The 2016 Most Influential Women
Roopali Desai
Partner Coppersmith Brockelman Desai is among the state’s top election and government law attorneys, as well as a soughtafter commercial litigator. Advice: “Even if you are not sure of yourself or have doubts about your abilities, take a risk because you will inevitably surprise yourself and those around you, and it will lead to more opportunities.” Surprising fact: “I love to experiment in the kitchen and create my own recipes. I get my love of cooking from growing up in an East Indian home where women would convene in the kitchen to tell stories, laugh together and make delicious food for their families.”
Ruth Engle Executive vice president and CFO Troon Golf
Engle joined Troon Golf after serving as vice president and controller of the aerospace division of Honeywell International. During her time at Honeywell, she also held vice president and CFO positions over three leading divisions. Advice: “Rising through the ranks as a female within a male dominated industry has its challenges. That said, exceptional performance will always get you a seat at the table somewhere in the organization. From there, it is up to you to own your own career, take calculated risks, accept and respond to feedback, adapt culturally and seek out opportunities to find a way to drive value.”
Kate Gallego Vice mayor City of Phoenix
Gallego, an advocate for infrastructure investment, chaired the campaign to pass Proposition 104, Phoenix’s 50-year transportation plan. Advice: “Negotiate your salary. I was proud to lead the effort to pass the Equal Pay Ordinance at the Phoenix City Council, which works toward closing the pay gap between men and women. It would really help us if all of the women reading this could get a raise.” Surprising fact: “Growing up, I wanted to be a veterinarian. Then, in high school, I developed an allergy to cats that forced me to come up with new plans. No one would want a veterinarian who was sneezing in the middle of surgery.”
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Roxann Gallagher
Attorney Sacks Tierney P.A. Gallagher’s practice focuses on business and finance, public finance and Indian law, with an emphasis on economic development. She is board chair for Native American Connections. Advice: “Take advantage of the gifts that most women innately possess … including the ability to think strategically, work collaboratively, focus on minute details without losing the overall picture, stand out in most rooms, remember everything, organize anything and juggle competing obligations.” Surprising fact: “I was kidnapped from a Las Vegas grocery store as an infant, was in a 100-year flood as a child in Colorado and was robbed at gunpoint as an adult in Texas.”