Dress for Success: Who We Are: Board of Directors

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Who We Are | Board of Directors

Dress for Success Worldwide Board of Directors

Clarice Kennedy*
Doug Checkeris*
Robbin Mitchell*
Donna Griffin*
Frank Aquila*
Dorria Ball*
Vivian Behrens*
Eileen Brumback*
Maureen Case*
Salaam Coleman Smith*
Debra Dandridge*
Mary Fox*
Alex Garfield*
Debra Kelly-Ennis*
Elena Kiam*
Suzanne Lovell*
Dottie Mattison*
Pat Nathan*
Rose Stuckey Kirk*
Rosalyn Taylor O'Neale*
Alexandra Wilkis Wilson*

Dress for Success Worldwide Board Emeritus Members
Bobbi Brown
Niki Leondakis

*Independent Voting Board Member

Clarice Kennedy Chair (Joined Feb. 2007)
Resources Global Professionals

Clarice Kennedy is the senior director of Information Management for Resources Global Professionals, www.ResourcesGlobal.com. NASDAQ: RECN.

Ms. Kennedy brings 20 years of experience in the technology industry and in this role manages the strategic development of the Information Management practice, specifically in the areas of business (IT) governance, business process transformation and program and project management.

Prior to joining Resources, Ms Kennedy was the founder and CEO of CCN, Inc., a technology staffing firm. During the last two decades, she guided its growth and expansion into a full-service provider of technology services and talent management solutions for some of the world's leading companies.

Ms. Kennedy began her career as a systems programmer, then transitioned into a network engineering role supporting European traders at Security Pacific Bank, now Bank of America. Two years later, the entrepreneurial 24-year-old founded CCN and strategically fulfilled the emerging need for IT services as North American companies began widespread deployment of personal computers across the enterprise.

Ms. Kennedy is a member of Columbia University's mentoring program within the Executive Master of Science in Technology Management degree program, offered by Columbia's School of Continuing Education. She serves on the New York Leadership Board of Women in Technology International (WITI) and is an active board member for the New York Society of Information Managers (SIM).

Ms. Kennedy holds a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science from Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York. She lives in New York with her husband and her three greatest accomplishments - her children, Dylan, Connor and Aidan.

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Doug Checkeris Vice Chair (Joined June 2008)

Doug Checkeris was named CEO of MediaCom U.S. in the fall of 2007. Doug's focus was leading MediaCom's strategic reinvention. During the period that Doug held this position, the agency achieved several successes, including deepened relationships with - and several significant new assignments from - a diversity of clients, consolidation of the GlaxoSmtihKline media business under MediaCom, stewardship of the WPP Dell account and the continued holistic integration of digital media into the core of the agency. Mr. Checkeris began his career at MBS in Canada 25 years ago as a media trainee. He joined the MBS management committee in 1986 and was named managing partner in 1996, one year before MBS joined forces with MediaCom to form The Media Company, MediaCom's Canadian operations.

In 2003 he was named president and CEO of The Media Company and during his tenure he was instrumental in the company's placement as #1 for several successive years on RECMA's ranking of Canadian agencies. Throughout his career, he has successfully pitched and run a broad range of clients spanning virtually every category, some of which include: TD Canada Trust, BMW Canada, Procter & Gamble, Nokia, Staples, Warner Bros., LVMH, GlaxoSmithKline and Rogers and Michelin.

Mr. Checkeris' involvement on the community level includes serving on the boards of the arts-focused Canadian Fringe Festival and Canadian Stage Company and participating in the charitable groups Reach for the Rainbow, an organization that enables disabled children to attend summer camp, and Mothers Trust Foundation, which helps children in need. He also led MediaCom Canada's strong participation with the United Way. Since coming to the U.S., Mr. Checkeris has embraced MediaCom's participation with Dress for Success, spearheading a volunteer day at the Brooklyn, NY warehouse and establishing an internship program with the organization.

When he's not working, Mr. Checkeris enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, competing in Masters Lacrosse and Basketball and pursuing his admitted obsession with Ski Racing. He also plans to run in the charity-based JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge and ride in a 200K, 3-day bike ride to benefit a leading Canadian cancer institute.

Robbin Mitchell Treasurer (Joined June 2007)
Polo Ralph Lauren

Robbin Mitchell is currently senior vice president, chief of staff at Polo Ralph Lauren (PRL). Ms. Mitchell is responsible for working across all businesses and brands on a worldwide basis synchronizing global management activities, fostering business process improvements and helping to streamline key decision-making.

Prior to this role, Ms. Mitchell was senior vice president, Supply Chain Business Process Integration, managing Polo's largest global business initiative, which involved implementing a new Global ERP System across all global wholesale brands, including menswear, childrenswear, womenswear, footwear and accessories in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. This initiative included re-engineering current business processes and implementing a common business and operational infrastructure across all divisions. Ms. Mitchell began working for PRL in 2001 as vice president, Wholesale Replenishment for the Polo Brands Wholesale Division, where she managed all aspects of the men's wholesale replenishment business. Ms. Mitchell's career in the apparel industry has spanned more than 15 years; she has previously held positions at both the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation and GFT USA, which encompasses brands such as Giorgio Armani Le Collezioni Men's and Women's, Joseph Abboud, Calvin Klein Men's Apparel and Valentino Men's and Women's.

Ms. Mitchell's apparel experience includes her involvement with McKinsey & Company, Inc. as a retail practice consultant, where she focused on product development reengineering, global supply chain management, and global sourcing and production management. Before entering business school, she spent two years at The Boston Consulting Group and two years in the mergers and acquisitions department at Lehman Brothers, where she concentrated on the retail industry.

Ms. Mitchell has served as both a keynote speaker and panelist at the 2004 and 2006 annual User Conference of Logility & Company, a global industry leader in planning, forecasting, logistics and supply chain software. She was also named one of the top 25 Visionaries by Consumer Goods Technology magazine in 2006.

Ms. Mitchell received her BA from Stanford University and was awarded an MBA from Harvard Graduate School of Business.

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Donna Griffin Secretary (Joined Feb. 2007)
Citibank North America

Donna Griffin is the senior vice president and national human resources director for Citibank North America. Having been with Citigroup for over 32 years, Ms. Griffin began her career in St. Louis, Missouri while attending college and then moving into a number of managerial positions in the areas of Credit Policy and Operations Control for the Consumer Sales Finance and Mortgage Divisions.

Ms. Griffin relocated with Citibank in 1982 to San Francisco, California, where she began her career in human resources. Over the subsequent 17 years, she oversaw Employee Relations, Recruiting, Training, Compensation and Benefits.

After relocating to New York during the summer of 2000 she was appointed to her current role, where she directs a team of 140 human resources professionals to support Citibank North America's Retail Branch network of 1,000 branches and 18,000 employees across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. She directs all aspects of Citibank's people initiatives, including developing talent, managing performance, rewarding results and creating an environment where people want to work to build their careers. In her current capacity Ms. Griffin has proudly worked with Dress for Success' job fairs to support our clients in their employment transitions.

Dedicated to giving back to the community, Ms. Griffin has been involved with Habitat for Humanity, March of Dimes, United Way, AIDS Foundation and the American Cancer Society.

Ms. Griffin holds a BS in business education from the University of St. Louis-Missouri. Recently married 25 years, Ms. Griffin enjoys all health and fitness activities, home decorating, wine tasting and dogs-she is the proud owner of Snowball, a 7-lb. Maltese.

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F rank Aquila (Joined Oct. 2008)
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

Frank Aquila has been an attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell since 1983 and a partner of the firm since 1992. He has served as the partner in charge of legal recruiting and is currently one of the partners responsible for associate matters. Mr. Aquila's practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, takeover defense, strategic alliances and corporate governance matters for a broad range of leading international companies. He serves as regular advisor to global leaders such as Amgen, British Airways, Diageo and InBev. He can be regularly seen and heard discussing M&A activity and trends on CNBC TV, Bloomberg Radio, Bloomberg TV and Fox Business News. In demand as an author and lecturer on M&A and corporate governance, Mr. Aquila received The Burton Award for Legal Achievement 2005 in recognition of his article, "Back to the Future! Recent Hostile Bids Make Takeover Defenses Relevant" (The M&A Lawyer, April 2004).

Mr. Aquila has been featured twice in The American Lawyer, "Daddys Weekend on the Phone" (January 2002) and "Supersonic Lawyers" (May 2004), and once in The Wall Street Journal, "Business Trips Leave Little Time for Luxuries" (May 31, 1996). Mr. Aquila is chair-elect of the board of trustees of The NALP Foundation for Law Career Research and Education and is a member of the board of advisors of the Salvation Army of Greater New York.

Mr. Aquila is a native of New York City and a graduate of Columbia College (Columbia University) and Brooklyn Law School.

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Dorria L. Ball (Joined Feb. 2007)
Kraft Foods, Inc.

Dorria L. Ball is the senior director of Human Resources, Beverages, for Kraft Foods, headquartered in Tarrytown, NY. In this role, Ms. Ball and her team are responsible for developing and leading the implementation of all human resources strategies and activities in support of all Beverages Business Unit functions from marketing to manufacturing. Kraft is the largest food company in North America and the second largest in the world, with net revenues exceeding $34 billion, 90,000 employees worldwide and operations in 70 countries.

Ms. Ball began her career with Kraft over 18 years ago in Sales Management, where she held numerous assignments of increasing responsibility, calling on customers and leading teams. She transitioned into human resources in 1994 and has since held a variety of human resources generalist and specialist assignments across a number of functions and business sectors. Most recently, Ms. Ball was the Senior Director of Global Diversity and Work Life, where she was responsible for developing and implementing the Global Diversity and Work Life strategy for Kraft Foods worldwide.

Ms. Ball is one of the founding members of ASCENT, and was formerly on the Conference Board's Council on Workforce Diversity , the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund advisory board, the steering team of the William J. Clinton Foundation's Harlem Small Business Initiative, and the Boston College Global Workforce Roundtable Steering Committee. In addition, Ms. Ball is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and the Abyssinian Baptist Church.

Ms. Ball is a native of Indianapolis, a graduate of Indiana University and a resident of Westchester County, New York.

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Vivian Behrens (Joined Sept. 2011)
dressbarn & maurices

With more than 30 years in both the cosmetic and specialty store retail business, Vivian Behrens began her career at Estee Lauder where she spent 10 years as Vice President of Corporate Product Development for the Estee Lauder Companies and five years as Vice President Marketing for the Estee Lauder brand. It is with Estee Lauder that she learned the fundamentals and imperative disciplines of branding which contribute to her continued success.

Following Lauder, Ms. Behrens spearheaded the marketing and branding initiatives at various specialty stores, most notably Lane Bryant, then, a division of The Limited, Inc. Expanding her experience within the cosmetic industry, she spent time at Avon Products, Inc. as Group Vice President of Marketing for the U.S. and then boom! Creative Development. Ms. Behrens served on the Board of Directors for dressbarn prior to joining them in 2002 as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer charged with defining and communicating the personality and voice of the dressbarn brand.

In 2005, with the acquisition of maurices, she augmented her role, overseeing the maurices brand as well. In her position at each company, her beliefs in women, their empowerment, and their wellness have been of paramount importance. Ms. Behrens has taken numerous national Cause-Related Marketing Programs to the local level including American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life, Breast Cancer Awareness, and Dress for Success’ SOS – Send One Suit - Week. These cause-related initiatives continue to enhance the relevance of dressbarn and maurices in the communities in which they serve.

Ms. Behrens received a B.A. in English from Ohio State University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

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Bobbi Brown (Joined April 2005)
Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

In 1991 Bobbi Brown started a makeup revolution with a handful of lipsticks and a simple philosophy: Women want to look and feel like themselves, only prettier and more confident. Her dream came true when she debuted her line of cosmetics just 10 brown-based lipsticks at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City.

Ms. Brown's love affair with makeup started at an early age when she discovered her mothers collection of cosmetics. Driven by her passion, Ms. Brown went to learn the art of theatrical makeup at Emerson College in Boston, then headed for New York City to work as a professional makeup artist.

Tackling the challenges that face any novice in her industry building a portfolio from scratch, making contacts Ms. Brown found that her biggest frustration was the lack of flattering makeup products. A chance meeting with a chemist at a magazine photo shoot changed everything. The chemist made the lipstick following Ms. Browns exacting specifications and the result was Brown Lip Color, a pinky-brown shade. Nine other brown-based lipstick shades followed soon after, and Ms. Browns set of lipsticks was complete.

Take one look at the Bobbi Brown line today and it is clear that Ms. Browns mission remains the same to give women options. As a working makeup artist, entrepreneur, wife and mother of three, Ms. Browns approach strikes a chord with consumers it is about achieving and maintaining balance, cultivating a positive outlook and loving yourself the way you are.

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Eileen Brumback (Joined April 2011)
G.E. Real Estate

Eileen Brumback is Senior Vice President and General Counsel for GE Real Estate. Ms. Brumback leads a team of 85 plus attorneys and legal professionals who manage all legal, regulatory and compliance matters for GE Real Estate’s $73B global real estate investment portfolio. Eileen also serves on the GE Legal Diversity Executive Council.

Ms. Brumback joined GE Real Estate in 2004 after 18 years with King & Spalding LLP. During her tenure at King & Spalding, she served as the Managing Partner of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group, the hiring partner for the firm’s New York office and was a member of the firm’s Global Operating Committee.

Ms. Brumback actively supports a number of non-profit organizations that serve underprivileged women and youth, including Dress for Success, Summer Search and A Better Chance. She leads the GE company-wide volunteer program that works with Dress for Success to provide a network of support and career development tools to Dress for Success clients in New York City, L.A., Chicago, Fairfield County, CT, Mexico City and London.

Ms. Brumback is a past President of the Association of Real Estate Women in New York City and also served as a member of its Board of Directors.

Ms. Brumback earned her law degree from the University of Virginia in 1986 and her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1982. She lives in New York City with her husband and three sons.

Maureen Case was appointed President, Specialty Groups Worldwide, for the Estee Lauder Companies in January 2006 and currently heads three of the company’s most innovative brands: Bobbi Brown, La Mer and Jo Malone. In addition to heading global business operations for each, Ms. Case has also been responsible for recognizing, developing and implementing strategic brand building openings that have spurred their tremendous growth.

Ms. Case has been a leader at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics for nearly a decade, joining the brand in 1999 as Vice President, General Manager, Bobbi Brown International. Within a year she stepped up to the role of VP Global Marketing, Bobbi Brown Worldwide and by 2001, expanded her responsibilities considerably through her promotions to Senior Vice President, Global Marketing.

Ms. Case was named General Manager, Bobbi Brown Worldwide and the following year, as President, she proceeded to strategically structure and position the brand for further global and regional growth. Since joining the brand, sales have quadrupled and Ms. Case has expanded it into more than 15 key markets including Russia and China. She continues to oversee the company’s development through such means as alternative distribution via QVC and free standing stores. All in all, Ms. Case remains instrumental to Bobbi Brown’s continued double-digit growth.

Ms. Case boasts more than three decades’ of experience in the cosmetics business. She began her career in beauty in 1975 when she joined the finance arm of the Estee Lauder Companies. In 1979 she transferred to the New York headquarters as Regional Finance Manager for the Travel Retailing Group. Promoted to Executive Director, Marketing, Travel Retailing, Estee Lauder International, Inc. in 1989, Ms. Case made significant contributions to the growth of the Travel Retailing operations, which doubled in sales during her tenure.

Ms. Case sits on the board for Dress for Success as well as the Emerson College Board of Overseers, and is an active member of Cosmetic Executive Women. She is an avid scuba diver, enjoys snow-skiing and practices yoga. Ms. Case lives in Manhattan with her family.

Salaam Coleman Smith (Joined March 2010)
The Style Network

As President of The Style Network, Salaam Coleman Smith is charged with leading cable television’s fastest-growing network for women. Since her appointment to run The Style Network, Ms. Coleman Smith has led the network to achieve significant ratings gains, delivering a record breaking 86% increase in Primetime total viewers over last three years and the network’s most watched year ever in 2009. In 2009, The Style Network joined the ranks of Top 50 cable networks and one of the top five fastest growing cable networks for the first time ever in the history of the network.

For the past three years, the Style Network has forged an unprecedented pro-social, initiative through its partnership with Dress for Success—a non-profit organization committed to helping women (many of them women of color) get back into the workforce. The partnership includes a range of initiatives, including Style Network’s on-air support of Dress for Success’s “S.O.S - Send One Suit - Weekend” campaign as well as programming featuring the inspirational makeovers and stories of women Dress for Success mentors who have suffered hardship and are re-entering the workforce.

Ms. Coleman Smith joined E! Networks in 2003 as Senior Vice President, Programming and quickly led E! to experience record-breaking growth and performance. She was promoted to run The Style Network as its lead Executive Vice President in 2006 and was named President of The Style Network in 2008. Prior to joining E! Networks, she spent nearly 10 years with MTV Networks.

Ms. Coleman Smith currently serves on the national board of Women In Cable Telecommunications. She is a previous Walter Kaitz Foundation Fellow and Betsy Magness Leadership Institute Class XV Fellow. In 2009, Coleman Smith was bestowed a LEA “Lifetime Achievement Award” by Women In Cable Telecommunication’s for her achievements and active mentorship of the next generation of diverse leaders and was one of the youngest recipients ever for this honor.

In 2009, Ms. Coleman Smith was named one of “8 to Watch” by Fortune Magazine in Fortune Magazine’s “40 under 40” issue and one the “Top 10 Most Influential Minorities in Cable” by Cable Fax. Additionally, in 2008 she was named one of the “Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Cable” by Cable Fax Magazine and one of the “Top 25 Minorities in Cable” by Cable World.

Ms. Coleman Smith graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Dr. Christopher Smith, a Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California, and their 2 young children, ages 6 and 2.

Debra M. Dandridge is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Dress for Success Hampton Roads. Since embarking on this incredible journey and opening its doors in 2006, Dress for Success Hampton Roads has strived to make a difference in the lives of the women of the seven cities that make up the Hampton Roads region.

The First Lady of Virginia, Maureen McDonnell, awarded Dress for Success Hampton Roads the First Lady’s Opportunity Seal of Approval and a Certificate of Recognition for exemplary efforts in promoting economic independence for disadvantaged women in the Commonwealth of Virginia. With more than 40% of women head of households on the poverty level in just one city alone, we strive to help eradicate those numbers thru our programs, agency partnerships and community awareness and outreach.

A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Ms. Dandridge graduated from Norfolk State University with a B.A. Degree in Sociology. Since co-founding the Hampton Roads affiliate Ms. Dandridge has obtained a Certificate of Nonprofit Management from the Academy for Nonprofit Excellence from Tidewater Community College. Her work experiences have allowed her the opportunity to travel extensively to gain a wealth of knowledge in some exciting fields from In-flight Services, Sales Management and Business ownership.

Ms. Dandridge has been an American Airlines Ace Award Honoree and Universal Sisters Speaking of Women’s Health Honoree. Her wonderful family consists of her husband Robert ‘Bob Dandridge,” Shana, Sivad and Morgan. She is motivated to help others and extremely passionate about helping women!

Mary Fox serves as Senior Vice President of Global Apparel Sourcing for Walmart. Ms. Fox is responsible for the Apparel sourcing strategy globally and for the development of a strategic sourcing organization that will maximize cost efficiencies within the apparel supply chain and value perception for Walmart customers.

Prior to being named to her current position in August 2009, Ms. Fox was Vice President of NYC Services and Classics Brands for Walmart US, leading apparel teams including Technical Services, Product Execution, Creative Services and the Classic Brands. She continues to be the project manager of the Textiles Sustainability Network.

Ms. Fox joined Walmart in January 1999 and she has worked both in the International Division and the UK with assignments including Senior Director for Strategy and M&A for the Americas region, General Manager for Global George and Operational roles including store management.

Before joining ASDA, she worked at Marks and Spencer and MaxMara and spent two years working in Australia and travelling throughout Africa and Asia. Ms. Fox has a B Eng Honors Degree in Manufacturing Engineering.

Alex Garfield (Joined Jan. 2010)
Peace of Cloth

Designer Alex Garfield fell in love with fashion as a young man and to this day, continues to dress savvy, confident women around the country. His newest company formed in 2006 with long time associate and current business partner, Jaime Nortman, called Peace of Cloth, is a modern bridge collection of suiting separates and casual elements that emphasize style and practicality.

Prior to Peace of Cloth, Mr. Garfield along with partner Bernie Marks, founded the Garfield & Marks brand in 1993, which had grown into the GarfieldMarks (GM) Design Group, Ltd. Under his tutelage, GMDG created and produced Garfield & Marks, Womyn, and iAlex, where Garfield & Marks was awarded Nordstrom’s “Partners in Excellence” vendor award.

His appreciation for women and their well-being does not stop with his creative designs and fashion expertise. Being able to reach out and help those less fortunate powerfully fuels Mr. Garfield’s desire to merge fashion with philanthropy. A longtime supporter and board member of Dress for Success, an international not-for-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire and a network of support, Mr. Garfield has traveled the country on behalf of the organization assisting low-income women entering the workforce. In addition to his commitment to Dress for Success, he also is one of the original founders of Cure by Design, which operates as part of the American Cancer Society. A truly unique event, Cure by Design is a fashion show where every model who walks the runway is a cancer survivor and hero. With fabulous auctions and a cocktail reception, this is an event where the fashion, design and retail communities join forces to benefit the American Cancer Society. "Giving back is always in style," has always been Mr. Garfield's motto.

Mr. Garfield is also a frequent guest lecturer at fashion schools such as F.I.T and the Parsons School of Design and mentors aspiring designers and future fashion leaders.

Debra Kelly-Ennis is President and CEO of Diageo Canada. Diageo is the world’s leading spirits, wine and beer company.

Ms. Kelly-Ennis directs one of Diageo’s largest markets – among the top 10 out of the 180 global markets in which Diageo does business -- making her a global leader in the execution of Diageo’s mission to be among the world’s leading consumer products companies. She manages a workforce of 220 employees, and, under her leadership, Diageo Canada was named one of the “Best Places to Work in Canada” in 2009 (by the Great Places to Work® Institute).

Ms. Kelly-Ennis’ vision for Diageo Canada is to become the leading total beverage alcohol company by building strong people, brands and partners. Her vision has led to a transformation in Diageo’s competitive footprint in Canada. Under her leadership, Diageo Canada has grown its core spirits brands, its beer business by one-third and nearly doubled its wine business. Her vision has led to the development of relationships with world-class partners, adding fantastic premium wines to the Canadian marketplace, including Rosenblum Cellars, Sacred Hill and Quintessa. She has also completed distribution agreements with South African-based KMV wines and Mike Weir Canadian Wines as well as Heineken-owned Scottish & Newcastle brands in Canada, including Strongbow, Bulmers Original Cider and Newcastle Brown Ale. Ms. Kelly-Ennis continues to strengthen partnerships with Ketel One Vodka and Marnier Lapostolle and look for opportunities to add other premium wines and spirits to Diageo Canada’s ever-growing portfolio. She is also driving growth on Diageo core brands Smirnoff, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum and Guinness beer, which have grown share by 5%, 12%, and 6.2%, respectively, during her tenure.

Ms. Kelly-Ennis was previously Chief Marketing Officer of Diageo North America, where her vision transformed the capabilities of her marketing department, resulting in award-winning advertising campaigns, breakthrough digital work and a step-change in the company’s multicultural marketing. Her leadership helped the company achieve record results and recognition as a world-class marketing force. In partnership with Sean “Diddy” Combs (chairman of Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group), Debra developed a wholly new kind of marketing initiative for a luxury brand, Cîroc Vodka, which led to a fivefold increase in sales.

Prior to joining Diageo, Kelly-Ennis served as President and Chief Operating Officer of General Motors subsidiary Saab USA. She has also held marketing, sales and general management positions with world leaders RJR/Nabisco and Grand Metropolitan, plc.

Ms. Kelly-Ennis has served for over ten years on the Pulte Corporation Board of Directors and chairs the Governance Committee. In 2009, she became a member of the International Women’s Forum of Toronto as well as the CEO Network of Canada. In 2007, she joined the Board of Directors of Dress for Success Worldwide, an international non-profit organization dedicated to helping economically disadvantaged women get ahead in the workplace. Using her own marketing prowess and with help from her employees’ volunteered time and effort, Ms. Kelly-Ennis initiated a philanthropic movement among several corporations for Dress for Success in the United States, generating not only awareness but also several million dollars in donations for the organization. She is now working to gain support and awareness for Dress for Success in Canada. Under her leadership, Diageo Canada has been very active in supporting the environment through Evergreen, a not-for-profit organization that makes cities more livable. By deepening the connection between people and nature, and empowering Canadians to take a hands-on approach to their urban environments, Evergreen is improving the health of our cities -- now and for the future. To date, Diageo Canada employees have planted 6,700 trees across Canada.

For all of her achievements, Ms. Kelly-Ennis has been named a 2009 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner.

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Elena Kiam (Joined Oct. 2005)
lia sophia

Ms. Kiam is senior vice-president of lia sophia, a direct selling, fashion jewelry company that has selected Dress for Success as its not-for-profit partner. Like Dress for Success, lia sophia's mission is to connect women to their dreams and to help them gain significant financial independence; lia sophia does so by giving women the opportunity to establish their own businesses. Nationally based, lia sophia is one of the fastest growing direct selling companies and currently has over 15,000 sales advisors. lia sophia is known for its elegant, well-priced jewelry as well as its more fashion forward collections designed for press, celebrities and tastemakers. It is the only branded fashion jewelry company that is routinely featured in the national fashion magazines and the weekly entertainment publications, due in part to its celebrity following.

Ms. Kiam oversees the company's marketing and public relations efforts including its valued partnership with Dress for Success. Through this partnership, lia sophia is working to expose Dress for Success' clients to another career possibility as well as to encourage its own base of sales advisors to give back to their communities through Dress for Success.

Prior to lia sophia, Ms. Kiam had a 14-year career at J.P. Morgan primarily in the Asset Management/Private Banking division, where she was responsible for advising private companies and high net worth individuals on a range of financial matters. She helped establish J.P. Morgan's' businesses in Colorado, Texas and other western states prior to the company's opening offices in these areas.

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Niki Leondakis (Joined April 2005)
Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants

Niki Leondakis, President & Chief Operating Officer for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, oversees operations, sales and marketing, revenue and distribution, human resources, technology, sustainability and social responsibility initiatives for the company’s 50 boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurants.

Actively serving on the steering and senior executive committees, Ms. Leondakis has been a key player in the creation and development of Kimpton’s brand, values and culture, and in leading the growth and expansion of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in the U.S. In 1998, Ms. Leondakis formed Kimpton’s Mentor Program, aiding in the development and advancement of emerging leaders. In 2003, she launched Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants’ Diversity Initiative, which is committed to creating a culture that acknowledges, understands, accepts, values and celebrates differences among people. Ms. Leondakis is also responsible for furthering the mission of Kimpton University, an education and training program that inspires personal as well as professional development and growth.

Ms. Leondakis has received numerous industry awards, including being named one of the “100 Most Influential Women” by the San Francisco Business Times every year from 2002 to 2010, being recognized as one of “30 Women Power Players” by Nation’s Restaurant News in 2002, and being named one of the “Most Powerful Women in Travel” by Travel Agent Magazine that same year. In 2007, Ms. Leondakis received the International Food Service Manufacturer’s Association Silver Plate Award for Operator of the Year. In 2008, Ms. Leondakis received the Fred Tibbits Hospitality Award for Lifetime Excellence and in 2009, the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society named Ms. Leondakis the Hospitality Executive of the Year. The American Hellenic Institute awarded Ms. Leondakis the 2010 Hellenic Heritage Achievement Award.

An avid contributor to the community, Ms. Leondakis also has served on the Board of Directors for the National Restaurant Association since 2004 and currently chairs the National Restaurant Association’s Sustainability and Social Responsibility Committee.

Prior to joining the Kimpton, Ms. Leondakis worked as a food and beverage director for the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company in Marina Del Rey, Calif., Atlanta and San Francisco, from 1985 to 1993. She began her hospitality career as a manager for Marriott Hotels in 1982 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Ms. Leondakis holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant management and travel administration from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. A native of West Springfield, Massachusetts, Ms. Leondakis now resides with her husband in San Francisco, California.

For more than 25 years, Suzanne Lovell has been practicing the art of interior design. She holds a professional degree in architecture and is widely recognized as an expert in art, antiques, textiles and furnishings.

Ms. Lovell is Principal of Suzanne Lovell, Inc., a Chicago-based architectural interior design firm specializing in residential interior architecture, design and decoration. The firm takes a thoughtful and rigorous approach to design by employing extensive research with meticulous attention to detail. Her vast portfolio of work has not gone unnoticed as she has been featured in a variety of publications and was included in Architectural Digest’s AD100: The World’s Top Designers and Architects. Ms. Lovell works in both her Manhattan studio and her corporate headquarters in Chicago.

Ms. Lovell’s extensive travels have exposed her to design and artisans from around the world, lending her work a global influence. A lifestyle architect practicing at the intersection of architecture and interiors, design and fine art, Ms. Lovell is a sought-after lecturer and keynote speaker, addressing the topics of passionate collecting, fine arts and the creation of value collections, as well as the intelligent integration of architectural interiors with sophisticated furnishings, textiles and art. This well-rounded approach to the business of interior design has led Ms. Lovell to launch the Artistic Collection Advisory. A.C.A. offers the collector a customized and curatorial approach to research and the purchase, installation, display, maintenance and records management of valued fine arts collections.

Ms. Lovell resides in Chicago with her husband and two children. Fly fishing and bicycling take her on adventures around the world that lend directly to her designs through color, texture, proportion and scale. She is a member of the Women’s Board of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and the Advisory Board of Virginia Tech’s School of Architecture + Design. Her first monograph, Artistic Interiors, will be published by Stuart, Tabori & Chang, a division of Abrams Books, in October 2011.

In September 2010, Dorothy H. Mattison was named Senior Managing Director at Guggenheim Partners, LLC., where she reports to Todd Boehly, Managing Partner in the Office of the CEO. Guggenheim Partners is a diversified financial services firm with more than $100 billion in assets under supervision. Ms. Mattison’s role at Guggenheim is to maximize the value of its current portfolio company investments and to identify additional prospective companies to establish partnerships.

A retail and apparel industry veteran, Ms. Mattison was most recently the Senior Vice President of the Apparel Global Merchandising Center of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. She was responsible for all product strategy, design, development, sourcing, production and brand management for Wal-Mart's portfolio of private apparel brands. Among her accomplishments as the head of the Apparel division at Wal-Mart was the restructure and relocation of the business to the industry center of excellence, New York City.

Ms. Mattison also led the Sustainability Textiles Network within Wal-Mart, completing The Prince of Wales’s Business and Sustainability Programme at The University of Cambridge and forming an industry-wide Apparel Consortium to redefine supply chain environmental and social standards. She represented Wal-Mart in various other capacities, including participation in Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women in Business Summit and membership in The National Association of Female Executives Closed Roundtable. The Wall Street Journal named her one of “50 Women to Watch.”

Before building Wal-Mart's New York City Apparel operation, Ms. Mattison was the Vice President and Chief Merchant of Walmart.com, responsible for the merchandising of all product categories.

She started her retail career as an hourly sales associate in the Gap Brand Stores division of Gap Inc., rising through the company’s merchandising ranks to Vice President of Adult Accessories and Local Merchandising Strategy of the Gap Brand U.S division. Her career at Gap Inc. also included product merchandising and leadership positions in babyGap and Gap.com, with the majority of her tenure spent scaling the Old Navy brand.

Ms. Mattison is a trustee of The San Francisco School and a director of the Dress for Success Worldwide Board. She is married with three young sons.

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Pat Nathan (Joined Jan. 2011)
Dress for Success Triangle NC

North Carolina native Ms. Nathan founded the local Dress for Success Triangle affiliate in April 2008. Dress for Success, an international nonprofit organization, promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

Ms. Nathan was recently awarded the 2010 Durham County Dr. Martin Luther King “Keeper of the Dream Award” for this work as well as the 2010 Leadership Triangle award for exemplary regional leadership by an individual.

Ms. Nathan has been active in a variety of organizations addressing social and environmental equity. She founded the first European chapter of Women in Technology International (WITI) in England in 2001 and a second in Ireland in 2002.

With a successful leadership record of 24 years in the electronics industry, Ms. Nathan, a former Dell executive, has expertise in the areas of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Quality and Customer Service, Procurement, Diversity, Supplier Management, Coaching, and Sustainability. Ms. Nathan has also worked at Data General Inc. (EMC) and at State University. A graduate of Meredith College (B.S. chemistry), Ms. Nathan also attended N.C. State University’s master’s program in statistics.

Ms. Nathan serves as the chair of the board for Dress for Success Triangle and also serves on the board of the Triangle Community Foundation. Ms. Nathan previously served as the vice-chair of the board of Sustainable NC, on the advisory board of EnviroMedia in Austin, TX, and managed the Dell Foundation as part of her Corporate Social Responsibility role before retiring from Dell.

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Rose Stuckey Kirk (Joined Sept. 2011)
Verizon Foundation

Rose Stuckey Kirk is president of the Verizon Foundation with accountability for leading the company’s philanthropic strategy by leveraging Verizon’s technology, financial resources, employees and partnerships to improve social issues. The Foundation specifically focuses its efforts on technology in education, domestic violence prevention and employee volunteerism.

Ms. Stuckey Kirk brings more than 25 years of telecommunications experience to this position, having served in senior leadership roles in public affairs, sales operations, employee communications, sales and customer service, marketing, product development, strategy, advertising, and executive speechwriting.

Working Mothers Magazine recognized Ms. Stuckey Kirk as one of the Top 20 Working Mothers in America, and she is the recipient of numerous advertising and creative marketing awards, and three Verizon Excellence Awards for outstanding contributions to corporate goals. A former news reporter, she has received writing awards from The Associated Press and the Chairman’s Award from the New York Times for news reporting.

Ms. Stuckey Kirk has served as a keynote speaker at the annual Net Impact conference, as well as Innogive, the annual conference of the Innovative Giving Foundation. She also has served as guest lecturer to doctors and attorneys in the Middle East on the role of Corporate America in Domestic Violence Prevention, and appeared to audiences of 1.4M as a result of interviews in various media discussing the issue of domestic violence, including USA Today, Working Mothers Magazine, Reunion Magazine, the Daily Buzz and Lifetime TV. She also has been a panelist for the National Association for Female Executives Roundtable, Odyssey Media, and the Washington Center and has served as a guest lecturer at Arkansas State University.

In 2011, Ms. Stuckey Kirk was the official bell ringer, opening trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in celebration of Corporate Philanthropy Day. She is Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Domestic Violence Hotline, a member of the national service organization, Jack and Jill of America, and a board member of the Communications Department Advisory Board of Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR. Also, she is a member of the Conference Board Contributions Council, and the Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy.

Ms. Stuckey Kirk holds a B.S. degree in Journalism from Arkansas State University and is completing a Masters Degree in International Affairs from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. She and her husband, Robert, are the parents of two sons, Robert Jr. and Connor.

Rosalyn Taylor O'Neale (Joined April 2011)
Campbell Soup Company

Rosalyn Taylor O’Neale was named Campbell’s Vice President, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer in 2008. In this role she leads Campbell’s global diversity and inclusion efforts, partnering with leaders of Global Businesses, Functions and Supply Chain to evolve the diversity and inclusion strategy around attraction, retention, training, development and engagement.

Ms. Taylor O’Neale has more than 25 years of global diversity experience from the vantage points of corporate leader, consultant, and author. Most recently, she led a consulting practice specializing in diversity and inclusion training, education, and executive coaching in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Her experience cuts across a range of industries and cultures.

An Internationally recognized speaker Ms. Taylor O’Neale has been quoted in Black Enterprise Magazine, Diversity Journal and Harvard Business Review. She was named one of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine and one of the 100 Top Executives in America in Uptown Professional Magazine.

Ms. Taylor O’Neale started her career in Human Resources with Digital Equipment Corporation, now part of Hewlett Packard. She was the CEO of Barnes, O’Neale & Associates and in 2002 served as Vice President-Diversity Initiatives for MTV Networks. She is the author of 7 Keys 2 Success: Unlocking the Passion for Diversity, a practical road map for those who seek to create highly effective and inclusive organizations.

Ms. Taylor O’Neale attended Indiana University and holds a master's degree in social work from the University of Louisville.

Alexandra Wilkis Wilson has more than twelve years of international experience in luxury goods and retail. She is Founder and Chief Merchandising Officer of Gilt Groupe, an innovative online shopping destination that launched in November 2007 and has revolutionized the fashion industry and ecommerce in general. Gilt Groupe has grown to become a $500 million business. It offers its five million members the most coveted brands, including fashion for women, men and children, home décor, hotels and travel experiences on every continent and unique activities in a growing list of cities and destinations.

Prior to co-founding Gilt Groupe, Ms. Wilkis Wilson oversaw retail operations at Bulgari, managing 15 North American stores. Before that she managed Leather Goods Sales Planning for Louis Vuitton North America. She began her career working for three years in investment banking at Merrill Lynch predominately based in London. She subsequently worked as a consultant for retail guru Marvin Traub at Financo Inc. She holds a B.A. from Harvard College where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Ms. Wilkis Wilson has been featured in many print publications including: The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, Crain’s, Women’s Wear Daily, The Associated Press, The LA Times, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, The Chicago Tribune, The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Miami Herald, Vogue, Town and Country, O Magazine, InStyle and several Niche Media magazines. She also makes frequent on-air TV appearances on: ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, PBS, FOX, Telemundo and E!.

Ms. Wilkis Wilson is involved in not for profits including: Dress for Success, Pro Mujer, Endeavor Global and the Robin Hood Foundation. She is an active fundraiser for her alma maters The Brearley School, Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard University. Ms. Wilkis Wilson is on the Board of Fashion Group International. She also serves on several New York start-up Advisory Boards including: Behind the Burner, Rent the Runway, Loosecubes and Birchbox. She is an official mentor for Tech Stars and an unofficial mentor for many budding entrepreneurs. She lives in New York City, her hometown, with her family.

Dress for Success Worldwide :: 32 East 31st Street 7th Floor :: New York, NY 10016

Ph: 212.532.1922 | Fax: 212.684.9563