2025 Women of Influence: Brenda Hacker Freije
Brenda Freije began working with Rethink Coalition in 2020 and the next year accepted the role of president and CEO.
Brenda Freije began working with Rethink Coalition in 2020 and the next year accepted the role of president and CEO.
Jasmin French leads a global team that is responsible for developing strategies and executing initiatives that strengthen the ethical culture for Cummins’ nearly 80,000 employees.
Christina Fugate joined Ice Miller 18 years ago and became partner in 2016.
Rachelle Gardner has worked in the field of adolescent substance-use-disorder treatment and recovery for 35 years—the past 20 as co-founder and executive director of Hope Academy High School.
Kristin Glazner has guided initiatives at Wabash that helped the company increase workforce diversity, with 66% of hourly hires and 47% of salaried hires in 2023 being women and/or minorities.
As race engineer at Arrow McLaren, Kate Gundlach oversees race cars’ performance, with the goal of being the fastest car in the field in qualifying and finishing first.
Heather Harris has practiced law since 2004 and with Barnes & Thornburg LLP for almost 19 years.
Lisa Hershman serves as Indiana Gov. Mike Braun’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer.
Lee Ann Kwiatkowski is dean and vice president of the Klipsch Educators College at Marian University, and she also oversees the school’s K-12 outreach through the Center for Vibrant Schools.
Katie Lucas oversees Lucas Oil’s operations, long-term strategy and philanthropic initiatives.
Gina Miller joined the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership as CEO in 2022 at a time when construction costs, housing prices and mortgage rates were all skyrocketing.
Nicole Paulk leads strategy, business development, marketing, innovation and patient experience at Indiana University Health.
Dr. Jennifer Satterfield-Siegel, who has been a pediatric dentist for 32 years, specializes in care for infants with cleft lip and cleft palates or with craniofacial conditions.
Vanessa Green Sinders took over as president and CEO of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce in January 2024.
Terry Stigdon has been a nurse volunteer with the Red Cross since September 2005 (because of Hurricane Katrina) and CEO of the Indiana Region for 2-1/2 years.
In eight years with the Madam Walker Legacy Center—four as board member and four as president and CEO—Kristian Stricklen has helped lead the organization into a new era of stability, visibility and cultural impact.
Beth Tharp was promoted to senior vice president, president of hospital services and network chief nurse officer at Community Health Network in February 2022.
Judith Thomas describes herself as “civic leader and cheerleader for Indy’s rich arts and culture community.”
Deborah Tobias is a member of the Indiana University Health Foundation, and she and her husband committed to a $10 million estate gift to help create the Tobias-Lechleiter Institute for Clinical Innovation at IU Health.
Eunice Trotter spent much of her career in journalism, but her role today is to uncover, document, preserve or restore and share Indiana Black history and heritage for Indiana Landmarks.