A black woman may not be the image that comes to mind for most people when they hear corporate power—and it certainly won’t be the result of a Google search—but around here, we know better. Women of color are remaking the face of leadership teams and C-suites at corporations across the country and around the globe.
So we’re celebrating the fearless female executives who have managed both to stand firm in the face of hostile corporate environments and to take the bull by the metaphorical horns, powering their careers to the top.
The recent Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey and LeanIn showed that black women receive the least support of all women (and significantly less support than men) from their managers, with just 35% reporting that their managers create opportunities for them to showcase their work, promote their contributions to others, or socialize with them outside of work.
So how have dozens of black women overcome these obstacles to make it to the top of the corporate ladder? By owning their power, of course.
“You have an opportunity of readying yourself and expressing an interest in those areas that the management team is looking at in terms of valued experience and trying to build relationships with the folks that run those areas to make yourself more known.”
The 136 women on the roster make up our largest ever list of the crème of the crop of the most powerful black women in corporate America. They have succeeded by leading with performance, deeply understanding their company culture, deftly navigating the corporate landscape, and—above all—wisely wielding their power to determine their own destiny.
CEOs
Divisional CEOs
Powerful Executives
Alissa J. Abdullah Ph.D.
VP, Chief Information Security Officer
Elizabeth Adefioye
SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer
Erika Alexander
Chief Lodging Services Officer, The Americas
Beverly Anderson
Head of Cards and Retail Services
Phyllis S. Anderson
SVP & CMO
Kelly A. Baker
EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer
Sharon Barner
VP & General Counsel
Nina Barton
President, Canada Zone and Digital Growth
Selece Beasley
Chief Compliance Officer
Melody Birmingham-Byrd
SVP & Chief Procurement Officer
Alicia S. Boler Davis
EVP, Global Manufacturing
Audrey Boone Tillman
EVP, General Counsel
Gloria R. Boyland
Corporate VP, Operations & Service Support
Tia Breakley
Managing Director, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, Infrastructure Group
Rosalind G. Brewer
COO & Group President
Victoria Brifo
SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer
Julia M. Brown
Chief Procurement Officer
Erika Brown Lee
SVP, Assistant General Counsel, Privacy and Data Protection
Denise Cade
SVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
Ann-Marie Campbell
EVP, U.S. Stores
Trecia Canty
SVP, General Counsel & Secretary
Karen S. Carter
Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Inclusion Officer
Linda G. Cash
VP, Quality and New Model Launch
Kerry D. Chandler
Chief Human Resources Officer
Titi Cole
EVP & Head, Payments, Virtual Solutions and Innovation Operations
Kristyn Cook-Turner
SVP, Agency & Marketing
Kem Danner
SVP, Head of Human Resources
Erika T. Davis
SVP, Chief Administrative Officer
Jerri L. DeVard
EVP, Chief Customer Officer
Deneen Donnley
EVP, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
A. Verona Dorch
EVP, Chief Legal Officer, Government Affairs & Corporate Secretary
Debbie Dyson
President, National Account Services
Sherri H. Edison
SVP, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary
Esi Eggleston Bracey
EVP & COO, Personal Care, Unilever North America
Aicha S. Evans
SVP & Chief Strategy Officer
Rhonda S. Ferguson
EVP, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary
Marie Ffolkes
President, Americas
Kim C. Goodman
President, Card Services
Maria Green
SVP & General Counsel
Marion K. Gross
SVP, Supply Chain Management, McDonald’s USA
Karen Hale
VP, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer
Karen M. Hardwick
SVP & General Counsel, Washington Gas
Carla Harris
Vice Chairman, Global Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor
Cheryl A. Harris
SVP, Sourcing and Procurement Solutions
Kimberley D. Harris
EVP, General Counsel, NBCUniversal
Bridgette P. Heller
EVP, Early Life Nutrition & Advanced Medical Nutrition
Stephanie C. Hill
Deputy EVP, Rotary and Mission Systems
Salene Hitchcock-Gear
President, Individual Life Insurance
Rosilyn E. Houston
Senior EVP and Chief Talent and Culture Executive
Pearlena Igbokwe
President, Universal Television, NBCUniversal
Melissa E. James
Managing Director and Vice Chairman, Global Capital Markets
Attica Jaques
Head of Global Brand Management
Cheryl H. Johnson
Chief Human Resources Officer
Joia M. Johnson
Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
Kimberly H. Johnson
EVP & COO
Nicole Jones
EVP & General Counsel
Suzan B. Kereere
Global Head of Merchant Sales & Acquiring
Gale V. King
EVP, Chief Administrative Officer
Georgette Kiser
Managing Director & Chief Information Officer
Marachel Knight
SVP, Wireless Network Architecture and Design
Rashida La Lande
Global General Counsel & Head of CSR and Government Affairs
Dede F. Lea
EVP, Global Government Relations
Tonie Leatherberry
Principal; Deloitte; President
Michelle Y. Lee
EVP, President Eastern Region Community Banking
Patricia L. Lewis
SVP, Human Resources
Freda C. Lewis-Hall, M.D.
EVP, Chief Medical Officer
Pam Lifford
President, Warner Bros. Global Brands and Experiences
Gerri Mason Hall
SVP, Human Resources Officer, North America
Karen Matterson
SVP, Chief People Officer
Candace Matthews
Regional President, The Americas
Sonya McCullum Roberts
President – Growth & New Ventures and Strategic Pricing, Cargill Protein Group
Glenda McNeal
President, Enterprise Strategic Partnerships
Christine Miller
Head, Global Portfolio, Sandoz
Christine M. Moore
EVP & General Auditor
Elizabeth D. Moore
SVP & General Counsel
Suzan Morno-Wade
EVP & Chief Human Resources Officer
Rhonda J. Morris
VP, Human Resources
Vanessa Morrison
President, Fox Family
Corlis D. Murray
SVP, Quality Assurance, Regulatory and Engineering Services
Malaika Myers
Chief Human Resources Officer
Felicia F. Norwood
EVP and President, Government Business Division
Ukonwa Ojo
CMO, Consumer Beauty
Lisa Opoku
Managing Director, Global COO, Engineering
Cynthia Patton
SVP, Chief Compliance Officer
Sandra Phillips Rogers
Group VP, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer
Teri Plummer McClure
Chief Human Resources Officer and SVP, Labor
Tracy Preston
SVP, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary & Chief Compliance Officer
Bridgett Price
Global Human Resources Officer
Juliette Pryor
SVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Shawn N. Purvis
Corporate VP & President of Enterprise Services
Desiree Ralls-Morrison
SVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Nadia Rawlinson
Chief Human Resources Officer
Nneka Rimmer
SVP, Strategy and Global Enablement
Joan Robinson-Berry
VP, Engineering, Modifications & Maintenance, Boeing Global Services
Dawn Rock
Chief Compliance Officer
Tchernavia Rocker
Chief People and Culture Officer
Coretha M. Rushing
Chief Human Resources Officer
Julia A. Simon
Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary
Savalle Sims
General Counsel
Susan Somersille Johnson
EVP & CMO
Octavia N. Spencer
Corporate Secretary
Rose Stuckey Kirk
Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer
Colleen Taylor
EVP, New Payments
Brandi Thomas
VP, Corporate Audit
Toni Townes-Whitley
President, U.S. Regulated Industries
Tracey T. Travis
EVP & CFO
Carla Vernón
President, Natural & Organic Operating Unit
Wanji Walcott
SVP & General Counsel
Kellye Walker
EVP & Chief Legal Officer
Laysha Ward
EVP & Chief External Engagement Officer
Robin L. Washington
EVP & CFO
Mary Beth West
SVP, Chief Growth Officer
Teresa L. White
President, Aflac U.S.
Felicia Williams
EVP, Controller and Enterprise Risk Officer
Funmi Williamson
SVP and Chief Commercial Risk Officer
Kathleen Wilson-Thompson
EVP & Global Chief Human Resources Officer
Jacqueline D. Woods
CMO, Global Business Partners
Teresa Wynn Roseborough
EVP – General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Ebony Yeboah-Amankwah
VP, Deputy General Counsel, Corporate Secretary & Chief Ethics Officer
HOW WE CHOSE THE MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN CORPORATE AMERICA
Executives must meet the following criteria to make our roster:
Hold companywide and industrywide influence, each list member represents the highest-ranking executives among the following universes:
1,000 largest publicly traded companies
100 largest international companies with significant U.S. operations
S&P 500 companies
Largest privately held companies and institutions
Each executive has a direct impact on ensuring their corporations are market leaders and/or play a vital leadership role in revenue generation, profitability, market share, and strategic development. As such, they hold top-tier and executive officer positions of the entire enterprise; oversee major global, national, and regional subsidiaries and divisions; and maintain significant budget authority. Positions include those with oversight of operations, sales, marketing, talent, technological infrastructure, and product development.
Each executive reports directly to the CEO, COO, or the executive management team or hold positions on corporate board committees.
Top-tier executives who serve as corporate officers or members of the senior leadership team.
Women who hold C-suite positions including CEO (chief executive officer); COO (chief operating officer); CFO (chief financial officer); CAO (chief administrative officer); CIO/CTO (chief information officer/chief technology officer); or another top designation on the corporate leadership team, senior management group, executive committee, or corporate board. Those who hold the positions of Chief Compliance Officer; Chief Legal Officer and/or General Counsel and Chief Human Resource Officer are included. Other titles include president, general manager, executive vice president, or other such high-ranking positions. Using our research and reporting, BE may have also chosen executives based on their decision-making clout and influence within a given sector
All executives have held their positions as of Dec. 1, 2018.
Executives who have been excluded from our list:
Non-executive corporate directors—regardless of board position including chairman and lead director.
Executives who manage local and statewide divisions.
Executives who work for government agencies and entities under full government control.
Regardless of inclusion on the executive committee, leading executives with sole responsibility for staff functions such as corporate communications, corporate affairs, investor relations, public affairs, public policy, media relations, and community affairs.
Although vital to global business overall, CEOs and top executives from the BE 100s—the nation’s largest black businesses—were not included. (BE has separate rankings for the BE 100s.)
Black Enterprise is a black-owned multimedia company. Since the 1970s, its flagship product Black Enterprise magazine has covered African-American businesses with a readership of 3.7 million.