Editor’s Note
There is something profoundly intentional about the day you are holding this magazine. Today is the last day of Women's History Month and we chose that on purpose. Not as a footnote, but as a declaration. Because what you hold in your hands is not just a magazine. It is a mirror. A monument. A love letter to the women who lead, who build, who push through every closed door and still show up with excellence, with grace, and with something to say.
CAREER DOCTOR
Editor-in-Chief
Inthisissue
C A R E E R M A G A Z I N E
Inside these pages, you will meet fifteen extraordinary women. Each one a gem. Each one a reminder that leadership wears many faces, speaks in many voices, and lives in many places right here in our communities and far beyond our borders.
This magazine was built on a belief that you deserve more than surface-level content. You deserve real stories, real insight, and real leadership wisdom. The CD Magazine team is fully committed to bringing you the most relevant and substantive coverage of the reallife leadership landscape, both locally and around the world. That commitment begins with this issue, and it will never waver
SPOTLIGHT THOUGHT
L E A D E R S H I P
YT r e n d i n g
aniMasonisavisionaryleaderandrelentlesschampionforgirlsand women, serving as the CEO of Girls Inc. of Chicago, where she channels her passion for equity and empowerment into transformative, community-centered impact. A proud alumna of both Fisk University and Vanderbilt University, Dr. Mason brings both intellectual rigor and deep cultural grounding to her leadership, a combination that has earned her recognition among the most influential voices in Chicago and beyond. Her excellence has been celebratedthroughaconstellationofdistinguishedhonors,including the 2025 Chicago Defender Woman of Excellence award, the 2024 Crain's Chicago Black Leader of Note distinction, and her 2023 inductionintotheBWPL40Under40 AsaproudChiefMemberofthe HarmonyHiveSisterhood,shelivesattheintersectionofcommunity, collaboration, and courage Guided by the motto "Helping people and organizations do good better," Dr. Mason is not simply a changemaker sheisablueprintforwhatpurposeful,values-driven leadership looks like when it is rooted in sisterhood, service, and an unwaveringbeliefinthepowerofgirls.
MARCY PENTONEY, MBA
Our leader spotlight for this inaugural edition is Marcy Pentoney. Pentoney is a seasoned media and ad tech executive whose career is a testament to what happens when sharp strategy meets fearless execution As EVP at Cadent, she leads product and ad tech strategy at one of the most dynamic companies in the space, bringing the kind of vision and operational horsepower that only comes from decades of experience at the highest levels of the industry. Her career has taken her through some of the most powerful names in media including Cox Media and CBS, where she built a reputation for driving revenue, building highperforming teams, and transforming bold ideas into profitable, scalable businesses A proud graduate of both Mercer University and Temple University, Marcy's academic foundation is as diverse and dynamic as her career itself, equipping her with the intellectual range to lead across disciplines with confidence and clarity. But ask Marcy what she is most proud of, and the answer has nothing to do with titles or bottom lines It is the lives she pours into as a dedicated mentor with Braven, investing her hard-earned wisdom into the next generation of leaders, and above all, the role she holds closest to her heart as a devoted wife and mother. That is where her greatest leadership story is written, one day, one investment, one person at a time
DANIELLE SHAMOS POWERHOUSE ARCHITECT INNOVATOR
As Chief Revenue Officer at Revive Media, this dynamic leader has done what few can claim via scaling an ad tech company from a scrappy team of 10 to a thriving 75person organization, all while driving revenue across sales, marketing, and account teams with precision and purpose. A seasoned expert in programmatic advertising, CTV, and Amazon Ads, she has a rare gift for translating complex proprietary technology into clear, repeatable go-to-market strategies that deliver sustainable growth. She is a builder at her core, passionate about developing durable revenue systems, cultivating high-performing teams, and turning bold innovation into bottom-line results. And she does it all without missing a beat at home, showing up fully as a devoted wife and mother a testament to the fact that her greatest superpower is not just her business acumen, but her extraordinary ability to lead with excellence in every room she walks into.
KATHERINE MILLIKEN, MBA LEGENDARY
Milliken is the kind of leader who doesn't just show up to the game, she builds the entire experience around it. As Vice President of Entertainment & Fan Experience for the Miami Dolphins and a seasoned Executive and Event Producer, Katherine has been the driving force behind some of the most electrifying moments in sports and entertainment, helping launch the International Champions Cup, the Miami Open, and the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix all while managing a team of 27 and a $20M+ budget that touches nearly one million fans a year A BizBash 2025 Power Player and Emmy Winner, her hallmarks are leadership, accountability, and creative problem-solving thriving in ambiguity and turning bold ideas into unforgettable live experiences. Whether she's coaching the next generation of sports business leaders, lending her voice to panels, or serving her community, Katherine leads with the same philosophy on and off the clock there is nothing more powerful than a great team, and she has spent her entire career proving it, all while proudly doing it as a boy mom.
KECIA CAFFIE
Caffie is a retail powerhouse whose 20+ year career reads like a masterclass in building iconic brands and transforming businesses from the inside out. As the Former President of Zales/Signet Jewelers for 13 years, and a seasoned leader at brands like Gap and Ann Taylor, she has led with a rare blend of big thinking, bold strategy, and deep empathy by launching campaigns, driving consumer growth, and unlocking the full potential of the teams around her A Georgetown University graduate, former Chief Member, and proud sister of the Harmony Hive Sisterhood, Caffie carries her excellence into every room and every relationship, mentoring the next generation of leaders with the same intentionality she brings to transforming multimillion-dollar enterprises. She doesn't just lead organizations she elevates them.
MEGHNA ROY
Roy is a product and technology executive who has spent over two decades at the intersection of innovation, humancentered design, and strategic growth making her one of the most dynamic forces in digital product leadership today. As VP of Product Management, she masterfully bridges the worlds of engineering, AI strategy, data, and cross-functional leadership to build cohesive platform strategies that delight users and accelerate business results. Meghna has a rare gift for seeing the full picture from integrating complex acquisitions into unified platforms to operationalizing internal functions that elevate the entire employee experience. But what truly sets her apart is her heart for people creating space for individuals and teams to rise to their highest potential through empathetic coaching, deep collaboration, and a nurturing leadership style that brings out the best in everyone around her. And when she steps away from the boardroom, she pours that same passion into championing access to education and community well-being as a dedicated volunteer.
KARUNA SCHEINFELD
Scheinfield is a rare breed of creative executive whose fingerprints can be found on some of the most iconic brands in global fashion, from Dolce & Gabbana and Alexander McQueen to Canada Goose, Woolrich, Roots, Gap, and Abercrombie & Fitch. As CEO of Fourobjects and a former CPO and VP across industry-defining brands, she has spent her career at the exquisite intersection of design genius and strategic vision, building brand experiences that are as emotionally resonant as they are commercially powerful. A Founding Member of Blend, Board Member, and podcast host, Scheinfield uses her platform and her voice to lead with the kind of radical vulnerability that makes her not just a powerful executive, but a magnetic and deeply human one. She navigates it all across boardrooms, creative studios, and life in three countries as a devoted mother and wife, proving that the most beautifully designed thing in her portfolio is the life she has built on her own terms
MONIQUE MCWILLIAMS, ESQ
McWilliams is a force at the intersection of culture, compliance, and human-centered leadership, with over 20 years of transformative impact inside some of the most complex and highly regulated organizations in the country. From serving as Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Vice President at Eli Lilly and Company to leading Belonging and Inclusion as VP at UnitedHealth Group, Monique has spent her career embedding ethics, accountability, and inclusion into the DNA of Fortune 500 organizations in ways that deliver real, measurable business outcomes. Now as Founder and CEO of IV McWilliams Consulting, she brings that same precision and passion directly to leaders and organizations ready to build cultures that don't just look good on paper but actually perform. Monique doesn't just consult, she transforms, and the organizations she touches are never the same again.
ERIN MCMULLEN BROMLEY
Bromley is a media and sports executive who lives at the intersection of strategy, technology, and creative execution, with a rare ability to transform complex, fastmoving environments into streamlined, scalable systems that drive both business performance and an elevated fan experience. With a background in geography and communications and a lifetime spent in and around sports, she brings a perspective that is as grounded as it is visionary, overseeing high-value content initiatives, global distribution strategies, compliance frameworks, and cross-functional teams that consistently deliver financial and experiential results. She is the kind of leader who can align stakeholders, future-proof workflows, and unlock new commercial opportunities all at once, doing it with a thoughtful balance of vision and pragmatism that makes every person, process, and platform around her better. At her core, Erin believes that strong, happy people make the world a better place, and that belief is the quiet engine behind everything she builds.
MELISSA LUCAS, MBA, PMP
Lucas is the kind of strategic powerhouse that Fortune 500 organizations rely on when the stakes are high, the complexity is real, and the margin for error is zero. As an Executive Consultant and Strategic Partner at Accenture Operations, Melissa brings a rare combination of global operational expertise, financial stewardship, and crisis leadership that has guided organizations through growth and transformation across North America, Asia, Europe, and Latin America She is a master at simplifying complexity, turning bold vision into disciplined execution, and building the kind of high-performing, accountable teams that don't just weather change but thrive in it. Grounded in emotional intelligence and servant leadership, Melissa leads with both precision and heart, making her not just a trusted advisor to senior leaders, but the steady, visionary hand that moves entire organizations forward.
MASTERFUL GLOBAL STEADFAST EXECUTOR
HENRIETTA AKPATA
Akpata is a rare executive who operates at the highest levels of technical innovation and commercial excellence simultaneously, with a track record that speaks volumes scaling enterprises from $1.2B to $2B+, driving 40% ARR growth, and delivering multi-million dollar efficiencies across AI, Cloud, SaaS, Life Sciences Tech, and global enterprise software ecosystems. As Founder of New England Fancy Food Co., Inc., Executive Fellow and Professor at Marist University, and a seasoned leader across startups, mid-size companies, and Fortune 500 organizations, she brings a breadth of experience that is as impressive as it is intentional Akpata has a singular gift for translating deep technical knowledge into exceptional business outcomes, bridging the worlds of product marketing, product management, engineering, and GTM strategy with clarity, boldness, and precision. She builds high-performing teams, navigates complexity without flinching, and pours that same energy into shaping the next generation of leaders in the classroom all while showing up fully as a devoted mother and wife. She is not just an executive. She is an ecosystem.
TITAN BOUNDLESS PRECISE PIONEERING
SANDY NUNEZ
Nunez is a living testament to what happens when excellence, purpose, and impact converge in one extraordinary leader. A Football Hall of Famer and world-class Sports and Media Executive, she has built and led high-performing teams across some of the most influential organizations in sports and news, and now as President and CEO of NAMIC NEXT, she is reshaping the landscape of media, entertainment, and sports by expanding pipelines, developing the next generation of leaders, and opening doors that have historically been closed. Known for bringing clarity to ambiguity, aligning people with priorities, and building cultures of accountability and trust, Nunez leads with a rare blend of high standards and deep empathy that makes her not just a powerful executive, but a transformational force in every room she enters. From the football field to the boardroom, she has never stopped competing, and she has never stopped winning.
ABBI ROBINSON-HOBSON
Hobson is a financial and operational powerhouse whose career reads like a masterclass in versatility, having left her mark on some of the most iconic names in sports and entertainment including 40 Acres & A Mule, NBA, Rock the Bells, and ATP. As the Owner of Everly Business Solutions and a seasoned Chief Financial Officer, operations strategist, and entrepreneurial thinker, she moves seamlessly across industries spanning entertainment, sports, media, broadcasting, film, television, venture capital, and nonprofits, bringing the kind of sharp financial acumen and proactive problem-solving that turns complex organizations into welloiled, high-performing machines. She is the leader that others lean on to secure funding, build winning teams, forge strategic partnerships, and deliver measurable results without missing a beat. Grounded in trust, accountability, and a refreshingly straightforward approach to collaboration, Hobson doesn't just manage the bottom line, she elevates the entire organization around it.
TRISHA HALL
Hall is a business strategist, connector, and community investor whose impact stretches far beyond any boardroom, driven by the unwavering belief that when people are truly seen, developed, and empowered, there is no limit to what they can achieve. As Owner of Blue Ocean Consulting and Director of Professional Services at Essendis, she brings a rare gift for unlocking the innate genius in individuals and teams, designing solutions that propel organizations to their next level of growth while building the kind of cultures where excellence is not the exception but the standard. She is a listener before she is a leader, a relationship builder before she is a revenue driver, and an investor in people long before she ever looks at a balance sheet. As a devoted mother and wife, Hall lives her favorite quote from the inside out, "We need to be the change we want to see, so let's start with ourselves," pouring that same intentionality into nurturing the next generation of leaders who will one day take us to places we have not yet dared to dream.
