Metro Philadelphia Power Women 2023

Anne E. Robinson is general counsel of The Vanguard Group, Inc., and secretary of the Vanguard funds. She is managing director of the Office of the General Counsel, where she leads Global Public Policy, Legal, Compliance, and Investment Stewardship. Ms. Robinson joined Vanguard in 2016. Previously, she served Citigroup as a managing director and general counsel in the Citigroup global legal department. Ms. Robinson started her career in private law practice, and went on to serve at Deloitte Consulting before moving to American Express in 2003. Ms. Robinson earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Hampton University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.  

For over 20 years, Jennifer has worked to support the economic development and empowerment of underrepresented groups. At GPHCC, and as board member of the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, she focuses on ‘closing the gap’ for Latinos in the economy. Her work centers on advocating for the 22,000+ Hispanic-owned businesses in the Philadelphia region. She is co-founder of the Diverse Chambers Coalition of Philadelphia and co-chair of the Latino Equitable Development Collective in Philadelphia.

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
Women have made significant strides in the nonprofit industry, taking on leadership roles, advocating for important causes, and making a positive impact on society. We have achieved greater representation, both as employees and in leadership positions. We have played pivotal roles in advancing women’s rights, reproductive health, and equal pay, among many other issues. However, while significant progress has been made, we continue to face challenges such as gender bias and unequal representation in leadership.

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
The support for women in Philadelphia should be holistic, addressing their social, economic, educational, and health needs. From the economic development perspective, women are the drivers of entrepreneurship in the Hispanic community, starting business at much higher rates than men. To succeed, Latinas need access to affordable child care and affordable healthcare, and to flexible sources of capital to start, grow, and scale their businesses.

Which women have paved the way for you?
Many women have paved and inspired the way for me. My mother instilled in me the value of compassion, resilience, and perseverance. She allowed me at an early age to pursue my dreams fearlessly. My grandmother’s wisdom and life experiences have shaped my perspective and taught me invaluable lessons. Their unwavering belief in me has given me the strength to overcome obstacles and strive for success.

Jacqueline C. Romero was sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on June 21, 2022. Ms. Romero is the chief federal law enforcement officer responsible for all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, which is one of the nation’s most populous districts with over 5 million people residing within its nine counties. Ms. Romero supervises a staff of approximately 140 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and a similar number of non-attorney support personnel at offices in Philadelphia and Allentown.

In her role as the Global Growth and Strategy Lead for the Adobe Business Group, Adriana Rubio leads Accenture’s overarching relationship with Adobe, responsible for formulating business strategy, developing processes and methodologies as a solid foundation to grow a thriving partner ecosystem leading to increased sales, revenue and industry brand awareness for Accenture. Before joining Accenture, Adriana held various leadership roles in alliances, business development, marketing, consulting, and sales. Adriana is a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and AIESEC United States.

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
Even though women still only make up a small percentage, around 10%, of Fortune 500 CEOs, I believe that we are headed in the right direction. We still see gender disparities in both entry-level and leadership roles in the technology sector, but I am confident that we will see significant progress towards gender equity in the next decade. We are creating a path for future generations of women to follow. We have moved beyond the point of just being invited to the party, we must also be asked to dance.

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
We need public policy that advocates for gender equality. From reasonable paid maternity leave, that allows new mothers to focus on their newborns’ crucial first few months, to affordable childcare support for women who want to return to work but fear their salary may only cover daycare costs. It’s also crucial to implement policies that bridge the gender pay gap, knowing that we are still close to 20% less of what men are paid for comparable jobs, and this inequity is even greater for Black and Hispanic women.

Which women have paved the way for you?
I find inspiration in the women who courageously step out of their comfort zones and challenge the norm. Growing up surrounded by strong females, including my mother, grandmothers, aunts, and great-aunts, I have witnessed firsthand the power of perseverance, tenacity, authenticity, generosity, integrity, and a tireless work ethic that enables them to excel in all areas of their lives.

On March 15, 2005 Nilda Iris Ruiz took the helm of Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha as only its second CEO since its inception in 1970. Under Ms. Ruiz’s leadership, APM has soared to one of the most prominent Latino founded agencies in the nation, receiving awards for its transformative work helping thousands of families lift themselves from poverty, and bringing over a billion dollars of investments into Eastern North Philadelphia. 

Naiymah Sanchez is a proud Philadelphian who has, for over a decade, worked to reduce barriers that the community experiences to increase a person’s quality of life while centering individual needs. Naiymah advocates for systemic equity, and is working to move the needle on this equity through community education, relationship building, supporting inclusive policies, pushing for comprehensive laws, and, most crucially, accountability and oversight.

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
One of the greatest strides is the number of womxn who are in leadership roles within entities, in particular black and brown womxn. 

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
We need to address the housing concerns of womxn who are incarcerated, and dissect the systems of oppression that are responsible for the stigma, criminalization, and oppression of us as people – especially womxn who have many intersecting identities. 

Which women have paved the way for you?
I am grateful for the many womxn who have paved the way, but especially my grandmom Tommie Brown, my Mother Saundra, and the rest of the womxn in my family who helped build my foundation as a powerful female that is thriving in a society that was built for womxn leaders. 

Congresswoman Scanlon was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018 and currently represents Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District. Her legislative priorities include voting rights, access to justice, supporting economic growth, common sense gun safety, and ending hunger. She previously worked as national pro bono counsel at Ballard Spahr, and is a graduate of Colgate University and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
In 2018, when I was sworn in, I was the only woman in the PA congressional delegation – now there are five. Today, women make up just over a quarter (28%) of all members of the 118th Congress. While that’s the highest percentage in U.S. history, and a 59% increase from the 96 women who served in the 112th Congress a decade ago, it’s still not representative of the population. 

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
Affordable and accessible child care. Too many families in our region cannot access high-quality, affordable child care – preventing women from working and holding back our entire economy.

Erica Scheer has over 10 years of sports PR experience and joined the Philadelphia Union in 2018. She currently serves as Director of Public Relations and Communications where she is responsible for the overall PR strategy of the club. Already seeing notable progress locally, she continues to focus efforts on growing the Union brand and the sport of soccer, both in Philadelphia and nationwide.

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
I have worked in sports for over a decade, and in that time I have seen major strides in the representation of women in leadership roles. From holding executive titles in the front office to seeing more women being hired in head coach and refereeing roles, it has been great to see that women are no longer hired in just supporting positions, but those with managerial and influential responsibilities. 

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
Bridging the pay gap for one, but also continuing to put women in leadership roles. It’s important for the next generation to see, hear, and be encouraged by women who continue to pave the way in their respective fields.

Which women have paved the way for you?
The most foremost and obvious for me are my mother and sister who both held/hold important, strong, and unwavering roles in their fields. In sports, the number of women who paved the way is limitless – from PR executives, to athletes/coaches, to reporters, and my colleagues. Each has paved the way to get me to where I am today, but a special acknowledgement to Erin Andrews, who I looked up to when wanting to enter the field.

Michelle Shannon is vice president of marketing and communications for the Center City District. Her constituency includes the majority of Philadelphia’s arts and cultural institutions, major corporations; and over 2,000 retailers, restaurateurs, and other businesses. In her 26 years at CCD, Michelle and her team launched wildly successful programs, like CCD Restaurant Week, CCD SIPS Center City-wide happy hour, year-round event programming at Dilworth Park, and an award-winning retail attraction campaign.

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
I believe established professional women need to actively mentor young professional women, and make opportunities to leverage our collective power through joint projects.

Which women have paved the way for you?
Really every woman who has preceded me in working outside the home, including my mother, grandmother, and aunts. When I was growing up, the concept of me not pursuing a career was never, ever considered – by me, nor anyone in my family, especially my father. I am grateful for the confidence and work ethic they inspired in me.

Cindy Stutman is the senior vice president of community relations at Philadelphia Flyers and executive director for Flyers Charities. In this role, Stutman leads all community impact strategy and program development for the Philadelphia Flyers Community Relations team and oversees the strategy and day-to-day operations of Flyers Charities. She has held numerous roles within the organization over her 20+ year career.

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
I’ve seen tremendous strides over the course of my career. Women are filling not only integral roles on the business side of sports but they’re making an impact on the team operations and team management side. We’re proud that at the Flyers, our executive leadership team is half women, and on any given night we have over 60 female employees in essential roles in game presentation, community relations, events, ticketing, and public relations.

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
I think we need to reach women earlier to help instill a stronger sense of confidence and ambition when it comes to their careers. They should have more firsthand opportunities to see and meet women holding important roles. This year, we launched our inaugural Next Shift program where we had 20+ young women shadow female staff in the Flyers front office, networked with staff, and connected with other young women with similar career aspirations.

Which women have paved the way for you?
Valerie Camillo and Lara Price. These are two women who I’ve learned so much from, specifically about leadership. I not only admire their professional achievements but their conscious efforts to pay it forward and create opportunities for those following them.