Top Women Profiles August 4, 2011ArchivesOff

We interview America’s most influential women in business in these Profiles! Plus, every year PINK features lists showcasing high-profile women in key industries. Also enjoy more in-depth Articles and online exclusives by category; all crafted to inspire you to reach your fullest potential

Eve Ensler, Tony award-winning author, playwright and creator of The Vagina Monologues and One Billion Rising Eve Ensler, the Tony award-winning author, playwright and creator of The Vagina Monologues and One Billion Rising, tells PINK she sees a connection between violence against women globally and lower pay and opportunity for working women everywhere. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Sharon Napier, CEO, Partners + Napier With offices in Rochester, New York, Atlanta and San Francisco and a list of notable clients – including Capital One and Constellation Brands (parent company of popular beverage brands like Corona and Arbor Mist) – Sharon Napier, CEO of Partners + Napier, has created quite the name for herself in the advertising world. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Shan Cooper, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. Vice President and General Manager, Marietta Success is one of those intangible words that means something different to each person based on their goals and personal achievements. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Shelley O’Connor, CEO, Morgan Stanley Private Bank Don’t think becoming a Wall Street power player is Morgan Stanley Private Bank, CEO Shelley O’Connor’s claim to fame. Because it’s not.” Click here for the rest of the article >>

Bridget McCarthy, Vice President of Category Commercialization, Coca-Cola Refreshments Coca-Cola Refreshments Vice President of Category Commercialization, Bridget McCarthy, learned to take risks early on. “When I was seven or eight years old,” she remembers, “I sent in an audition tape for Star Search.” Click here for the rest of the article >>

Val DiFebo, CEO, Deutsch New York Famous for the truncated statement, “I don’t think of myself as a woman,” published in New York Magazine in 2010, Deutsch New York CEO, Val DiFebo is nothing short of bold. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Suzy Cody, Aerodynamics Engineer, Chevrolet Suzy Cody is a rocket scientist, literally. An aerodynamics engineer for Chevrolet, she ensures that vehicles are shaped to have as little wind drag as possible. That means maximum fuel economy, less pollution and more money in customers’ pockets. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Cathy Ross, Executive Vice President and CFO, FedEx Express FedEx Express Executive Vice President and CFO Cathy Ross remembers as a small child “whites only” bathrooms and not being allowed to sit at lunch counters. But, she has never used her skin color or gender as a crutch. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Ann-Marie Campbell, Southern Division President, The Home Depot Ann-Marie Campbell, Southern Division President at The Home Depot, is living the American Dream. The Jamaican-born executive has overcome tragedy and inequity to become the first woman in the U.S. to lead a division for the Fortune 500 powerhouse. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Angela Thomas-Anderson, B2B Global Procurement Leader, Kimberly-Clark It’s Friday afternoon; a winter storm is on its way. She walks in, standing about five foot eleven. She orders a glass of red wine; leans in and, with ease, begins to share her journey to the top. She recalls being an ambitious, young Wall Street analyst getting her chance to chat with one of the world’s most successful female portfolio managers at the time. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Kim Nelson, SVP of External Relations, General Mills The highest ranking African American woman at General Mills, says a “commitment to diversity, thoughtful maternity policies” and a focus on integrity have kept her at the company for 24 years. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Sarabeth Levine, Pastry Chef, Restaurateur & Author Sarabeth Levine’s story begins with the resurrection of a marmalade recipe, which belonged to her Aunt Ruth’s mother-in-law who sold the marmalade as a means to support her family through the Great Depression. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Kate Quinn, SVP & CMO, WellPoint When you talk to WellPoint Inc. SVP and CMO Kate Quinn, you get the sense that anything is possible. She is actually optimistic about daunting task of overhauling the nation’s healthcare insurance industry. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Julie Sweet, Accenture’s General Counsel, Secretary & Chief Compliance Officer Julie Sweet says getting to the top means taking the road less traveled. She studied Chinese when few other Americans did. And she chose to work for a law firm with just two women partners. Now she’s one of Accenture’s top women. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Teri List-Stoll, SVP & Treasurer, Procter & Gamble She makes million-dollar acquisitions for a global corporation. She also listens to the Eagles and reads trash bestsellers. Teri List-Stoll, now one of the highest-ranking executives at P&G, started there 18 years ago as the Director of Corporate Accounting. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Gabi Zedlmayer, VP, HP’s Office of Global Social Innovation Gabi Zedlmayer could be delivering a keynote speech in Munich one moment, then traveling to a remote village in India the next, working to bring medical access to the poorest parts of the country. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Alexa von Tobel, CEO, LearnVest 28-year-old Alexa Von Tobel’s making Wall Street and Silicon Valley investors take notice. She started LearnVest, a money management website in 2009. Bringing financial savvy to women across America became von Tobel’s goal. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Kat Cole; President, Cinnabon Inc It’s rare to hear of a business leader who was once a Hooters waitress. Or a girl whose family survived being fed on $10 a week, for a while. Or who got her start selling clothes in a mall. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Lisa Lisson – President, FedEx Canada Lisa Lisson is proof that life can go on after a tragedy, if you persevere. The 42-year-old mother-of-four lost her husband to a heart attack. A year later, she was named the first female president of FedEx, Canada.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Laurel Richie – President, WNBA Laurel Richie, the first African American president of the WNBA, has all eyes on her. During the 2012 Olympic Games, she’s lining up her teams to shoot for their fifth consecutive gold, in the 16-year WNBA history.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Diana Nyad – Record-Breaking Swimmer What woman gets back into the same water where a year earlier she is thrown off course by strong currents, risked being eaten by sharks and nearly killed by the deadly Box Jellyfish? World record-setting swimmer Diana Nyad does.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Condoleezza Rice – Former Secretary of State Raised in the segregated South, Condoleezza Rice is no stranger to being the only African American woman in the room. First, as a Soviet foreign policy expert, then the first African American female Secretary of State. She got there by being “twice as good.”  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Mary Jane Fortin – CFO, SunAmerica Financial Group Mary Jane Fortin has navigated AIG through the roughest waters in its history. The 47 year-old CFO of AIG’s SunAmerica Financial Group succeeded by taking calculated risks. She is in the insurance business, after all.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Divya Keshav – Owner, Krishna Printernational in India Following in your father’s footsteps in business usually means big shoes to fill – even bigger when you’re the daughter – especially one with little experience. But that’s what Divya Keshav did when she became owner and manager of label manufacturing company, Krishna Printernational.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Cokie Roberts – Award Winning Journalist and Author Cokie Roberts, 68, is a true champion for women. The three-time Emmy award-winning journalist and bestselling author began her auspicious career when, as she explains, workplace discrimination was accepted – and legal. She learned that, for women to succeed, they’d have to fight to be heard. She’s been speaking out ever since.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Nely Galan – Media Entrepreneur Rather than a setback, being a first-generation immigrant catapulted Nely Galan forward – helping her become the powerful businesswoman she is today. Galan, 48, found her first success in media as a handpicked guest editor at Seventeen magazine. From there, she fell in love with television, became the nation’s youngest station manager at 22 and launched Galan Entertainment at age 25.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Top Women in Technology 2012 Women today hold just one-fourth of U.S. jobs in technology. But there’s good news: more are getting the education and skills they’ll need to excel. Some universities are even seeing record enrollment for women pursuing technical degrees.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Karen Shirk- CEO and Executive Director of 4 Paws For Ability You could say overcoming obstacles is Karen Shirk’s profession – and her company is proof. She’s CEO and executive director of 4 Paws For Ability, a nonprofit organization founded in 2001 to provide trained service dogs to children and adults with disabilities. The company was the first of its kind.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Elda Muller – Editorial Council Board, Editora Abril As the highest-ranking woman at Brazil’s largest publishing empire, Abril, Elda Muller gets the coveted corner office on the 13th floor. She’s the only woman on the editorial council for the multi-million dollar company, which distributes millions of magazines every month and employs 900 journalists.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Deborah Hersman – Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board Every time you buckle your seat belt, stop for a pedestrian or resist the urge to text and drive, know Deborah Hersman probably had something to do with it. As Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, her top priority is keeping people safe.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Anika Rahman – President & CEO, Ms. Foundation for Women Anika Rahman has one mission, and it’s a big one: universal gender equality. She’s president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women, a leading organization (founded in 1973 by Gloria Steinem and three others) advocating for women’s rights and health. “Women and social justice are in my DNA,” she’s said, and it shows.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Anna Maria Chávez — CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA Anna Maria Chávez’s path to success wasn’t outlined for her. From becoming the first woman in her family to attend college to becoming the first Latina to head up the Girl Scouts of the USA with its 3.2 million members in 92 countries, she’s not one shy away from creating her own blueprint for success. In fact, she views challenges as opportunities.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Asha Chaudhary: President, Jaipur Rugs Asha Chaudhary says she “grew up in the business.” And she doesn’t mean it figuratively. Along with her two sisters and brother also in the business, the 33-year-old witnessed firsthand as her father grew handmade rug company Jaipur Rugs from two looms and nine artisans in India during the late ’70s into the $15 million international design brand it is today. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Lori Greiner – Entrepreneur, Inventor, TV Personality Lori Greiner is a problem-solver. Her first invention, a jewelry organizer, was born out of necessity back in ’96 while she worked at the Chicago Tribune and sold costume jewelry on the side. With a six-figure loan, little business ownership know-how and a drive that could not be deterred, she successfully turned that one idea into a $500 million dollar brand with more than 350 inventions.Click here for the rest of the article >>

Top Women in Philanthropy 2012 It’s one thing to give to charity or volunteer on weekends. But it’s entirely another to dedicate your life to assisting those in need and improving people’s lives. Welcome to Little PINK Book’s list of Top 11 Women in Philanthropy. These inspiring women are volunteers, advocates and caretakers for those suffering from disease, famine, poverty and lack of access to education. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Thear Sy – Senior Executive, Accenture Thear Sy knows a thing or two about independence. When her family moved to the U.S. from Cambodia in 1981 after the country’s devastating civil war, she was thrust into an unfamiliar school environment at the age of eight while her parents, who didn’t speak English, worked minimum wage jobs to support her and her four siblings. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Top 10 Women in Business 2011 Women must overcome so many odds to make it to the top. Unless we’re willing to take extraordinary measures, we’ll likely never make it. But there’s good news – this coming January promises a record number of females in top leadership positions in Fortune 500 companies. Plus, Little PINK Book’s latest research shows nearly 30 percent of working women say they aspire to reach a senior level position. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Anne Stevens – Chairman, CEO and Principal – SA IT Services Anne Stevens is no stranger to taking the helm at top companies worth millions – and billions – of dollars. She went from being the first female executive VP of Ford Motor Company to COO before retiring as one of the highest-ranking women in the automotive field. Next, she made a career switch to technology, as CEO of Carpenter Technology to her current role as CEO of SA IT Services, a leading national technology company.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

		Anne Globe – CMO, DreamWorks Animation She’s the one in charge of getting people into theatres for the studio’s animated, computer-generated and 3D major motion pictures. She’s been instrumental in marketing campaigns for blockbusters like Kung Fu Panda 2 – the #1 animated movie and among the best-reviewed films of this year – and the newly released Puss in Boots.  Click here for the rest of the article >>
		Christine Osekoski – Publisher, Fast Company Few can say they were instrumental in upping their company’s revenue by ten-fold in less than five years – Christine Osekoski can. And her impact as publisher of business magazine Fast Company hasn’t just been monetary. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Gigi Butler — Founder, Gigi’s Cupcakes The day Gigi Butler opened her first store, her account balance was $33. Unable to get a loan, she cleaned houses to pay contractors and had family members working the counter.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Marissa Mayer – VP, Consumer Products, Google The search engine Google is so universal, it’s a defined verb in both the Oxford English and Merriam Webster Collegiate dictionaries. That’s due largely to Marissa Mayer. The 36-year-old Wisconsin native is a head decision-maker for the more than $150 billion company and the brains behind such projects as Google Instant and iGoogle.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Lisa P. Jackson — Head of the EPA The Environmental Protection Agency’s head Lisa Jackson, 49, has some impressive connections. As the first African American to hold the post of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Administrator, she was invited to her current position through a personal invitation from President Obama in 2008.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Laurie Kilmartin — Writer and Comedienne For a woman with so many accomplishments, writer and comedienne Laurie Kilmartin doesn’t consider herself a “professional woman.” After gaining notoriety among the comedy community through stand-up shows at clubs and festivals where she entertained thousands, Kilmartin went on to do stints on Comedy Central, Showtime and on shows like Oprah and The Rachel Maddow Show.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Joanne Gordon — New York Times bestselling author and co-writer New York Times bestselling author Joanne Gordon is truly living out her childhood dream: With her love of writing stories as a girl coupled with an innate curiosity about what makes people tick, she feels that her current job – as a ghostwriter – allows her to get a rare peek into others’ minds as she helps them write about their life and work.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

Kim Kiyosaki — Author and Founder of Richwoman.com It takes determination and courage to become a successful business owner. No one knows this more than Kim Kiyosaki. And her path to success has had its share of challenges… most of them the result of choices she’s made along the way.   Click here for the rest of the article >>

Laura Hillenbrand – Bestselling Author Widely known as author of the bestselling Seabiscuit and current summer mega-hit and bestseller Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand is no ordinary career woman. She is confined to her home, rarely leaves her bed and once explained the severity of her condition – chronic fatigue syndrome – by saying that if her house was on fire she would still be unable to lift her head. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Denise Morrison – Campbell Soup Company’s first female CEO Campbell’s Soup Company has been around for more than 140 years. With annual revenue of $8 billion, products sold in 120 countries and a roster of 18,000 employees, it is one of the largest food companies in the world. This year, for the first time in the company’s history, a woman will become CEO of the iconic brand – that woman is Denise Morrison. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Elissa Montanti – Founder of Global Medical Relief Fund It all started with the photograph of a little boy named Kenan. Elissa Montanti, 57, was meeting with the Bosnian ambassador to find out how to get more school supplies to children in need when she discovered that there were more pressing matters at hand. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Rebecca Blumenstein – Deputy Managing Editor, The Wall Street Journal Rebecca Blumenstein, 44, has come a long way from editing the school newspaper in her small hometown in Michigan. Her early passion for writing successfully carried her from college newspaper editor-in-chief to a few other publications before leading her to her current role as deputy managing editor of the Wall Street Journal. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Niloufar Molavi, Chief Diversity Officer, PricewaterhouseCoopers Niloufar Molavi probably didn’t think she’d end up here. A native of Iran, Molavi grew up during the Iranian Revolution and U.S. hostage crisis. She witnesses shootings in the street and bombs going off, all before age 12, when she moved to France, then the U.S.Click here for the rest of the article >>

Celeste Gudas, Founder and CEO, 24 Seven Inc. Celeste Gudas is passionate about diversity at work – and has the headlines to prove it. The founder and CEO of leading talent recruitment agency 24 Seven, specializing in fashion, retail, beauty, marketing, advertising and entertainment industries, received The National Minority Business Council’s Dena Coye Outstanding Woman Entrepreneurship Award earlier this year. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Roxanne Taylor, CMO, Accenture She currently heads up the management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company’s global marketing and communications activities, which includes leading a team of more than 600 professionals globally. Click here for the rest of the article >>

Charlene Begley, President and CEO of GE Home & Business Solutions and a senior vice president and CIO for GE. She manages a team of nearly 40,000, a budget in the billions and is notoriously impatient. As president & CEO of GE Home and Business Solutions and senior vice president & CEO for GE, Charlene Begley is responsible for heading up GE’s innovative appliances, lighting, embedded/control systems and software platforms globally as well as software, sourcing and quality initiatives.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

May Smith, U.S. EPA worker and longtime federal employee May Smith has seen 13 different presidents take office – and that’s just since she began working with the federal government. The 85-year-old mother of five started in 1944 and worked her way up, eventually becoming the head of public administration improvements in federal agencies across the country.  Click here for the rest of the article >>

		Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne, Owners of Georgetown Cupcake Not all business owners can say they went from installing toilets and painting walls on two hours of sleep, to appearances on Oprah, a New York Times blog mention and their own TV show in just three years.  Click here for the rest of the article >>
		Nellie Borrero, Managing Director, Global Inclusion & Diversity, Accenture she leads Accenture’s diversity effort globally and is responsible for ensuring that diverse communities (gender, race, sexual orientation) don’t just survive but thrive in their workforce. She is responsible for diversity for Accenture’s approximately 211,000 employees working in more than 120 countries. Click here for the rest of the article >>

		Susan Nethero, Founder, Initmacy Susan Nethero isn’t your typical businesswoman (if there is such a thing). She goes to an office, manages employees and is dedicated to satisfying her customers. But, as the founder and owner of Intimacy, a chain of lingerie stores specializing in custom bra fitting, it’s her out-of-the-box way of doing things that has gotten her so far.  Click here for the rest of the article >>
		Arianna Huffington, Founder of The Huffington Post She’s a conservative who became a liberal. She’s a Greek born, Cambridge-educated woman who helped shape an American election. She’s Arianna Huffington, the woman behind The Huffington Post who redefined online media. With 12.3 million unique views a month, HuffPo as it’s known to insiders, has surpassed  Click here for the rest of the article >>
		Karen Kerrigan, President & CEO, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council Karen Kerrigan doesn’t let much slow her down. The mother of two not only founded the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council but, in 2009, she continued to run it while undergoing chemo for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She’s the go-to expert on governmental benefits for entrepreneurs and is constantly a voice for them in Congress.  Click here for the rest of the article >>
		Meet The Top 10 Women in Sustainability, 2011 Welcome to PINK’s list of the Top 10 Women in Sustainability! They are today’s pioneers, employing cutting-edge best practices to lead the movement for corporate responsibility and sustainability. As issues of sustainability become more critical, corporate responsibility and sustainability programs are gaining a prominent place on corporate Click here for the rest of the article >>
		Karen Mills, Administrator, U.S. SBA Karen Mills has been an entrepreneur, a grower of businesses and a business investor. As the current 23rd Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, she knows what it takes to keep companies afloat. With tireless dedication and a hands-on approach, the 57-year-old mother of three works closely with small businesses to ensure their advancement across the nation through loans, training and technical assistance. Click here for the rest of the profile >>
		Lisa Price, Founder & CEO, Carol’s Daughter Lisa Price has come a long way since the days she spent mixing lotions and potions in her kitchen more than 20 years ago. As Founder and CEO of beauty and hair care line Carol’s Daughter – named after her mother – goods she once sold out of her home are now offered at stores like Macy’s and Sephora as well as at any of her nine (and counting) specialty stores. Click here for the rest of the profile >>
		Emily Giffin, Bestselling Author Author Emily Giffin gets paid big bucks to do what she loves. But it wasn’t always that way. After walking away from her career and receiving dozens of rejection letters from publishers, today the author has five bestselling novels and her books have been translated into 30 different languages. Click here for the rest of the profile >>
		Penny McIntyre, Group President, Newell Rubbermaid “I’m standing on the shoulders of those who have proceeded me – listening, listening and listening some more.” That’s how former Coca-Cola exec Penny McIntyre is making her mark four months into her new role as group president of Newell Rubbermaid’s $2 billion office products group (which includes such brands as Sharpie, Paper Mate and Expo). Click here for the rest of the profile >>
		Candace Matthews, Chief Marketing at Amway Corp. Accomplishing your big-time career goals isn’t easy- just ask Candace Matthews, chief marketing officer at Amway Corporation, a multi-billion dollar company that sells a variety of health, beauty, and home care products using multi-level marketing. Click here for the rest of the profile >>
		Arianna Huffington, Founder, The Huffington Post She’s a conservative who became a liberal. She’s a Greek born, Cambridge-educated woman who helped shape an American election. She’s Arianna Huffington, the woman behind The Huffington Post who redefined online media. With 12.3 million unique views a month, HuffPo as it’s known to insiders, has surpassed The Wall Street Journal, The LA Times and The Washington Postand is gaining fast on The New York Times. Click here for the rest of the profile >>
		Betty Liu, Host of Bloomberg Television’s “In the Loop” The award-winning host of Bloomberg Television’s business morning show “In the Loop” and formerly the Taiwan bureau chief for Dow Jones newswires (the youngest ever in Asia!) found success on two continents. “I was born in Hong Kong and I moved to New York when I was 3 so I’m used to both cultures. I always feel like I have two homes,” says Betty Liu. Click here for the rest of the profile >>
		Music Artist & Entrepreneur You know her as the Grammy-winning singer with hits like “No One,” “Superwoman,” and her latest collaboration with rapper Jay-Z “Empire State of Mind.” Alicia Keys has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making her one of the best-selling R&B artists of the last decade. With eight-figure endorsement deals with Dove and Vitamin Water, she earned a spot on Forbes’ Top Celebrity Earners. Click here for the rest of the profile >>
		Vivian Schiller, CEO, NPR Just one day after the controversial firing of NPR’s Juan Williams hit the media airwaves, PINK sat down with the organization’s first female CEO, Vivian Schiller, for an exclusive interview. As the first media outlet she spoke with before a making speech to the Atlanta Press Club last week, Schiller clearly appreciated the chance to focus on women’s advancement rather than the growing controversy, and now admits she could have handled the ordeal better. Click here for the rest of the profile >>

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