The Top 50 Phoenix Women Leaders of 2026
Greater Phoenix is in a “build season” that feels unusually consequential: a fast-growing metro balancing housing, heat resilience, water and power reliability, and a once-in-a-generation wave of advanced manufacturing investment. In the middle of all that are women leading hospitals, scaling public-safety technology, financing local growth, shaping policy, and building the civic infrastructure that turns headline projects into everyday opportunity.
This list is intentionally cross-industry-senior executives at major employers, founders and owners, and influential leaders in law, finance, healthcare, education, and regional development-while also honoring one practical constraint: no more than two leaders from the same organization.
Rankings are editorial and based on a mix of role scope, regional impact, community footprint, and influence on Phoenix’s economic and civic direction.
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#1 Amy Perry
As CEO of one of the region’s most important healthcare anchors, Amy Perry sits at the intersection of access, affordability, workforce, and innovation-four issues that touch nearly every Phoenix employer and family. After joining Banner in late 2021 and stepping into the CEO role in 2024, she’s steering a Phoenix-based nonprofit system through the realities of rapid population growth and evolving care models, including the operational challenges of scaling care delivery while keeping quality and experience at the center.
#2 Kathleen L. Quirk
When Freeport-McMoRan announced its leadership transition, the headline was corporate-but the ripple effects land locally. With corporate leadership rooted in Phoenix and Arizona’s long-standing role in the copper economy, Quirk’s role influences jobs, investment, and the broader conversation around responsible resource production that underpins everything from construction to electrification.
#3 Sheryl Palmer
Housing is one of Greater Phoenix’s defining pressure points, and Sheryl Palmer leads a Scottsdale-based national homebuilder that helps shape supply, community planning, and where growth lands. As CEO since 2007, she’s been one of the most visible women executives in Arizona’s development ecosystem-an ecosystem that strongly affects affordability, commutes, and the talent game for every employer competing for workers.
#4 Joyce Mullen
In a region increasingly defined by “tech \+ operations,” Joyce Mullen leads a Chandler-based IT solutions integrator with global reach and a sizable workforce. Her influence shows up in how enterprise customers modernize infrastructure and how Phoenix’s tech talent pipeline stays connected to real-world deployments-especially as the firm positions itself around high-demand areas like AI-enabled solutions.
#5 Sandra Watson
Sandra Watson is one of the most consequential “behind-the-scenes” economic builders in the state-because business attraction, expansion, and workforce strategy become very real in the Phoenix metro’s job base. In official bios, her work is tied to large-scale commitments from companies across the state-1,310+ companies, 298,000+ jobs, and $169B+ in capital investment commitments-the kinds of numbers that change supplier ecosystems, real estate demand, and career paths across the region.
#6 Katie Hobbs
Phoenix is the state capital-and the state’s policy direction strongly shapes the metro’s business climate, infrastructure priorities, and economic development posture. Hobbs’ background includes years of social work focused on domestic violence, mental health, and homelessness, which is relevant to the metro’s quality-of-life and workforce stability conversation. Whether a leader’s focus is housing, childcare, public safety, or talent attraction, state-level policy choices are part of the operating environment.
#7 Kate Gallego
As mayor of the nation’s fifth-largest city by population (per many standard references) and the region’s core economic engine, Gallego’s influence is both practical and directional: what gets built, how fast, and with what priorities. The City of Phoenix highlights her role in bringing a historic $165 billion semiconductor manufacturing plant to Phoenix, building coalitions for infrastructure and public safety improvements, and partnering with ASU to pursue a new medical school downtown-initiatives that directly affect jobs, talent, and long-term competitiveness.
#8 Vanessa Kisicki
Few roles touch as many households and businesses as utility leadership in the desert. SRP’s announcement naming Kisicki as Associate General Manager and Chief Customer Executive places her at the center of customer experience, service strategy, and community trust-critical levers as Phoenix scales. Her appointment has also been publicly recognized in civic spaces (including local board service), reflecting the way utility leadership becomes community leadership in practice.
#9 Nancy Gonzales, PhD
In an economy as talent-driven as Greater Phoenix, a university provost has outsized influence on the workforce pipeline, research direction, and employer partnerships. ASU describes Gonzales as the university’s chief academic officer, overseeing the academic mission across its colleges and schools and helping lead institutional milestones since becoming provost in 2021-work that shapes the flow of graduates and research into the regional economy.
#10 Brittany Bagley
Axon is one of Greater Phoenix’s most visible public companies in public-safety technology, and Bagley’s COO/CFO role places her at the center of scaling, investment decisions, and operational execution. When a region is trying to deepen its “tech with real-world deployment” identity, leaders who can translate innovation into operations-and operations into growth-become disproportionately influential.
#11 Carla Vargas Jasa
Phoenix’s business story isn’t only corporate-it’s also the strength of the civic fabric that supports working families. Valley of the Sun United Way publicly noted that Vargas Jasa became the first woman and first Latina to lead the organization, one of the largest in the United Way network. That position influences cross-sector collaboration around education, financial stability, and community resilience-issues employers feel directly in retention and readiness.
#12 Anna María Chávez, Esq.
Philanthropy is often the “quiet capital” that accelerates solutions when government and markets alone can’t move fast enough. The Arizona Community Foundation notes Chávez joined as President & CEO in 2023 and brings 25+ years of leadership across sectors-experience that matters in aligning donors, nonprofits, and community priorities across the Phoenix metro and statewide.
#13 Alicia Núñez
Economic mobility and business development in Phoenix are inseparable from Latino leadership and institution-building. Local reporting has highlighted Núñez as the first Latina to lead Chicanos Por La Causa as president and CEO in the organization’s history-an organization with deep reach across community development work. That kind of leadership shapes not just nonprofit outcomes, but neighborhood-level economic opportunity.
#14 Sintra Hoffman
Regional development coalitions are where transportation, land use, employer needs, and city-to-city coordination get translated into action. WESTMARC’s own bio frames Hoffman’s role as representing the West Valley across 15 communities-work that directly influences business attraction, infrastructure alignment, and the narrative of where the metro is growing next.
#15 Jesica Duarte
Retail leadership becomes Phoenix leadership when the headquarters is in your backyard. PetSmart announced Duarte’s appointment as EVP and Chief Commercial Officer with oversight spanning merchandising, marketing, and digital-core levers for growth and customer experience in a major omnichannel employer. For a region building depth in corporate headquarters functions, roles like this matter.
#16 Jeni Bell
Republic Services is one of the Phoenix metro’s most prominent corporate names, and Bell’s portfolio is explicitly tied to growth, brand, and a differentiated customer experience. In a services business with national visibility, the CMO’s role connects strategy to execution-and influences how the company’s Phoenix headquarters shows up in the community and marketplace.
#17 Courtney Rodriguez
Talent strategy is business strategy, and Rodriguez’s CHRO role is defined by responsibility for Republic’s people and leadership pipeline. In a metro where competition for skilled labor is constant-especially across operations-heavy sectors-CHRO leadership becomes regionally influential because it shapes hiring practices, retention strategies, and workforce culture at scale.
#18 Alisa Gmelich
Sprouts is a Phoenix-based grocery brand with national presence, and Gmelich’s role-joined in late 2022 per the company-centers on brand development, marketing strategy, and customer loyalty. In consumer businesses, the marketing function shapes growth, store economics, and the “voice” of the brand in the communities it serves.
#19 Trula Ann Breuninger
Native American Connections describes itself as operating behavioral health and housing communities and serving thousands of individuals and families annually-exactly the kind of on-the-ground work that influences workforce stability and community well-being across Central Phoenix. Their CEO announcement highlights Breuninger’s background across healthcare and social services, including work with tribal governments-experience that’s highly relevant in Arizona.
#20 Lynne C. Adams
Great cities run on good governance-and governance relies on legal leadership that can navigate complexity without slowing progress. Osborn Maledon notes Adams leads the firm’s education-law practice within its commercial litigation group, advising school clients on regulatory and compliance issues. In a metro where education and workforce development are constantly linked, education-law leadership can have wide ripple effects.
#21 Fnu Anupama
As a senior manager at Deloitte Consulting, she has built nearly two decades of expertise in AI, data engineering, and enterprise cloud transformation that helps organizations modernize at scale. Her leadership delivering high-impact solutions across healthcare and financial services translates technology into measurable operational efficiency and long-term business value.
#22 Emelda Baca
At Arizona Financial Credit Union, she is recognized for expanding access to responsible lending by championing inclusive products across the credit spectrum. By advancing innovations like buy now pay later options and AI-assisted underwriting, she helps more members and underserved communities build financial momentum.
#23 Dayna Badhorn
As regional president for Avnet’s Americas electronic components business, she leads operations and sales teams that keep critical technology supply chains moving for manufacturers across the region. Her strategic focus on differentiated value for EMS and OEM customers drives growth while strengthening the partnerships that power innovation.
#24 Katherine Beck
Katherine Beck’s work in corporate and securities law, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity helps companies raise capital, pursue strategic deals, and stay disciplined on governance as they scale. As a trusted advisor on complex transactions and compliance, she brings the kind of steady, high-stakes leadership that fuels business confidence in the market.
#25 Tamara Bohannon
As the first woman to lead AllThrive 365, Tamara Bohannon has leveraged decades of social-benefit leadership to expand solutions in health, housing, hunger, and caregiving statewide. Her ability to align mission with measurable results strengthens communities and positions the organization as a catalyst for long-term wellbeing and economic stability.
#26 Jaime Burt
Jaime Burt has delivered two decades of distinguished leadership at Credit Union West, earning respect for driving strategic growth, operational excellence, and a stronger culture. Her hands-on leadership expanding and modernizing the branch network demonstrates the kind of execution that directly improves member access and business performance.
#27 Gaby Cardenas
Gaby Cardenas built The Colibri Collective into a Latina-led, women-owned agency that proves inclusive marketing can be both creatively bold and commercially effective. By pairing innovative strategy with community-focused partnership work and philanthropic leadership, she is shaping brands while creating positive change.
#28 Elizabeth S. Chatham
Elizabeth Chatham’s two decades of corporate immigration and compliance experience help employers, universities, and nonprofits navigate complex systems with clarity and care. Her trailblazing leadership and client advocacy create real business impact by keeping talent pipelines moving and organizations compliant in a rapidly changing environment.
#29 Doreen Cott
Doreen Cott has played a central role in strengthening Queen Creek’s economy by leading business attraction, small business development, entrepreneurship support, and tourism strategy. Her long-term stewardship and ability to secure major investments create durable opportunities for growth and elevate the region’s competitiveness.
#30 Henri’ Dawes
Henri’ Dawes is known for building high-performing cultures by pairing more than three decades of leadership experience with a people-first approach to learning, equity, and belonging. At Achieve, her inclusive talent and development programs elevate leaders and directly support sustainable business growth.
#31 Judy Ferreira
As executive director of the Arizona Indian Gaming Association, Judy Ferreira provides trusted leadership for an industry that is vital to Tribal Nations and Arizona’s economy. Her deep experience and commitment to service help advance strong partnerships, effective advocacy, and long-term opportunity for the communities the association represents.
#32 Rebecca Hale
Rebecca Hale’s founder-led vision built Legacy Traditional Schools and Vertex Education into organizations that have served more than 250,000 students across Arizona and beyond. By taking on operational complexity so educators can focus on teaching, she has scaled a model that strengthens school leadership and expands access to high-quality education.
#33 Catherine Harmon
Catherine Harmon brings 25 years of commercial lending and credit expertise to helping Arizona business owners secure the capital and advice they need to grow. As Alerus’ commercial banking team lead, her relationship-driven approach turns financial strategy into long-term stability for entrepreneurs and the broader economy.
#34 Amy Lou Harvath
Amy Lou Harvath stands out in business development because she builds authentic, trust-based relationships that translate directly into results for Meadows Bank and its clients. Her people-first leadership strengthens partnerships across the market and reinforces the kind of community banking that helps businesses thrive.
#35 Jennifer Kimmell
Jennifer Kimmell has spent more than 25 years advancing the credit union mission, including two decades at TruWest where she has led across operations, strategy, marketing, and member service. As chief experience officer and a national committee chair, she elevates service standards and drives member-centered innovation that strengthens trust and growth.
#36 Lisa Lund
With more than 20 years across nearly every role in the mortgage business, Lisa Lund has built Lund Mortgage Team into a high-performing operation that consistently helps Arizonans navigate major home-financing decisions. Her industry leadership and commitment to mentoring the next generation of brokers amplify her impact well beyond her own production.
#37 Tara Ostrom, MD
Dr Tara Ostrom leads 34 clinics statewide as Optum Arizona’s senior medical director, turning clinical excellence into measurable improvements in outcomes and efficiency. Her leadership guiding large-scale change such as enterprise EMR adoption helps clinicians deliver higher-quality, value-based care at scale.
#38 Nancy Padberg
Nancy Padberg combines marketing, media, and education leadership to expand opportunity through Catholic Education Arizona, delivering significant growth in revenue and scholarship awards. Her focus on strategy and healthy organizational culture strengthens schools, supports families, and builds a more competitive future workforce.
#39 Olga Phillips
Olga Phillips founded the Phillips Laws Foundation to turn compassion into action, creating practical pathways to safety and hope for disadvantaged people. By centering the inherent worth of women and investing in their ability to thrive, her work strengthens families and builds healthier communities.
#40 Maggie Shearan
With 27 years of leadership in home lending, Maggie Shearan guides a statewide sales team that helps Arizona families access responsible mortgage solutions. Her ability to lead in a highly competitive, relationship-driven market supports homeownership, fuels housing activity, and drives consistent business performance.
#41 Sarah Shell, MD
Dr Sarah Shell built Shell Medical Hormone Health and Wellness by pairing integrative primary care expertise with a mission to help patients understand their bodies and improve their long-term health. As a physician and clinic founder, she is expanding access to personalized care that empowers people to remove barriers to wellness and perform at their best.
#42 Nonnie Shivers
Nonnie Shivers is a nationally recognized employment-law leader who helps organizations of all sizes build compliant, resilient workplaces across all 50 states. Her counsel on training, high-stakes investigations, and complex inclusion compliance enables businesses to manage risk while protecting culture and performance.
#43 Toni Stockton, MD
Dr Toni Stockton founded Stockton Dermatology and built a thriving practice that keeps patient-first care at the center while delivering leading expertise in medical and cosmetic dermatology. Through teaching, consulting, and educating peers on emerging therapies, she raises the standard of care and strengthens the healthcare ecosystem in Phoenix.
#44 Torrie Taj
Torrie Taj has spent more than three decades leading nonprofits and philanthropy, bringing big-vision execution to Child Crisis Arizona during a transformational period of growth. Under her leadership, the organization has expanded its capacity to serve vulnerable children and families with holistic, trauma-informed support that delivers lasting community impact.
#45 Sandra Torre
Sandra Torre’s financial and operational leadership as co-president and CFO has been foundational to LAVIDGE’s long-running success as an employee-owned agency. By guiding the transition to 100% employee ownership and strengthening community-focused giving, she has helped build a company that is both profitable and purpose-driven.
#46 Stephanie Tribe
Stephanie Tribe leads Fennemore’s regional trusts and estates practice, helping families and business owners protect what they have built through thoughtful planning and wealth-transfer strategy. Her trusted, multi-generational counsel and national thought leadership provide stability that supports continuity for clients and the broader business community.
#47 CarolAnn Tutera
CarolAnn Tutera is a pioneering entrepreneur who helped bring bioidentical hormone pellet therapy into the mainstream, setting a gold standard for best practices nationwide. As co-founder and CEO, her commitment to wellness innovation has improved quality of life for patients and reshaped a traditionally male-dominated field.
#48 Chelsea Vickers
Chelsea Vickers has rapidly advanced Aurora Behavioral Health System’s impact, rising from COO to CEO of both Arizona hospitals and leading with deep expertise in inpatient psychiatric care. Her focus on program development, strong clinical teams, and quality outcomes helps thousands of patients each year while strengthening a critical sector of Arizona’s healthcare landscape.
#49 LaDonna Weaver
With a 29-year career at Northern Trust, LaDonna Weaver drives strategic initiatives that strengthen operations, employee engagement, and the company’s presence in the Tempe community. Her leadership championing collaboration and inclusion, including supporting employee-led resource councils and mentoring others, builds stronger teams and more resilient organizations.
#50 Joy Zilar
Joy Zilar leads new patient intake operations at City of Hope Phoenix, ensuring people facing cancer receive compassionate guidance, timely scheduling, and a seamless start to care. Her operational leadership removes obstacles for patients and enables the organization to deliver faster access and a better experience at a moment when every day matters.
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