You found our list of inspirational women CEOs.
Women CEOs are female leaders who run their organizations. CEOs are responsible for their company’s mission, goals, and profitability. Examples of female leaders include Dana Donofree, Katie Fang, and Rosalind Brewer. The purpose of this list is to highlight these exceptional leaders’ accomplishments.
Creating inclusive workplaces is part of allyship in the workplace and encourages female leadership. These women are considered examples of good leaders. Many of these trailblazers have gone on to write business books for women and female leadership books.
This list includes:
- young female CEOs
- female startup founders
- top female CEOs
- female CEOs of big companies
- Black women CEOs
Let’s get started!
List of women CEOs
The number of female leaders broke records in 2022. Today, women own 42% of all US businesses. As the workforce landscape changes, female CEOs are making waves. This diverse list of women CEOs celebrates a handful of leaders making a difference.
1. Sara Blakely and Kim Jones, Spanx
Sara Blakely is the founder and former CEO of Spanx. In September 2022, Blakely named Kim Jones as the new CEO.
Blakley obtained a bachelor’s in communications from Florida State University. After college, she became a saleswoman and needed slimming footless undergarments. Blakely created her first prototype by cutting out the feet from a pair of pantyhose. Blakely invested $5,000 of personal funds in her idea. After persistent marketing, Blakely appeared on Opera, shooting Spanx to success. In 2021, Spanx’s valuation was $1.2 billion.
Blakely hopes other women will create new products, saying, “My dream is for there to be many more female inventors. We need the contribution of women.”
Jones attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Jones served as CFO and CEO for Sweetwater Brewing Company. Before becoming CEO, she worked as Spanx’s CFO and president. Jones has been with Spanx for 15 years and helped broker Blackstone’s acquisition of Spanx.
Learn more about Spanx’s CEOs.
2. Rosalind (Roz) Brewer, Walgreens Boots Alliance
Rosalind Brewer is the CEO of the Walgreens Boots Alliance. As one of the top female CEOs, she oversees Walgreens and Boots’ pharmaceutical retail chains. Brewer is one of only two Black women CEOs running Fortune 500 companies. She became CEO in 2021, the first year two Black women were simultaneously on the Fortune 500 list.
Brewer obtained a chemistry degree from Spellman College. For 22 years, Brewer served as president of Kimberly-Clark’s Global Nonwovens Division. Then, she spent six years as president of Walmart East before transitioning to her first CEO role at Sam’s Club. After five years, Brewer moved on to become COO of Starbucks.
Today, Brewer is CEO of WBA, which reports $132.7 billion in revenue for 2022. WBA ranks at number 18 this year on the Fortune 500.
About leadership, Brewer says, “Listen at all levels. Some of the best ideas come from those on the front lines.”
Read more about Roz Brewer.
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3. Mathilde Collin, Front
Mathilde Collin is the co-founder and CEO of Front, a team business email and social media service.
As a child, Collin noticed that the adults around her seemed to hate working. After earning a degree in Paris, Collin also started to dread work. However, she knew there had to be a way to enjoy her career, so she started creating her own company. In partnership with Laurent Perrin, Collin launched Front in 2013. Now, over 6,500 businesses use Front in their day-to-day communications.
Collin has maintained her focus on work-life balance as well as female empowerment. As a result, more than 50% of Front’s employees are women, and more than 80% of managers are women. About female CEOs, Collin writes, “If we want to get serious about empowering women to become CEOs or get top management jobs, the starting point is for potential female CEOs to be inspired by other women.”
Learn more about Mathilde Collin.
4. Dana Donofree, AnaOno
Dana Donofree is the founder and CEO of AnaOno, a lingerie company designed for cancer survivors.
Donofree earned a bachelor’s in fashion design from Savannah College of Art and Design. After college, she moved to New York to pursue fashion. Unfortunately, at 27 years old, Donofree was diagnosed with breast cancer.
After treatment, she could not find a bra that fit right, so Donofree launched her own lingerie line in 2014. AnaOno creates comfortable products for all body types. Today, AnaOno has sold over 200,000 bras.
AnaOno often works with charities, providing free bras for those in need.
Donofree talks about the importance of loving life, saying, “Live life for today, because you never know what tomorrow will bring.”
Learn more about Dana Donofree.
5. Tasia Duske, Museum Hack
Tasia Duske is the CEO and owner of Museum Hack, a space dedicated to sharing the message “Museums Are F***ing Awesome!”
Duske has a master’s in clinical psychology from Eastern Washington University. After graduation, she was a practicing counselor before moving on to hospitality. She joined Museum Hack as a staff manager and has been CEO since 2018. Duske believes in strong female leadership.
On her blog, Duske writes, “I came to a new realization: a true servant leader is like being a compassionate coach, someone who raises their people to their full potential. It can be, and often is, uncomfortable.
You must be fierce, strong, and occasionally unpopular—which sometimes contradicts the expectations of a female leader. To me, having the courage and willingness to embrace this is selfless.”
Read more about Tasia Duske.
6. Katie Fang, SchooLinks
Katie Fang is the founder and CEO of SchooLinks, a service that helps students navigate life after high school.
Fang received a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of British Columbia. She started her company in 2015. SchooLinks began as a tool to help students and parents find colleges. Now, SchooLinks works with school districts to provide education, connections, and resources.
Fang is one of many successful young female CEOs. In 2018, she made Forbes’s 30 Under 30 list. This year, her company reported $3.2 million in revenue.
Fang encourages women to take action, saying, “Before being scared of this or that, do you have any valid points to be scared about? If you haven’t really tried to validate your hypothesis… you’re not really jeopardizing anything.”
Learn more about Katie Fang.
7. Leena Nair, Chanel
Leena Nair is the luxury brand Chanel’s first female CEO as well as the first woman of color to take the role.
Nair has an extensive educational background. She studied at The New College Kolhapur, Walchand College of Engineering, and Xavier School of Management Jamshedpur. After trying her hand at engineering, Nair found a passion for human resources. She joined Unilever, a sustainable consumer goods company. Nair became Unilever’s youngest, first Asian, and first female chief human resources officer. Chanel appointed Nair as CEO in January 2022. Of the female CEOs of big companies, Nair breaks down many barriers.
Passion and drive are keystones of Nair’s success. In a speech to students from her hometown, she said, “It is very important to dream big. Do not let others tell you, rather you determine how big your dreams should be. Don’t get discouraged if people doubt your abilities, because if I would have, I would have not reached where I am.”
Read more about Leena Nair.
8. Mariya Nurislamova, Scentbird
Mariya Nurislamova is the co-founder and CEO of Scentbird, a fragrance subscription company. Scentbird sends out samples of luxury scents to help customers find their favorites.
Nurislamova has a bachelor’s in mathematics and computer science and a BBA in marketing management. Nurislamova began by founding Missionelle, a beauty and shopping brand. She established several other companies, like Deck of Scarlet and Confessions of a Rebel. Nurislamova founded Scentbird in 2013. Now, the service boasts 250,000 monthly subscribers.
Nurislamova believes perseverance leads to success, saying, “I notice people who end up failing simply give up too early. The darkest hour is right before sunrise, so if the going gets tough, know that you are very, very close to making it.”
Learn more about Mariya Nurislamova.
9. Sarah Pajii Yoo, Blueland
Sarah Pajii Yoo is the founder and CEO of Blueland, which sells sustainable cleaning products.
Yoo attended Harvard College as well as Harvard Business School. Before Blueland, she was co-founder and CEO of Snapette, a mobile shopping tool.
Yoo began her path of sustainability after having her son. She wanted to find the best water to use with baby formula. While researching, she found a shocking number of microplastics in the water. Her discovery started her journey toward sustainability, and she established Blueland in 2019. Blueland has raised over $35 million and continues to grow into the beauty sphere. Blueland hopes to inspire consumers to reduce plastic usage.
Yoo believes determination is a huge factor in entrepreneurial success, saying, “A big piece of being an entrepreneur is that it’s not rocket science, it’s just about being tenacious, having grit, not taking no for an answer, and not assuming that because it’s never been done, that means that it can’t be done.”
Read more about Sarah Pajii Yoo.
10. Melanie Perkins, Canva
Melanie Perkins is the co-founder and CEO of Canva, a diverse graphic design platform.
Perkins began her entrepreneurial journey at a young age, selling scarves at 14 years old. Perkins attended the University of Western Australia. There, she noticed a gap in the yearbook development market. She and her business partner, Cliff Obrecht, founded Fusion Books to address that gap. Fusion Books sought to help students create their own yearbooks using templates.
Later, Fusion Books inspired Perkins’s idea for Canva. She and Obrecht sought out investors. Perkins faced many rejections, with over 100 investors refusing to support Canva. Perkins persisted, though, and the company became a reality. Now, Canva’s valuation is $26 billion, making her one of many successful female startup founders.
In an inspirational article, Perkins discusses the challenges many businesspeople face. About determination, she writes, “One thing that has kept me going is the belief that if I work really hard, I can usually succeed at whatever I put my mind to—maybe not on the first try, but by the hundredth (or more) tries I’ll nail it.”
Learn more about Melanie Perkins.
11. Daniella Pierson, Newsette
Daniella Pierson is the founder and CEO of Newsette, a bite-sized newsletter that covers beauty, business, and fashion.
Pierson began her business while still earning her degree from Boston University. She wanted to keep up with her favorite magazines, but the information was too widespread. In response, Pierson began condensing magazine articles into her newsletter. At first, she sent the email around campus. Now, over 500,000 subscribers read Newsette every day.
Newsette was just the beginning for this 30 under 30 recipient. Pierson’s newest project, Wondermind, focuses on mental health and well-being. Selena Gomez, Mandy Teefy, and Pierson cofounded and co-CEO this inclusive space. Wondermind launched in 2022 and already has a $100 million valuation.
On Newsette’s website, Pierson writes, “My dream is for every person—no matter your circumstances, background, qualifications or heritage—to feel inspired to thrive every single day.”
Read more about Daniella Pierson.
12. Pam Prince-Eason, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council
Pam Prince-Eason is the president and CEO of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
Alta Baker, Billie Bryant Schultz, and Leslie Saunders founded WBENC in 1997. WBENC’s goal is to certify women-owned businesses nationwide. Certification means women own or operate at least 51% of the company. WBENC supports female entrepreneurs by providing certifications, hosting events, and sharing resources.
Prince-Eason has a bachelor’s in accounting from East Tennessee State University and a master’s in international business and finance from Johns Hopkins University. She has held leadership positions at Pfizer, Texas Instruments, GSE Systems, and Warner-Lambert. She was also the co-owner of RMR & Associates. Prince-Eason became the CEO of WBENC in 2011.
She also works with the National Women’s Business Council. NWBC advises the US government on economic issues that affect female businesses.
Prince-Eason believes women-owned businesses make an important impact, saying, “There was a misconception that small businesses had difficulty serving large clients. What we have established is that small, women- and minority-owned businesses can fill niches in corporate America and the government space. The business case has been made that these suppliers bring innovation to the marketplace and a positive impact to their communities.”
Learn more about Pam Prince-Eason.
13. Amy Yoder, Anuvia Plant Nutrients
Amy Yoder is the CEO of Anuvia Plant Nutrients, which aims to revamp fertilizer.
A sixth-generation farmer, Yoder has a robust agricultural family history. Yoder’s father taught her sustainability early on. He told her caring for soil means caring for future generations. Her admiration for soil followed her to Michigan State University. She studied agricultural engineering as well as soil and crop science.
Yoder has worked with several agricultural leaders over the years, including Monsanto. Anuvia appointed Yoder as CEO in 2015. Anuvia’s initiatives focus on sustainability, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 32%.
Yoder seeks to inspire other female leaders, saying, “Remember that you are an example to women. People you do not even know look to you with respect. Use this platform wisely to pave the road for women who follow.”
Read more about Amy Yoder.
Conclusion
Female leaders have a lot to bring to the table. According to research, female leadership offers companies positive results. For example, the Harvard Business Review analyzed 19 key abilities of solid leadership. Across thousands of reviews, women scored higher than men on 17 capabilities.
These women are inventive, successful, and inspirational. Female entrepreneurs identify gaps in the marketplace and create products in response. As managers, women are effective and profitable. Whether running Fortune 500 companies or self-made startups, women CEOs make a huge impact.
For more like this, check out our articles on the best books for CEOs to read, executive team building and retreats, and diversity program ideas for the workplace.
Grace He