Announcing the honorees of Ragan’s 2023 Top Women in Communications awards
Meet the honorees of our annual celebration of women who are shaping the future of the profession.
It’s time once again for Ragan to uplift our annual class of outstanding leaders whose contributions have redefined the way communicators connect, inform and innovate.
Ragan’s Top Women in Communications awards recognizes the trailblazing achievements of the women who have raised the bar for the rest of the comms world through their work developing high-performance, relentlessly creative work across internal and external communications, HR, public relations and beyond.
The women in our 2023 class have been unflinching in the face of both global and internal trials and daring in their moves to overcome today’s most urgent challenges. They have improved the practice of communications through their deft mastery of data, their cutting-edge commitment to leveling up tech stacks and their keen-eyed ability to strategize and look ahead. Equipped with an unrivaled grasp of audiences and industries — not to mention the importance of empathy — these top-notch professionals come prepared for any merger or restructure, any layoff or leadership change, any crisis or celebration.
From the women who champion DE&I both within and outside of their organizations, to those with their boots on the ground building systems and policies, to the executives leading the charge into the future, these dynamic individuals are changing the practice of communications for the better every day.
Read on for the full list of 2023 inductees, and learn how you can join us for a special awards ceremony on Feb. 28, 2024.
Congratulations to Ragan’s 2024 Top Women in Communications.
Bridge Builders
Melissa Buscher
Vice President, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer
SPX FLOW
Laci Hasenour
Vice President of Global Marketing and Global Brand Owner
Berry Global, Inc.
Kimberly Leidgertwood
Vice President, Internal Communications
Cognia
Trish Nicolas
Executive Vice President, rf.engage
Ruder Finn
Yolanda Schufford
Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer
Beyond Finance
Gina Spatafore
Vice President of Corporate Communications & Public Relations
Ancestry
Angela Sullivan
EGM/SVP of Communications
Xero
Racquel White
Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Royal Canin North America
Royal Canin North America
Crisis Navigators
Marisa Bluestone
Senior Director, Communications
Macmillan Learning
Kristy Campbell
Chief Communications Officer
OneTrust
Gina Czark
System Vice President Public Relations and Content Strategy
CommonSpirit Health
Atalanta Rafferty
Co-Founder and Senior Executive Managing Director
RF|Binder
Sara Sendek
Managing Director
FTI Consulting
Data Dynamos
Jacqueline Boggess
Director of Communications
Corn Refiners Association
Alex Christian
VP, Research & Analytics
EvolveMKD
Karen Cyphers
Partner and Director of Research
Sachs Media
Sally Slater
EVP, Head of Innovation
The Bliss Group
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champions
Ti’Ara Brown
Manager, Brand Communications
McDonald’s
Eliza Chlebeck
Vice President, Communications & Community
Andersen Corporation
Jewelyn Cosgrove
Vice President of Government and Public Relations
Melwood
Gigi García Russo
Chief Innovation + Growth Officer
HUNTER
Madeline Hiller
Senior Account Executive
French/West/Vaughan (FWV)
Priscila Martinez
Founder and CEO
The Brand Agency
Leah Reynolds
Principal, Engagement Practice
Buck, A Gallagher Company
Jenny Wang
Senior Vice President
Clyde Group
Dynamic Do-ers
Holland Behn
Lead US PR Manager for Smartphones and Lifestyle – Mobile
Samsung Electronics America
Lenee Breckenridge
Senior Vice President of Communications
UFC
Cortney Collins
Director, US Communications and Employee Engagement at Haleon
Haleon
Kenzie Freeman
Senior Program Specialist, Communications
Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO)
Erin Frostad
Employee Communications and Involvement Manager
Mohegan Sun
Reed Handley
Executive Vice President, Head of Growth, Financial Services Practice Co-Lead
The Bliss Group
Mayra Hernandez Bergman
Vice President, Communications & Marketing
Pepco Holdings
Megan Kessler
Chief of Integrated Marketing and Strategy
PAN Communications
Christina Leeds
Senior Director Public Relations
Amtrak
Stephanie McCay
Director, U.S. Communications
PCL Construction
Claire Nance
Head of Global Communications & Industry Marketing
Activision Blizzard
Jasmine Palmer
Supervisor, Brand Communications
McDonald’s
Krysta Pellegrino
Chief Client Officer
Health+Commerce
Amy Persons
Senior Manager, Earned Media
Aflac
Jordan Phillips
Senior Manager of Public Relations
Avocados From Mexico
Rania Rostom
Head of Global Communications & Marketing for GE
GE
Stephanie Rufo
Senior Manager, Brand PR & Influence
PATRÓN Tequila
Julie Sculley
Director, Corporate Communications
Virgin Pulse
Athena Snow
Senior Manager of Public Relations & Giving
Coldwell Banker Real Estate
Steph Spanos
Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Operations
Exact Sciences
Kristina Spychalski
Head of Communications
Spire Global, Inc.
Michelle Trautman
Director, Marketing Communications
SPX FLOW
Nancy White
Senior Director, Communications
Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association
Alison Zurcher
Director, Internal Communications
Seattle Children’s Hospital
Leaders
Jodi Amendola
CEO
Amendola Communications
Dawn Buzynski
Assistant Vice President, Communications
Hy-Vee, Inc.
Katie Clark
Vice President of Communications
Mattress Firm
Anne DeAngelis
Executive Vice President, Employee Engagement
Zeno Group
Vanessa DeGier
AVP, Communications
Providence
Nina Devlin
Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Keally DeWitt
VP Marketing & Public Policy
GAF Energy
Megan Doern
Public Relations & External Communications Leader
Deloitte Consulting, LLP
Theresa Dolge
EVP, Chief Media Relations Office
Evoke Kyne
Monique Fahlstedt
Senior Director, Internal Communications
ESPN
Melanie Fatouros-Richardson
Vice-President, Communications and Government Relations
SkipTheDishes
Brittany Geldmacher
SVP, Head of Corporate Brand & Communications
Scopely
Erin Griffin
SVP of Marketing & Communications
Riddell
Mara Hedgecoth
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
APCO Worldwide
Suzanne Hendery
Chief Marketing, Communications & Customer Officer at Renown Health
Renown Health
Jennifer Hines
Chief Communications Officer
Tyler ISD
Jessica Hohn-Cabana
VP of Global Communications
Rocket Software
Katie Huang Shin
President
Big Valley Marketing
Ashley Kline Shapiro
Vice President, Publicity ABC Entertainment
The Walt Disney Company
Melissa Lander
Vice President, Communications
Trinity Health
Kate Laufer Gorenstein
Founder & President
KLG Public Relations
Lisa Lesniak
Senior Vice President and Chief Public Affairs Officer
Advocate Health
Amanda Marotti
Director, Strategic Communications & OCM
AWL Strategies, LLC
Johnna Muscente
Vice President of Communications & Public Relations
The Corcoran Group
Rebecca Nunez
Founder & CEO
The MRN Agency
Lauren Pearson Riley
Director of Communications
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Joellen Perry
Global Head of Public Relations
SAP
Dalya Qualls White
Senior Vice President, Chief Communications Officer
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
Melissa Sachs
Senior Vice President, Communications
Link Logistics
Lauren Triffler
Director of Corporate Communications
HARIBO of America
Hannah Vazzana
SVP, Chief Communications Officer
Hilton Grand Vacations
Heather Young
Vice President, Communications
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)
Mentors & Coaches
Samantha Anderson
Vice President
EvolveMKD
Cindy Auten
Senior Partner, Communications
ICF
Ellen Bremseth
Director, Strategic Communications
Milhouse
Elizabeth Erpelding
Head of Partner & Client Experience, Marketing and Communication
Albertsons Media Collective
Jessie Monroe
Communications Consultant
Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.
Susan Stipa
Executive Vice President
CG Life
Tech Leaders
Donetta Allen
Chief Social + Digital Officer
HUNTER
Rachel Pipan
Founder
Maneuvre
Kelly Waltrich
Co-Founder and CEO
Intention.ly
Stephanie Wilson
Director, Global Marketing and Communications
ZS
Trailblazers
Diana Castellanos
Head of Marketing & Communications
Atlas Renewable Energy
Adrienne Chance
Senior Vice President of Communications and Executive Director of the SpartanNash Foundation
SpartanNash
Karlin Keller
Senior Director, Employee Communications and Employer Brand
Intel
Erin Lickliter
VP, Associate & Clinical Communications
Bon Secours Mercy Health
Stephanie Lowenthal
Global Head of Communications
Builder.AI
Tess Mattingly
Director, Brand Communications
McDonald’s
Kelly Miller
Managing Director
FTI Consulting
Justine Sacco
Chief Communications Officer
Match Group
Christina Stejskal
VP of Global PR & Communications
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
Jody Sunna
Vice President Corporate Communications
Philip Morris International
Nichole Tillman
EVP-Communications
Philadelphia Housing Authority
Cheryl Waide
Chief Communications Officer
Vote Run Lead
Sharlene Wells
Senior Vice President of Public Relations and Organizational Communications
Mountain America Credit Union
Visionaries
Sara Aiello
VP, Corporate Marketing
Trellix
Rhiannon D’Angelo-Parsons
Director of External Communications & Media Engagement
Reynolds American Inc.
Gina Faridniya
Vice President, Spaces
Antenna Group
Tori Fernandes
VP, Corporate Communications
The Walt Disney Company
Sara Garibaldi
President
BODEN Agency
Jenna McMullin
Vice President of Communications
Lockheed Martin, Space
Marisol Mendez Peron
Senior Vice President, Communications & Corporate Affairs
Genmab
Jennifer Moreau
Vice President, Public Relations
Dollar General
Kristina Peterson-Lohman
Vice President, Global Communications
Weber
Amanda Schoch
Chief Communication Officer
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Tracy St. Pierre
Executive Vice President, Global Communications & Marketing
Universal Studio Group
Emily Williams
Senior Vice President
Global Strategy Group
Courtney Young
Director Hulu Originals Publicity
Hulu
Jill Zuckman
Partner
SKDK
Rising Stars (Age 30 and Under)
Kristen Blomstrom
Director
The Levinson Group
Julia Brown
Director of Strategy
Kaplow Communications
Jessica Bryant
Account Manager
SourceCode Communications
Samantha Casamento
Senior Account Executive
EvolveMKD
Allison Chavez
Associate State Director of Communications
AARP-Florida
Amy Climenhage
Account Manager
Sachs Media
Sawyer Coffey Noel
Director of Communications and Marketing
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Kelsey Dalton
Senior Media Relations Specialist
City of Hope Orange County
Jane Ha
Manager, Communications
The Walt Disney Company
Sunjay Lee
Account Supervisor
Ruder Finn
Vianca Lopez
Account Manager
The MRN Agency
Samantha Miller
Senior Manager, Internal Communications
Xperi Inc.
Sabrina Negron
Director
FTI Consulting
Annah Otis
Account Supervisor
The Bliss Group
Michele Owen
Communications Director
City of Muncie
Maredie Palmer
Digital Communications and Employee Experience Manager
Dominos
Bailey Williams
Manager, Crisis Communications
McDonald’s
Michaela Zukowski
Senior Manager, Publicity ABC Entertainment
Walt Disney Company
