chief, writer, speaker and changemaker who’s a pioneer on the earth of aviation.
Ladies as leaders, caregivers and visionaries
One of the vital exceptional issues in regards to the ladies we honor via the Ladies of Affect marketing campaign is their means to steadiness the numerous roles they play—leaders in enterprise, caregivers within the house, advocates of their communities and function fashions for future generations. Ladies right now are carrying a number of hats, they usually achieve this with persistence and unwavering dedication.
Most of the ladies are moms, caregivers and companions—people who, regardless of the calls for of their skilled lives, make household and neighborhood a precedence. They perceive that true success isn’t nearly profession accomplishments; it’s additionally about fostering robust relationships, making a optimistic influence and being current for the individuals who matter most. These ladies show that it’s not solely doable to be a pacesetter in enterprise but in addition to construct deep connections and depart a legacy of affection and help for these round them.
Along with their roles at house, these ladies are actively shaping the way forward for industries, nonprofits and advocacy work. They perceive that management isn’t nearly making selections—it’s about lifting others up, sharing information and creating pathways for many who come after them. Whether or not it’s mentoring different ladies in enterprise, main philanthropic efforts or talking out on points that matter, these ladies are making their mark throughout a number of spheres of affect. Their means to steadiness each private {and professional} commitments is a testomony to their energy, self-discipline and keenness for progress.
Progress-minded trailblazers
One of the vital defining traits of those ladies is their progress mindset, therefore the theme of this problem. These ladies aren’t content material with merely sustaining the established order—they’re relentlessly pushing ahead, regularly evolving and in search of new alternatives to develop. Their entrepreneurial ventures and management roles are rooted in a deep perception that there’s at all times extra to be taught, extra to attain and extra methods to make a optimistic influence.
A progress mindset isn’t nearly having ambition; it’s additionally about resilience within the face of challenges. These ladies have confronted adversity, whether or not of their private lives or skilled journeys, and have overcome it with dedication and charm. They view obstacles not as roadblocks however as alternatives to be taught, develop and develop into even stronger leaders.
At SUCCESS, we acknowledge that progress is not only about particular person success—it’s about collective progress. The ladies we honor via the Ladies of Affect marketing campaign are constructing networks of help and collaboration that empower others to succeed. They perceive that true management is about creating house for others to thrive, and in doing so, they’re fostering a tradition of innovation and inclusion that advantages everybody.
International attain
As we encourage on the worldwide scene, I will even go one step additional. The Ladies of Affect marketing campaign isn’t nearly recognizing the accomplishments of a choose few—it’s about celebrating a world motion of ladies who’re main change in entrepreneurship, philanthropy, advocacy, and private {and professional} improvement. At SUCCESS® journal, our attain extends worldwide, and we’re proud to honor ladies from numerous backgrounds and industries who’re making an enduring influence on the worldwide stage.
These ladies are utilizing their platforms to advocate for essential causes, drive significant change and supply options to a number of the world’s most urgent points. From launching worldwide companies to main grassroots campaigns, the ladies featured are demonstrating that management is aware of no borders. Their affect is felt throughout continents, and their influence is shaping the way forward for industries, communities and societies all over the world.
Finally, we perceive that true success will not be a solitary achievement—it’s a collective effort. That’s why we’re dedicated to recognizing ladies who aren’t solely excelling of their fields but in addition lifting others as they rise. These Ladies of Affect are constructing legacies that can resonate for generations to return, and we’re honored to share their tales with the world.
Architects of change
As we replicate on the unbelievable achievements of the ladies we characteristic on the next pages, we’re reminded of their unbelievable contributions. These ladies aren’t simply leaders of their industries—they’re additionally changemakers, paving the best way for future generations of ladies to comply with of their footsteps.
Their influence goes past the numbers and accolades; it’s in regards to the lives they’ve touched, the boundaries they’ve damaged and the communities they’ve constructed. They’ve proven us that girls can do something. Whether or not it’s launching a enterprise, main a nonprofit, advocating for social change or just being a task mannequin to others, these ladies have confirmed that with ardour, dedication and a progress mindset, there is no such thing as a restrict to what could be achieved.
At SUCCESS® journal, we’re proud to honor these ladies and share their tales with the world. They’re the epitome of what it means to be a Lady of Affect—and their journey is simply starting. As we have fun their achievements, we sit up for seeing how they’ll proceed to encourage, lead and create a brighter future for all.
These ladies are paving the best way for the subsequent era of leaders, and we are able to’t wait to see the place their paths will lead. And, by recognizing them, we reaffirm the reality that girls can—and do—excel in each side of life. They aren’t simply shaping the way forward for enterprise. They’re reworking the world itself.
Congratulations to everybody!
Meet our winner

Carey Lohrenz
CEO, Corridor of Fame Keynote Speaker, Writer, Former Navy Fighter Pilot
The primary feminine F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot within the U.S. Navy, Lohrenz is a management skilled and writer of two Wall Road Journal bestselling books, Fearless Management and Span of Management. Her navy background in high-stakes fight environments has formed her right into a sought-after authority on management, technique and resilience. By leveraging her combat-tested insights, she has developed a contemporary, data-driven management model that equips enterprise leaders to excel below stress and adapt in right now’s aggressive setting.
Pushed by a need to share her experiences, Lohrenz has delivered impactful keynotes and applications to hundreds of Fortune 500 and Forbes International 2000 corporations, guiding leaders and groups on how one can navigate complexity, drive change and ship outcomes when it issues most. Her method focuses on sensible, research-based methods that yield each fast and sustainable advantages, thus creating cultures of steady enchancment and resilience. Lohrenz has been acknowledged as a Nationwide Audio system Affiliation Corridor of Fame speaker and has additionally been featured on CNN, MSNBC and NPR, sharing her insights with international audiences.
Along with her company work, she is a devoted CEO, board member and mom who balances her skilled achievements with private commitments. Lohrenz’s experiences as a pioneer in a male-dominated subject not solely encourage leaders to embrace fearless management but in addition contribute to broader conversations about range, inclusion and breaking gender boundaries in difficult fields. A portion of the proceeds from her books helps veterans’ charities, underscoring her dedication to honoring those that serve.
Meet our finalists
Whether or not you nominated a colleague, a buddy and even your self, you’ve sparked optimistic change and empowerment. Be part of us as we honor the exceptional accomplishments, actions and achievements of our High 50 finalists.
Congratulations to all of our finalists, and thanks to our nominees!

Naomi Ackerman
Founder, Govt Director of the Advot Mission
Ackerman leads the Advot (“ripples” in Hebrew) Mission, a California-based nonprofit that harnesses the facility of inventive exploration to assist younger folks develop into daring, brave self-advocates. She primarily works with incarcerated and system-impacted youth, empowering contributors to search out their voice and rework their lives.
She can also be the creator of the groundbreaking ripple technique, a transformative method that has taught hundreds of younger folks crucial communication and relationship-building expertise. This technique conjures up contributors to beat the boundaries of their lives, enabling them to write down the subsequent chapter of their story with confidence and hope. An skilled actress, guide and facilitator, Ackerman is the author, director, producer and performer of the critically acclaimed one-woman present, Flowers Aren’t Sufficient.
For the previous three many years, Ackerman has devoted herself to selling peace, fostering change and inspiring self-empowerment via the interactive workshops she creates and leads. Her work has impacted numerous communities and environments, bringing a message of therapeutic and transformation wherever she goes.

Rajinder Atwal, M.D.
Medical Director, Founder, CEO, Household Doctor, C.C.F.P., Ladies STEM Mentorship
An award-winning household doctor, medical director and CEO, Atwal leads a busy medical facility whereas serving on the board of administrators of 5 nonprofits. By way of Ladies STEM Mentorship, she created a platform that advances ladies in STEM via advising, networking and academic workshops. As a medical clinic founder and director, she precepts medical, nurse practitioner and lab technician college students.
Atwal additionally cofounded Past Boundaries Soccer, which permits people with mental and bodily disabilities to benefit from the sport, and Inexperienced Teen Era, the place she mentors youth to develop into environmental leaders. Her accolades embrace the Ladies in Enterprise Feminine Lifetime Achievement Award, 2023 Ladies of the 12 months for Healthcare, 2023 The Waterfront for Science and Expertise Award and recognition as one of many 2023 High 100 Asian Ladies Energy Leaders. She was additionally named one of many 10 Most Inspiring Ladies Leaders to Observe in 2024 and a International Ladies Energy Chief in 2024.

Marva Bailer
Founder, CEO, Board Member of Qualaix
Bailer epitomizes fearlessness and innovation as a trailblazing tech chief and breast most cancers survivor. Acknowledged as a 2023 sport changer by Scarlett Abott, she disrupts norms and drives change throughout industries. With 20 years of expertise main billion-dollar groups at IBM, Amazon, Twilio and Splunk, her influence is huge and diverse.
As an skilled board member and classically educated senior govt, she has spent the final decade propelling unicorn tech corporations, main P&Ls over $1 billion and managing groups of over 400. She excels in modern go-to-market methods and has intensive experience in M&A, SaaS and ARR transitions. Bailer can also be the writer of the NIEA 2023 high profession ebook, Be Surprising, the place she emphasizes impactful communication and the distinctive idea of a private “walk-up track.”
As a purpose-driven chief, she fosters connections, conjures up others to innovate and builds distinctive cultures. Her deep expertise in cybersecurity and synthetic intelligence and her function as a sought-after speaker, adviser and award-winning writer underscores her dedication to driving success.

Jess Bailey
Founder, Managing Legal professional of Bailey Legislation Agency
As a pioneering managing legal professional and the founding father of Bailey Legislation Agency, Bailey has reworked the authorized panorama along with her modern flat-fee mannequin, which boosts transparency and accessibility for shoppers. She focuses on mergers and acquisitions, actual property, banking and finance, and outdoors basic counsel companies, her dedication to constructing a strong skilled community permits her agency to supply shoppers with entry to a variety of experience and sources.
Past being a shopper advocate, she is an educator whose ardour lies in offering her shoppers with strategic steering, considerate recommendation and actionable steps, which helps them obtain formidable objectives with confidence. She and her agency have been honored with a number of accolades, and Bailey speaks nationally 10 to 12 occasions all year long, sharing her insights on management, negotiations, finest practices, and variety and inclusion within the authorized and enterprise neighborhood.

Daybreak Belamarich, Ph.D.
President, CEO of Collaboratory
Belamarich operates Collaboratory, a neighborhood basis with an developed mission to coordinate the decision of the area’s largest social challenges by 2040. Belamarich is an skilled chief and alter agent who’s obsessed with advocating for mission-driven organizations and communities. Her management expertise spans the social companies and behavioral well being fields in each for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Her earlier roles embrace senior vp of scientific and operational excellence, chief govt officer and govt director at Restoration Facilities of America, a nationwide dependancy remedy supplier.
Belamarich is a licensed psychological well being counselor and master-level scientific dependancy skilled in Florida and a licensed skilled counselor and licensed scientific alcohol and drug counselor in New Jersey, and she or he holds certifications in playing dependancy and trauma remedy. She additionally serves as a board member for the ARCHway Institute, a nationwide group that’s dedicated to offering training and sources for these impacted by dependancy.

Sarah Bencie
CEO, Managing Companion of Safety Administration Worldwide
As the bulk proprietor, CEO and managing companion of Safety Administration Worldwide, a Washington, D.C.–primarily based safety consulting and protection contracting agency, Bencie oversees all day-to-day operations for the worldwide consultancy, manages non-public sector and overseas authorities initiatives, and offers strategic course for the group. Since 2021, she has closed appreciable authorities contracts for SMI with the U.S. Division of Protection and the U.S. Division of Justice. Her shoppers additionally embrace a number of Fortune 500 corporations and a handful of overseas governments.
Previous to coming into the world of world safety, Bencie, a serial entrepreneur, was an internationally acknowledged inside designer. She based and operated her personal profitable inside design consulting agency in Manhattan for practically a decade, along with publishing one of the crucial in style inside design blogs in the US. Bencie has been featured in quite a few prestigious publications and has served as a model ambassador for the Baldwin {Hardware} Design Council. She can also be the writer of CONFIDENCE!: Decoding Your Adorning DNA.

Gogo Bethke
CEO of Gogo’s Actual Property, brokered by eXp Realty
After immigrating from Csikszereda, Romania, to the U.S. in 2003, Bethke labored numerous jobs—babysitting, warehousing, waitressing and promoting jewellery—earlier than incomes her actual property license in 2011. She rapidly turned a high producer and based Gogo’s Actual Property, LLC. She’s since constructed a world group, #teamgogo, with over 1,500 brokers who generated $2.1 billion in gross sales in 2023. Generally known as the “Social Media Queen of Actual Property,” she created Gogo’s Bootcamp, a a number of Two Comma Membership award-winning program. Her podcast and TV present, Gogopreneur, which airs on Your Dwelling TV community on Roku, garnered over 36 million views in its first 12 months.
Bethke is a mom to 2 teenage sons with Hungarian names. She and her husband of over 20 years, Duane, started investing in actual property as a shared ardour for the longer term. She loves serving to different like-minded entrepreneurs obtain their objectives, which led her to start out the GoGet’Em Neighborhood, the place she is constructing an enormous information library to show others.

Dedorah S. Brown
Private Progress Guide, Writer
A local of New Orleans, Louisiana, Brown is a faithful spouse, mom, grandmother, U.S. Military veteran and revealed writer with a dedication to advocacy and philanthropy. Impressed by the charitable actions of ladies in her neighborhood, she has devoted herself to serving to others, from supporting veterans via the Division of Veterans Affairs advantages course of to offering compassionate support to households in disaster. Her efforts have earned her honors, together with Dillard College’s Native and Nationwide Neighborhood Service Unsung Hero Awards and Tulane College’s Ellen Gates Starr Neighborhood Service Award.
Brown is a featured speaker on the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Medical Middle’s annual Women Night time Out occasion, the place she shares her journey of resilience. She’s obsessed with wellness and private progress and thus donates her books and shares her private story all through Larger New Orleans and past, empowering others to beat challenges and discover energy in therapeutic. Brown, a resilient disabled veteran, continues to heal from previous hardships and finds energy in utilizing her story and literature to encourage others towards peace and progress.

April Callis-Birchmeier
CEO of Springboard Consulting
Callis-Birchmeier is CEO of Springboard Consulting, a pacesetter in getting ready undertaking and HR professionals to guide change successfully by incorporating change administration actions into undertaking plans. An interesting speaker, she has been acknowledged as a Licensed Talking Skilled by the Nationwide Audio system Affiliation. She is obsessed with speaking the optimistic influence of her READY framework to make sure that sponsors, stakeholders and undertaking groups expertise increased adoption and profitable initiatives.
The recipient of the 2024 Change Awards Lifetime Award, a International Guru in Organizational Tradition (2020-2024) and the bestselling writer of READY, Set, Change!, Callis-Birchmeier is a Licensed Change Administration Skilled™ and Mission Administration Skilled. She has led organizational change implementations for presidency, increased training and well being care shoppers for greater than 20 years. As a creator of the worldwide customary for change administration, Callis-Birchmeier leverages her experience and expertise to work with organizations to make sure profitable undertaking outcomes.

Jaymee Chan
Cofounder, Vice President of Honor Well being Sciences
Chan, a psychiatric psychological well being registered nurse, is founder and professor at Honor Well being Sciences, the primary and solely non-public nursing college in Imperial County, California. She additionally cofounded assisted dwelling properties Serene Greenfield Manor and Serene Richview, in addition to Healthpeak Dwelling Well being. After being awarded the inaugural Imperial Valley WOW Ladies of Marvel as Enterprise Lady of the 12 months, Chan has been acknowledged by the California Senate and California Legislature and has been given the Soroptimist Ruby Ladies Serving to Ladies Award.
She turned the fourth high neighborhood contributor of the American Nurses Affiliation’s Wholesome Nurse, Wholesome Nation leaderboard, in addition to an autism spectrum dysfunction scientific specialist. Chan is on the board of administrators for the Imperial Valley Neighborhood Basis.

Heidi Clarke
Govt Director of the Sandals Basis
Born and raised on the island of Jamaica, Clarke has a deep connection to and love for the Caribbean. As govt director of the Sandals Basis, she has carried out a number of the most impactful and transformative initiatives in Caribbean communities. From her house in Jamaica to the 9 different islands by which Sandals and Seashores Resorts function, Clarke has labored with native and nationwide organizations to convey sources, develop curriculums and supply sustainable options throughout three key pillars: training, neighborhood and setting.
From rising entry to wash water in colleges to creating marine sanctuaries and artisan applications, Clarke is constantly growing methods for tourism and philanthropy to intersect. She appears to be like for the gaps the place assist is required most and seeks out companions and stakeholders that align to fill these areas successfully and sustainably. By way of her strategic imaginative and prescient and hands-on method, she is main the change within the Caribbean, undertaking after undertaking.

Denise Cumella
Founder, CEO of The Boss Books, Libri d’Impresa and One Hour Advertising and marketing
By way of her pioneering work within the publishing and advertising industries, Cumella has not solely constructed profitable companies however has additionally empowered numerous entrepreneurs to show their concepts into impactful narratives. An Italian entrepreneur, writer and keynote speaker, Cumella is the founder and CEO of The Boss Books, Libri d’Impresa and One Hour Advertising and marketing. She can also be a TEDx speaker and a member of the governing board of ebbf, a world studying neighborhood comprising enterprise executives from over 60 international locations. She is a bestselling writer and Le Fonti Award winner for main essentially the most modern editorial advertising firm.
Cumella developed the favored BookCamp Methodology to assist entrepreneurs and professionals flip concepts into books and books into advertising instruments. With over 20 years of expertise in advertising and creating high-value content material for a wide range of corporations, Cumella and her company, One Hour Advertising and marketing, have labored for Lush Cosmetics, Bottega Verde, Yves Rocher and Riso Scotti and helped them considerably achieve market traction.

Nio DiPietrantonio
Board President of Serving Up Assist: Maine
Performing because the board president of Serving Up Assist: Maine, a pioneering initiative devoted to offering psychological well being help for hospitality employees, DiPietrantonio is making a transformative influence on the psychological well being panorama throughout the hospitality {industry}. With a deep-rooted ardour for fostering optimistic relationships and neighborhood empowerment, she has develop into a number one advocate for psychological well-being within the hospitality {industry}. Because the board president, DiPietrantonio leads with empathy, lively listening and authenticity, making certain that the group’s values are mirrored in each side of its operations.
Underneath DiPietrantonio’s steering, Serving Up Assist: Maine is increasing its attain throughout New England and providing sources for disaster administration, substance use and private progress. Her dedication to difficult stigmas and selling mindfulness has been instrumental in making a supportive community for hospitality professionals. With a deal with collaboration and steady studying, DiPietrantonio is devoted to constructing lasting connections and offering entry to important sources, paving the best way for a more healthy, extra empowered workforce.

Debola Deji-Kurunmi
CEO of IMMERSE Teaching Firm
Deji-Kurunmi is the CEO of IMMERSE Teaching Firm, knowledgeable teaching observe; govt director at Ideation Hub Africa, a public coverage and influence advisory agency; and founding father of the Future-Ahead Feminine Motion. Throughout these organizations, she leads greater than 100,000 international communities of visionaries. As a extremely sought-after speaker, adviser and writer of 25 titles, Deji-Kurunmi is an Oleg Konovalov visionary management coach, Gallup-certified strengths coach and an Worldwide Affiliation of Teaching–licensed mastery practitioner.
Deji-Kurunmi has been acknowledged for her excellent management influence, and her transformational work has been featured in worldwide media. She has been honored as a 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow and one of many 100 Most Inspiring Nigerian Ladies in 2019 and 2022.

Lisa DesBoine-Murray
Founder, President of Duchess Nannies & Domestics
Performing as an exemplary educator and mentor to scores of aspiring leaders, DesBoine-Murray is the founder and proprietor of Duchess Nannies & Domestics, a luxurious family administration and personal service placement company that focuses on tailor-made home employees options. Additionally it is the mum or dad firm of The Herbert Alfred Company and Nannies From The Coronary heart. DesBoine-Murray’s experience in high-end placements spans virtually 25 years and locations emphasis on coaching, advocacy and continuous help.
She is a present board member of the Property Administration Community; a member of the Worldwide Nanny Affiliation; a former volunteer with the Affiliation of Premier Nanny Companies Range, Fairness and Inclusion Activity Committee; an APNA Accelerator Program mentor; and extra. DesBoine-Murray additionally cofounded the Alliance of Minority Owned Nanny Companies & Skilled Nannies, a nonnprofit group whose mission is to make sure that businesses and nannies align collectively for the aim of shifting the {industry} ahead below one umbrella of requirements.

Cindy Dodd
Cofounder, COO of PEMA.io
Dodd is an award-winning marketer and international speaker who has emerged as a trailblazer for Black ladies within the lead era {industry}. She has reworked her firm into a world powerhouse, executing over 100 million reach-outs and serving over 1,000 companies worldwide. Her unwavering dedication to data-driven methods and distinctive shopper service has propelled PEMA.io to the No. 526 spot on the Inc. 5000 record of fastest-growing non-public corporations within the U.S. and the No. 40 fastest-growing advertising company within the U.S. in 2024. Her exceptional achievements have been featured in main publications and on TV, highlighting her influence and affect within the {industry}.
As a Black girl within the lead era house, Dodd is obsessed with paving the best way for future generations of ladies of coloration in advertising and entrepreneurship and continues to encourage others whereas driving PEMA.io towards even larger success.

Tasneem Dohadwala
Founding Companion of Excelestar Ventures
As a founding companion of Excelestar Ventures, Dohadwala and her workforce actively put money into founders who exhibit compelling medical expertise, deep expertise and extra. Her earlier expertise consists of working as an affiliate at Lehman Brothers and Matrix Companions, the place she leveraged her expertise to make notable investments: Excelestar Ventures, Augmenix (acquired by Boston Scientific), nVision Medical Company (acquired by Boston Scientific), Conformal Medical, Diesel Labs, Instylla and Altiostar Networks. Underneath her management, Excelestar Ventures was named one of many high 100 women-led companies in Massachusetts by The Boston Globe in 2023.
After beginning as a younger, lively member at Lehman Brothers and later serving as president of Wellesley Faculty Alumnae Boston (Wellesley Faculty’s largest alumnae group), Dohadwala has been dedicated to furthering ladies’s management in enterprise. She passionately and intentionally mentors and searches for female-led corporations and believes that investing in ladies is one of the best ways to convey extra ladies into management roles.

Cicley Homosexual
CEO, Board Chairwoman of The Amplifiers and Black Lives Matter International Community Basis
Dedicated to advocating for the lives of these in underinvested communities, Homosexual is a seasoned chief with over 20 years of expertise in nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. Because the visionary founding father of The Amplifiers, a pioneering social enterprise on the intersection of trigger and communications, and chairwoman of the board for the Black Lives Matter International Community Basis, Homosexual brings intensive experience to social justice initiatives. Her decade-long dedication to the Ladies’s Sports activities Basis displays her dedication to uplifting marginalized communities.
As GoGirlGo! program director and later nationwide director of training and alliances, she led initiatives to broaden bodily exercise entry for younger ladies in underserved areas. Her ardour for empowerment additional propelled her to function the director of nationwide initiatives on the Nationwide CARES Mentoring Motion, the place she performed a central function in establishing a multimillion-dollar nationwide mentoring initiative for youngsters, incomes the endorsement of the U.S. Division of Justice.

Paula Gean
Cofounder of Africa Tradition Journeys
Gean is an award-winning enterprise chief and neighborhood organizer with a private story of overcoming poverty and utilizing expertise and advertising to create alternatives for others. She based a grassroots group that helps asylum seekers combine into their new communities, and her work has been widely known in Chicago media. With greater than 20 years of expertise in strategic advertising, model administration and built-in advertising campaigns throughout international markets throughout the tech and journey industries, Gean has a confirmed observe file of main high-impact advertising initiatives to drive income progress, market enlargement and model positioning.
In 2021, she and her husband based Africa Tradition Journeys (ACJ), a tenting safari enterprise in Botswana, Africa. Her objective with ACJ is to supply soul-stirring experiences, each in individual and digitally, and to doc and spotlight the similarities between her South American roots and Southern Africa, her future.

Subi Ghosh
EVP of Strategic Partnerships Stream Firms
A dynamic chief with over 15 years of expertise advocating for client expertise and tradition throughout the automotive {industry}, Ghosh started her profession in automotive retail. She rose from a advertising assistant to gross sales and e-commerce director of Vendor Teams, the place she championed change and client advocacy. At the moment, Ghosh serves as the chief vp of strategic partnerships at Stream Firms, the place she drives progress via modern options and strategic partnerships. Her management has been instrumental in launching new departments, increasing the corporate’s partnerships and elevating its presence throughout a number of automotive unique gear producers.
Ghosh can also be a key advocate for range and inclusion, having been a founding board member of Ladies in Automotive, and actively contributes to enhancing ladies’s experiences within the {industry}. Ghosh’s dedication and affect have earned her recognition, together with being named one of many high ladies in media and AdTech and considered one of Auto Remarketing’s 40 Underneath 40. Her journey displays a dedication to innovation, collaboration and enhancing the automotive {industry}’s method to advertising and client expertise.

Mohaimina “Mina” Haque
CEO, Basic Counsel of Tony Roma’s and Legislation Workplace of Mohaimina Haque, PLLC
As a trailblazing CEO, legal professional and educator, Haque has damaged boundaries as the primary girl CEO of Tony Roma’s in its five-decade historical past. Whereas she spearheads the worldwide restaurant chain, she can also be actively engaged within the authorized sphere, serving because the founding father of the Legislation Workplace of Mohaimina Haque, PLLC, primarily based in Washington, D.C., and as an adjunct professor of legislation observe administration at American College’s Washington Faculty of Legislation. In her authorized observe, Haque’s experience spans numerous areas, together with company legislation, immigration legislation and litigation.
Past her roles in enterprise and legislation, Haque is a pioneer in legislation observe administration. She is an educator on constructing digital companies and managing distant operations with the most recent technological developments, making certain that her college students are outfitted for the evolving panorama of authorized observe. Her exceptional achievements, management and dedication to excellence have earned her recognition as a real pioneer in each the authorized and enterprise communities.

Christa Hill
Cofounder, CEO of Tacit Edge Product Management
Hill is a cofounder of Tacit Edge Product Management, the place she makes use of her {industry} experience to gasoline our financial system with empowered, modern and numerous product leaders that embody the entrepreneurial spirit. She can also be on the forefront of making award-winning product administration curricula via instructional establishments like Southern Alberta Institute of Expertise and Athabasca College, in addition to company establishments like TEKsystems and the New York Federal Reserve Financial institution.
Since expertise is on the coronary heart of each enterprise and {industry} sooner or later, Hill and her workforce try to teach future generations on product administration roles that would be the international observe customary. She is an ICF PCC-level govt coach who’s most recognized for supporting early and established product managers, in addition to their govt leaders, and serving to them deepen their experience and thrive of their careers. She brings empathy and humor whereas tackling the grey areas of the function to create future product leaders for our more and more digital world.

Katie Hornor
CEO of The Flamingo Benefit
Hornor is a world keynote speaker, enterprise proprietor, mother of 5, expat and the award-winning writer of greater than a dozen best-selling books, together with The Flamingo Benefit: Learn how to Leverage Distinctive, Keep Related and Change the World, and has been featured on main tv networks.
After overcoming excessive poverty, Hornor turned the founding father of three companies and a scholarship fund for entrepreneurs. A millionaire by age 45, she is presently half proprietor of two companies grossing seven-plus figures and majority proprietor and CEO of two which can be grossing 5 and 6 figures. Solely 12% of women-owned companies, 0.002% of all companies worldwide, gross over six figures in a 12 months, and solely 3% of these ladies are mothers. Hornor has achieved each whereas home-educating her 5 children. Her mission is to empower entrepreneurs and enterprise house owners to design companies which can be in service of their distinctive life goal to allow them to have extra pleasure, gross sales and influence.

Nicole Hullihen
COO of OnTheClock
After embarking on a profession journey that started within the automotive {industry}, Hullihen pursued entrepreneurship earlier than returning to a extra company keep in pharmaceutical, biotech and luxurious items, the place she excelled in numerous roles that required management, analytical skills and problem-solving. She presently serves because the chief working officer at OnTheClock, a quickly rising SaaS firm that gives an modern resolution for workforce administration to over 150,000 folks.
Since becoming a member of the corporate 5 years in the past, Hullihen has performed a pivotal function in rising the workforce from eight to 23 staff and main them via two consecutive years of recognition as considered one of Crain’s Finest Locations to Work. She’s led the corporate to operational excellence, changing into a trusted supplier to hundreds of companies, and works along with her workforce to attain an formidable objective to broaden to 1 million customers. With practically 20 years of expertise spanning a number of industries, Hullihen brings a deep understanding of enterprise analytics, operational effectivity and organizational improvement to her management function.

Tabassum Khan
Public Speaker for the Authorities of Canada
A dynamic human sources program and coverage adviser with a distinguished file in tradition, range, fairness and inclusion throughout the Canadian authorities and the Workplace of the Superintendent of Monetary Establishments, Khan is a proud Canadian Muslim girl of South Asian heritage. She will not be solely a acknowledged public speaker however can also be a devoted mentor within the GC mentorship neighborhood. Her influence within the DEI house is critical, marked by her function as a speaker in authorities boards, cochair of her division’s multiculturalism stream and her pioneering efforts in launching department-wide affinity teams that foster connection and help amongst staff.
Famend for her inclusive management model in her many volunteer actions, Khan is deeply dedicated to cultivating a welcoming setting for all public servants. By way of her unwavering dedication and visionary management, Khan continues to be a strong advocate for a extra inclusive and equitable office, making her a pivotal drive in shaping the way forward for public service in Canada.

Ginger King
President of Grace Kingdom Magnificence
A rare chemist who has revolutionized the wonder {industry} along with her modern and entrepreneurial spirit, King is an award-winning beauty chemist and the founding father of Grace Kingdom Magnificence, a New Jersey–primarily based beauty product improvement agency that focuses on creating magnificence manufacturers from idea to launch, together with formulation. King holds a number of patents and awards within the magnificence {industry} and has been featured in numerous publications and quoted by over 40 magnificence magazines. She can also be a keynote speaker for model launches and has spoken at quite a few commerce conferences on product improvement and innovation.
Moreover, King is an everyday TV magnificence section contributor on GoodDay Sacramento and has been lately named the “Queen of Beauty Chemistry” by Elle. Along with consulting, her newest enterprise is FanLoveBeauty, a clear vegan magnificence model impressed by mentor Daymond John of Shark Tank that takes care of entrepreneurs’ look to allow them to hold crushing their objectives.

Suzanne Knight
CEO, Cofounder, CPO, Speaker, Instructor at mBolden Consulting and Be Uninterrupted
A dynamic chief with over 20 years of expertise driving transformational change, fostering enterprise progress and advocating for gender fairness, Knight is presently CEO of mBolden Consulting. She works with corporations worldwide to create efficient enterprise methods, interact high-performing groups and domesticate inclusive workplaces. In 2023, she cofounded Be Uninterrupted, a social influence group that helps ladies overcome profession interruptions brought on by life occasions. By leveraging AI and human connection, Be Uninterrupted helps ladies navigating challenges like maternity depart, job transitions or caregiving tasks.
Knight’s profession has impacted over 50 corporations throughout 14 international locations, the place she led enterprise transformations at organizations like Walmart Canada and Philip Morris Worldwide. Her work focuses on delivering outcomes that not solely drive operational excellence, but in addition enhance range, inclusion and fairness inside organizations. Knight can also be a TEDx speaker, a keynote speaker on the London Speaker Bureau and adjunct school at Schulich ExecEd, the place she teaches programs on management and organizational design.

Sandy Ko Fonseca
Founder, Principal of Buyer Contact Ladies Buyer Administration Apply
Ko Fonseca is the founder and principal of Buyer Contact Ladies (CCWomen), a pioneering neighborhood devoted to selling range, fairness and inclusion within the buyer contact {industry}. Her journey started at Buyer Administration Practicec, the place she excelled as an analyst and producer of the world’s largest buyer contact occasion sequence, Buyer Contact Week. After recognizing an important want for a supportive house for ladies and their allies, Ko Fonseca established CCWomen in 2018. The group fosters networking, mentorship and profession improvement and brings collectively ladies leaders from numerous industries to handle urgent challenges within the subject.
Ko Fonseca is obsessed with constructing relationships throughout numerous backgrounds and is devoted to empowering ladies to thrive of their careers. She believes within the transformative energy of neighborhood and collaboration and views CCWomen as a catalyst for change. By way of her work, she goals to advocate for ladies from all walks of life, highlighting their important contributions to enterprise and driving ahead the mission of CCWomen to create an inclusive future.

Melva LaJoy Legrand
Founder, CEO of LaJoy Plans
As a self-made entrepreneur acknowledged for her work within the stay occasions {industry}, in addition to causes rooted in social equality because it pertains to ladies, well being, race and identification, Legrand is a public speaker, occasion producer and director, neighborhood chief, and storyteller. Acknowledged nationally for her thought management, Legrand can also be a four-time award-winning CEO who has used her social influence to talk on subjects surrounding sexual assault, Alzheimer’s, dementia and entrepreneurship. She has been featured in numerous publications and speaks to the problems surrounding the gender pay hole, management relaxation, being an efficient chief, occasion preparedness and managing a wholesome work-life steadiness.
Exterior of the skilled realm, Legrand is thought for her love of individuals, excessive power, culinary occasion experiences, distinctive snort, creativity and tenacious work ethic. When she’s not planning occasions, she splits her time between Washington, D.C. and Paris and enjoys journeys along with her beloved husband, Emmanuel.

Melissa Maloney
Cofounder of All Ladies L.E.A.D. and AWL Companions
A dynamic, trailblazing chief with a mission to drive significant change via management, empowerment and inclusivity, Maloney is the cofounder of All Ladies L.E.A.D. and AWL Companions. She is a key architect in constructing a company the place empowerment isn’t only a objective—it’s a typical. She has cultivated an area the place management, fairness and private progress intersect, creating pathways for people and organizations to excel.
With over 25 years of govt expertise in gross sales and operations, Maloney’s strategic foresight and talent to guide via transformation are evident in each function she undertakes. Her dedication to fostering innovation and fairness within the office has positioned her as a trusted chief, famend for her means to encourage groups and organizations to succeed in their fullest potential. By way of All Ladies L.E.A.D., she has develop into a pivotal drive in advancing gender equality and inclusive management. Her dedication to gender fairness goes past conventional advocacy, although—she actively cultivates environments the place ladies not solely lead however thrive.

Morgan Leigh Miller
CEO of Miller Co Medical Units
After struggling a extreme again damage whereas repositioning a bedridden affected person, Miller got down to resolve a decades-old problem that well being care professionals face every day. This led to her invention of the Flip Buddy System, a revolutionary medical system designed to forestall accidents like her personal. Her objective was to make sure that others would by no means endure the identical ache.
The Flip Buddy System is an modern mattress overlay that, with the push of a button, gently repositions sufferers, eliminating the necessity for handbook turning and making certain well timed repositioning to forestall painful mattress sores and ulcers. Patented in January 2023 and registered with the FDA, Miller’s system is now in use at two main hospitals. Although hospitals have been the place to begin, her plan is to broaden the system into nursing properties and personal care services and supply it to prospects for house use.

Kelly O’Connor
Editor of the CSA Journal by the Society of Licensed Senior Advisors
Because the editor of the CSA Journal, a quarterly award-winning commerce journal revealed by the Society of Licensed Senior Advisors, O’Connor and her board have been shaping the imaginative and prescient of growing old and the growing old {industry} within the U.S. She has been working within the elder care house for the previous 14 years and can also be a TEDx speaker on longevity.
O’Connor has been awarded Lady of the 12 months by the Unsung Heroes Basis and the Younger Skilled in Growing old Award by the Colorado Gerontological Society. She holds a grasp’s diploma in religious psychology and knowledgeable development certification in gerontology. She can also be a licensed senior advisor, licensed dementia practitioner and authorized placement and referral specialist. Along with her work with the CSA Journal, she maintains a small elder care consulting and legacy life teaching observe.

Michelle O’Neil
Founder, Senior Shareholder of OWLawyers
Described by her friends as “a deadly mixture of candy and salty,” O’Neil exudes real compassion for her shopper’s difficulties whereas additionally relentlessly pursuing of her shoppers’ objectives. With over 30 years of expertise as a household legislation litigator, O’Neil focuses on advanced divorce points, notably these involving property or enterprise points.
As essentially the most sought-after legal professional for Texas celebrities and well-known CEOs and executives, O’Neil is considered the lawyer to succeed in earlier than your partner does. O’Neil has dealt with over 175 appeals in Texas, together with a number of which have influenced the legislation and reached the Texas Supreme Courtroom. She has additionally authored 4 influential authorized publications. She is an adjunct professor at Baylor Legislation Faculty and has gained certification from Harvard Legislation Faculty in Ladies’s Management, which she makes use of to additional her ardour by mentoring younger skilled ladies and attorneys.

Katrina Pratt Roebuck
Chief Govt Officer of Uplifme and Uplifme Useful resource Hub
With a profession that spans 25 years in govt management positions, growing companies for Philadelphia’s most weak populations, Pratt Roebuck’s expertise consists of program and coverage improvement in poverty, homelessness, reasonably priced housing, training and behavioral well being. She has led giant groups of social service professionals and managed multimillion-dollar initiatives, efficiently executing impactful, citywide initiatives. A lot of her work entails modern programming, coalition constructing, neighborhood engagement and systems-level change. All through her profession, she has led the event of technological platforms which have linked hundreds to companies that improved their lives.
As we speak, Pratt Roebuck is CEO of Uplifme and the Uplifme Useful resource Hub. She launched Uplifme in 2021 to shut the hole in connecting folks to real-time info on obtainable health-related sources. Social service professionals may discover skilled improvement via teaching and the Uplifme Institute. Pratt Roebuck’s background in low-income communities informs her work, fueling her drive to extend well being fairness for BIPOC and underserved teams.

Leslie Quinton
Vice President of Communications at Ubisoft
With over 30 years of experience in communications and organizational management, Quinton is presently the vp of communications at Ubisoft. Her numerous background spans multinational companies, businesses and nonprofits, with a robust deal with company communications, CSR and DEI. Quinton is a frequent speaker on webcasts and at conferences in Canada and overseas, and she or he is devoted to mentoring rising communications professionals.
Obsessed with social change, Quinton volunteers her time to help a wide range of organizations. She is a part of the board of administrators for the Worldwide Ladies’s Discussion board (IWF), chair of the board of administrators at Medic-Alert Canada, previous president of IWF Canada and IABC Montreal, and director of Knowledgeable Opinions. She has beforehand served on greater than 30 different boards, together with Public Relations With out Borders, Equitas Human Rights and Oxfam-Quebec.

Tiffany Rose
Founding father of Butterfly FX Cosmetics
In a world the place extroversion typically takes middle stage, Rose emerges as a beacon of empowerment for introverts. An environmental guide by occupation, she is the visionary behind Butterfly FX Cosmetics—a model devoted to serving to those that really feel neglected or misplaced in social settings discover their voice via the artwork of sparkle.
Since its inception in 2018, Rose has crafted merchandise which can be designed to assist people shine and construct confidence. Butterfly FX Cosmetics champions daring self-expression, believing that experiencing the “wow issue” in private look can catalyze progress. Nevertheless, Rose’s dedication extends past a dedication to environmental sustainability. Butterfly FX leads by instance within the magnificence {industry} with moral sourcing and recyclable glass packaging, aligning itself with the rules of a round financial system and minimizing environmental hurt.
Rose’s influence reaches far past cosmetics. Her philanthropic spirit is clear in her lively involvement with native charitable organizations, notably the Northshore Meals Financial institution. By way of Butterfly FX, she orchestrates neighborhood occasions that commemorate individuality and help efforts to eradicate starvation in Louisiana.

Kimberli Scott-Nonetheless
Shareholder for Collum’s Lumber Merchandise, Director of Elysian Affect Collum’s Lumber Merchandise, Scott Woodlands and Elysian
Scott-Nonetheless is a multifaceted chief with a various background that spans the manufacturing, humanitarian, philanthropic and commerce sectors. She holds levels in finance, retail administration and inside design, bringing a wealth of experience to her roles. As director of philanthropy for Elysian Affect, Scott-Nonetheless champions initiatives that help ladies, youngsters, the setting and animal welfare. She cocreated “CatWalk FurBaby,” a philanthropic trend present featured in New York Trend Week, in addition to its award-winning documentary and low desk ebook.
A dedicated board member, Scott-Nonetheless helps the Unique Six Basis in addressing instructional challenges in rural South Carolina and serves as a Tiffany Circle member with the American Pink Cross. Professionally, she is a fourth-generation shareholder of Collum’s Lumber Merchandise and Scott Woodlands and serves on the boards of the U.S. Lumber Coalition and the Softwood Lumber Board. In 2014, she was named South Carolina Ambassador for Financial Improvement, reflecting her impactful neighborhood involvement.

Erin Stafford
Burnout & Peak Efficiency Skilled, Speaker, Writer, Hyper-Progress Enterprise Chief of The Stafford Firm
A burnout and peak efficiency skilled, Stafford is an award-winning keynote speaker, bestselling writer, burnout survivor and Cambridge social psychologist on a mission to reshape how excessive achievers function. She’s carved out a profession working alongside the world’s high performers and Sort A personalities throughout international manufacturers like Apple, Nike and MTV, in addition to main advertising for the biggest well being care staffing firm within the U.S.
Recognized for her daring insights, simple methods and high-energy character, Stafford crisscrosses the globe chatting with organizations like KPMG, Morgan Stanley, Nationwide and Siemens. Her dynamic keynotes and interesting teaching method encourage leaders to interrupt free from achievement dependancy and attain their subsequent stage of success—with out sacrificing their well-being.
Stafford’s insights have been highlighted by main publications, and her ebook, The Sort A Lure: 5 Mindset Shifts to Beat Burnout and Rework Your Life, is endorsed by powerhouse writer and podcaster Mel Robbins and Paralympian Amy Purdy.

Mautra Staley Jones, Ed.D.
President of Oklahoma Metropolis Neighborhood Faculty
By changing into the eleventh president of Oklahoma Metropolis Neighborhood Faculty, the fourth-largest increased training establishment in Oklahoma, Staley Jones marked historical past as the primary girl and first individual of coloration to guide the faculty. Her function additionally made her the primary Black girl to preside over any nonhistorically Black faculty or college faculty in Oklahoma, the place she serves over 18,000 college students.
Recognized for her visionary management, Jones additionally serves on quite a few boards, together with BancFirst Company, the Oklahoma Corridor of Fame and the Oklahoma Medical Analysis Basis. She is a Salt and Mild Management Fellow, a graduate of Management Oklahoma Metropolis and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Younger Presidents’ Group. Well known for her contributions, Jones has earned honors resembling Oklahoman of the 12 months, Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEO and a spot on Forbes’ 10 High Black Increased Schooling CEOs to Watch in 2023. She holds levels from the College of Oklahoma, the College of Phoenix and Vanderbilt College.

Suzanne Strassburger Reidy
President of Strassburger Steaks
Strassburger Reidy carries on her household’s legacy because the fifth-generation Strassburger within the meat enterprise. At the moment, she serves because the president of Strassburger Steaks and Suzy Sirloin, each all-natural beef corporations which can be obtainable in retail shops nationwide. She can also be the founding father of The Sirloin Report, an industry-leading every day on-line report about beef. She is obsessed with educating folks on the meat {industry} and has traveled so far as Hong Kong to advertise American beef.
She holds a Masters of Beef Advocacy from the Nationwide Cattlemen’s Beef Affiliation to be an on a regular basis advocate for the meat {industry}. She was additionally a part of the inaugural NCBA High of the Class program for graduates wishing to make a extra explosive influence within the beef neighborhood. To additional her experience, she accomplished the Harvard Enterprise Faculty govt program in Proprietor/President Administration and the Wharton Schooling Program.

Lauren Tedesco
COO of Automotive Components Producers’ Affiliation (Canada)
As head of the Way forward for Work portfolio on the Automotive Components Producers’ Affiliation, Tedesco pioneered the primary industry-wide digital studying program and launched the Range, Fairness and Inclusion Fund to help traditionally excluded people’ careers. This initiative earned her the CADIA Affect Award for Champion for Various Expertise. Acknowledged as considered one of WXN’s High 100 Most Highly effective Ladies, she additionally acquired the Reuters D.R.I.V.E. Award for ladies in auto and quite a few different accolades.
Serving as an adviser to the Legislation Society of Ontario along with instructing communications at Sheridan Faculty, Tedesco’s expertise main public relations businesses set the groundwork for senior roles within the public sector, together with director of communications to the president of the Treasury Board and Minister of Schooling. At every step, her perception and foresight guided the formulation and launch of main public coverage initiatives, underscoring the necessity for robust strategic planning for disruptive brokers of change. She can also be a member of the Board of Governors at Sheridan Faculty.

Andreea Vanacker, Ph.D.
Founder, CEO of One Million Years Of Pleasure
Vanacker is a resilient visionary who turned a life-altering nine-hour mind surgical procedure through the pandemic into a world motion for pleasure. She blends her highly effective private story with over a decade of analysis in neuroscience and optimistic psychology. Her TEDx Speak launched the world to her groundbreaking Trilogy of Pleasure mannequin, inspiring hundreds to search out gentle in adversity and reclaim management over their lives.
Vanacker is an entrepreneur, four-time writer, speaker and a pleasure catalyst for leaders and organizations. Her insights have been featured in over 100 high journal articles. Holding a Ph.D. in economics and intensive international expertise, Vanacker is fluent in 4 languages and has managed multimillion greenback companies. She is the founder and CEO of One Million Years of Pleasure, which features a podcast, a world examine on pleasure and an upcoming documentary. She additionally serves as cofounder and companion at Innate Movement’s Change Lab, the place she leads enterprise transformations with international shoppers.

Ekta Vyas, Ph.D.
Chief Human Sources Officer of Keck Drugs of USC
For over 20 years, Vyas has been main transformations at totally different ranges in organizations. In her coauthored ebook with Mission Issues, she talks about how one can be an efficient transformational chief by embracing the interconnectedness of a number of organizational and other people variables that want to return collectively to convey the emergence of a greater future. She does extra than simply writing and talking about transformations, although—she actively drives change. Her doctoral analysis examined the importance of emotional intelligence as key to a pacesetter’s success in driving workforce engagement throughout change.
As a techniques thinker and robust proponent of ecosystem consciousness, Vyas has been a Forbes influencer since 2017, writing and talking about management, tradition, technique, transformational change and emotional intelligence. As we speak, she serves because the chief human sources officer at Keck Drugs, the well being enterprise of the College of Southern California, and is a USC Marshall adjunct professor. Vyas’ private model as a transformational chief is “bringing gentle,” and her management manifesto is “reciprocate.”

Michele Walsh
EVP, Chief Philanthropy Officer of UNICEF USA
As a social influence chief with multidisciplinary experience, Walsh has constructed a profession targeted on addressing inequality and defending youngsters. As govt vp and chief philanthropy officer at UNICEF USA, she serves as principal adviser to the CEO and leads the philanthropy workforce, aiming to ship $1B of influence yearly for youngsters.
All through her 15-year tenure at UNICEF USA, Walsh has pushed initiatives that reshaped the group and mobilized lots of of thousands and thousands in philanthropic {dollars}. Her means to forge alliances and partnerships whereas navigating an unprecedented political setting has ensured that federal advocacy for youngsters’s welfare stays robust.
Furthermore, Walsh’s efforts in leveraging information instruments, together with generative AI, have propelled the group towards larger operational effectivity. Beforehand, she utilized her social work expertise in foster care and later transitioned to early intervention and youth applications. She additionally held a number of director of improvement roles, together with on the City Justice Middle, the place she catalyzed sources to help authorized companies and advocacy.

Mariette Wharton
Founder, CEO of NIMBLE Mindset Ventures
Wharton is a visionary chief and three-time founder with over 25 years of expertise in innovation. She based the first-to-market cloud video conferencing firm in 2008, which permits seamless integration between devoted video conferencing units and cell phones, tablets and computer systems, creating the class that Zoom entered three years later. She additionally developed a pioneering video voice mail system and garnered over a dozen {industry} awards.
After a profitable exit, she based the social enterprise Nationwide Institute for Mentoring Enterprise Leaders and Entrepreneurs (NIMBLE) Mindset, which offers startup steering to over 1,000 feminine entrepreneurs yearly in weak communities throughout Africa, together with Kenya, Ethiopia, Morocco and Rwanda, in partnership with the UN and U.S. Embassy, enabling feminine founders to search out dignity and goal. In 2025, this system will likely be dropped at over 500 Ukrainian professionals with companions Adobe, Salesforce and Logitech. Wharton has traveled to 57 international locations and is a speaker on innovation, together with on the World Financial Discussion board, UN, U.S. Embassy, College of Chicago and Northeastern College’s Roux Institute.

Kandy White
Chief Operations Officer of Athena
White serves because the chief operations officer at Athena, a number one group that focuses on enhancing delegation expertise for founders, C-suite executives and small-business house owners by pairing them with top-tier govt assistants. She has pushed exceptional progress and has achieved a 260% improve in partnerships, quadrupling Athena’s international workforce in lower than two years.
With a profession spanning 20 years, she has held senior roles in Fortune 250 corporations and startups throughout telecommunications, human sources consulting, fintech and actual property, collaborating with each {industry} giants and rising disruptors. White, who holds two grasp’s levels in psychology, can also be a SHRM Senior Licensed Skilled and a Grasp Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma.
White’s dedication to driving progress whereas fostering a optimistic work setting highlights her management, innovation and dedication. She launched month-to-month management and wellness occasions to encourage peer studying, alongside periods for frontline staff to share finest practices. She’s additionally launched a platform for shoppers to specific appreciation, share insights and encourage govt assistants to attain extra.

Ramona Wright
Founder, Producer of WrightOne Media Group
A extremely completed communication strategist, serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, Wright acquired the President’s Lifetime Volunteer Service Award, the very best U.S. civil honor for dedication to service. Her journey is marked by resilience—after overcoming childhood homelessness, she turned her household’s first faculty graduate. She is a TEDx speaker, a Telly Award-winning producer, an writer, a social media advertising pioneer and a former lecturer at Loyola Marymount College.
As founder and CEO of WrightOne Media Group, an award-winning multimedia and experiential company established in 2009 in Los Angeles, Wright and her workforce have collaborated with Emmy-, Grammy- and Oscar-winning expertise, Reside Nation, Oxfam America, Paramount International and Sony Music.
Wright has spoken at occasions for the American Coronary heart Affiliation, Cornell College and Google. An investor in tech ventures, her philanthropic work has been acknowledged by International Good Fund and Love My Neighbor Basis. She additionally serves on the board of Everyone Eats.

Vicki Wright Hamilton
CEO, Coach, Speaker, Writer at VWH Consulting
Wright Hamilton is an completed enterprise strategist, management coach and keynote speaker with over 30 years of expertise in expertise and enterprise. Because the CEO of VWH Consulting, she focuses on guiding entrepreneurs and company leaders to attain progress and innovation via tailor-made methods and digital effectivity. She has held senior govt roles in high 500 corporations, the place she led transformative initiatives that resulted in vital income progress and a $20 million ROI.
Devoted to giving again, Wright Hamilton has actively supported Ladies in Expertise (WIT) for over 20 years, spearheading initiatives to empower ladies and main impactful applications just like the WIT Single Moms Program. As a sought-after speaker and writer, she hosts Ignite with Vicki, a podcast and tv present that shares management insights and enterprise methods. Her work and achievements have additionally been featured in CIO As we speak, Audio system Journal and extra.

Mary Yazdani
Founder, CEO of GenesisLink, RoboSafety
A visionary entrepreneur with a grasp’s diploma in laptop engineering with over 16 years of expertise, Yazdani initially solid her profession as an IT supervisor for a significant enterprise in Iran, the place she oversaw 10,000 staff. Her relocation to Canada in 2017 marked the start of a unprecedented entrepreneurial journey.
In 2020, she based her award-winning firm, GenesisLink, and have become its sole shareholder. She has cultivated a strong community of specialists to boost service supply, making certain custom-made, high-quality options that exceed shopper expectations. In 2023, she expanded her entrepreneurial efforts by establishing RoboSafety. This modern enterprise is the one Canadian agency that provides a SaaS platform targeted on security engineering for danger evaluation and mitigation in autonomous techniques, which underscores Yazdani’s dedication to integrating cutting-edge expertise to boost {industry} security requirements. Her journey from a talented IT supervisor to a pioneering entrepreneur and advocate for immigrant enterprise success exemplifies her relentless pursuit of innovation, management and neighborhood help.
Nominees
Shirin Alipanah, Escondido, CA
Marian Astor Hunt, Marblehead, MA
Sarah Barnes-Humphrey, St. Petersburg, FL
Sarah Barrow, Oklahoma Metropolis, OK
Debra Beagle, Nashville, TN
Kimberly Beaudin, Atlanta, GA
Janet Bentley-Ewers, Alpharetta, GA
Yisbel Bera, Cape Coral, FL
Liliana Bernal, Sacramento, CA
Surabhi Bhandari, San Francisco, CA
Molly Blakeley, Eagle River, AK
Leigh Burgess, Grantham, NH
Laura Casselman, Myrtle Seashore, SC
Jennifer Caveza, Los Angeles, CA
Nancy Coblenz, Westlake Village, CA
Cherry Collier, Atlanta, GA
Ronda Conger, Meridian, ID
Ashley Deland, Burlington, Canada
Tetyana Didenko, Miami, FL
Natalie Doyle Oldfield, Halifax, Canada
Evva Fenison, Tarpon Springs, FL
Maureen Francisco, Graham, WA
Judi Holler, Fountain Hills, AZ
Rhonda Howdyshell, Middlebrook, VA
Samantha L. Iannelli, Whitehall, PA
Dena Jalbert, Winter Park, FL
Diane Kerth, Wheaton, IL
Loren Lahav, Las Vegas, NV
Alix Lebec, Miami, FL
Roksolana Lebid, Brooklyn, NY
Pauline Leung, New York, NY
Andrea Lisbona, Miami, FL
Alexandra Lozano, San Antonio, TX
Nina Luppino, Westwood, NJ
Shaneé McCambry, Conyers, GA
Lillian Melendez, Union, NJ
Lena Payton Webb, Daphne, AL
Vera Quinn, Agoura Hills, CA
Priya Ravindra Kalyanimath, Camberwell, Australia
Lisa Rehurek, Tempe, AZ
Sarah Renaud, Toronto, Canada
Shawna Rosenzweig, Seattle, WA
Guylaine Saint Juste, Greenbelt, MD
Michelle Sands, Panama Metropolis Seashore, FL
Brooke Schnittman, Boynton Seashore, FL
Shusmita Sharma-Tiwari, Markham, Canada
Ellie Shefi, Mission Viejo, CA
Dia Simms, Atlanta, GA
Erin J. Corridor, Los Angeles, CA
Alison Smith, Wilton, CT
Latrice Smith, East Level, GA
Stephanie Smith, Christiansburg, VA
Tara Stone, Lebanon, NJ
Marissa Teeter, Puslinch, Canada
Sarah Throne, West Chester, PA
Tricia Love Trujillo, Costa Mesa, CA
Julie Tunador, Ojai, CA
Lauren Von, Oklahoma Metropolis, OK
Kelly Waite, Brook Park, OH
Myisha Weatherspoon, Overland Park, KS
Deborah Yager Fleming, Sunny Isles Seashore, FL
Cindy Yates, Bountiful, UT
This text initially appeared within the March/April 2025 problem of SUCCESS® journal
Photograph courtesy of Adobe Inventory