The Top 50 Atlanta Women Leaders of 2026
Atlanta’s economy runs on big “systems”: logistics and mobility, energy, healthcare, housing, and the talent pipelines that keep a fast-growing region staffed and competitive. What makes Atlanta special is how tightly those systems intersect-global corporate headquarters alongside HBCUs and world-class medical institutions, deep philanthropic capital, and a startup scene that keeps reinventing what “Atlanta business” looks like.
This list is an editorial, metro-focused ranking of women whose roles reliably move resources, shape decisions, and set direction-whether through leading major employers, directing philanthropic and civic investment, building companies, or steering policy-heavy institutions that determine what’s possible for the region. It’s intentionally not built from awards alone; it’s built from scope of responsibility + visible regional impact.
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#1 Carol B. Tomé
When the “world moves,” Atlanta moves with it-and UPS is one of the most consequential levers. As CEO of Atlanta-based UPS, Carol Tomé influences everything from the region’s job base and corporate procurement to the practical realities of how small businesses ship, scale, and reach customers. Her leadership decisions ripple through the Southeast’s logistics footprint (air, ground, warehousing), and Atlanta’s position as a global commerce hub strengthens when UPS executes well-especially as supply chains reconfigure and customers demand faster, more reliable delivery.
#2 Kimberly S. Greene
Atlanta’s growth story is also an energy story: electrification, data centers, manufacturing expansion, and resilient neighborhoods all depend on reliable, affordable power. Kimberly Greene sits at the center of that conversation as Georgia Power’s top leader, balancing grid modernization, customer affordability, and long-range generation planning in one of the fastest-growing metros in the country. In practice, that means her decisions shape the “cost of doing business,” the region’s ability to recruit and retain employers, and how quickly Atlanta can transition to cleaner, more distributed energy without sacrificing reliability.
#3 Rosalind “Roz” Brewer
Roz Brewer’s influence is a rare combination of national corporate leadership and local institution-building. As interim president of Spelman College-an Atlanta cornerstone and leadership factory-she is shaping one of the strongest pipelines of Black women leaders in the country. That pipeline feeds Atlanta’s corporations, healthcare systems, nonprofits, and startups with executive-ready talent. Brewer brings a boardroom operator’s view of performance and culture to higher education leadership, and in a city that competes on people as much as capital, that talent leverage is lasting.
#4 Fay Twersky
In Atlanta, philanthropy isn’t peripheral-it’s infrastructure. Fay Twersky directs one of the region’s most powerful philanthropic engines, shaping what gets resourced at scale across priorities like community investment, youth development, environment, democracy, and mental health. That matters for business because it affects the “inputs” that determine regional competitiveness: stable neighborhoods, upward mobility, workforce readiness, and civic trust. When major cross-sector initiatives need convening power and long-horizon funding, the Blank Foundation is often part of the equation-and Twersky is the strategic driver.
#5 Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice
Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice leads one of Atlanta’s most important health-and-talent institutions. Morehouse School of Medicine is deeply tied to the region’s workforce pipeline (physicians, researchers, public health leaders) and to how Atlanta addresses health equity and community outcomes. Her role matters not just inside healthcare, but across the whole metro economy: healthier communities mean stronger school attendance, a steadier labor force, and lower friction for employers. As president and CEO, she is shaping medical training and community-responsive care in a city whose growth depends on closing persistent disparities.
#6 Alicia Philipp
Atlanta’s “civic capacity” often runs through who can align donors, nonprofits, and long-term strategy. Alicia Philipp has been a defining leader in that ecosystem, steering the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, a major philanthropic convener serving the region. The foundation’s influence shows up in what gets scaled-nonprofit effectiveness, community initiatives, and donor-backed solutions that outlast election cycles. For business leaders, this kind of institution is a quiet force-multiplier: it helps stabilize the region, reduce fragmentation, and resource the community conditions that make growth sustainable.
#7 Dr. Eloisa Klementich
If you care about Atlanta’s future business map-where jobs go, what gets built, and who gets included-Invest Atlanta is one of the key levers. As CEO, Dr. Eloisa Klementich sits at the intersection of economic development, affordable housing, small business support, and capital formation. Her influence is tangible: it’s visible in deal flow, financing tools, neighborhood investment, and the city’s ability to recruit and retain employers while advancing equity. In a high-growth metro, that combination-growth with intentional inclusion-is one of the hardest leadership challenges, and one of the most important.
#8 Katie Kirkpatrick
Regional business momentum depends on coordination: policy priorities, talent initiatives, infrastructure advocacy, and the storytelling that convinces companies to choose Atlanta. Katie Kirkpatrick leads that convening platform at the Metro Atlanta Chamber, where influence comes from aligning big employers and civic partners around shared goals. When the region is tackling workforce constraints, transportation realities, or competitive positioning versus peer metros, the Chamber’s agenda-setting and coalition-building becomes a real economic development force-and Kirkpatrick is the driver behind that coordinated push.
#9 Anna Roach
Few roles shape Atlanta’s long-term “shape” more than regional planning-transportation investment, land use coordination, and data-driven strategy across jurisdictions. Anna Roach leads the Atlanta Regional Commission, a central table where metro-wide priorities get negotiated and moved forward. In a region where housing, congestion, and economic mobility cross city and county lines, ARC’s ability to align governments and investments is foundational. Roach’s influence is the kind that doesn’t always make headlines, but it shows up in what gets funded, what gets built, and how well the region can keep functioning as it grows.
#10 Donna W. Hyland
Pediatric healthcare is a workforce issue, an equity issue, and a long-horizon talent issue all at once. Donna Hyland leads one of Georgia’s most consequential healthcare institutions, shaping how children across the metro access specialized care-and how a large healthcare workforce is recruited, retained, and resourced. Her impact extends into partnerships with schools, public health systems, and community organizations, and it also affects employers who depend on regional healthcare capacity for their teams. In a fast-growing metro, the strength of children’s healthcare is a direct input into long-term regional vitality.
#11 Terri M. Lee
Housing affordability is the “hidden governor” of metro growth: it determines commute burdens, talent retention, neighborhood stability, and the feasibility of business expansion. Terri Lee’s leadership at Atlanta Housing sits right on that pressure point. The agency’s decisions influence development strategy, public-private partnerships, resident outcomes, and the practical pipeline of affordable units that keep the city functional for working families. When housing constraints tighten, everything else strains-schools, public safety, employers, transportation. This is why Atlanta Housing leadership is not just civic; it is economically consequential.
#12 Dr. Bernice A. King
Dr. Bernice King leads one of Atlanta’s most globally recognized institutions, and her influence reaches far beyond nonprofit work. The King Center shapes how leaders-across business, education, and government-think about ethics, community responsibility, and the practice of nonviolent social change. In a region where corporate presence and civic identity are tightly connected, the ability to convene and set a values-based agenda is real power. King’s role matters because it affects the civic tone of the city and the frameworks leaders use when navigating polarization, equity, and long-term trust.
#13 Fani T. Willis
Business climates are shaped by safety, trust, and how effectively systems execute. As Fulton County’s district attorney, Fani Willis leads an office that directly affects the metro’s justice environment-what gets prosecuted, how cases move, and how public trust is maintained in high-stakes moments. Her influence is also structural: Fulton County includes much of Atlanta and key suburbs, and the DA’s posture affects partnerships with law enforcement, perceptions of accountability, and the stability that employers and communities depend on. Regardless of politics, the scope of the role is massive.
#14 Jan Lennon
Hartsfield‑Jackson is not just an airport-it’s Atlanta’s economic flywheel. Jan Lennon’s leadership role sits inside one of the region’s most complex operating environments, touching infrastructure delivery, customer experience, safety, and operational performance at global scale. For the business community, airport execution affects everything from corporate travel and conventions to cargo logistics and the region’s global brand. The airport is also a major employer and procurement engine. Lennon’s influence is the kind that shows up in “friction”: when the airport runs well, growth is easier.
#15 Ann‑Marie Campbell
Retail at Home Depot scale is supply chain, workforce, real estate, and community investment all at once. Ann‑Marie Campbell’s leadership touches a huge share of frontline jobs and operational decisions that ripple across metro Atlanta’s vendor ecosystem and talent market. Beyond the store footprint, Home Depot’s decisions influence logistics networks, contractor and small business activity, and consumer spending dynamics across the region. In a headquarters city, senior executives at an employer of this size shape not only a company-but also the expectations and standards for leadership, advancement, and workforce strategy across Atlanta.
#16 Teresa Wynn Roseborough
A top general counsel at a major public company is a power role: governance, risk, compliance, stakeholder strategy, and enterprise decision-making all pass through legal leadership. Teresa Wynn Roseborough operates at that intersection for The Home Depot, influencing how one of Atlanta’s flagship companies navigates regulation, corporate responsibility, and long-term risk across a complex global supply chain. For Atlanta, this matters because corporate governance decisions also shape reputation, stability, vendor standards, and how a major employer engages with the community. Quiet leadership, very large footprint.
#17 Allison Ausband
Delta’s headquarters presence makes its talent decisions an Atlanta story. As chief people officer, Allison Ausband influences how one of the region’s largest and most visible employers recruits, trains, develops, and retains a massive workforce. That’s not just HR-it’s culture, leadership pipeline, benefits strategy, and the operational ability to deliver on Delta’s brand promise. When Delta strengthens its people systems, Atlanta benefits through jobs, leadership development, and a wider ecosystem of suppliers and partners. For professional women, this is also a role that shapes what advancement can look like at scale.
#18 Alicia Tillman
In Atlanta, “brand leadership” is often economic development by another name. Alicia Tillman leads Delta’s global marketing and brand strategy, which shapes how travelers choose the airline and how partners-from events to nonprofits-connect with one of the region’s most powerful corporate brands. Marketing at Delta’s scale also has spillover into Atlanta’s creative economy: agencies, production, sponsorships, sports and entertainment partnerships, and community engagement. When Delta decides what stories to tell and where to invest, Atlanta’s visibility and cultural reach expand right along with it.
#19 Jennifer Mann
Coca‑Cola’s Atlanta roots make its North America leadership locally significant even when the market is continental. Jennifer Mann’s role sits at the heart of strategy, performance, and execution for one of the world’s most influential consumer brand systems. That affects Atlanta through corporate employment, supplier ecosystems, community partnerships, and the city’s global brand identity-because Coca‑Cola remains one of Atlanta’s signature corporate ambassadors. When North America priorities shift-innovation, distribution, pricing, consumer behavior-Atlanta feels the downstream effects in jobs, partnerships, and civic presence.
#20 Sara Blakely
Sara Blakely remains one of Atlanta’s defining entrepreneurship stories: a founder who built a global consumer brand and helped shape how modern direct-to-consumer companies think about product, marketing, and women-led innovation. Her influence isn’t only what SPANX sells-it’s what her story signals about what can be built from Atlanta, and what women founders can scale. She has helped make “Atlanta \+ women-led consumer business” a credible pairing, inspiring a broader ecosystem of founders, operators, and investors who see the metro as a legitimate launchpad for national brands.
#21 Lisa Chang
As Global Chief People Officer at The Coca‑Cola Company, Lisa Chang stewards the talent strategy and culture behind one of the world’s most recognized brands, aligning people priorities with business transformation. Her leadership builds resilient pipelines of leaders and capabilities across markets, reinforcing Atlanta’s role as a headquarters for modern, inclusive global management.
#22 Karen Bennett
Karen Bennett has built a reputation for turning people strategy into measurable enterprise strength, leading the workforce, inclusion, and employee experience agenda for Cox Enterprises. By pairing operational rigor with a deep commitment to talent development, she helps a major Atlanta-based conglomerate stay innovative, competitive, and employer-of-choice.
#23 Shereta Williams
Shereta Williams is a growth operator who helps Cox Enterprises expand beyond its core businesses, building new operating divisions and accelerating strategic partnerships and investments. Her ability to translate strategy into scalable execution strengthens long-term value creation and keeps Atlanta at the center of diversified, future-facing corporate growth.
#24 Aasia Mustakeem
Aasia Mustakeem provides the legal leadership that enables the Atlanta BeltLine to move from vision to reality, guiding complex governance, risk, and real estate work for one of the city’s most consequential redevelopment efforts. Her counsel helps keep projects transparent, compliant, and partnership-ready, unlocking durable economic and community impact across Atlanta.
#25 Nonet Sykes
Nonet Sykes has been instrumental in operationalizing equity and impact within the Atlanta BeltLine, embedding inclusive practices into hiring, community engagement, and economic opportunity. By translating values into systems and accountability, she helps ensure the project delivers broad-based benefits that strengthen neighborhoods and the region’s long-term competitiveness.
#26 Julia A. Houston
Julia Houston brings steady, high-stakes leadership to Equifax, overseeing legal, compliance, privacy, and enterprise risk in a data-intensive global business. Her track record steering transformation and governance strengthens trust with regulators, customers, and partners, protecting the franchise while enabling responsible growth.
#27 Dr. Sandra L. Wong
Sandra Wong leads Emory University School of Medicine with the rare combination of clinical excellence, research credibility, and systems-level leadership across academic medicine. By strengthening training, discovery, and patient-centered innovation, she amplifies Emory’s impact on healthcare outcomes and the life sciences economy in Atlanta.
#28 Sharon Pappas
Sharon Pappas elevates nursing practice across Emory Healthcare, setting a high bar for quality, safety, and professional development at one of the region’s leading health systems. Her influence strengthens patient outcomes and workforce excellence, helping Atlanta remain a destination for top clinical talent and compassionate care.
#29 Denise Ray
Denise Ray pairs frontline credibility with executive discipline, leading both nursing strategy and hospital performance at Piedmont Mountainside within Piedmont Healthcare. By empowering teams and driving operational excellence, she improves care delivery at scale while building a stronger, more sustainable healthcare workforce for metro Atlanta.
#30 Lindsey Petrini
Lindsey Petrini is recognized for community-centered hospital leadership, driving growth and access to care at Piedmont Newton Hospital through strong physician partnerships and service expansion. Her focus on quality, culture, and operational execution strengthens regional health outcomes and supports the economic vitality of Newton County and the broader Atlanta area.
#31 Beth Chandler
Beth Chandler provides trusted legal and governance leadership for Rollins, helping guide a global family of brands through complex regulation, risk, and strategic growth. Her steady counsel supports disciplined decision-making and responsible expansion, safeguarding one of Atlanta’s most enduring public companies.
#32 Cheryl Venable
Cheryl Venable keeps one of the region’s most important financial institutions running with precision, overseeing operations for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta across the Sixth District. Her operational leadership strengthens resilience, service quality, and execution at the infrastructure level that underpins economic stability for businesses and communities.
#33 Petrina Hall McDaniel
Petrina Hall McDaniel combines elite litigation talent with office-building leadership, guiding Squire Patton Boggs’ Atlanta presence while representing companies in high-stakes disputes. Her results-driven approach and commitment to developing teams have helped grow the platform and elevate Atlanta’s standing as a market for sophisticated legal and business counsel.
#34 Deborah Cazan
Deborah Cazan is a go-to construction and development strategist, counseling clients through the disputes and deal dynamics that shape major projects across the region. As managing partner of Bradley’s Atlanta office, she has helped build momentum and talent that strengthen the city’s legal ecosystem and the business community it serves.
#35 Sandeep Ahuja
Sandeep Ahuja has built Cove into a standout Atlanta innovation story, applying AI to make design and construction faster, more transparent, and more sustainable. By bridging architecture expertise with scalable technology, she is reshaping how the built environment is delivered and positioning Atlanta as a serious center of climate and construction tech.
#36 Sarah Stellwag
Sarah Stellwag is modernizing how families use WIC benefits by building Lulo, a human-centered shopping tool that reduces friction and restores dignity at the checkout. Her work turns social impact into scalable product execution, helping improve food access while demonstrating Atlanta’s strength in mission-driven technology.
#37 Jillian Anderson
Jillian Anderson founded HERide to raise the standard for safety and respect in transportation, creating a service that meets riders where trust matters most. By building a mission-led mobility brand and creating economic opportunity for drivers, she is expanding Atlanta’s innovation footprint in inclusive consumer services.
#38 DeVynne Starks
DeVynne Starks has been a driving force behind HERide’s growth, turning a bold safety-first idea into an operating company with real community reach. Her leadership helps scale partnerships, service quality, and customer trust, proving that purpose and performance can reinforce each other in Atlanta’s startup ecosystem.
#39 Brittany Collins
Brittany Collins brings strategic rigor to philanthropy, guiding the Fitzgerald Foundation’s investments and partnerships to expand access to education and mental health resources across Georgia. Her systems-change focus strengthens community outcomes while setting a high bar for how Atlanta-based foundations can translate capital into lasting impact.
#40 Beth Schiavo
Beth Schiavo leads the Center for Puppetry Arts with entrepreneurial nonprofit stewardship, sustaining a beloved cultural institution that drives education, tourism, and creative careers. Her ability to pair mission with operational excellence keeps Atlanta’s arts economy vibrant and expands access to imaginative learning for families and schools.
#41 Maya Hodari
Maya Hodari brings developer-level expertise to public mission, leading real estate strategy that helps Atlanta Housing expand and preserve affordable homes. By structuring complex deals and partnerships with long-term community outcomes in mind, she advances equitable growth and strengthens the city’s economic foundation.
#42 Lisa Cupid
Lisa Cupid’s leadership as chairwoman of Cobb County has shaped a pro-growth, community-responsive agenda that influences one of metro Atlanta’s largest economies. By guiding infrastructure, services, and policy decisions that affect employers and residents alike, she has elevated the region’s competitiveness and set a clear tone of accountable, inclusive governance.
#43 Nicole Love Hendrickson
Nicole Love Hendrickson leads Gwinnett County with a focus on smart growth and broad-based opportunity, stewarding decisions that affect a major engine of the Atlanta region’s jobs and investment. Her coalition-building leadership strengthens the county’s ability to attract businesses, deliver services, and plan for the future in a fast-changing metro.
#44 Patti Garrett
Patti Garrett has guided Decatur with a steady hand through growth, balancing community character with forward-looking development and sustainability priorities. Her leadership supports a thriving local business climate and high quality of life, making Decatur a model of effective city management in metro Atlanta.
#45 Jewel Burks Solomon
Jewel Burks Solomon has helped redefine Atlanta’s tech and capital landscape, moving from founder to investor and channeling her experience into backing underrepresented entrepreneurs through Collab Capital. Her work expands access to funding and mentorship, creating a multiplier effect that strengthens the region’s innovation economy and the next generation of scalable companies.
#46 Kathryn Petralia
Kathryn Petralia co-founded Kabbage and helped pioneer data-driven small business financing, proving that Atlanta can build category-defining fintech at scale. Her continued influence as an operator and entrepreneur has opened doors for founders, strengthened the city’s startup credibility, and advanced financial tools that help small businesses grow.
#47 Stacey Abrams
Stacey Abrams has built a national model for civic entrepreneurship, creating durable organizations that mobilize participation and strengthen democratic systems from the ground up. By pairing strategic fundraising, coalition-building, and long-term institution design, she has expanded Atlanta’s influence as a hub for mission-driven leadership and ecosystem building.
#48 Pinky Cole
Pinky Cole has turned Slutty Vegan into a cultural and commercial force, building a magnetic brand that creates jobs and draws national attention to Atlanta’s consumer innovation. Her combination of storytelling, community connection, and operational hustle has made her a standout builder of modern hospitality and retail experiences.
#49 Deborah VanTrece
Deborah VanTrece has elevated Atlanta’s culinary scene by building Twisted Soul into an acclaimed destination and a platform for globally inspired soul food. As a chef-entrepreneur and hospitality leader, she drives tourism, mentorship, and local economic activity while setting a new standard for creativity and excellence in the city.
#50 Morgan Shaw Parker
Morgan Shaw Parker brings seasoned commercial leadership to the Atlanta Dream, strengthening revenue growth, fan experience, and organizational strategy in one of the fastest-rising areas of sports business. Her ability to build high-performing teams and partnerships helps elevate women’s professional sports in Atlanta and expands the city’s national brand.
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