The Consulting Report is pleased to announce The Top 25 Women Leaders in Consulting for 2023. While the global economy has been mired in turmoil in recent years, from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to major supply chain issues to geopolitical strife, the consulting industry has remained competitive — has perhaps even increased in competitiveness — as companies and organizations seek to adapt to the “new normal,” which in reality is anything but. The leaders on this year’s list have earned their spots because they have risen to these challenges, using their unparalleled skills and expertise to deliver outstanding results for clients and position their firms for continued success now and long into the future.
Some of this year’s eminent leaders include Accenture’s Group Chief Executive for Strategy & Consulting, Annette Rippert, who is responsible for leading a team of more than 40,000 strategists and consultants, industry and function experts, data scientists, and human performance professionals. Meanwhile, Azita Esmaili, Global Chief Technology Officer for Atos, is in charge of the firm’s technical strategy, innovation, partnership, and solution development for Internet of Things and Edge Computing offerings across five regions. And Wipro Limited’s Chief Growth Officer, Stephanie Trautman, was a key driver behind the launch of Wipro FullStride Cloud Services, which brings together the firm’s full set of cloud capabilities under a unified business offering and enables clients to turn cloud investments into business outcomes.
Across a range of positions, from CEO to COO, Chief Growth Officer to Managing Director, these women distinguished themselves based on their stellar contributions to their firms and to their clients, as well as through their reputations for excellence amongst their peers and in the wider consulting industry. Please join us in celebrating The Top 25 Women Leaders in Consulting for 2023.
1. Susan Penfield
Company: Booz Allen Hamilton
Title: Chief Technology Officer
Susan Penfield is Chief Technology Officer for Booz Allen, a leading professional services company with 30,000 global employees and $8.4 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2022. Penfield leads Booz Allen’s investments in prioritized areas of emerging technology. During her 28-year tenure, she has a proven track record developing and executing large-scale business growth strategies and creating differentiated solutions.
Before becoming CTO, Penfield led the strategic innovation initiatives and the firm’s billion-dollar digital business spanning the defense, national security, and civilian sectors. Prior to that, she led the health business, advancing it to become the firm’s largest and fastest growing account.
Penfield was recognized as a 2021 Woman Who Means Business by the Washington Business Journal. She received the 2020 WashingtonExec Lifetime Achievement Award for her pioneering work driving technology innovation in government and her commitment to cultivating the next generation of women in STEM. She’s a four-time recipient of the Wash100 award that recognizes the most influential leaders in government consulting. A dedicated philanthropist, she serves on the boards of several nonprofits and is a passionate advocate for women in STEM and routinely speaks on STEM-related topics. Penfield received a Bachelor of Science in technology management from Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania and a certificate in management from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business.
2. Annette Rippert
Company: Accenture
Title: Group Chief Executive – Strategy & Consulting
As Accenture’s Group Chief Executive for Strategy & Consulting, Annette Rippert is responsible for leading a team of more than 40,000 strategists and consultants, industry and function experts, data scientists, and human performance professionals. Accenture has expertise in more than 40 industries, with offices and operations in 50 countries. Rippert works with C-suite executives and boards of the world’s leading organizations, helping them accelerate digital transformations, grow profitability, and deliver sustainable value.
Rippert is passionate about the opportunities she sees at the intersection of industry, technology, and human ingenuity, and her leadership has not gone unnoticed: Accenture was recently named a leader in digital business transformation services by Forrester and Rippert was named by Business Insider as one of the most influential people transforming consulting. She’s also been recognized by the American Business Awards with a Gold Stevie Award for Achievement in Management in Business & Professional Services. Rippert advises the MIT and Accenture Convergence Initiative for Industry and Technology and serves on the Board of Trustees for Northwestern University, where she earned both her Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and computer science and her Master of Management degree.
3. Azita Esmaili
Company: Atos
Title: Global Chief Technology Officer
Azita Esmaili is Global Chief Technology Officer for Internet of Things technologies and offerings at Atos. She is also a seasoned Digital NED (Non-Executive Director) and an expert speaker and coach for the MIT Professional Education Program. As CTO and with two decades of experience leading complex technical teams globally, Esmaili is in charge of technical strategy, innovation, partnership, and solution development for Internet of Things and Edge Computing offerings across five regions. With her specialties in digital, future proofing, decarbonization, and digital risk management, Esmaili leads her team to deliver next gen solutions and enable strategic growth for clients around the globe.
Prior to joining Atos, Esmaili served as Vice President Digital at Capgemini and has held senior digital leadership roles at Ernst & Young and Digital Catapult and advisory roles for open banking and digital/data policies for the U.K. government. Esmaili has penned industry and general interest articles on IoT security, women in technology, and decarbonized digitalization. A multilingual executive, Esmaili spent the first decade of her career in senior technical roles at technology companies such as Nokia, Ericsson, and Amazon. She earned a Bachelor of Science in electronic engineering from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden and a Certificate in Company Directorship from the Institute of Directors in the U.K.
4. Nazzic Keene
Company: SAIC
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Science Applications International Corporation, Inc. (SAIC) is a premier Fortune 500 technology integrator that provides systems integration, engineering, and IT solutions to defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies. At its helm is a five-time Wash100 Award winner, Chief Executive Officer Nazzic Keene, who has led the company since August 2019. She joined SAIC in 2012 and previously held other executive positions with the company, including chief operating officer, president of the company’s global markets & missions division, and senior vice president for corporate strategy.
Keene earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona in 1984, then moved to Dallas and joined Electronic Data Systems. She spent the remainder of the 1980s learning about the ever-changing world of IT and about business and profit and loss. She left EDS in 1996, acted briefly as a partner with Ernst & Young’s consulting practice, and then as chief information officer at a telecom startup. She then joined American Management Systems, rising to senior vice president and managing executive director until her transition to CGI through acquisition in 2004. Keene stayed with CGI until 2012, when she left to join SAIC to help drive the company’s year-long split into two companies, SAIC and Leidos.
5. Stephanie Trautman
Company: Wipro Limited
Title: Chief Growth Officer
In her more than 30 years in professional services, Stephanie Trautman has held numerous leadership roles, driving transformational change across enterprises and sales teams. Her expertise in building high-performance teams and managing global C-suite client relationships has led to exponential growth and value for her teams and clients.
In her current role, Trautman oversees the direction of Wipro’s strategic relationships and global partnerships and leads a team of global strategists, marketers, and business development experts. She works with Wipro’s global leadership and top clients to map the strategic direction of the company’s offerings and deliver clients the technology and digital solutions they need to compete in a rapidly changing business landscape. Trautman was a key driver behind the launch of Wipro FullStride Cloud Services, which brings together Wipro’s full set of cloud capabilities under a unified business offering and enables clients to turn cloud investments into business outcomes.
As part of Wipro’s Executive Board and a strong advocate for diversity and talent development, Trautman also plays a strategic role in the creation of innovative talent development and retention programs. Prior to Wipro, she was a Managing Director and Diamond Client Account Lead at Accenture, leading financial services growth in North America as well as a large global account. Trautman holds an MBA from Xavier University in Ohio and a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from the University of Kentucky.
6. Sophie Ross (tie)
Company: FTI Consulting
Title: Global Chief Executive Officer
Sophie Ross has more than 20 years of experience in company management and operations in the United States, Europe and Asia. Ms. Ross specializes in helping clients manage their data in the context of compliance and risk including e-discovery and review through predictable pricing models, applying analytics and by simplifying the multi layers of discovery management.
Prior to Ms. Ross’ appointment as Global Chief Executive Officer of the Technology segment, she led the Western Region for the Technology segment, as well as the managed document review business globally. Technology consulting and services include information governance, privacy and security offerings. In addition to her leadership role in the Technology segment, Ms. Ross is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and serves on the Global Steering Committee of FTI Consulting’s Women’s Initiative.
Ms. Ross joined FTI Consulting through its 2008 acquisition of Strategic Discovery, a leader in the litigation discovery industry, where she served as the Chief Operating Officer and was responsible for data processing, IT and client support, human resources and administration and accounting. Prior to Strategic Discovery, Ms. Ross was Executive Vice President of Global Delivery & Operations at Freeborders Inc., an application outsourcing and software firm. Ms. Ross has also held strategic and operational leadership roles at Revlon Inc./MacAndrews & Forbes and The Boston Consulting Group.
Ms. Ross has served in the Israeli Navy Intelligence, possesses an international and European background and is fluent in four languages. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Tel Aviv University, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
6. Alexis Faber (tie)
Company: Willis Towers Watson
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Alexis Faber was named Willis Towers Watson’s Chief Operating Officer in September 2021. WTW provides data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk, and capital, leveraging the global view and local expertise of its colleagues serving 140 countries and markets to help sharpen its clients’ strategies, enhance organizational resilience, motivate workforces, and maximize performance. Faber is accountable for supporting the company’s short- and long-term success through oversight of operations, real estate, and technology.
Faber’s industry expertise spans more than 20 years in insurance and financial services. She joined WTW in 2003 and has held a number of senior leadership roles within the company’s businesses. Most recently, she was the co-lead and chief operating officer for Corporate Risk & Broking. Prior to that, Faber served as the global head of Financial Lines, head of FINEX North America, chief operating officer of North America Specialty Practices, and practice leader of the Risk Control and Claims Advocacy Group. Before joining WTW, she worked in investment banking at Citigroup with a focus on the financial services industry.
Widely recognized as a leader in the insurance industry, Faber was awarded Business Insurance’s prestigious Women to Watch Award in 2010 and was named to Reactions Magazine’s 35-strong Women in Insurance leadership forum in late 2017. She earned an MBA from Columbia Business School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Williams College.
7. Aruna Jayanthi
Company: Capgemini
Title: Managing Director, LatAm & Canada
Aruna Jayanthi currently oversees Canada and Latin America’s markets and is the Group Sales Officer for Capgemini Americas. She is a member of the Capgemini Group Executive Committee (GEC) and has held numerous leadership positions across India, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas, including CEO Capgemini India, CEO Business Services, and Head of Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Jayanthi joined Capgemini in the early 2000 and was part of the core team that initiated and set up the firm’s offshore capabilities.
Jayanthi is a member of the supervisory board of Compagnie Générale des Établissements Michelin SCA (Michelin Group). Past governance positions include Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Technology Calicut, Independent Director of SBI Capital Markets, and member of the Executive Council of Nasscom.
Jayanthi was honored with the Exceptional Women of Excellence in Business award, granted internationally by the Women Economic Forum in 2022. Past honors include the Most Powerful Woman in India by India’s leading business magazine, Business Today, in its 8th annual list, and she has appeared multiple times in the List of 50 Most Powerful Indian Women by Fortune India magazine.
8. Srimathi Shivashankar (tie)
Company: HCLTech
Title: Corporate Vice President and Business Head of EdTech Services
Srimathi has 25+ years of work experience in managing and transforming businesses. At HCLTech she has been instrumental in strategizing and leading programs such as operationalizing new HCL delivery centers, Diversity and Sustainability practices, HCL Foundation, and HCL Grant. She is passionate about inclusive development and explores ways to build business ecosystem with talent from diverse backgrounds
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, which has recognized her accomplishments through the Distinguished Alumna Award, and an MBA in International Business Management from Ohio University. She won the WeQual Award in 2021 in the Business Transformation category, and was named in the top 25 Women leaders in Consulting for 2022 by the Consulting report.
Srimathi has been a key speaker at various international forums, most notably in UN, WBCSD, World Investment Forum, WEF, NASSCOM, and CII. She continues to participate as committee member for drafting policies both at Global and National levels.
8. Amy Gilliland (tie)
Company: General Dynamics Information Technology
Title: President
Amy Gilliland has been President of General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a business unit of General Dynamics Corporation, for more than five years. GDIT is an $8.5 billion global technology enterprise with operations in 30 countries worldwide and 30,000 technologists and services professionals delivering critical mission capabilities across defense, civilian, and intelligence agencies. Gilliland’s leadership leverages over two decades of work in the defense and technology sectors to help GDIT drive growth in AI, cybersecurity, and cloud services for its international consulting and technology business.
Gilliland’s visionary leadership at GDIT is the culmination of nearly twenty years of excellence with it and its parent company. Prior to joining General Dynamics in 2005, she served in the U.S. Navy for more than six years, where she worked as a Congressional Liaison Officer, among other distinguished posts. She earned an MBA from Georgetown University, a master’s degree in international relations and affairs from the University of Cambridge, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the U.S. Naval Academy.
9. Beth Rosenstein
Company: Deloitte
Title: Global Consulting Clients & Industries Leader
Beth Rosenstein is Global Consulting Clients & Industries Leader for Deloitte. In this capacity, she is responsible for the evaluation and development of the company’s large-scale global industry programs. Prior to her current position, she served for 23 years as a principal at Deloitte focusing on the TMT industry, establishing a name for herself as one of the most trusted consultants and leaders working in telecommunications.
Rosenstein is best known for her remarkable quarter-century of leadership excellence at Deloitte, though she initially began her career as a systems analyst and later as a manager for AT&T. An avid volunteer, she has served for more than two years on the board of environmental nonprofit AmpleHarvest.org. Rosenstein earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management information systems from the University at Albany, SUNY.
10. Shobha Meera (tie)
Company: Capgemini Group
Title: Group Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer, Member of the Group Executive Committee
Shobha Meera is the Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer for the Capgemini Group, responsible for directing the Group’s strategy and actions on social and environmental sustainability. She is also a member of the Group Executive Committee.
As a firm proponent of doing good while doing well, she brings her business leadership skills and experience to accelerating Capgemini’s people, planet, society agenda. She is a member of Capgemini’s Group Executive Committee. Shobha serves on the boards of Capgemini India, Purpose PBC, and Global Compact Network USA, the USA local network for the United Nations Global Compact.
Prior to assuming her current position, Shobha was the Global Sales Officer for Capgemini’s Financial Services Strategic Business Unit, where she was responsible for sales, marketing, alliances, advisor & analyst relations. She is an established leader in the technology and consulting services industry and has held multiple strategy, transformation, and operational roles in the areas of sales and marketing, business development and channel management in prior tenures at IGATE between 2011 and 2016 & Infosys between 1995 and 2003.
Shobha is an Electrical Engineer from Osmania University and holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
10. Toya Asbury (tie)
Company: Alvarez & Marsal
Title: Managing Director, Private Equity Performance Improvement
As Managing Director of Alvarez & Marsal’s Private Equity Performance Improvement division, Toya Asbury is known as a visionary leader in delivering operational process improvement and value creation for private equity clients. Among her achievements in this position are her creation of a cost improvement framework for driving over $15 million in savings for a global marketing provider.
In addition to her accomplishments in her 11 years with Alvarez & Marsal, Asbury is known for years of success at Accenture. Over and above her current professional duties, she is a member and angel investor at economic empowerment organization 37 Angels and a Library Advisory Board Member for Duke University. Asbury holds an MBA from Pennsylvania State University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Duke.
11. Julie Nygaard Brushøj
Company: Implement Consulting Group
Title: Partner, Commercial Strategy
Julie Nygaard Brushøj is a Partner in the Commercial Strategy practice of Implement Consulting Group, A global management consultancy firm. The company is driven by over 1,300 professionals across 11 offices.
Julie has worked in consultancy for more than 14 years. Julie began her career with Implement in 2020 as Partner, providing services to private organizations across the world. Julie is focused on driving commercial strategy, customer experience, operating models, and building needed capabilities for organizations to enable sustainable top-line growth.
Julie is an experienced leader, and she has held several leadership roles. She is known for her ability to create followership through high energy, empathy, and strong communication and to use that to drive impact on her followers and the projects she leads.
12. Kristen Turner
Company: Health Advances
Title: Chief Operating Officer
One of the top executives in the world of healthcare industry consulting, Kristen Turner has held the post of Chief Operating Officer at Massachusetts-based Health Advances since 2018. With over two decades of experience in managerial and operational management, Turner has driven key growth for the company’s administrative processes and infrastructure. She previously served as the company’s CFO for more than six years.
Before joining Health Advances, Turner worked as a senior auditor at Deloitte, earning her CPA certification and building relationships with contractors across the New England region. She went on to hold critical positions as an accountant and controller at Staples, Modern Continental Enterprises, and Refrigeration Engineering and Contracting. Turner earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Merrimack College.
13. Laura Corb
Company: McKinsey & Company
Title: Senior Partner
The leader behind delivering sustainable growth transformation solutions for technology and telecommunications clients across the North American region, Laura Corb is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and the leader of that organization’s Sustainability Practice. Having previously led the company’s strategy and corporate finance practice, she is the current chair of McKinsey’s finance and infrastructure committee, and drives organizational transformation focusing on environmental, social, and governance factors.
Prior to joining McKinsey more than 30 years ago, Corb started out as an associate consultant at Bain & Company. She is also an avid volunteer, having contributed a great deal of time and effort to organizations including the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, TechnoServe, Generations, and A Better Chance. Corb holds an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, a master’s degree in business and economic development from Stanford University, and a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Harvard University.
14. Lauren Devestern
Company: L.E.K. Consulting
Title: Managing Director
Among her critical responsibilities at L.E.K. Consulting, Managing Director Lauren Devestern has spearheaded the company’s pet and animal practice in North America, driving growth across an extremely profitable industry over her 13 years in this position. She has leveraged her years of experience in brand positioning and M&A to transform outcomes for clients in sectors ranging from beauty and personal care to health and wellness, and serves on L.E.K.’s Global Sustainability Center of Excellence.
Previously, Devestern worked in financial services for AVC Advisory, wealth management for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, and strategic marketing for NBC Universal. In 2020, she was the recipient of Consulting Magazine’s Rising Stars Award. Devestern is widely hailed as a thought leader in the pet industry, and her expertise is frequently highlighted at industry events and platforms. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Barnard College.
15. Teresa Espírito Santo
Company: Boston Consulting Group
Title: Managing Director, Partner, Global Chief of Staff
Based in Lisbon, Portugal, Teresa Espírito Santo is a core member of the Energy, Financial Institutions, and People & Organization practices for Boston Consulting Group. A 19-year veteran of BCG, Espírito Santo began as a consultant before stepping up to serve in roles such as project leader and director of the Global Executive Team. Since joining BCG in 2004, she has focused her client work on the energy sector, and she has acquired deep experience in People & Organization topics across different industries.
In her current position, Espírito Santo's milestones include delivering a revenue-growth strategy for a major company in Portugal and guiding the establishment of a global sourcing unit for a major electric player in Portugal. Espírito Santo received her MBA from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
16. Tracey Walker
Company: RSM
Title: Principal and Chief Culture, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer
Tracey Walker serves as Chief Culture, Diversity, and Inclusion (CDI) Officer and as Principal within the $3 billion RSM enterprise. She designs RSM's national diversity, equity, and inclusion programming, policy, and enterprise-wide strategy, creating a culture of inclusion for the 15,000 domestic employees across 90 offices in the U.S. and Canada. She also supports the cultural effectiveness efforts of RSM International. Walker leads the firms governing C-suite Inclusion and Employee Network Councils, as well as the 12 Employee Network Groups (ENGs) talent program. Walker is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) subject-matter expert and leads DE&I advisory services for RSM clients delivering inclusion compliance, DE&I training implementation, and infrastructure strategy. She frequently presents lectures for business schools and trade organizations and is certified in Diversity and Inclusion as an Advanced Practitioner from the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR). She completed her graduate work with honors at the Harvard Business School in organizational behavior.
Walker was named among the 50 Most Powerful Women in Accounting (2021) and the 100 Most Influential Women in Diversity and Inclusion (2020) by Diversity MBA. She was appointed Founding Chair of the Council for the Advancement of Women by the Association of Government Accountants (2020) and received the AGA President’s Award (2021). She was also named to the Top 50 Elite Executives in Diversity and Inclusion (2018) and received the Women Leaders in Consulting award from Consulting Magazine (2017). She serves on the Inclusion Task Force for the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the board of Howard University Center for Accounting Education (CAE), and is past chair of the Urban League Board of Directors.
Previously, as the firm’s Federal Financial Services Sector Leader, Walker led specialized financial advisory teams of experts to address the complex technical needs of federal agency clients in lending, compliance, financial management and reporting, risk, and technology. She is currently the firm’s registered corporate representative before state legislatures, federal agencies, and Congressional lawmaking officials.
17. Kathleen Federico
Company: MITRE
Title: Senior Vice President and Chief People, Brand, and Communications Officer
As Senior Vice President and Chief People, Brand, and Communications Officer at MITRE, Kathleen Federico leads the enterprise-wide programs and strategies that drive the success of her company's people and leaders. A not-for-profit organization, MITRE manages federally funded research and development centers that support various U.S. government agencies in the aviation, defense, and cybersecurity fields, among many others. Federico joined the company in 2018, first serving as its chief human resources officer, and assumed her current role in September 2022.
Federico, who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Merrimack College, has a long history of leading human resources in numerous industries. Prior to MITRE, she was CHRO for The MENTOR Network, where she led an HR transformation which included 150 professionals supporting a distributed workforce of more than 30,000 employees. She also held the dual role of senior vice president of sales and HR at World Travel Holdings, the world’s largest cruise agency. Away from MITRE, Federico serves on the board of directors of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the executive committee of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and the Edinburg Center Board of Directors.
18. Renee Romulus
Company: FTI Consulting
Title: Vice President, Global Talent Development
Renee Romulus was named Vice President, Global Talent Development for FTI Consulting in October 2016. Building on her more than 25 years of excellence in global talent management, development, and organizational transformation, Romulus works with FTI's senior leadership to align corporate strategy and vision to drive real world results.
Romulus previously served as part of the executive team for both Booz Allen Hamilton and PwC. She was also the VP of Management Development and Training for Ahold, a $40 billion holding company with more than 200,000 employees around the globe. Prior to that, she spent nearly 14 years as Director of Global Integration for NCR Corporation, a Fortune 500 company with 30,000 employees across 130 countries. Romulus earned her MBA from The Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School and her BSBA from Old Dominion University. She also holds an Advanced HR Executive Program certificate from the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business, a Master’s Certificate in program management from The George Washington University, and a certificate in professional services leadership from Harvard Business School.
19. Joanne Traice
Company: DP World
Title: Group Chief Internal Auditor
Joanne Traice is Group Chief Internal Auditor at DP World, having joined the group in 2007. She is responsible for leading the group’s Business Audit, Technology Audit, Fraud Risk Services, Enterprise Risk & Resilience, and Digital Assurance Solutions teams. Traice works closely alongside the global Leadership team to provide independent risk insight, support, and assurance in developing robust risk management, governance, and control across the company’s global portfolio.
Traice has 24 years of experience spanning across Europe, Middle East & Africa, Sub-Continent, Americas, and Asia Pacific. Prior to joining DP World, she worked with PwC in both the U.K. and UAE for nine years, providing audit and assurance services to various multinational companies. She is a qualified Fellow Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) and an authorized Training Principal for the ICAEW’s ACA qualification. In 2014, Traice was awarded the Qualification in Internal Audit Leadership from the Institute of Internal Auditors. Traice holds a Bachelor of Arts in management studies from the University of Leeds.
20. Michelle O'Hara
Company: SAIC
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
Michelle O’Hara is Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at SAIC. As CHRO, O’Hara leads the design and implementation of strategic people-related initiatives, including organizational development, culture transformation, talent acquisition and retention, employee experience, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, she leads marketing and communications, as well as corporate social responsibility for the company. She is accountable for fostering top talent, a strong brand, and an inclusive culture to enable SAIC’s growth and market leadership.
Prior to assuming this role in 2019, O’Hara served as senior vice president for human resources. During her time at SAIC, she has led all major functions within the HR organization, including talent strategy, total rewards, talent acquisition, learning and development, diversity, and executive compensation. O’Hara joined SAIC in 2009 as vice president of talent acquisition, after serving as head of global talent acquisition at BearingPoint. Spanning more than two decades of HR leadership experience, she also previously held leadership roles at Perot Systems Corporation and Booz Allen Hamilton. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the College of William and Mary.
O’Hara currently serves on the board of directors for The Virginia Ready Initiative, a 501(c)(3) public-private partnership dedicated to rapidly reskilling Virginians for in-demand jobs in high-growth sectors. She also serves on the advisory board for the Center on Executive Compensation, which develops and promotes principled pay practices and advocates for compensation policies that serve the best interests of shareholders and other corporate stakeholders.
21. Martha Carter
Company: Teneo
Title: Vice Chairman and Head of Governance Advisory
Martha Carter, PhD, is Vice Chair of the global CEO advisory firm Teneo. She also leads the Governance Advisory practice, which supports clients in all areas of governance, including activism, special situations, board advisory, executive compensation, proxy risk and proxy advisors, ESG, and shareholder engagement. Dr. Carter currently sits on the Advisory Council of the Harvard Corporate Governance Forum and previously sat on the Markets Advisory Council at the Council of Institutional Investors (CII). She is also on the Advisory Council for the Finance Department at the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business.
Previously, Dr. Carter was the Head of Global Research at Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Chair and Founder of the ISS Global Policy Board. At ISS, she led Global Research’s team of 160 governance analysts in 10 offices worldwide. Her team provided institutional investors with research and voting recommendations on more than 38,000 companies in 115 markets.
Carter has been quoted in media worldwide and has also been a speaker at numerous corporate governance events. She has also written articles for a number of publications, including: NYSE: Corporate Governance Guide; International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Benefits Magazine; ICGN Yearbook; and Financial Analysts Journal.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Carter held positions at NASDAQ, The Federal Home Loan Banks, IBM, and Touche Ross. She has also held several academic appointments teaching finance courses. She holds a PhD in finance from The George Washington University, an MBA in finance from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and undergraduate degrees in mathematics and French from Purdue University. She also holds ESG certifications in SASB (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board) Level 1 and TCFD (Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosure).
22. Terry Stone
Company: Oliver Wyman
Title: Managing Partner, Americas
Terry Stone was named Oliver Wyman’s Managing Partner of the Americas in February 2021. She formerly led the firm’s global Health and Life Sciences practice group. Stone has extensive experience in the healthcare industry, including devising growth strategies, improving the cost and quality of healthcare services, establishing innovative partnerships across players in the healthcare sector, developing ACOs and other value-based solutions, and redesigning organizations to support their strategic transformations.
Prior to joining the Health and Life Sciences practice, Stone was a Partner in Oliver Wyman’s Financial Services practice. Drawing on her cross-industry expertise, she co-developed IC on opportunities in healthcare for traditional financial services companies, which was published in the article "Healthcare and Financial Services." Stone has worked at Dell Computer, in the publishing industry, and at a small B2B software start-up. She earned an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at The University of North Carolina and a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from The College of the Holy Cross.
23. Dana Potthoff
Company: Southwestern Consulting
Title: Partner, Executive Sales and Leadership Coach
Finding a good consultant can be crucial to a company's success, which is why Dana Potthoff stays so busy these days. A seasoned executive sales and leadership coach, Potthoff serves as a Partner at Southwestern Consulting, which is part of the Southwestern Family of Companies, a collection of 16 different private operating companies that employ more than 10,000 employees working to bring in an excess of $200 million combined revenue. Potthoff has been with Southwestern for more than 8 years and offers deep expertise in sales training seminars, corporate consulting, keynote speaking, and one-on-one personalized performance coaching, among other areas.
A former Division I college athlete, Potthoff has spent her career putting together winning teams. Prior to her current role, she spent more than three years as a producing manager at the Tom James Company. She started her career with The Southwestern Company, working her way up the ranks as a field trainer, recruiter, and producing sales manager. During this time, she was responsible for teaching a wide range of sales techniques to more than 1,500 students, while maintaining a personal sales ranking in the top 5% year after year. Potthoff earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications, African American studies, ethnomusicology, and Spanish from the University of California, Los Angeles.
24. Sue Rudd
Company: Strategy Analytics
Title: Director, Networks and Service Platforms
Sue Rudd is Director, Networks and Service Platforms at Strategy Analytics – a TechInsights company. She currently focuses on opportunities for 5G SA Core and Hyperscaler Services including Edge Cloud, Intelligent RAN, Network Slicing, SDN Controlled Bandwidth, and Wi-Fi interoperability, as well as Network and Service Orchestration, Control Plane Signaling, and distributed Cloud database and processing requirements. Her recent research covers Cloud Native Software, 5G SA service platforms, and ML/AI for Network Operations.
Prior to joining Strategy Analytics, Rudd worked for Comverse Technologies (now Mavenir), Motorola Cellular (now Nokia Networks), Codex (Motorola’s modem and Enterprise T1 subsidiary), Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN) — one of the creators of ARPANet (now Raytheon) — and Burroughs Corp. (now Unisys).
Rudd has over 30 years of experience in both IT systems and telecoms, working with Internet, telecommunications, and mobile service providers for multiple RF and dot com startups.
She holds an MBA in operations management from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania as well as a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Cambridge.
25. Erin Wilson Burns
Company: The RBL Group
Title: Principal
Erin Wilson Burns is Principal and Lead for The RBL Group’s Global Leadership Practice. In her consulting, she partners with companies from a broad range of industries to find the best approaches to identify and develop tomorrow’s leaders and to transform organizations to effectively and efficiently get the right work done. In her executive coaching, she helps C-suite and senior executives achieve their goals and improve their leadership effectiveness. In both areas, she brings subtle but powerful insights, empathy, and a pragmatic approach to help her clients grow.
She is also Co-Faculty/Coach with Dave Ulrich at HR Learning Partnership and has worked closely with many of RBL’s research initiatives, including the Top Companies for Leaders (with AonHewitt and Fortune) and the Human Resource Competency Study (with the University of Michigan). She has been responsible for the development of new products and methodologies at The RBL Group and is a MENTOR® Master Trainer. Prior to joining the consulting world, Erin worked at Harvard University Press, where she was involved in the acquisition and production of books by some of the world’s leading thinkers. Erin has an MBA from The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
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