2025 Top Women in Grocery: Rising Stars, Part 1

Progressive Grocer reveals this year's awards program winners in Rising Stars category

By Progressive Grocer Staff

6/23/2025

COMPLETE TWIG COVERAGE

Progressive Grocer’s 2025 Top Women in Grocery awards program recognizes the integral role women play across all segments of the North American food retail and grocery industries.

Females employed in all sectors of the grocery industry – from the retailer, wholesaler, supplier and solution provider communities – were nominated for above-and-beyond achievements in subsequent categories:

Senior-Level Executives (titles of Vice President or higher)
Rising Stars (titles lower than Vice President and Area/Region Director)
Store Managers (titles of Store Manager/Director/Leader and Assistant Store Manager/Director/Leader)

All of PG’s 2025 TWIG honorees have inspiring stories to tell of resilience, growth and triumph over adversity, and all have been able to succeed even in less-than-ideal conditions, nurtured in many cases by the supportive environments created by understanding colleagues and wise mentors. And many honorees have returned the favor by helping others to succeed as well.

Below are this year's Rising Star honorees. They will be celebrated during PG's annual Grocery Impact event in November.

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Courtney Kaes

Director, Sales- Intermountain Region, Acosta Group

Kaes established monthly meetings with assistant sales managers to ensure recurring connections, regardless of the client’s size, and allowing the company to effectively manage clients’ business.
She initiated a practice of informing the entire team about her meetings with the director of center store to address any issues promptly and foster a more open stream of communication with Intermountain leadership.
Kaes actively participated in Rake Up Boise, an initiative that helps elderly and disabled residents by raking and cleaning their yards, and she collaborated with Golden Eagle Audubon Society and Boise Parks & Recreation to replace non-native plants with native species.

Kendra Westmoreland

Director, Business Intelligence - Natural, Acosta Group

Westmoreland helped streamline data management and analytical capabilities for the natural division, to alleviate her team’s dependencies on the IT department, a move that resulted in increased agility and responsiveness to client needs, improved data accuracy, reduced manual labor hours and accelerated strategic decision-making.
She pioneered a forecasting application that empowers brands to estimate retail sales volume based on various pricing and promotion scenarios.
Westmoreland maintains a thriving 13-colony apiary in Texas and dedicates her time to volunteering at the Austin Food Bank, PAWS Animal Shelter and Unity’s nature trail.

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Anna Hine

Perishable Coordinator, Adams Hometown Market

Hine took on the responsibilities of a deli specialist in addition to her perishable coordinator position, helping the departments achieve budgeted sales numbers by working closely with the VP of merchandising and deli department managers across 19 stores.
She extended her reach through developing relationships with the category managers of Adams’ distributor and parent company; this played a key role in aligning strategy and opening communication for potential business opportunities.
Hine was recognized by the SVP and the general manager for her hard work and dedication, positive attitude, and above-and-beyond work ethic with the company’s first Adams Excellence Gold Coin.

Tiari Goold

Senior Direction Retail Execution, Advantage Solutions

Goold launched four new dedicated retail teams, which contributed to a 20% growth of the dedicated retail division and strengthened execution consistency, and she helped overdeliver on staffing goals.
She contributed to optimizing the organization’s drive-time model, helping reduce windshield time by 10% below the industry standard and allowing teams to spend more time in stores, executing and creating value for clients.
Goold co-created the RISE: Retail Industry Skills Enrichment program, a division-wide initiative affecting 700-plus retail leaders; the program delivered expert-led training on execution, leadership and industry best practices, improving consistency and decision-making.

Leigha Wilkerson

Senior Director of Retail Execution, Advantage Solutions

Wilkerson led the optimization of an enterprise-wide retail payroll system, improving efficiency, accuracy and resource allocation; the project also enhanced labor planning, enabling teams to increase business growth and customer engagement.
She successfully supported the launch of four new teams, which have collectively contributed more than $50 million in new revenue, and she co-founded two leadership development programs designed to elevate talent, enhance career mobility and strengthen leadership pipelines.
Wilkerson is a founding member of Grapevine St. Louis Women for Good, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering and supporting local community initiatives through philanthropic efforts and grass-roots support.

Angeline Sparks

Director, Retail Programs, The Kroger Co./Smith’s, Advantage Solutions-Retail Odyssey

Sparks identified an opportunity to reduce travel costs for set teams by creating a tracking process to distinguish between drivers and passengers, optimizing mileage and cutting wasteful spending.
She played a key role in the early stages of building out Smith’s safety program, contributing to the launch of business-specific safety training videos for associates; this resulted in a 9% reduction in costs related to workers’ compensation claims within the first month.
Sparks helped improve retention rates — from 10% to an impressive 85% — and by reducing the reliance on third-party coverage to 0%, she saved Smith’s tens of thousands of dollars in labor costs.

Amy Hazlett

Director, Retail Programs, ADUSA Program, Advantage Solutions-SAS Retail Services

Hazlett introduced functional competencies for managers, establishing position-specific key tasks to assist in associates’ growth and development; space-planning associates were able to assess their own progress while receiving feedback from managers, helping identify areas for improvement and target necessary training.
She additionally developed a Power BI dashboard to track historical and current data for all in-house support teams; the tool provides high-level insights into staffing trends.
Hazlett launched two resolution logs for Hannaford and Food Lion that streamlined field operations and in-house support teams; the logs identified opportunities and potential roadblocks.

Tammy Smith

Director, Retail Programs, Albertsons Cos., Advantage Solutions-SAS Retail Services

As a result of her strategic planning, operational oversight and focus on continuous improvement, Smith’s division maintained top-tier KPIs – consistently ranking at or near the top in all measurable categories month after month.
She played an instrumental role in obtaining client approval to lift blackout and greyout days, ensuring that her team could continue working efficiently, driving revenue and maximizing operational success despite constraints.
Every holiday season, Smith volunteers at local shelters and soup kitchens, and sponsors a family in need; she’s also involved with the Girl Scouts, volunteering her time and expertise to mentor young individuals.

Rebecca Feaser

Manager, Reporting and Analysis, ADUSA Distribution

Feaser built the reporting and analysis team from the ground up, recruiting, training and developing a group of talented professionals; the team’s standout achievement was developing the first-ever D&T Services and VIC Power BI apps, consisting of 30-plus new Power BI reports across critical operational areas.
In addition to creating high-impact scorecards and reporting, she spearheaded efforts to automate manual data processes and source more sustainable data tables, significantly improving data accuracy and efficiency.
Feaser’s vision and leadership transformed how the organization leverages data, shifting from static reports to dynamic, self-service analytics that empower leaders to make informed, timely decisions.

Becky Griffin

Manager, D&T Operations, ADUSA Distribution

Griffin led the transition of the coaching observation tool to Power BI, enhancing data visualization and reporting capabilities for better tracking and analysis of coaching effectiveness.
As part of the DC5 consolidation project, she provided invaluable support in managing post-consolidation traffic patterns, ensuring seamless operations and minimizing disruptions.
Griffin stepped in to cover essential roles within distribution center operations when there were temporary vacancies, to ensure that operations continued smoothly, and she facilitated the 6 Critical Practices program, creating connections across the larger distribution and transportation organization while fostering leaders’ development.

Cheryl Hinkson

Director, Learning, ADUSA Distribution

Hinkson implemented the Coaching for Engagement leader training program, which includes in-person facilitated sessions, self-paced learning modules and on-the-job coaching observations — empowering leaders to strengthen associate engagement through coaching techniques.
She played a pivotal role in the design of the Learning & Development Playbook to support the new warehouse management system across the network.
Hinkson led the implementation of the connected-worker platform, a digital tool that streamlines and standardizes processes for the company’s associates; a key feature of the platform is the ability to translate content into multiple languages with a single click.

Katherine Olson

Manager, Distribution Operations, ADUSA Distribution

Olson increased salvage revenue by 65% and, by streamlining workflows and implementing cost-saving measures, she improved cost per case, directly affecting bottom-line performance.
She standardized transportation vendors for reclaim loads, enhancing efficiency in scheduling, improving arrival time consistency and providing greater visibility into shipments; these strategic changes strengthened reclaim operations, reduced waste and positioned the department for sustained success.
Olson led DC95’s community outreach initiatives, coordinating 236 volunteer hours at local food banks, animal shelters and schools, thereby strengthening the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Andrea Pacifico

Specialist, Learning, ADUSA Distribution

Pacifico partnered with the talent team to create a 16-week cohort-based development program for emerging leaders that combines leadership skill-building and technical training, preparing participants for supervisory roles.
She was instrumental in strengthening safety training within the organization, supporting the safety team in the development of comprehensive accident investigation training, as well as training for a refreshed safety observation program.
Focused on inclusivity, Pacifico took the lead in leveraging technology, as well as bilingual associates, to help translate e-learning into Spanish; this project ensured that Spanish-speaking associates could obtain training in their preferred language.

Kelsey Rioux

Manager, Network Inventory Control, ADUSA Distribution

Rioux launched a change management campaign across all ADUSA Distribution facilities, which opened doors for such further successes as improving inventory management across outside storage networks, optimizing invoice tracking and payment, and addressing shrink loss and damage.
She worked with the Vendor Inbound Compliance Program, gaining buy-in to change the fee structure, overhaul the billing process and design a vendor-facing portal; the program saw revenue growth of 67% in just three months,
Rioux supports adult education in woodworking, floral arranging and elder crafts, and is passionate about youth sports, particularly though her involvement with Girls on the Run.

Jess Rodgers

Director, Regional Operations, ADUSA Distribution

Rodgers was the site director supporting several grocery brands, designing and executing transformational network change to convert a third-party-operated warehouse into a self-service operation while continuing to service 200-plus stores without interruption to the business and an average on-time delivery rate of 99.95%.
She was promoted to her present role, responsible for oversight of distribution and transportation in support of
Hannaford, while continuing to run daily distribution center operations.
Rodgers is a member of the LGBTQIA+ small-business community, providing size- and gender-inclusive recycled fashion, and helps raise funds for local nonprofits.

Kristy Treadway

Manager, Vendor Compliance, ADUSA Distribution

Treadway worked with third-party unloading companies, rental pallet providers and ADUSA Distribution teams to improve operations at the distribution center level; in this capacity, she introduced new process flows for handling vendor disputes, resolving billing errors and clarifying program verbiage.
She also led the development of a brand-new vendor-facing portal, from ideation and design to testing and successful onboarding.
Away from her demanding job, Treadway actively engages with her church’s outreach programs, with a focus on supporting the homeless by providing hot meals and essential supplies, and also finds the time to volunteer at a local nursing home.

Katherine Foushée

Manager, Loyalty Strategy and CRM Operations, Ahold Delhaize USA Services LLC

Foushée was integral in spearheading the growth and performance of the Stop & Shop Go Rewards program, which included driving digitally engaged customers to 10% over goal and achieving a more than 11% increase in GO Rewards redeemers.
She played key a role in a personalized offer targeted to maximize the investment strategy for Stop & Shop’s highest-spending customers; new category campaigns for key focus categories; the conversion of gas redemption to grocery dollar redemption; and the relaunch of special offers within rewards.
Foushée volunteers at nonprofits focused on preserving U.S. history and on education.

Ashley Hatsiopoulos

Manager, IT Strategy and Planning, Ahold Delhaize USA Services LLC

Hatsiopoulos’ new role in 2024 involved leading the activation of a multi-year IT portfolio worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
She played a key role in owning the IT Retail Service Transformation program that generates major savings for ADUSA by consolidating services and sources, and she also developed a continuity plan addressing delays caused by a significant cyberevent.
Hatsiopoulos hosts team-building and morale-boosting activities within the chief information officer team; outside of work, she is president of the PTC at her children’s school and volunteers for a program that delivers home-cooked meals to families in need.

Patricia Bednarz

Director of Operations, Food Lion

Bednarz oversaw financial performance and daily operations of 22 stores across six North Carolina counties; under her watch, regional sales grew 2% versus last year, driven by a nearly 5% transaction increase, and her team delivered a regulatory audit execution score of 90% compliance.
She launched Food Lion’s omnichannel remodel at the 22 stores, which increased deli/bakery offerings and strengthened home meal solutions, generating sales increases; the online shopping option Food Lion To Go was expanded to include all of her locations.
Bednarz’s net promoter score, measuring customer satisfaction, increased 10%, and she fostered an associate-inclusive environment that led to a 15% turnover decline in 2024.

Jennifer Blanchard

Director of Community Relations, Food Lion

Under Blanchard’s guidance, Food Lion Feeds, a philanthropic platform dedicated to combating food insecurity, exceeded its annual donation goal for the fourth year, delivering 238 million meals across 10 states – 50 million more than in 2023.
When Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, Food Lion Feeds responded with almost $4 million in donations, awarding $3.2 million in grants to 120 feeding partners.
Blanchard developed a comprehensive school-focused nutrition program partnering store managers with local schools; integrating math, meal planning and hands-on learning, the program provided nutritional education to 1,000-plus children.

Tonya Cook

Manager, Business Initiatives, Food Lion

Cook managed company-wide strategic planning, key priority development and alignment; in 2024, she steered 20 strategic initiatives, surpassing sales goals and yielding excellent performance.
Employing data-driven objectivity and providing ongoing visibility into performance, she closely monitored progress, reviewed monthly updates and addressed potential risks to ensure goals were met, and she offered transparent monthly reporting to track progress and assess delivery of key initiatives.
For 167 omnichannel store remodels in the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., market, Cook provided critical insights into performance and progress; a champion of inclusivity, she also chairs the Friends business resource group.

Jessica Griffin

Manager, Talent Acquisition, Food Lion

Griffin developed and implemented a high-volume sourcing plan that accelerated and improved the quality of store manager hires; she built a talent acquisition strategy that required all hiring managers to document feedback and better understand candidate attributes.
She led efforts to build a robust early-career program strategy to better engage with students across Food Lion’s 10-state footprint, including a playbook for college career fairs.
Griffin participates in Food Lion Feeds events, the brand’s hunger relief platform; volunteers to speak at community and industry events, including Progressive Grocer’s recent GroceryTech; and mentors 15 women in various life ventures.

Jennifer Holmes

Category Manager, Value-Add Produce and Floral, Food Lion

Holmes grew e-commerce sales and units for packaged meats, each exceeding 20%; she led the team in inventory management, with shrink decreasing by 8% in 2024 over the previous year, having led the team in right-sizing assortment and eliminated low-selling items; and she partnered with the planogram team to maximize efficiencies at the shelf.
She identified opportunities in local meat assortment, pioneering the advertisement of various local products and suppliers; this resulted in sales growth for specific local brands.
Holmes was nominated to participate in NextUp’s 2024 Rising Stars Program for leadership development, and she volunteers with a local youth football program in her community.

Jessica Whatley Jones

Merchandising Director, Food Lion

Under Jones’ expert leadership, the Northern division achieved 4% of its targeted sales plan, with sales increasing by 5% over last year; she led the initiation and development of subject-matter expert merchandising trainings, improving associate engagement and reducing associate turnover by nearly 20%.
She led a cross-functional committee to improve store processes, working directly with category, retail and field merchandising teams.
Jones and her teams find the time to pack and distribute boxes of nutritious food for neighbors in need; she’s also an active member of the Boys and Girls Club, serving as a mentor to local youths ages 15-18.

Jennifer McKinnish

Director of Operations, Food Lion

McKinnish’s region had multiple stores achieve best-ever weekly sales in 2024; Despite the devastation of Hurricane Helene, the region achieved its highest weekly same-store sales.
Under her leadership, online sales increased by 5% over the previous year, and delivery by 30%; the region also posted an improved e-commerce net promoter score of 72, with overall customer satisfaction of 85%, and she also guided several assistant managers into store manager positions, bolstering the leadership pipeline.
McKinnish’s team completed more than 625 volunteer hours; she also coordinated product distribution for a local student who received an $800 grant to feed the homeless.

Erin McMahan

Manager, In-Store Communications and Marketing Operations, Food Lion

McMahan launched a revamped collaborative framework that broke down silos and empowered initiative owners to take full ownership of their projects, enhancing cross-functional collaboration and setting a new standard for efficiency and innovation.
One of her impressive achievements was revolutionizing Food Lion’s truck wrap program, onboarding a new vendor and establishing a quarterly maintenance plan to extend the longevity and vibrancy of the fleet.
Through Food Lion Feeds, she actively volunteers to help pack and distribute food; her efforts also contributed to Food Lion’s goal of donating 1.5 billion meals by 2025.

Jennifer Oglesby

Director of Operations, Food Lion

Oglesby delivered more than $400 million in sales in 2024, increasing same-store sales by 6% and operating under budget by 4%, and her team grew transactions by nearly 5% and item growth by more than 4%; all metrics outpaced the organization.
She looks for special assignments for her associates so they can expand their skills and knowledge, and she promoted four employees to store managers in 2024.
Supporting the University of South Carolina’s freshman move-in day, Oglesby’s team met students and parents, and handed out Food Lion branded items, coupons and snacks to welcome the newcomers to the campus and the community.

Amy Otterline

Category Manager, Poultry, Frozen Meats, Smoked Meats, Heat and Eat, Food Lion

Otterline led a sustainability program for fresh poultry that will replace foam with compostable trays, a move expected to remove 577 metric tons of nonbiodegradable waste annually.
She guided her categories to their best sales year in 2024, with a 3.6% increase year over year, also growing unit movement and margin; she worked with vendors to develop multiple new products that grew share; and she improved inventory management in heat and eat while expanding the program.
Otterline was nominated for Food Lion’s Count On Me award and was selected by her leaders to serve as a co-chair for the grocer’s Generations business resource group.

Angela Reynolds-Wiegand

Director of Operations, Food Lion

Under Reynolds-Wiegand’s leadership, sales grew by 13% in Q4 2024, with sales growth of more than 5% for the full year, leading her division and exceeding the forecast; her region also topped her division in total store shrink.
Hurricane Helene caused significant damage to her region, and she acted swiftly to coordinate support for associates who suffered property loss, while leading efforts to reopen stores.
Reynolds-Wiegand’s region contributed more than 890 volunteer hours to local food banks in 2024, a 90% increase from the previous year; in 2025, she was named to the strategic planning committee at The Corner Table, which provides meals to families and individuals in need.

Amy Shue

Manager, Change Leadership, Food Lion

Shue developed a strategic plan that included collaboration from leadership at multiple levels, managing six workstreams and hosting three management roundtables to better understand the needs of associates in key roles; the process led to milestones in collaboration, partnerships, processes and communication.
She’s a member of Food Lion’s women’s business resource group and the Fresh@Home banner selection committee, the latter of which recognizes associates’ contributions in driving sales.
Outside of the company, Shue leads 100 people for ongoing food pantry events at the Second Harvest Food Bank, in Salisbury, N.C.

Delony Spraggins

Director of Operations, Food Lion

Spraggins led a nine-month omnichannel remodel in her region while keeping sales growth consistent and nurturing a high-performing team, with comp sales up 1.5%; she oversaw the integration of self-checkout, expanded e-commerce for pickup and delivery, and upgraded product offerings for the remodeled stores.
One of the three assistant managers whom she mentored and promoted to store manager roles in her region was recognized as the division’s store manager of the year.
Despite a busy work schedule, Spraggins serves as a Sunday school teacher; volunteers at local churches and food banks; and sits on the Inter Faith board of directors, in Raleigh, N.C.

Erin Valley

Category Manager, Condiments/Sauces and Shelf-Stable Sides, Food Lion

Valley corrected a declining market share trend and set a growth pattern: At the end of 2024, multicultural category sales increased by 9% year over year, becoming the top sales growth category for Food Lion; she worked with her team and business partners to create a common core assortment to maximize space in each set by building a best-in-class planogram.
To fill gaps in the local assortment, she led a strategy that added more than 100 new products and implemented a new pricing structure to grow business; additionally, her efforts grew condiment sales by 9%.
Valley volunteers with Food Lion Feeds food rescue efforts and other charitable activities.

Kristin Wells

Director of Business Planning and Development, Food Lion

Wells created a competitive intelligence tracker that leverages AI to analyze market trends, a tool that has become the company’s cornerstone for strategic decision-making; she also introduced a store-level process for continuous testing and evaluation, a concept that empowers associates to influence go-to-market strategies.
She has been a driving force in fostering inclusivity and associate engagement, creating a culture supporting stronger collaboration, innovation and overall performance.
Wells volunteers with Food Lion Feeds, leads large-scale holiday food distribution events, and coordinates supplies and resources for a women’s shelter.

Dina West

Manager, Digital and E-commerce Marketing, Food Lion

West crafted an extensive communication journey for the launch of new Food Lion To Go stores, starting with an eight-week email coupon campaign; she partnered with retail teams to execute digital engagement tables to celebrate completed renovations, helping drive loyalty program signups, and Food Lion surpassed its annual digital engagement goal, driven by her strategic messaging.
She played a key role in developing the 2025 marketing strategy, prioritizing customer needs to ensure relevant content.
West also led the strategy for Food Lion’s price and affordability initiative, finding that perceptions of sale prices and affordability had increased year over year.

Taneya Clark

Category Manager Service Deli-Specialty Cheese, The Giant Co.

In her previous role, Clark developed two bakery team members and had the entire department cross-trained; supporting one another and driving the business helped improve bakery units by 2.59% and improved the goal of savings for customers by an impressive 27%.
With some team members switching positions and the promotion of a new director of deli and bakery, she assisted in all areas on both desks to keep everything on track during this time of transition until all positions were filled.
In 2024, Clark was inducted into The Giant Co.’s Legacy Circle in recognition of her dedication and 35 years of service to the organization.

Kilene Knitter

Manager of Wellbeing Outreach, The Giant Co.

A registered dietitian and licensed dietitian nutritionist, Knitter reached 3.6 million customers and helped deliver six-figure incremental sales through a monthly well-being email providing shoppable links to better-for-you products and recipes, as well as registration information for virtual classes.
She collaborated with better-for-you brands through the Dietitians Recommend bundle shopper marketing program, nearly doubling the income generated from the previous year.
Knitter launched the first in-person Wellbeing Workshop, a successful event that provided the 41 customers who attended with a three-hour educational in-store well-being experience.

Sherry Miller

Regional Director, The Giant Co.

In addition to her regular duties, Miller took on several special projects, because of her extensive experience in operations and merchandising; for example, she was part of the internal task force that developed Strive for Five, the company’s new store-rating system, which eventually rolled out to the whole brand.
After a major fire at Giant’s Scranton, Pa., store, she provided guidance, strategic thinking and support, working cross-functionally with teams across the business to help the location reopen.
Among other excellent metrics, Miller’s team had the highest e-commerce sales growth of the entire brand, with an increase of more than 13%.

Darla Rieg

Director of Commercial Planning, The Giant Co.

A new everyday low-price strategy developed by Rieg within the global flavors area of the business focused on the right everyday price for the most popular items, delivering seven-figure incremental profitability to the business.
She also created a process to partner with vendors on monthly share reporting, which included a vendor training webinar; the valuable insights from vendors have improved planning for future growth.
When Pennsylvania state legislation was approved for grocery retailers to sell ready-to-drink cocktails, Rieg led her team through a best-in-class launch across the business, despite a fast turnaround involving 100-plus stores in a mere 60 days.

Amy Solomon

Regional Director, The Giant Co.

Driving key results in her region in spite of challenging times, Solomon remarkably achieved a 40-basis point increase in sales and a 40-basis point improvement in fresh shrink.
She has also enhanced profitability through such effective strategies as conducting numerous training sessions throughout the year, with a 40-basis point improvement in total gross profit, while underlying operating profit saw a notable improvement of 60 basis points.
Recognized this past September for her exemplary contributions, Solomon accepted a regional director position in another region of the company, where she aims to continue to drive growth and foster development on a larger scale.

Desiree Turner

Regional Director, The Giant Co.

To help a location with an under-spaced natural and organics market, Turner worked with various partners to expand its set by more than 40 feet, creating 20%-plus growth in the category week on week.
Her regional food safety scores increased 3%, and she set a goal to decrease team member accidents through retraining and additional focus, with lost-time claims falling by 47% from the previous year
Turner created a brand-wide learning event for Autism Awareness Month with guest speakers on the topic of “Embracing Neurodiversity,” enabling company leaders to learn how they could better understand and support those with autism.

Kathryn Kowalzik

Director, Brand Strategy and Creative, Giant Food LLC

Kowalzik developed a social media series, “Home to Home,” working with local spoken-word artists to tell stories of diverse cultural holidays; the series won Three Copper Anvil Awards for Multicultural Communication and Social Media.
She oversaw the strategic development of Giant’s new brand campaign, This is Home, which drove increases in awareness of local partnerships and products, and improvements in brand health measures.
Kowalzik launched three successful price-/value-focused campaigns to drive price perception and bring awareness to private-brand products and new everyday savings.

Monica Murphy

Manager, Front End Operations, Giant Food LLC

Following a 2024 cyberincident, Murphy and her team took decisive action before Giant Food and its sister brands needed to break the weekly ad; ultimately, she worked with the central team, walking it through a program that was modified to work for not just one store, but all of the brands.
She continuously mentored many store and assistant managers in the brand, including the person who stepped into her previous role.
When not at work, Murphy remained highly active in her community, volunteering at New Antioch Church, where she helped feed the homeless, and reaching out to help clothe people in need.

Jean-Marie Beauchemin

Director of Operations, Hannaford

Beauchemin inspired her store leaders to meet metrics that are Hannaford-leading among her 12 geographic director peers, including fresh and center store shrink results that are the best in the company.
Her stores outperformed those of most of her peers in the e-commerce space, with extremely high performance in order completion; she also led the division in achieving some of the highest food safety metrics.
Beauchemin co-led the seasonal store-planning process, spearheading a program to assess and execute on staffing strategies; her contributions helped reverse a trend of incomplete staffing, ensuring the necessary sales support.

Nicole Blessing

Category Manager, Hannaford

Blessing led some of the company’s fastest-growing categories in 2024, including hot prepared foods, which grew more than 25% versus the prior year, and wing bar sales, which saw a 16% increase.
She helped transition packaging for store-made salads from a polypropylene base to a more sustainable fiber base that saved an estimated 68 metric tons of virgin plastic annually; it also saved the company about $145,000 per year.
Blessing worked with Hannaford’s third-party sushi supplier to update the grocer’s assortment, encouraging sushi sales growth of nearly 5%; she also launched kid-friendly, ready-to-cook seafood meal kits, which ended the year up by 16%.

Melody Coveno

Manager, Talent and Engagement, Stop & Shop

A former store manager, Coveno later took on a role that affected almost 50,000 people across 365 locations; recognizing the need to accelerate the early career growth of women leaders, she piloted and participated in the Bonfire Signature Series to empower emerging talent.
Targeting the challenges between corporate and store teams, she designed and launched A Day in the Store Manager’s Life, an immersive experience that lets executives “shadow” managers to better understand front-line operations; this initiative has strengthened collaboration.
Coveno manages the backpack program at her local elementary school, ensuring that needy students and families have access to nutritious food.

Leslie Santiago

Produce, Bakery, Floral Specialist, Stop & Shop

With oversight of merchandising execution across 19 stores, Santiago drove floral and bakery department growth in her district, implementing merchandising plans that generated notable improvements in sales, profits, labor management and shrink, thereby meeting and exceeding district goals.
She trained and developed several new specialists, employing a comprehensive two-day training program focused on critical daily and weekly responsibilities, and she was also involved in the remodels of two stores.
When Netflix filmed a major movie in one location, Santiago led efforts to reset the store, ensure accurate floor plans and tagging, and maintain high sanitation and customer service standards.

Amelie Trieu

Pricing Strategy Manager for Nonperishable Merchandising, Stop & Shop

Trieu played a pivotal role in the company’s largest multi-year pricing strategy implementation to lower prices on thousands of items and was a key architect of private label pricing strategy.
She established strategic guardrails and launched impactful programs for in-store end caps and the circular ad; her ability to execute large-scale initiatives while maintaining a focus on customer experience demonstrated exceptional leadership.
Trieu has led annual celebrations of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month; she also co-organized community volunteering efforts at local food banks and is an active member of NextUp New England, a network for top-performing women leaders

Sarah Williams

Local Marketing Manager, Stop & Shop

Williams led the activation of 128 events across five states to drive brand awareness and foster positive local relationships; she secured 88 paid vendor partnerships, including five national brands, resulting in incremental revenue and high satisfaction from participating partners.
She helped Stop & Shop achieve a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, and she sponsored an internship program that exemplified her commitment to nurturing future talent at the grocer.
Williams is an active member of the LGBT Network Workplace Summit planning committee, which helps create more diverse and inclusive work environments.

Hope Chu

Director, Loyalty Programs, Albertsons Cos.

Working with several cross-functional partners, Chu steered a 14% increase in Albertsons’ free loyalty program and a nearly 40% surge in the FreshPass paid membership program at a time when more than 60% of enterprise sales are driven by loyalty initiatives.
She launched the first FreshPass mass discount plan, which delivered an all-time high of $700 million in sales for the year to date.
A mentor to her team – one of her direct reports was chosen for the McKinsey Asian Leadership Program – Chu shares her time and talent with the community through work with her church, her kids’ school and the Feed My Starving Children nonprofit.

Richa Gupta

Senior Director, Loyalty Innovation and Partnerships, Albertsons Cos.

Gupta enabled loyalty program simplifications across currency types, deal experiences, and in-store and online experiences, all of which fueled double-digit growth across several metrics.
She was instrumental in the revamp of the Albertsons Rewards Program, spurring $250 million in incremental sales and a 27% jump in redeeming households, and she also guided the creation of an on-platform gamification feature and led the increased presence of reward initiatives across the e-commerce ecosystem.
Gupta also tutors adults in literacy and interviews potential students at her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.

Laura Price

Senior Director, Customer and Market Intelligence, Albertsons Cos.

Price identified business risks and opportunities for the broader organization and was an important contributor to merger-related analytics and thought leadership.
She led work associated with the Hispanic growth opportunity and also drove efforts focusing on the impact of value retailers and mass/club channel operations on the company’s business, leading to changes in price strategies and competitive responsiveness.
A former board member of the California Growers Association, Price is passionate about growing food and advocates for the water-sourcing management that allows for sustainable local food production.

Carmen Ayala Vest

Talent Attraction Manager, Albertsons Cos.

Vest enjoyed developing comprehensive recruitment strategies across all 22 banners to optimize the company’s employee value proposition.
Her successful vendor management and collaboration with hiring teams netted major cost savings, including a 33% reduction in spending on one job board, and she also partnered with the internal marketing team to develop marketing collateral with new EVP messaging.
An active member of the Women of Color Alliance, diversABILITY and Hispanic Leadership resource groups, she was nominated for a NextUp Rising Star award in 2024 and lends her time to a career ministry advisory group and a local food bank.

Stephanie Wendell

Senior Director – Sales Planning, Albertsons Cos.

Wendell fueled growth for Albertsons’ own brands through collaborative plans that align innovation, national events, merchandising and pricing strategies with division-specific dynamics.
On the new own-brand sales-planning team, she made significant sales and assortment improvements, driving $35 million in key categories like ground turkey, cheesecake, soup and blueberries; additionally, she created impactful programs for fresh categories representing 65% of own-brand sales and relaunched a monthly sales initiative that garnered a 24% volume increase in participating items.
Wendell is an active member of the women’s resource group and takes part in the company’s mentorship program.

Jamie Jacobson

Director of Client Success, Albertsons Cos./Albertsons Media Collective

At the helm of a $40 million media sales team supporting more than 1,400 vendors, Jacobson developed The Category Captainship Program, which gives Albertsons merchandising leads a contact at the collective to optimize brand investment and improve campaign results.
She started a Pitch Week program that provided a mock environment for sharpening the team’s pitch skillset and executed multiple Blitz Days for her teams, generating $1.6 million in revenue in a single day.
Jacobson won The Collective Recognition award in 2024; meanwhile, away from work, she’s involved with the Idaho Women’s Charitable Foundation and the Lasagna Love volunteer program.

Amanda Kramer

Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships, Albertsons Cos./Albertsons Media Collective

From her coupon-collecting days as a child, Kramer has been connected to Albertsons; that connection continued last year, during which she helped build the strategic partnership division of the company’s commercialization department to maximize the value of data, tech and media partners.
Before her new role in that unit, she was head of client success, heading a team on track to deliver $57 million in annual revenue; recently, she was instrumental in creating a first-of-its-kind retail media partnership with Fetch.
An active supporter of local charities, Kramer hopes to open a café with funds raised to create a safe haven for underprivileged children.

Sherry Ahlgrain

D6 and D7 Customer Service and Front End Operation Specialist, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Leading front end teams and customer service at 38 stores, Ahlgrain headed up job fairs that led to the hiring of hundreds of new employees and helped improve overall customer service scores by 2.3% year over year.
In less than a year, she facilitated the promotion of six new front end managers and recruited seven managers in training; she also increased the J4U loyalty program by 10% and executed special events at stores, boosting sales by double digits on those days.
Ahlgrain volunteers at local food banks, belongs to an associate resource group and was chosen for the Jewel-Osco “Local Gem” video.

Amanda Boaldin

Director, Front End, Customer Service, Retail Integrity, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Wearing three hats as director of retail integrity, front end operations and customer satisfaction, this back-to-back TWIG honoree recently delivered on several metrics, including net promoter scores, lottery sales and gift cards sales.
Boaldin orchestrated the annual division service challenge to drive service, helped protect the company by implementing an in-depth fraud process for highly tamperable gift cards and improved overall commission income year over year by 6.34%.
She is the executive sponsor of the division Pride Alliance resource group, belongs to the women’s resource group, and volunteers with Wounded Warriors and Humble Design.

Tina Browen

Senior Marketing Director, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

This is a TWIG four-peat for Browen, a Jewel-Osco marketing guru who had a busy year creating a 125th anniversary campaign for the banner; that program contributed to a 29% yearly unit increase and a 20% sales increase for vendor partners, and generated more than $100,000 in community donations.
She planned all store events and five large community events, and also partnered with her team and local officials to unveil a new store in Diamond., Ill.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, Browen plays an integral role in six associate resource groups to plan their marketing, media and parade participation, and is a board member of the women’s resource group.

Olivia Cotten

D5 Deli Operations Specialist, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Teaching and training 21 store teams, Cotten served as the link between merchandising and sales planning and execution.
Under her oversight, sales in the deli snack category outpaced the division by more than five basis points on a weekly basis, while pizza sales rose 15% year over year to outperform other stores as well; Last year, looking to further hone her skills, she completed the McKinsey Accelerated Leadership Program, enabling her to coach and develop three new deli managers.
Cotten volunteers for a church program on Chicago’s South Side that mentors teenage girls, and she also donates her time to a local food bank.

Amy DeRose

Direct Store Delivery (DSD) Manager, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Managing the logistics of product delivery while building strong relationships with retail partners, DeRose supported 189 stores; she fought shrink by giving stores information to ensure that they processed invoices correctly and received the proper cost of goods.
She reduced unapproved totals-only invoices’ average dollars by 34%, led shrink training for all Jewel-Osco receivers, and successfully onboarded PowerPlay from a manual receiver scan to Direct Exchange (DEX) through DEX testing of product line and data accuracy.
DeRose is a member of the women’s resource group and shares her time at the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Stephanie Diliberto

Assistant Grocery Sales Manager, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Diliberto recently moved from a role in condiments, baking, oils and spices to managing grocery, nonfoods, household and candy categories; she also collaborated with the national team and suppliers on the layout of stocking and visual presentation of all products under her umbrella.
Her strategies to increase sales and market share have been effective, as category sales improved to an overall 2.68% ID and unit sales grew by 1%; she helped lead the division during Jewel-Osco’s 125th anniversary sale, achieving a 45.29% ID.
Diliberto volunteers at the Northern Illinois Food Bank and belongs to the women’s resource group.

Kristin Dixon

Assistant Deli Sales Manager, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

After a nationwide sliced-meat recall, Dixon partnered with the vendor to create a program making Jewel-Osco the only Albertsons banner to run a positive unit ID in that timeframe.
She teamed with vendors to create The World’s Largest Charcuterie Board and the World’s Largest Kings Hawaiian Bread Display, driving a 10% year-over-year sales lift, and she started a Club Cut program in specialty cheese to compete with big-box stores.
Under Dixon’s leadership, Jewel-Osco donated 2.2 million holiday dinners to families in need; away from work, she’s a Girl Scout troop leader and a Sunday School teacher.

Amber Engstrom

Omnichannel Marketing and Merchandising Manager, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Engstrom managed digital and marketing revenue streams, overseeing a digital budget that she grew 40% year over year.
She contributed to the highest digital household growth in the company, which was up 44%, and teamed with the e-commerce group to launch the first Cyber Saturday Sale, which doubled online sales overnight.
Chairing the Asian di Network, she helped increase Asian ethnic sales by 50% and made it one of the banner’s fastest-growing resource groups; Engstrom also led merchandising efforts at the annual golf outing that raised a record $1 million for the Jewel-Osco Foundation.

Kristyn Foust

Districts 5 and 7 Pharmacy Manager, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Foust influenced Jewel-Osco pharmacy performance across 36 stores and roughly 120 pharmacists, and was responsible for budget oversight of these locations, as well as driving pharmacy performance in the division.
She exhibited incredible growth in CORE scripts, captured market share and new patients from recent competitor closures, increased her script ID and sales ID, and was able to exceed profitability by controlling such variables as labor, inventory and shrink; she also focused on protecting the community with vaccines.
Foust is an active member of the Jewel-Osco Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network (WIIN) and volunteers at her local food bank.

Jennifer Gresham

Director, Human Resources, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Gresham was accountable for successful oversight and implementation of all human resource topics, covering more than 32,000 employees within 189 stores.
She partnered with PepsiCo to host boys from Chicago Jesuit Academy to learn about career opportunities and trade jobs, and also partnered with a local community organization to assist children in under-resourced neighborhoods to get them jobs within Jewel-Osco.
A regular volunteer at the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Gresham is also an active participant in her division’s Black Inclusive Network of Diversity, NextUp, Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network (WIIN), and the Albertsons African American Leadership Council.

Sharika Harris

D4 and D5 Customer Service Operations Specialist, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

In her role of customer service operations specialist, Harris has spent the past year finding innovative ways to improve customer service by collaborating with front end managers and cashiers, and by helping with the developmental growth of team members through mentorship and leadership.
Schedule efficiency for her districts increased year over year, as did anti-money-laundering compliance.
Harris is not only an active member of the Jewel-Osco Black Inclusive Network of Diversity associate resource group, but also is able to find the time to volunteer at her local food bank, Wreaths Across America and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Monique Hoguet

Assistant Sales Manager-Produce, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Hoguet oversaw the day-to-day operations of the produce departments for 189 stores, ensuring product quality, implementing sales strategies, and developing weekly ads and merchandising plans.
Over the past year, she worked with growers to find premium flavor offerings on fresh fruits and vegetables at the best costs and created fresh-cut premium flavor items; she was also a critical member in relaunching organics within produce by developing signage, messaging and promotions, enhancing overall organic sales by 1.5% year-over-year.
Hoguet volunteers at By The Hand Club for Kids to help teach and train students about buying, merchandising and selling fruits and veggies for their pop-up produce store.

Sarah Kelley

Sales Manager Bakery/Starbucks, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

As the chief strategist and sales point person sourcing specific commodities with local and national vendors to support the needs of the business, Kelley specifically targeted growth in the bread and cookie categories over the past year, managing to increase year-over-year sales of long French bread and fresh-baked cookies.
She teamed with three top vendor companies on the first tiered-cake program at Jewel-Osco, and planned and executed the opening of 13 Starbucks cafés.
Kelley is a contributor to the Jewel-Osco annual Summer Intern Program and co-chair of the Jewel-Osco Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network (WIIN).

Emi Okano

Patient Care Pharmacist, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Supporting 36 pharmacy teams in addition to being a community health resource, Okano backed such new clinical initiatives as flu and strep in-store testing and a diabetes program.
She expanded clinic reach, strengthened school health initiatives, and enhanced community outreach and equity in health care through personally attending and administering more than 11,000 vaccines at various clinics.
Okano partnered with the city of Chicago and various facilities to organize and staff clinics in underserved neighborhoods, and she also mentored residents, pharmacy students and graduate interns.

Myrian Phelps

D3 and D8 Customer Service and Front End Operations Specialist, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Phelps led her teams to earn the highest net promoter scores in customer service in her division for more than four quarters straight, coming in at 10 basis points over the division goal.
During that time, she also helped mentor and promote six new front end managers, four assistant front end managers and one manager in training.
Under Phelps’ direction, Jewel-Osco hosted the annual Turkey Drop, working with The Salvation Army to donate 400 turkey dinners to veterans, and she also organized three bowling events across both districts to raise money for Holiday Bucks, helping to feed needy families.

Patty Rodriguez

Deli Production Center Operations Specialist, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Under Rodriguez’s leadership, the number of stores serviced by Jewel-Osco’s Deli Production Center expanded to 95 by the end of 2024, from 19 stores in 2022; daily production has increased from 2,000 units per day to more than 11,000 units per day over the past year.
To pull off this feat, she analyzed current production processes and developed new, more efficient methods.
Additionally, Rodriguez created new processes to reduce the steps and labor hours needed to produce, package, stage and deliver products made at the Deli Production Center, which increased sales by 73% year over year.

Tina Schmitz

District Pharmacy Manager, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Schmitz oversaw 34 Osco Pharmacy locations, and her district pharmacies exhibited incredible growth through an increase in both CORE scripts and year-over-year sales; she also captured market share and new patients from recent competitor closures.
Her combined districts have administered more than 119,000 immunizations this year, and she has grown new relationships within her community, with 325 off-site clinics, and also captured 64 new clinics.
Schmitz teamed with a new service to provide emergency medication packets to patients, as well as college emergency packs to students, generating new prescriptions and sales.

Sarah Stolz

D6 and D8 District Pharmacy Manager, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Overseeing 36 Osco Pharmacy locations in Illinois and Indiana, Stolz has been a proponent of driving new pharmacy-based services, especially in underserved areas on the South Side of Chicago.
She has successfully secured 51 new vaccine clinics this year, up 16% year over year, and her efforts have accounted for 5,000 incremental vaccines at these clinics alone.
Stolz is a member of the Jewel-Osco Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network (WIIN) associate resource group, and she also volunteers as a preceptor for three area pharmacy schools, taking the time to mentor pharmacy students who are just starting out in their careers.

Kelly Walters

Food Safety Coordinator, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Walters provided support to 189 retail locations, division operations and merchandising teams, helping to drive improvements in key metrics, including third-party food safety scores, third-party sanitation scores and deli risk reduction.
She organized 10 food safety manager courses and proctored National Registry of Food Safety Program exams in 2024, resulting in 352 new certifications.
Walters acquired her National Environmental Health Association Certified Professional – Food Safety designation in September, and she also supports causes within her community to help reduce food insecurity.

Abby Wojnicki

Assistant Deli Sales Manager, Albertsons Cos./Jewel-Osco Division

Wojnicki has demonstrated exceptional leadership and diligence since transitioning to her current position, and her strategic approach to category management, vendor relationships and sales had her results trending significantly higher than divisional and national averages, with units up 5.8% year over year and sales up 4.7% year over year.
She ran popular rotisserie turkey and sushi campaigns that resulted in increased sales, and she also set a new hot-food sales record.
Wojnicki is part of the Jewel-Osco Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network (WIIN) associate resource group, as well as a dedicated food bank volunteer.

Michele Edwards

Floral Sales Manager, Albertsons Cos./Mid-Atlantic Division

Edwards oversaw implementation of sales and merchandising initiatives for floral at Kings and Balducci’s and served as the subject-matter expert on issues relating to fresh, gifting and accessories/home decor.
She has led several initiatives that continue to pay dividends, including a focus on e-commerce within the fresh business and balloon-enhancement training classes that have set her department apart from the competition.
Edwards is active in the community as a Girl Scout troop leader and volunteers with her local elementary school parent association; additionally, she is an active member of the Mid-Atlantic division’s Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network (WIIN).

Michelle Gallagher

Bakery Operations Specialist, Albertsons Cos./Mid-Atlantic Division

Responsible for sales and merchandising execution at 18 Acme locations, Gallagher has constantly raised the bar in the district with improved gross margin results.
She was dedicated to improving conditions and shrink, and her regular visits, mentorship and guidance effected a dramatic change in conditions, shrink results and sales at five of the stores in her district.
Maintaining a packed schedule, Gallagher is a member of four associate resource groups and is currently enrolled in the Retail Management Certificate Program; she also participates in the McKinsey Academy Black Management Accelerator Program.

Nelly Goyco-Crespo

Operations Specialist (Special Projects), Albertsons Cos./Mid-Atlantic Division

Goyco-Crespo oversaw all implementation of the Jersey Shore division of Acme’s summer international student program, and she served as the subject-matter expert for hiring and supporting stores with local summer hires.
She was the point of contact for all J-1 international students and helped make them feel at home in the United States by translating orientations and training classes, and also by assisting in housing selection for the students.
Goyco-Crespo is a member of the We Care Foundation Division Committee, a program for associates who are in need, and is also involved in volunteering at her local church.

Laura Mahan

Produce Operations Specialist, Albertsons Cos./Mid-Atlantic Division

Thanks to the strong relationships she has built with her produce teams, Mahan consistently ranked in the top three for contests, sales performance, shrink, margin and more.
She diligently tracked performance, communicated and identified improvement areas as well as opportunities, kept in close contact with her teams on issues, and created solutions.
Mahan is a member of the company’s Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network (WIIN) and is also actively pursuing a certification in retail management through the Retail Leadership Development Program; outside of work she volunteers her time with Habitat for Humanity ReStores to help needy families in the community.

Anne Marie Mozzone

Own Brands Sales Manager, Albertsons Cos./Mid-Atlantic Division

Mozzone was responsible for more than $1 billion in own-brands sale for Acme, Safeway, King’s and Balducci’s, a job that included, among other tasks, promotional planning, merchandising and new-item introductions.
This year, she created a compelling 25%-off own-brand event that drove millions of dollars in sales and an increase in sales and units over the previous year, and also helped drive double-digit growth in the snack nut category.
Mozzone spent countless hours organizing own-brand donations, coordinating pickups and drop-offs with more than 30 community partners.

Raven Cameron

Regional Learning Manager-Denver, Albertsons Cos./Mountain West Division

This year, Cameron had direct involvement in a partnership with corporate on creating standardized interview guides for retail teams across the company, which had a significant impact on the way that Albertsons hired associates in its retail stores.
Additionally, outside the scope of her day-to-day work, she helped develop and roll out the Retail Leadership Development Program, which aims to have a significant impact on store employee retention.
Cameron was selected to be a co-facilitator at the Unity in Pride corporate panel event and serves as chair for the local Pride Alliance associate resource group in the Denver division.

Elena Arroyo

Senior Director of Retail Operations, Albertsons Cos./NorCal Division

Arroyo oversaw store operations, service, security and communication for 360 store locations in Northern California, Nevada and Hawaii, working directly with store teams to implement new company initiatives.
She was credited with developing and deploying shrink levers that not only helped decrease net promoter shrink, but also increased sales and improved safety for customers and employees.
Selected to present at the WAFC national convention, Arroyo serves on the NorCal diversity board and the Hispanic networking group; she helped increase membership at the latter organization by 52% in 2024.

Mariah Clinton

Director of Center Store, Albertsons Cos./NorCal Division

Clinton took on a special assignment to lead micro-marketing projects for Albertsons’ NorCal division while she was an assistant sales manager for center store.
She thrived in this new position, fully launching two flagship kosher stores that featured fresh meat, dairy and deli programs, and increased Passover sales by 852% versus 2023; her next project – three flagship Hispanic stores – helped Albertsons compete effectively against independent stores in the area and gained a key vendor partnership.
Clinton’s work led to her promotion to her present role; she also upped her involvement in the Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network (WIIN).

Kristin Zierau

Senior Director, Marketing, Albertsons Cos./NorCal Division

Zierau ran two major shopper marketing programs that grew sales in Albertsons’ NorCal division by $5.4 million; she also launched successful Hispanic, Asian and halal marketing plans, and developed more than 100 competitive response plans.
In addition to her daily responsibilities, she successfully launched the division’s second vendor-supported golf tournament benefiting the Safeway Foundation; vendors called it one of the best-run tournaments they’ve attended.
Over the holidays, Zierau assisted public affairs by finding three organizations to partner with for the company’s giving campaign and coordinated the volunteer efforts for this initiative.

Cassandra Black

Human Resources Manager, Albertsons Cos./Portland Division

Black developed a new HR team from the ground up, even though she was fairly new to her role; she used a new texting platform to communicate with job candidates, which increased response time from applications.
She was selected to be on a team to develop a training simulator for new warehouse order selectors, which enabled the selectors to experience pallet stacking so they could better understand their roles.
Black created and implemented the first-ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council for Albertsons’ Portland distribution center; she also helped create a positive recognition program.

Rosa Chitwood

Center Store Specialist, Albertsons Cos./Portland Division

At the end of 2024, an impressive 19 out of 21 stores in Chitwood’s division showed improved inventory – among them, 15 stores had write-ons, and eight stores maintained a 10% back room – while her shrink results ranked second in the division.
She volunteered to join the NextUp leadership network, where she mentors and supports women who are advancing their careers at Albertsons.
As chair of the Hispanic Leadership Network, Chitwood orchestrated a significant community event to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which inspired the first-ever Hispanic Heritage Month in Phoenix.

Joleen Elizondo

Floral and Starbucks Operations Specialist, Albertsons Cos./Portland Division

Elizondo excelled at coaching, training and mentoring department managers for both the floral and Starbucks department in her district, the largest in Albertsons’ Portland division.
She collaborated with fresh department sales managers to create an all-inclusive wedding program that provides a one-stop shopping experience for floral, catering and wedding cake needs; the program generated $14,500 in sales for the floral department alone.
Elizondo was selected to attend the NextUp Leadership Summit in Chicago last year, and was also chosen by her district manager to organize a Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion event.