Who runs the world: The 2021 Best 50 Women in Business honorees

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The NJBIZ Best 50 Women in Business Awards program recognizes women who are shattering stereotypes, and the glass ceiling, with the significant impacts they’re making on New Jersey business and the community at large.

Already one of our most popular events, for 2021 NJBIZ received an unprecedented number of nominations from quality candidates doing big things in the Garden State.

Luckily, the job of narrowing down that list, garnered through submissions from an open nomination process, is left up to a panel of independent judges who selected the 2021 Best 50 Women in Business honorees using a points system to evaluate submissions—but the numbers were close! A true testament to the incredible work women continue to do across the state.

Festivities for the Best 50 Women in Business Awards will kick off with a virtual cocktail party for honorees, offering networking – and prize – opportunities.

You can join NJBIZ to celebrate at the virtual Best 50 Women in Business Awards program on Monday, Oct. 25 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., presented by Wells Fargo, with major support from Withum.

To register to attend, and find out more about this year’s event, visit our Events Page.

2021 honorees appear listed alphabetically by last name below.

Congratulations to this year’s Best 50 Women in Business

Carolyn Andress, vice president, Employee Benefits
HUB International Northeast

Mary Ann Boccolini, president and CEO
Samaritan

Cathleen Davey, president, Holy Name Foundation; vice president, Development, Holy Name
Holy Name

Junetta Dix, director, Environmental Services
ACT Engineers Inc.

Linda Dunham, McDonald’s owner/operator
McDonald’s

Zeynep Ekemen, managing partner
Silver Defender

Bonnie Frost, partner
Einhorn, Barbarito, Frost & Botwinick PC

Betty Garger, president and CEO
Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey

Jenna Gaudio, chief operating officer
Vydia

Susan Gaulden, provost/vice president for academic affairs
Ramapo College of New Jersey

Kate Gibbs, deputy director
Engineers Labor-Employer Cooperative

Wanda Hardy, president and CEO
Financial Wellness Institute

Kristina Henderson, owner and CEO
Henderson Promos LLC

Lori Herndon, president and CEO
AtlantiCare

Molly John, partner
EY

Lisa A. John-Basta, member of the firm
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC

Rika Jolie, head of global swine
Merck Animal Health

Taiisa Kelly, CEO
Monarch Housing Associates

Deborah Kennedy, managing director, senior banker
J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Debbie Kern, director of marketing
A.J. Perri

RoseMary Klie, executive director, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center Foundation
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center

Sejal Lakhani-Bhatt, CEO
TechWerxe

Sandra Lascari, principal/owner
Law Offices of Sandra L. Lascari LLC

Dr. Tamara Mangum
Sharpened Image Inc.

Natalie Maniscalco, co-founder
Wonder Girls

Diana Manning, firm managing principal
Bressler, Amery & Ross PC

Martha Marchesi, CEO
JK Design

Kristine McCool, vice president – Energy Services
PS&S

Taneshia Nash Laird, president and CEO
Newark Symphony Hall

Cheryl Norton, EVP, chief operating officer
American Water

Geraldine Oliverie, owner/ manager
Oliverie Funeral Home

Moonsun Park, CFO/SVP Finance
Sharp Electronics Corp.

Lillian A Plata, co-founder and member
Nee Plata Law LLC

Sue Quackenbush, chief human resources officer
Vonage

Claire Santaniello, managing director, head of operations
Pershing LLC a BNY Mellon Company

Clare Sapienza-Eck, chief strategy officer
Inspira Health

Allyson Schlesinger, executive vice president, head of consumer banking
Columbia Bank

Anne Huntington Sharma, president
Huntington Learning Center

Janet Sherlock, SVP and CIO
Ralph Lauren Corp. & BJ’s Restaurant board member

Joyce Strawser, dean – Stillman School of Business
Seton Hall University

Nikki Sumpter, executive vice president, chief administrative officer
Atlantic Health System

Rose Suriano, member and co-chair, Litigation
Brach Eichler

Rita Tabatchnick, president
Tabatchnick Fine Foods

Tammy Torres, CEO
Salem Medical Center

Candy Vidovich, vice president
Pomptonian Food Service

Kristen Volkland, president/owner
Erbach Communications Group

Carol Voorhees, senior vice president/chief information officer
NJM Insurance Group

Jessica Walker, owner/president
J Walker Salon Group

Karen J. Martinez-Wardzinski, president and CEO
BRAVO! GROUP SERVICES & C-K Control Temp

Catherine Youngman, managing partner, Morristown
Fox Rothschild LLP