World’s Most Exemplary Women Leaders in Business, 2023.pdf

www.worldsleaders.com
Yesenia
Ferreras
Empowering
Excellence while
Leading with
Empathy and
Dedication
World’s Most Exemplary
Women
Leaders
in Business, 2023
Vol. 07 | Issue 03 | JULY 2023

World’s Most Exemplary Women
Leaders in Business, 2023
Over the past few decades, society has made great progress
toward gender equality and closing the gender wage gap.
However, one conspicuous issue persists: the
underrepresentation of women in positions of leadership.
A casual peek at the coveted Fortune 500 list in the United
States indicates that women account for only 15% of CEOs.
Companies with a higher proportion of women on their
boards, on the other hand, not only outperform their
competitors, but do so with remarkable success.
Several studies have supported this assumption,
demonstrating that firms with greater gender diversity
among their top leaders, as well as their employees, have
much higher profitability than those without such diversity.
This strongly emphasizes the critical need for more female
leaders. There is little space for debate given the abundance
of facts supporting this argument. It is just unreasonable
that women continue to be underrepresented in leadership
roles.
World's Leaders latest edition “World’s Most Exemplary
Women Leaders in Business, 2023” features women
worldwide who are offering invaluable support to others in
need. This demonstrated the inherent strength of women
and the profound impact they can have when given the
opportunity to thrive.
The cover has Yesenia Ferreras, printing president at
ASGC, who leads by example and places great emphasis on
empathy and consideration for humanity in leadership. She
has a strong commitment to creating a positive work
environment for her team. As a leader, she understands the
importance of building up individuals and creating a
cohesive team.
Ferreras places great emphasis on empathy and
consideration for humanity in leadership, recognizing that
these qualities are integral to leading a resolute team. She
appreciates the unique contributions that each member
brings to the table and strives to bring out the best in
everyone at ASGC Printing.
Also, while you flip through the pages, don't forget to read
the articles created by our in-house editorial staff and
industry experts.
Leading by Example
Have a lovely read!

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CREDIT PAGE
JULY 2023

Yesenia Ferreras
Ferreras
Ferreras
Empowering Excellence while Leading with
Empathy and Dedication
08
Cover
Story

Christiane Wuillamie OBE
Corinne Lepage
Donnica Hawes-Saunders
Sheri Hinish
Phoebe Wasfy
Margaret Kidd
Denise Sangster
Dr. Arti Santhanam
Ana Tereza Basilio
58
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48
42
38
34
28
24
18

YESENIA
FERRERAS
Empowering
Excellence while
Leading with Empathy
and Dedication
08 | JULY 2023

ASGC Prin ng
ASGC, Inc has proven itself as a pioneering force
in the industry by adop ng a forward-thinking
approach to developing and innova ng new
products for labelling, branding, and product
decora on. The company endeavours to
customize its formulas to meet the speciﬁc
needs of each customer's applica on,
recognizing the unique nature of each product.
This strategy allows ASGC, Inc to provide
tailored products that enhance the quality of its
customers' products. The company priori zes
the success of its customers and ensures that
every business decision is made with their
interests in mind. ASGC, Inc's customer-centric
approach has been the key to its success and is
aimed at achieving new milestones in the
future. ASGC, Inc is a commercial, business-to-
business prin ng company that believes in
suppor ng consistent product quality while
keeping costs down for its customers.
ASGC, Inc has built its founda on on the
principles of delivering superior customer
service, high-quality products, and compe ve
prices. The company has also established an
internal culture that emphasizes trea ng others
the way they would like to be treated. It brings
sa sfac on to the employees of ASGC, Inc to
know that their hard work directly contributes
to the success of their customers.
10 | JULY 2023

her strong commitment to creating a positive work
environment for her team, ASGC Printing President,
Yesenia Ferreras, leads by example and places great
emphasis on empathy and consideration for
humanity in leadership. She has a strong
commitment to creating a positive work environment
for her team. As a leader, she understands the
importance of building up individuals and creating a
cohesive team.
Ferreras places great emphasis on empathy and
consideration for humanity in leadership, recognizing
that these qualities are integral to leading a resolute
team. She appreciates the unique contributions that
each member brings to the table and strives to bring
out the best in everyone at ASGC Printing.
The daily routine of Ferreras is driven by a passion for
ﬁnding solutions and creating outstanding products.
She welcomes challenges and ﬁnds great satisfaction
in delivering high-quality work. Her enthusiasm for
her work is infectious and extends to her team and
customers alike. Ferreras takes immense pride in the
products produced by ASGC Printing and the
company.
With
worldsleaders.com | 13

who is a team player. This is essential to maintaining positive
morale and cohesion within the team during day-to-day projects.
Additionally, effective communication skills are a must-have for
any potential candidate. Yesenia recognizes that communication
is the foundation of a healthy and growing company, and thus
looks for individuals who are able to clearly articulate their
thoughts, ideas, and feedback.
For Yesenia, the most important lesson in leadership is to
maintain an open-door policy where employees can approach her
with ideas, suggestions, or constructive criticism. This approach
Developing Leadership Skills Since
Childhood
When Yesenia was a child, her father
started his business in the family garage.
Despite having two older brothers, Yesenia
was the only one who took a keen interest
in the craft and would help her father
during summer vacations and after school.
Although her father may have hoped that
his sons would take over the business
someday, Yesenia eventually took the reins
as his only daughter. As the business grew,
her father expanded into a small warehouse
and Yesenia started working there full-
time, getting first-hand experience with the
production process by running presses,
mixing inks, and using cutting machines.
Over time, she also learned the
administrative side of the business from
her mother. In 1999, Yesenia purchased the
struggling company from her parents, and
with her passion for the craft, she was able
to grow the business steadily over the
years.
Being a Leader
Since 1999, Yesenia has faced numerous
challenges in the male-dominated industry
but has persevered by fostering innovation
and staying up to date with industry trends.
The company's emphasis on research and
development has been instrumental in
driving growth while maintaining a high
standard of craftsmanship. Every employee
at ASGC, Inc is valued and plays a crucial
role in the production process. Yesenia's
passion for the craft, coupled with her
father's entrepreneurial spirit, inspired her
to become a business leader.
When Yesenia is hiring a new team
member, she prioritizes finding someone

not only ensures that employees
feel heard but also contributes to
the company's growth.
Keys to Constant Growth
Yesenia recognizes the importance
of using her innate skills to drive
personal and professional growth.
She passionately believes that
being true to oneself is crucial and
that she should never have to be
anything other than the woman she
is. Yesenia identifies as an
empathetic and kind individual who
is nurturing and believes in the
goodness of humanity. She is
always willing to learn and is a
natural teacher. Additionally,
Yesenia is resilient, patient, and
trusts her intuition.
While these traits may not be
commonplace in leadership roles,
Yesenia believes that there is no
room for egos in leadership as they
can disrupt the learning process.
Therefore, she strives to lead with
humility, authenticity, and a
commitment to continuous
improvement.
Industry Insights
The printing industry has
undergone significant changes in
recent years due to the emergence
of digital technology. Yesenia, as
the leader of ASGC, recognizes the
importance of staying competitive
by offering quality and tailored
products. With the increasing
number of digital printers available,
it is crucial to keep up with
industry trade shows to remain
present and relevant. These events
not only supply networking
opportunities, but also expose
businesses to different
opportunities and potential
partnerships.
Given the diversity of the printing
industry, unique products can often
solve specific challenges that
customers face. As such, Yesenia
and her team stay on top of
emerging products and trends to
create meaningful and fruitful
partnerships with their clients.
Furthermore, in the last decade or
two, the internet has become an
inexpensive and effective tool for
growing businesses. Yesenia
understands the importance of
utilizing the proper resources to
harness the power of the internet,
as it can only benefit both the
business and the customers.
Balancing Personal and
Professional Goals
Yesenia's current vision for ASGC,
Inc. involves the restructuring of
the company's marketing strategy
to stay competitive in the printing
industry by using digital platforms
to connect with potential customers
not only nationwide but also
globally. Her goal is for ASGC, Inc.
to establish a strong leadership
position in the industry, providing
employees with stability and
structured opportunities for
personal growth within the
company.
Yesenia is committed to her own
personal growth and development,
recognizing its importance for the
future success of ASGC, Inc. She
also believes that personal growth
for her employees is crucial for the
company's future growth and
development. Yesenia is pleased
with the direction in which the
company is heading this year and is
confident that ASGC, Inc. will
achieve its goals. She is optimistic
about maintaining a supportive and
healthy work environment that
empowers employees to produce
exceptional products and feel
secure in their jobs.

Ana
Tereza Basilio
A Renowned Arbitration Expert Serving Client with Excellence
Despite the fact that understanding and mastering group dynamics is
crucial for all leaders, there was a sense in our conversa ons that it
may, regre ably, be more likely to be put to the test if a female is in
charge of the group than a male. Although dealing with unconscious prejudice
can be challenging, it may present a chance to improve crucial listening skills
that might never be put to the test. Legal leadership is dis nct in and of itself.
Even though there are many common traits of eﬀec ve leadership, the
demanding technical exper se required of lawyers adds extra elements to
success in the ﬁeld.
Elected as a Leading Individual in the list of the best lawyers in the world in the
area of corporate li ga on by the Bri sh magazine Who`s Who`s, Ana Tereza
Basilio is a Founding Partner at Basilio Advogados and a renowned name in the
area of arbitra on.
18 | JULY 2023

Ana Tereza Basilio
Founding Partner
Basilio Advogados

Journey to the Best
Ana Tereza Basilio is a Brazilian
lawyer, completed her Bachelor of
Laws at the Cândido Mendes
University of Rio de Janeiro (UCAM)
in December 1989 and her graduation
in US Law at the University of
Wisconsin. She was a partner at Sergio
Bermudes Law Firm from 1990 to
1998 and an international partner at
Baker & McKenzie, responsible for the
civil and commercial litigation and
arbitration areas in Brazil, from July
2002 to 2005. She was an honorary
partner of the Andrade e Fichtner Law
Firm, in the civil and commercial
litigation and arbitration departments
from January 2006 to December 2008.
In 2008, Ana and her brother João
Basilio took on the challenge and
launched themselves into the new
project. They invited prominent
lawyers on the national scene and
graduates of law firms within the
country. They founded Basilio
Advogados Law Firm, which has
grown exponentially in specialized
civil litigation, arbitration, and
consulting firms in the past 12 years.
In her journey, Ana had the honor to be
a judge of the Regional Electoral Court
of the State of Rio de Janeiro, from
December 2010 to July 2015. She was
a member of the International Chamber
of Commerce (ICC), based in Paris, in
the Arbitration and Dispute Resolution
(ADR) commission, Director of
Mediation and Arbitration of the
Institute of Brazilian Lawyers elected
in 2018 for the biennium 2018-2019,
and President of the Mediation and
Arbitration commissions of this
Institute since 2019. In 2019, Ana was
nominated as Member of the
Permanent Forum of the Arbitration
Commission of the Escola de
Magistratura of the State of Rio de
Janeiro (EMERJ), and in August 2021,
together with great names of the legal
profession, she founded the Instituto
Brasileiro de Estudos em Proteção de
Dados - IBRADADOS, assuming its
presidency until April 2022.
Basilio Advogados
Basilio Advogados is well-known
among Brazilian families and is skilled
in providing legal services in the fields
of corporate, real estate, family law,
and civil litigation. It focuses on
business and is built around serving
huge corporations in a variety of
industries, including public service
concessionaires, healthcare, mining,
banking, construction, retail, and
individual customers. The firm's
diverse team works in a variety of
industry sectors, but it excels at
strategic civil litigation and arbitration.
They respond to demands that have
both domestic and international
implications, as Ana is proud to state.
Gains Accolades and Recognition
In November 2018, Ana was elected to
serve as the Vice-President of the
Brazilian Bar Association, Section of
the State of Rio de Janeiro for the
2019–2021 biennium, and in
November 2021, she was chosen to
serve once more for the 2022–2024
triennium. The Permanent Forum of
Transparency and Administrative
Probity, of the School of Magistrates of
the State of Rio de Janeiro-EMERJ,
nominated Ana as a member in May
2022. She was awarded the Medal of
Judicial Merit, from the Court of
Justice of Rio de Janeiro, in 2014 and
the Medal of Merit from the Federal
Regional Court of Rio de Janeiro in
2015; she was finally awarded the
Tiradentes Medal in September 2019
by ALERJ - Legislative Assembly of
the State of Rio de Janeiro and
recently, in August, 2022, she had the
honor of being awarded the Medal of
Merit Pedro Ernesto, conferred by the
illustrious councilors that make up the
City Council of the city of Rio de
Janeiro.
Growing as a Litigator
It is everyone's responsibility to learn
and evolve. Evolving means growing
by putting down strong and deep roots.
It means consolidating itself in the
market, having a strong base, and
transmitting security to the customers
and employees. Ana herself keeps
changing, modifying, and developing
in accordance with society and the law.
She keeps studying, improving herself,
exchanging experiences with her
colleagues, and dedicating her time to
each new challenge she comes across.
"Solving our customers' challenges is
the result we seek, the fruit we want to
reap day after day. Nowadays, what I
see that young lawyers lack, not all of
them, but in some, is precisely this
constant search for learning, the desire
to grow, to develop." Exhorts Ana
As per her considerations, one cannot
be conformist and stagnate. If society
changes, the law adapts to new
realities, laws fall out of favor, and
new laws are written and enacted, then
this evolution must be followed.
Secrets of Success
Ana, João and Márcio Notini, three
partners, run Basilio's management.
Operations and financial duties are
managed on a daily basis by João and
Márcio Notini. When it comes to
working with clients, managing cases,
putting teams together, creating
procedural tactics, and, of course,
meetings, dispatches, and oral
arguments, Ana is in charge. Ana
intends to keep up her aggressive legal
advocacy since she finds her greatest
enjoyment and satisfaction in being at
the forefront of her clients' and their
interests.

Corinne
Corinne
Corinne
Lepage
Lepage
Lepage
Assisting with Climate and
Environmental Change Related to
Economic Issues
“The happiest part
of my daily life is
human contact,
whether with
my clients or
my colleagues.”
28 | JULY 2023

Lawyer
Huglo Lepage Avocats
Corinne Lepage

nvironmental issues
Eare becoming worse
and worse. More
than ever, the world is
witnessing the brutality of
environmental
irresponsibility and the
catastrophic repercussions
of climate change, from
coastal erosion to smoggy
skies and disappearing
forests.
Corinne Lepage, a doctor of
law, has developed a
consultancy business that
encompasses strategy and
litigation due to her
experience and kept up with
the major energy,
environmental health, and
environmental files. She
collaborates with large and
small, French and
international, public and
non-profit organizations.
In addition, Corinne oversees significant
environmental, natural, and industrial disaster cases.
She is one of the experts on these subjects in
Europe. She co-founded the Huglo Lepage Avocats
law firm in 1978 with Christian Huglo and held a
number of official positions, including Secretary of
the bar council (1987–1990), Minister of the
environment (1995–1997), Deputy mayor, then First
deputy mayor of Cabourg (1989–2001), and
European deputy (2009–2014). She holds talks a
large corporations on how environmental and
climatic issues have evolved in relation to
commercial concerns.
Huglo Lepage Avocats
The first French public law firm founded by
litigation lawyers was Huglo Lepage Avocats. The
firm still provides advice to public authorities and
organizations today, and the majority of its litigation
work is done in the area of public law, particularly
public business law. One of the firm's most popular
lawsuits was the Amoco Cadiz case, which was
brought before American courts in 1978. Numerous
Environmental law disputes have been handled by
the attorneys at Huglo Lepage Avocats, notably the
defense of Dutch public authorities in relation to
Rhine pollution and German authorities in relation
to French nuclear power stations. The firm now
splits its time between counseling businesses and
municipal governments and litigation, continuing to
develop new fields of law, particularly those
pertaining to climate justice and environmental
health.
Making the difference in Competition
Corinne and her team are adapting to changes by
having a transversal perspective which spans not
only the various legal disciplines but also many
other sectors that are remote from the legal one,
particularly scientific and medical expertise. Huglo
Lepage Avocats has valued greatly reflection and
theory from the beginning and has always seen the
need for legal innovation.
30 | JULY 2023

is able to provide services that are
both operational and creative in the
consulting industry thanks to its
unique experience and its work with
non-legal talents.
Holding a Firm Stance
As a partner and the company's
founder, Corinne is primarily
responsible for the continuity of the
business, case generation, and
customer satisfaction. She also
coordinates publications, webinars,
seminars, and other events that the
company attends and participates in.
She believes that running a business
is not easy, and it is even more
difficult now as there are significant
changes in how work is organized
and what customers and staff want.
The most crucial factors are having a
project, knowing how to stick to it,
being practical, and leading a team
because it can only get better as a
whole. Responsibility, competency,
intellectual capacities, ethics, and a
concern for the greater good are the
traits she searches for. She first
conducts collective recruitment when
adding a new team member.
Furthermore, a unique image is
created by the ethics and decision to
protect the environment as broadly as
possible, by incorporating the efforts
made by businesses to transform
themselves, and by refusing to offer
advice to persistent polluters. This
explains why the company is now
focusing on CSR, ESG, and
taxonomy in order to support
businesses and a limited group of
financial players. Huglo Lepage is
responsible for the development of
several significant environmental law
precedents, and its innovative spirit
is still at work today. Additionally, it

DENISE
SANGSTER
Building Partnerships and Profitability by Delivering
Insights Using a Data-Driven Approach
34 | JULY 2023

New criteria is constantly being
updated and implemented to
keep a company relevant and
ahead of changing market conditions.
As change occurs every day, being able
to adapt quickly enough to rising levels
of uncertainty, complexity, and
volatility is now necessary. Denise
Sangster, President & CEO of Global
Touch, Inc. ®, thrives on the
accelerating change of the IT industry.
She believes the company will keep
using data and data storytelling as a
framework to proactively comprehend
shifting partner and consumer issues,
including the areas where customers'
shifting strategies might succeed the
most or encounter unforeseen
difficulties.
Steadfast Journey
Denise has spoken at IT business,
partnership, and Wall Street events all
around the world. She is a specialist in
"unleashing" the power of partner
ecosystems, accelerating IT company
partner success, and establishing
predictability of growth, revenue,
profitability, and value amongst IT
firms, customers, and partners through
360° of alignment.
Denise received her degree from the
University of California, Berkeley. She
began as a math major at Cal before
switching to business administration
and computer science. Her
postgraduate studies were done in the
US, Europe, and Asia. Denise switched
sports to rowing in college after 14
years of competitive swimming, which
was one of the hardest things she had
ever done. She loves gardening a lot
and going on early morning walks with
her Labradors, Interlaken ("Laken")
and Monte Carlo ("Montie"). She
continues to be heavily involved in the
Olympic movement, UC Berkeley
Athletics, and its rowing department.
The Origin of Global Touch, Inc.
Denise didn't want to work for just one
company, she wanted to do something
a little different. She desired to be a
part of the larger market and create a
consulting firm that would be at the
forefront of or close to market shifts.
Having in-depth, first-hand market
knowledge and extensive industry
relationships that factor into numerous
indicators with a focus on growth,
profitability, and partner leverage are
the only ways to spot these shifts.
Many of her former sales colleagues in
Europe and Asia invited her to start a
consultancy company to aid them with
their companies since Denise was
considering switching to a post at
Microsoft or Apple. She seized this
chance with both hands and never
looked back. In 1990, she established
Global Touch, a consulting company
for digital transformation that aids IT
firms in developing partner-leveraged
approaches for the world of hybrid and
digital computing. Global Touch is a
strategy and go-to-market
transformation consulting company for
the hybrid and consumption eras that
focuses on partners. It takes pride in
groundbreaking innovation that is
ingrained in their basic "step-ahead"
attitude. It reframes expectations,
assisting customers in pushing
boundaries and delivering consumption
era readiness to realize their most
challenging objectives with the aid of
elite, lucrative partners.
Denise says, "At Global Touch, my
team and I really know partners!”
Recognition Owned
EuroChannels, the channel's first pan-
European IT conference, was founded
by Denise. For ten years, it was "the"
conference in EMEA. Denise has
counselled the most cutting-edge
technology companies in the world for
more than 25 years, assisting and
motivating them to create disruptive
next-generation partner ecosystems
that produce predictable and
sustainable revenue, growth, and
profitability that are in line with
necessary customer business outcomes.
As a transformational game-changer
and disruptive innovator, an engineer
of the new partner profitability journey,
a data storyteller, and a customer
experience catalyst in her industry,
Denise has been named one of the 10
Most Influential Global Women in
Tech.
Clients For Life
Nobody can guarantee success, and
those who do should not be kept on
staff! Even though Global Touch has a
proven track record of success, what
sets it apart from other companies is
how it works with customers to
finetune programs so they may achieve
both planned and opportunistic
success. Denise and her team have a
three-decade-long track record of
success that is the result of working
closely with customers to balance
increasing revenue through a
successful global partner ecosystem,
while assisting their partners in
realizing substantial profit margins for
goods and services. In addition to
sharing their understanding of how to
provide partners with the portfolio,
programs, and benefits needed to
future-proof outcomes, they
accomplish this by drawing on their
extensive global field experience,
working in a data-centric culture, and
using data storytelling. The majority of
IT organizations still interact with and
value their partners in the same manner
as they did 15 years ago. Denise's
responsibility as CEO is to make sure
the company continues to support its
clients' success and aid in their ability
to keep up with shifting market
competition. She also consistently
looks for ways to bring value to her
clients' businesses and regards them as
lifelong customers.
"We treat our clients as clients for life,
so if new issues pop up, we can help
our clients see around these curves." --
says Denise.
36 | JULY 2023

A Lesson for Life
There have been a lot of surprises, detours, and
turns along Denise's journey. The most significant
lesson she has gained from her journey is that
change will come every day, so always keep your
eyes on the horizon and be ready for what lies
ahead. She notes that because the industry is
evolving at an increasingly rapid rate every day,
more opportunities, challenges, possibilities, and
innovations are required to keep one step ahead of
threats from the competition. She has the good
fortune to work at a company that always creates
new opportunities through cutting-edge
innovation.
Denise proclaims, "We are continually asking
ourselves how we can "up" our services and make
our partners even more successful.”
In Favor of Women
Global Touch launched its blog series "IT
Wondrous Women™" in October 2020 with the
goal of showcasing the many amazing women
who work in the IT sector. Denise counsels
aspiring female leaders to be incredibly well
prepared for each meeting and conversation and
provides colleagues, supervisors, and clients with
her strategic thoughts and readiness for anything
that may advance the business or the client. This
will raise their profile in a positive way without
coming across as boastful or haughty. Emerging
leaders need to have confidence in their business
acumen, interpersonal skills, and etiquette. She
exhorts people to value the power of a firm
handshake or an appropriate cultural welcome
with both men and women, since they can make a
first impression.
In Denise's opinion, future female leaders need to
improve their self-talk and silence their inner
critic. Activate their inner coach instead. Future
leaders need to develop the practice of sharing
tiny everyday victories with their team.
Recognizing everyday accomplishments in a
meaningful way encourages your team and boosts
productivity at work.

Donnica
Hawes-Saunders
Innovative and Results-Driven Executive that
Excels in Highly-Regulated Industries
38 | JULY 2023

Senior Manager, Global Strategic
Partnerships and Civil Engagement
Philip Morris International

Recognized and acknowledged for
achieving extraordinary results at the
nexus of commercial objectives and
social impact, Donnica Hawes-
Saunders is a mission-driven,
collaborative connection builder. She
creates and manages public relations
outreach and external communication
engagements for Philip Morris
International (PMI) with civil society
as the company transitions out of the
cigarette business and toward a
smoke-free future. Donnica links
public policy and corporate interests
by means of politically astute,
coalition-based communications and
strategic alliances. She has over ten
years of experience in the private
sector and on Capitol Hill.
Early Life and Work Experience
Donnica was born and raised in
Dayton, Ohio, and she remains
committed to her Midwestern values,
which privilege faith, family, and
friendship. Following her graduation
from college preparatory school, she
attended Spelman College, a stellar
member of the constellation of
institutions of higher education
known as HBCUs (historically black
colleges and institutions}.
At Spelman, Donnica earned her
bachelor of arts degree (B.A.),
magna cum laude, in Sociology and
Anthropology before moving on to
earn her doctor of laws degree (J.D.)
from the University of Dayton
School of Law. About her sojourn at
Spelman, Donnica recalls, “Spelman
really helped me show up more
authentically and have a different
perspective on challenges, which
prepared me for some of the
experiences I have had in my career
on Capitol Hill and in the corporate
sector.”
Donnica worked for Heineken USA
prior to joining PMI, where she
executed the company's legislative
agenda on the national and state
levels and developed connections to
enhance brand reputation through
corporate philanthropy, industry
responsibility, and diversity, equity,
and inclusion initiatives. Her work
was featured in a number of media
sites, including Food & Drug
Magazine, The Examiner News,
Convenience Store News,, Abasto,
Beverage Media, Beverage Industry,
Westfair Online, Just-Drinks, Hungry
Forever, Engage for Good,
SelfishGiving, and Cause Radio.
Before joining Heineken USA,
Donnica spent several years serving
as a senior staffer on Capitol Hill. As
a part of her broad background in
policy and legislative strategy, she's
drafted and advanced legislation
including bills to improve responses
to victims of child sex trafficking
(P.L. 114-22) and established
amendment language in the 2014
Farm Bill Conference Report
designating a historically black
college (HBCU) as an 1890 Land
Grant University, increasing access
to federal funds.
A Communication and
Collaboration Expert
Donnica utilizes a collaborative
leadership style because she
recognizes the value of being
consultative as well as authoritative.
As a leader, she assumes the
obligation to know the way, show the
way, and go the way. As a team
member, she values empathy because
compassionate concern, together
with empowering support, promotes
mutuality, reciprocity, and
compatibility. She believes that
leadership should be inspirational
and aspirational as well as strategic
and pragmatic.
R
40 | JULY 2023

‘
‘‘
‘If we work responsibly and
accountably at the
intersection of social
impact, public policy, and
global communication,
opportunities can
look better for all
parties involved.”

Dr. Arti
Santhanam
A Collaborative Scientist’s Passion Helps Build a Top-Five
Tech-Based Entrepreneurial Community
“As someone who had been both a patient and
a scientist, I knew both sides. I have always
been passionate about bringing aﬀordable
healthcare to all and accelerating innovative
solutions from bench to bedside; my work at
MII does just that.”
42 | JULY 2023

Ar Santhanam, PhD
Execu ve Director,
Maryland Innova on Ini a ve
TEDCO

What does the Zulu word “ubuntu"
have to do with a successful science
and tech fund at Maryland's TEDCO?
To start, it's been a guiding force for
that fund's leader.
The Maryland Technology
Development Corporation (TEDCO)
has an important mission in Maryland:
“enhance economic empowerment by
fostering an inclusive and
entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem.
Identify, invest in, and help grow
technology companies in Maryland.”
As the Executive Director of TEDCO's
Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII),
Dr. Arti Santhanam plays a key role in
delivering on that mission. She leads
the MII fund investing in
commercialization and start-up science
and tech companies spun out of five
participating universities: Johns
Hopkins University, Morgan State
University, and the University of
Maryland's College Park, Baltimore
and Baltimore County campuses.
Established in 2012, MII has invested
$47.5M that has resulted in 144
startups, $692M in follow-on funding
and 7 exits to date.
Dr. Santhanam knows that success
would not occur without collaboration,
one of the core values at TEDCO. For
her, collaboration brings to mind the
word "ubuntu." Archbishop Desmond
Tutu defined the Zulu word "ubuntu"
as "My humanity is caught up, is
inextricably bound up, in what is
yours.” In the simplest terms, Ubuntu
means “I am because we are.”
Ubuntu is much more than just a
word—it's a philosophy, a world view,
and a framework for how we relate to
and work with others. While the
concept of ubuntu has spiritual
connotations, it has practical
applications as well. As a socio-
economic ideology, ubuntu encourages
equity and equality as a means of
generating shared wealth, promotes
collective responsibility for the greater
good, and fosters appreciation for each
individual's unique talents.
At TEDCO and within the MII
program, ubuntu manifests itself
primarily in the core value of
collaboration: “We focus on building
trust and credibility across the
organization and with our customers.
We are transparent in the exchange of
ideas and our encouragement of one
another. We value teamwork in our
pursuit of supporting innovation and
entrepreneurial excellence.” Driven by
this value, we embody ubuntu both
internally and in our service to
Maryland's diverse entrepreneurial
community.
TEDCO has worked hard to knit
together an entrepreneurial ecosystem
that connects like-minded
entrepreneurs, subject matter experts,
academics, legislators, and business
leaders from all corners of the state.
They weave together a diversity of
thought, variety of skills, and myriad
needs of Marylanders to build a vibrant
tech-based entrepreneurial community
that's consistently ranked in the top five
in the United States.
A Childhood Illness Shapes a Career
Path
Dr. Santhanam's journey to becoming
both a scientist and a visionary tech
leader began as a girl in her native
India, when she was diagnosed with a
childhood cancer.
An insightful doctor near her village in
India understood she needed special
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44 | JULY 2023

care; based on his advice, young Arti spent a portion of her
childhood traveling 2 hours by bus from her village home to
a city hospital that had the resources to treat her. She had
many interactions which helped her understand both the
disease and how important it was for her to be in a space
with the best treatments available in her region.
A wonderful, influential science teacher also made her want
to be a scientist. The teacher's passion for the topic and
Santhanam's own experience surviving childhood cancer
inspired her to work in this space of scientific discovery
very early on.
A PhD in microbiology and molecular genetics from
Rutgers University in New Jersey followed a Master of
Science in clinical biochemistry from the University of
Madras in India. After completing a postdoctoral study at
the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Santhanam worked as a
senior scientist and subject matter expert for MITRE
Corporation and later for her own consulting firm,
collaborating with partners at DOD to address global health
concerns. She then joined TEDCO where, prior to taking
the helm as executive director of MII, she served in a
number of capacities, including that of investment analyst
for the Maryland Venture Fund and director for the Life
Science Investment Fund.
MII proved to be the perfect fit for Dr. Santhanam's many
skills. She could see ground-breaking science and tech
happening at institutions where they weren't thinking about
getting it to market. At the same time, there were patients
desperately hoping to access those discoveries for
themselves or their families. She saw the solution.

Margaret
Margaret
Kidd
Kidd
Margaret
Kidd
Encouraging Leaders to be
Agile and Collaborative
“This is the safe space we create as
educators for students to expand
their knowledge and skillsets
outside of the classroom.”
48 | JULY 2023

Margaret Kidd
Program Director & Instructional
Associate Professor
University of Houston

Today's successful supply chain
leaders must be lifelong learners to
keep up with technological
advancements and trends for a digital
future; they must be flexible in their
reactions; and they must embrace
multicultural teams to drive the triple
bottom line. The time required to
stay current with new technology and
best practices is considerable. The
focus is on maritime ports in the
supply chain, a vast industry where
specialization is encouraged by
globalization. Meet Margaret Kidd,
Program Director and
Instructional Associate Professor at
the University of Houston continues
to advance as a supply chain leader
through research, participation in
conferences and events, as well as
discussions with key players in
global trade about trends.
Steadfast Career Hike
Margaret Kidd graduated with a BBA
(General Business) from the
University of Houston Clear Lake
(UHCL) in 1985 and immediately
headed to Wall Street, where she
worked as a broker's assistant for
nine months before landing a seat in
a broker training program at Smith
Barney. Over the next fifteen years,
she successfully advanced her career
in the financial services industry
while working with several of the
biggest investment companies. She
spent six years in Texas working for
her family's privately held real estate
management company's senior
executive team. She enrolled in
UHCL's master's program in Cross
Cultural Studies in 2007.
Margaret wanted to connect her
educational experiences as a
committed lifelong learner, having
completed both a BBA and an MA.
She began her doctoral studies in
urban planning and environmental
policy in the fall of 2009, completing
60 doctoral credits with a port-city
interface, sustainability, and
economic development focus. This
was her launch into a second career
in academia.
Margaret started working at the
University of Houston as an
instructional assistant professor in
2016. She was promoted in August
2018 to Program Director for the
SCLT BS degree program and again
to Instructional Associate Professor
in 2022.
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a
Carnegie Tier One Public Research
University in the country's fourth
largest city. The university is also
T
50 | JULY 2023

among the most culturally diverse in
the country. The amalgamation of
industrial corporations from the
energy, healthcare, transportation,
logistics, ﬁnance, aerospace,
technology, e-commerce, and
distinctive innovation environment,
along with Texas role as the largest
export state in the country overall,
provide endless opportunities for
students entering the workforce and
an abundance of collaborative
research for faculty. The University
of Houston is certainly a beneﬁciary
of the economic prosperity driven by
a robust statewide economic
development strategy, as well as the
regional port ecosystem.
One of only three STEM-recognized
supply chain undergraduate degree
programs in the state is the Supply
Chain & Logistics Technology BS
program; the other two are in the
Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Principal
Philopateer Christian
College (PCC)
52 | JULY 2023

Phoebe
A.Wasfy
An Education Leader with History
of Working in the Education
Management Industry

Phoebe A. Wasfy is the Principal of
Philopateer Christian College (PCC), a
well-known member of the Association
of Christian Schools International and
one of Canada's fastest growing private
Christian schools (ACSI). PCC was
created in 1999 and is North America's
first private school founded by the
Coptic Egyptian community and is
available to all students. Phoebe was
born in Alexandria, Egypt, and
emigrated to North America when she
was nine years old. She is a member of
both the Ontario College of Teachers
and the Ontario Principals Council
(OPC). Mrs. Wasfy has been
nominated for the Order of Ontario for
2019 and 2020, which is one of the
highest honors bestowed by the
Province of Ontario and its Governor
General for community service.
Phoebe was also accepted into The
Marquis Who's Who in America for
her professional integrity and great
performance in her field. She is also
the 2021 Vision Builder Women of
Inspiration Award winner.
A Glorious Background
Phoebe graduated with a Bachelor of
Arts (BA) in History and Religious
Studies (University of Toronto 2002).
She completed her Professional
Program in Education (D'Youville
College, New York, USA 2004). She
acquired additional qualifications in
"Reading", "History", "Religious
Studies" and "Teaching Kindergarten-
Grade 12" as well as completed her
Principal Qualification Courses (PQC)
in 2011. Phoebe received her Master of
Education (MEd) (University of
Western, Ontario 2014) and completed
a Higher Education Teaching
Certificate from Harvard University,
USA in 2019. Her love for academia
and her active involvement in the field
has earned her the Arab Women of
Excellence Awards in Academia from
Life Transformation Academy
(Calgary, Alberta, Canada).
Phoebe has been on the board of ACSI-
Eastern Canada since 2017. She is an
adjunct faculty member of the
Canadian Coptic Center's Youth
Ministry Certification Program
(YMCP), which is run in collaboration
with YouthTrain New Zealand. Phoebe
has been selected to attend the World
Youth Forum 2018 in Sharm El-
Sheikh, Egypt. Phoebe likes engaging
with other educators, students, and
parents, and she is dedicated to
developing leadership and professional
growth in her team. Phoebe is in
charge of various activities and is in
charge of school youth missionary
travels all over the world, all while
collaborating with other governments,
global charity groups, and global
assistance organizations. She just
launched the first fundraising campaign
for the Egyptian presidential initiative,
Decent Life, organized by a group of
16 and 17-year-old pupils.
Philopateer Christian College
Philopateer Christian College (PCC)
was launched in September 1999 with
40 students ranging from JK to Grade
8. Today, we have approximately 360
students from Pre-K to grade 12.
PCC created the first Pre-JK (Pre-
Kindergarten) program in 2002,
allowing children as young as three to
participate in the entire school
experience. Since 2005, PCC has
welcomed foreign students from
Korea, China, Brazil, and the Middle
East.
PCC opened its high school doors in
2007 with only three pupils enrolled in
grade 9. The Good Samaritan program
was established in 2008 for kids with
learning disabilities and special needs.
In 2020, it became innovative during
the pandemic and began its
hybrid/virtual high school recruiting,
recruiting students from all over the
world to join its school from the
comfort of their own country. Phoebe
states, "Our qualified, caring teachers
and staff work hand in hand with
families to support the healthy growth
of all our students. We care for our
students' spirituality and academics,
and mentor them to serve their
families, their communities, and their
respective countries. Cherishing family
relationships, friends and respect
towards adults and each other, are part
of our school values.”
The team at Philopateer Christian
College develops its students to be
well-rounded leaders of tomorrow. The
team does this by assisting students in
believing in and developing their God-
given skills in the appropriate
atmosphere, under the supervision of
highly competent teachers.
Philopateer Christian College has held
the top place as Diamond Winner in
the city of Mississauga Readers'
Choice Awards for Best Private School
in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Institute's Exclusive Offerings
The Philopateer Christian College
School Board, the Association of
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54 | JULY 2023

family and the role of the family
within society
Ÿ Acquire skills that contribute to
self-reliance in solving practical
problems in everyday life
Ÿ Develop a sense of personal
responsibility in society at the local,
national, and international levels
Ÿ Develop esteem for the customs,
cultures, and beliefs of a wide
variety of societal groups
Ÿ Acquire skills and attributes that
will lead to satisfaction and
productivity in the world of work
Ÿ Develop respect for the
environment and commitment to
the wise use of resources
Ÿ Develop values related to personal,
ethical, and religious beliefs and to
the common welfare of society
Major responsibilities as Principal
Phoebe has pledged to be a servant
leader first, a teacher second, and a
school administrator last as principal of
Philopateer Christian College. These
things have defined her day-to-day
responsibilities, which range from
meeting parents to speaking to students
who need someone to listen and
encourage them, disciplining with
firmness and love, assisting teachers
with professional development, and
simply leading the school to become a
place where tomorrow's leaders are
today's students.
Phoebe believes that, like in any other
growing academic institution, the three
areas that must always be worked on
are: 1) communication 2) Professional
development 3) and proper marketing
tools that will help to showcase the
school in a proper way. She adds that
competition has always existed and
will continue to exist in private
schools, but the institution has made
the decision over the years to let its
actions speak louder than words and to
keep improving itself in order to stay
on top of the game.
Risk taken as a Professional
Taking over as head of the school at
such a young age was a major risk, but
Phoebe was eager and ready for the
job. The epidemic, however, posed the
greatest threat to her career in 2020.
Keeping staff, students, parents, and
the board together during a period of
uncertainty was difficult, but resolving
the question "what comes next?" was
much more difficult. She had two
choices: sit around and blame
everything on COVID, or become
inventive while not knowing what was
going to happen next. Her team and
Phoebe chose the innovation choice
and created a fully accredited virtual
high school program, allowing students
from all around the world to join the
school and come fully immersed in its
program.
Christian Schools International
(ACSI), and the Ontario Ministry of
Education set the policies and
philosophy for the school.
Within such guidelines, the staff of
Philopateer Christian College is
committed to helping each student to:
Ÿ Develop a responsiveness to the
dynamic processes of learning
Ÿ Develop resourcefulness,
adaptability and creativity in
learning and living
Ÿ Acquire the basic knowledge and
skills needed to comprehend and
express ideas through words,
numbers, and other symbols
Ÿ Develop physical fitness and good
health
Ÿ Gain satisfaction from participating
and from sharing the participation
of others in various forms of artistic
expression
Ÿ Develop a feeling of self-worth;
develop an understanding of the
role of the individual within the

Sheri Hinish
Vice President
IBM
58 | JULY 2023

Sheri Hinish loves highlighting sustainable
innovation, insights that challenge
conventional thinking, and diverse people
across global supply chains who are
underrepresented in STEM and supply
chains. She hosts a top podcast called the
Supply Chain Revolution, exploring how we
can use circularity, sustainability, inclusive
leadership, and technology to design a
better world. Companies featured include
Microsoft, SAP.iO, Ellen MacArthur
Foundation, Pyxera Global, Roundtable for
Sustainable Palm Oil, Rheaply, Infor, IBM,
Starbucks, and many more.
SHERI
HINISH
Creating Change
that is Impactful,
Equitable, and
Responsible

Below are highlights of the interview
conducted between World' leaders and
Sheri Hinish:
Describe who you are as a person,
inside and outside of the workplace.
I am someone who is incredibly driven
by purpose in all that I do. My purpose
is simply to make a meaningful impact
on the clients, colleagues, partners, and
communities I serve. I help customers
design and build supply chains of the
future that empower the human
experience, strategically champion
stewardship, and create change that is
impactful, equitable, responsible, and
profitable. When I am not working, I
am... spending time with my 3 kids and
husband, walking outdoors, gardening,
and cooking.
Describe your background and what
did you do before you started or
joined the company?
Colleagues and clients affectionately
call me the nickname "Supply Chain
Queen." I'm recognized as a trusted
advisor that companies consistently
leverage for strategy and a unique
point of view in supply chain,
sustainability & the SDGs, talent +
organizational change management,
diversity as a business imperative, and
strategy in digital transformations.
I have spent over 17 years leading and
influencing transformations as a
practitioner and consultant for Fortune
500 clients in consumer, technology,
industrial, and disruptive innovation in
e2e processes and product design.
I am a rebel and an eternal student who
loves to bring out the best in people.
I've made a career of simplifying the
complex, rethinking supply chain
strategy and customer experience. I
host a top podcast that evangelizes the
future of supply chains called the
"Supply Chain Revolution." My vision
is to change the world through shared
purpose, sustainable supply chains,
circularity, and building technology
grounded in the principles of
sustainable development.
Before joining IBM, I served as a
sustainability and supply chain leader
for a number of global brands. I also
founded Supply Chain Revolution, a
podcast that shares stories of purpose
and sustainable transformation,
innovation, and provocative points of
view that challenge paradigms for
progress.
Tell us about the inception of the
company. How did it all start?
IBM is a leading provider of global
hybrid cloud and AI services and
consulting expertise. We help clients in
more than 175 countries with insights
from their data, streamline business
processes, reduce costs, and gain a
competitive edge in their industries.
Earlier this year, IBM Consulting
officially launched our Sustainability
Services offering. Our team of leaders
and consultants work with businesses
to develop sustainability roadmaps that
go beyond compliance to meet board
and consumer expectations; implement
a holistic, responsible computing
platform based on cloud and AI; and
operationalize sustainability by
incorporating data and automation into
daily workflows.
What has made you successful?
What do you value?
My work ethic, determination, and
passion for work have all led to my
success. I think it's also my love of
learning and ability to challenge
traditional paradigms of work that set
me apart from others and is one way
that I've achieved success.
I truly value my relationships—in
particular, my relationships with my
family, friends, team and peers in
sustainability and supply chain. My
relationships bring me joy, they keep
me informed and they help me get a
better view of what the latest
challenges and best practices are that
we can implement on our journey to
become more sustainable.
Which are the major services of the
company and how do they the
company to get ahead in the
competition? What value-added
services does the company provide?
IBM Consulting Sustainability
Services guides clients from strategy to
execution to become a sustainable
enterprise. IBM helps embed
sustainability into an organization's
operations and culture across
transparent supply chains, ESG
reporting and finance, responsible
computing and green IT,
decarbonization and clean energy
transition, climate risk assessment and
adaptation, and most importantly,
putting the human experience and
planetary health at the center of
transformative change.
What is the significance of
innovative ideas in the company?
Innovation is at the core of what I do
each day. I surround myself with a
team of diverse thinkers who are
passionate about sustainability and
how IBM Consulting can help
companies drive meaningful change
while not losing sight of achieving
their business goals.
Give us your opinion on; do
organizations rely heavily on
individual heroics or team
processes?
I really think that it depends on the
organization. I believe that individual
heroics are not the key to long-term
success. You need to have an engaged
team and a clear vision, along with
processes in place that can help you
achieve success as a unit rather than a
singular person.
B
60 | JULY 2023

What are your
responsibilities as the
Founder/CEO of the
company? What is the
happiest part of your daily
routine?
I currently lead sustainability
services and alliances
globally for IBM. My job is
to serve and deliver
differentiated value and
impact for our clients with a
breadth of offerings, strategic
alliances, research, world-
class talent, and ethical
innovation to build a
responsible, equitable, and
circular world. The happiest
part of my daily routine is
waking each morning
knowing I am doing exactly
what I was put on this earth
to do!
What advice would you give
someone going into a
leadership position for the
first time?
Never stop learning. Being a
leader doesn't mean always
having all of the answers. A
great leader listens to their
team and learns from them,
regardless of how junior or
senior they may be.

World’s Most Exemplary Women Leaders in Business, 2023.pdf

World’s Most Exemplary Women Leaders in Business, 2023.pdf

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