The Top 50 Hartford Women Leaders of 2026
Greater Hartford runs on a handful of big “systems” that quietly decide how the region feels to live and work in: access to capital, access to care, access to skills, and access to opportunity. The most influential leaders aren’t always the loudest-they’re often the ones who can move money, people, policy, and partnerships in the same direction.
The women below are shaping that momentum across consulting, finance, banking, workforce development, housing, healthcare access, manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and civic life-while building networks that keep talent (and ambition) in the Hartford metro.
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#1 Lisa Tepper Bates
When you zoom out, few roles touch as many pressure points at once as this one: crisis response, family stability, and workforce readiness. Under Tepper Bates, United Way of Connecticut operates major statewide lifelines like 211 and 988, and administers the Care 4 Kids child care subsidy-practical infrastructure that determines whether people can work, get help, and stay housed. Her influence shows up in the real-time capacity of the region’s safety net.
#2 Carolyne Hannan
Broadband is no longer “nice-to-have”-it’s the backbone of modern education, employment, and small-business growth. Hannan runs operations across Comcast’s New England region and has emphasized work to close the digital divide through network expansion into underserved areas. That kind of infrastructure leadership changes who can participate in the Hartford economy-students, entrepreneurs, and entire neighborhoods.
#3 Cindy Beaulieu
Hartford’s influence is global because insurance capital is global-and asset management is where strategy becomes reality. Beaulieu leads investment strategy for Conning’s North American business, in a firm that manages hundreds of billions in assets. In a region built on financial stewardship, this is a seat that shapes how institutions manage risk, pursue returns, and allocate capital.
#4 Carol Quinn Toomey
Toomey’s impact is both economic and operational: she leads a large Hartford-based employee population and oversees major public-service client work. Beyond the headcount, that matters because it influences how quickly state and local systems modernize-technology delivery, service design, and talent pipelines. She’s also engaged in workforce development efforts that connect residents to higher-skill jobs.
#5 Haley Sofiane
Healthcare cost and access are business issues-because they determine productivity, retention, and household stability. As COO, Sofiane oversees large-scale “care-at-home” operations, including coordination of millions of home-care services annually and measurable system savings. Leadership at that scale changes how care is delivered for employers and families across the region.
#6 Karraine Moody
Housing is workforce strategy in disguise. Moody leads a major affordable homeownership organization and has been credited with expanding the number of families served annually and strengthening organizational capacity. In a metro where housing costs and supply affect every employer, a leader who can grow homeownership pathways is shaping Hartford’s long-run competitiveness and stability.
#7 Allison Standish Plimpton
If you want to know where a region is headed, watch who funds the next wave of employers. Standish Plimpton is a senior regional banking leader and serves as executive sponsor of Key4Women, supporting women business owners and entrepreneurs with banking resources and guidance. That combination-capital \+ targeted support-directly influences small business formation and growth.
#8 Susan DeRosa Jackson
Professional services firms are “multipliers”: they shape how companies expand, comply, acquire, restructure, and invest. As managing partner of KPMG’s Hartford office, Jackson sits at the crossroads of boardroom decision-making and regional business execution-helping set standards and advising the institutions that employ and insure Greater Hartford.
#9 Melissa L. Ferrucci
From nonprofit audits to middle-market strategy and real estate development, advisory firms help determine what gets built and scaled. Ferrucci’s managing partner role puts her in daily contact with the financial health of organizations that hire locally and serve locally-making her influence feel “indirect,” but powerful in aggregate across the metro’s business ecosystem.
#10 Susan Heffernan-Gaieski
Heffernan-Gaieski operates in the part of the economy most leaders only see during pivotal moments: audits, controls, governance, and trust. As a Deloitte managing director and Hartford audit leader, she influences how organizations communicate financial reality to investors, regulators, and employees-foundational to growth, lending, and long-term resilience.
#11 Devra Sisitsky
Hartford’s next chapter depends on whether residents can access modern skills-robotics, digital fabrication, and applied innovation-without needing a traditional gatekeeper. Sisitsky built MakerspaceCT to expand public access to advanced technologies and workforce development, and has pushed for future-ready training (including an AI/robotics vision for students). She’s shaping the region’s talent pipeline from the ground up.
#12 Jacquelyn Santiago Nazario
Economic development fails when violence and trauma block opportunity. Santiago Nazario leads COMPASS with a clear systems goal: interrupt violence in Hartford by building transformative youth relationships and scaling interventions. She has also secured significant new funding to expand impact-an example of how nonprofit leadership can change public outcomes at city scale.
#13 Sivan Hines
Hartford Promise is more than scholarships-it’s a workforce mobility engine. Hines leads partnerships and success strategy that help Hartford students persist through college and connect to career pathways, including building pipelines with major employers. That’s how a metro shifts generational outcomes: not through a single program, but through sustained completion and placement.
#14 Brittany Isherwood
Manufacturing leadership matters in Hartford because it’s one of the region’s most durable sources of high-skill jobs. Isherwood has led significant growth and investment at Burke Aerospace while also increasing women’s representation in manufacturing. That combination-growth \+ modernization \+ inclusion-sets a template for the region’s industrial future.
#15 Lisa Gladysz
Workforce management technology sits behind the scenes of hourly labor, compliance, and productivity-especially for healthcare, manufacturing, and service employers. Gladysz leads Accu-Time Systems and has guided growth and operational transitions, while also being recognized as the first woman to lead a subsidiary within its larger parent-company ecosystem. She’s influencing how employers run-and how employees experience-work.
#16 Jacqueline Heard
Innovation influence isn’t only software-Hartford-area leadership increasingly includes science-driven ventures. Heard leads Enko Chem’s push for safer, more sustainable crop solutions, and she has built a serious platform with major funding and partnerships. It’s the kind of leadership that connects Connecticut talent to global-scale problems-and investment.
#17 Nancy J. Brault
Brault represents a classic (and rare) Hartford-region superpower: building a manufacturing company from local roots into international reach. She grew Ultimate Wireforms from a small start into a multi-country operation with substantial employment-and has also taken on governance leadership in community health through board service. That’s influence across both jobs and institutions.
#18 Anne Littlefield
Law shapes business climate through labor strategy, education systems, governance, and risk management. Littlefield’s role as partner and general counsel-reported as the first woman to hold that position in her firm’s history-puts her at the center of legal oversight for a large, complex organization while also advising education institutions. That’s quiet leverage with real downstream impact.
#19 Jodi Palerma
Hartford is a national hub for insurance and investment talent, and strategic initiative leadership inside that world has outsized ripple effects. Palerma drives technology and execution planning for an investment organization responsible for major assets, while also emphasizing mentorship and leadership development-how large institutions build (or fail to build) the next generation.
#20 Marilyn Alverio
Regional influence isn’t only corporate-it’s also about who expands the leadership bench. Alverio leads Latinas & Power Corp and founded a mentorship and leadership platform aimed at elevating Latina professionals. In a metro competing for talent, leaders who build networks and visibility for underrepresented women change who gets opportunities-and who stays.
#21 Jacqueline Merl Bamman
Jacqueline Merl Bamman steers Nassau Financial Group’s people strategy, strengthening culture, leadership, and talent systems that power sustainable growth. By investing in employee development and organizational effectiveness, she reinforces a Hartford-based financial services company competing nationally for performance and expertise.
#22 Elizabeth Dickman
Elizabeth Dickman brings deep operational expertise to Integrated Physicians Management Services, guiding a growing organization that helps medical practices run smarter and stronger. By elevating revenue cycle and business support for physicians, she improves financial stability for healthcare providers and helps practices stay focused on patient care.
#23 Leila Daneshmandi, Ph.D.
Leila Daneshmandi co-founded Encapsulate and drives the operational discipline that turns breakthrough medtech research into scalable precision diagnostics for personalized cancer therapy. Her leadership advances innovation at the intersection of engineering and healthcare, positioning the company for meaningful clinical impact and strong economic momentum.
#24 Michelle Frank
Michelle Frank accelerates Goodroot’s expansion by identifying new opportunities and building commercial strategies that help its community of companies reach more customers. Her growth leadership advances healthcare innovation while scaling mission-driven solutions that improve how people access and afford care.
#25 Tammy Hendricks
Tammy Hendricks built Access Health CT’s health equity and outreach efforts to reach communities that too often face barriers to coverage and care. By forging strategic partnerships and leading multicultural engagement initiatives, she expands access, strengthens trust, and delivers measurable community impact across Connecticut.
#26 Dalaisé Hickey
Dalaisé Hickey founded BabyDonna to deliver safe, inclusive sun protection designed for melanin-rich kids, filling a real gap in the skincare market. By pairing a purpose-driven brand with strong entrepreneurial execution, she is growing a business that promotes healthier outcomes and better representation for families.
#27 Katherine (Katie) Lane
Katherine (Katie) Lane leads Webster Bank’s SOX and financial controls program, strengthening governance and transparency that stakeholders rely on in a complex regulatory environment. Her work elevates risk awareness and control consistency across the organization, protecting performance while enabling disciplined growth.
#28 Runa Knapp
Runa Knapp co-founded FoundHer and drives business development for a recruiting firm focused on helping mothers return to the workforce after career breaks. By building partnerships that convert overlooked talent into strong hires, she creates economic mobility for families and real value for employers.
#29 Susan Martinelli
Susan Martinelli leads RSM’s Hartford office and brings trusted assurance leadership to clients whose decisions depend on confidence in financial reporting. By developing talent and driving strategic initiatives locally and across the firm, she elevates both client service and the region’s professional services ecosystem.
#30 Jennifer Mathieu
Jennifer Mathieu leads UConn’s Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, building programs that help founders turn ideas into viable startups and small businesses. Her work has supported the launch and growth of hundreds of companies, expanding the state’s innovation pipeline and job-creating potential.
#31 Kimberly Napp
Kimberly Napp has earned trust as Whittlesey’s partner-in-charge of assurance, bringing rigorous oversight and high standards to the firm’s largest department. As a leader and mentor, she strengthens accountability for organizations across the region while opening doors for the next generation of professionals.
#32 Amy Sailor
Amy Sailor provides strategic leadership that helps the Connecticut Science Center expand access and create experiences where every visitor and team member feels welcome. By embedding equity and inclusion into programming and operations, she broadens the center’s reach and deepens its impact as a community learning anchor.
#33 Kelly Fortin
Kelly Fortin founded The Center for Emotional Healing and has grown it into a trusted practice that meets individuals and families with compassionate, expert care. Her leadership expands access to high-quality services while building a mission-driven organization that strengthens community wellbeing.
#34 Jenny Gaffney
Jenny Gaffney keeps Accel International running at a high standard by driving operational discipline, quality execution, and on-time delivery in a demanding manufacturing environment. Her leadership helps the company scale reliably for customers while supporting stable jobs and industrial growth across the region.
#35 Jennifer Gerasimov
Jennifer Gerasimov is a managing director at Deloitte who helps organizations strengthen accounting, internal controls, and digital risk capabilities in an increasingly complex environment. Her leadership delivers resilience and clarity for clients while advancing professional standards through innovation and mentorship.
#36 Jessica Kearney
Jessica Kearney shapes public policy dialogue through the Travelers Institute, elevating thought leadership on issues that affect business resilience and community wellbeing. By translating complex risk topics into actionable insights, she helps leaders and policymakers make decisions that strengthen the economy and public trust.
#37 Rachel V. Kushel
Rachel V. Kushel leads Robinson+Cole’s labor and employment practice, providing steady, strategic counsel on high-stakes workplace matters for employers across industries. Her ability to guide clients through complex disputes and compliance challenges protects organizations and enables confident growth.
#38 Ali Lazowski
Ali Lazowski founded Bare Life and turned a personal health journey into a thriving plant-based brand built on real product innovation and customer trust. Her entrepreneurial momentum and recognition reflect disciplined growth that creates jobs and expands better-for-you options in a competitive market.
#39 Beth Lachance
Beth Lachance built Global Medical VA into a fast-scaling company that helps healthcare providers reduce administrative burden and operate more efficiently. Her hands-on leadership and clear growth vision have created jobs and delivered measurable value to medical organizations that need reliable operational support.
#40 Jessica Olander
Jessica Olander leads the CT River Valley Chamber of Commerce, strengthening advocacy and connections for hundreds of member organizations. By championing local businesses and building collaborative partnerships, she helps create the conditions for sustained growth throughout the region.
#41 Marie Pollio
Marie Pollio is a trusted partner at Shipman & Goodwin, helping clients navigate complex finance matters with practical, business-aligned advice. As a leader within the firm, she drives strategic and operational initiatives that strengthen client service and grow a high-performing team.
#42 Kathleen Rickard
Kathleen Rickard provides the financial stewardship that helps CompuMail operate with stability, discipline, and long-term perspective. Her hands-on leadership supports sustainable growth and ensures the company can continue delivering reliable service to clients while investing in its people.
#43 Jendayi Scott-Miller
Jendayi Scott-Miller founded Angel of Edgewood and has grown it into a powerful community force addressing food insecurity and delivering essential resources to underserved neighbors. Her leadership combines urgency with scalable impact, strengthening Hartford’s social infrastructure and demonstrating how mission-driven organizations can move an economy forward.
#44 Lisa Sinclair
Lisa Sinclair brings deep biopharmaceutical operations expertise to Arvinas, guiding corporate operations that help translate scientific innovation into disciplined execution. Her strategic leadership supports portfolio progress and organizational readiness, strengthening a biotech company with the potential to reshape patient care.
#45 Robyn Swanson
Robyn Swanson has been a driving force at Seasons Federal Credit Union, helping shape strategy and member-focused innovation through years of dedicated leadership. By pairing operational strength with a clear commitment to community banking, she has strengthened the institution’s growth and impact for the people it serves.
#46 Megan Trask, CFP®
Megan Trask helps Connecticut Wealth Management deliver disciplined, client-centered advice by shaping the firm’s investment approach and overseeing significant client assets. Her leadership in retirement plan guidance and financial education helps families and business owners make confident decisions that build lasting wealth.
#47 Kate Terricciano
Kate Terricciano founded Image Marketing and has grown it into a respected agency known for strategic retail and lifestyle marketing that drives measurable brand results. Her entrepreneurial leadership and consistent recognition reflect an ability to pair creativity with business outcomes, creating opportunity for clients and her team.
#48 Natalie Weaver
Natalie Weaver leads Liberty Bank’s people strategy, aligning talent, culture, and organizational design to support strong performance in a competitive financial services market. Her focus on development and inclusion helps build a workforce that delivers exceptional customer experiences and sustained community impact.
#49 Lisa A. Zaccardelli
Lisa A. Zaccardelli is a trusted leader in employment litigation and chair of Hinckley Allen’s labor and employment practice, guiding employers through complex disputes with clarity and confidence. Her steady, solutions-focused advocacy protects organizations and enables leaders to stay focused on growth, culture, and performance.
#50 Cyndi A. Zoldy
Cyndi A. Zoldy leads MASC with a clear focus on strengthening Connecticut manufacturing through training, education, and workforce development. By connecting employers to talent pipelines and modern skills programs, she helps manufacturers stay competitive and builds opportunity for the next generation of workers.
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