The Shelby-Griffin Report presents the 21st annual tribute to Women of Influence in the food industry. For 21 years, we’ve honored the outstanding women shaping the food industry—from executives and innovators to mentors and community leaders. This year’s nominees represent a diverse range of roles, backgrounds, and regions, each making a profound impact in their careers and beyond.
Explore their stories below, and join us in celebrating their achievements.
2026 Women of Influence
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2026 Women of InfluenceAngelena Goot
Store Manager, Tops Markets
Read MoreAngelena "Angel" Goot manages the Tops Markets location in Mayville, New York, which experiences seasonal business during the summer due to the opening of Chautauqua Lake. An up-and-coming manager, she leads by example and has created an environment that motivates employees to drive sales.
Goot has capitalized on sales and profits during the 10-12 week summer period, with the biggest week being the Fourth of July, where the store sees a 75 percent increase in sales from a normal week.
In order to manage this seasonal business successfully, Goot ramps up staffing, strategically merchandises the store with limited space, communicates and properly plans to capitalize on the opportunity for incremental sales. She is dedicated, driven, focused on results, great motivator, sincere, good trainer and demonstrates exemplary leadership skills.
Goot recognizes her team members for their accomplishments. She is an advocate for the community and rallies her team in support of the Tops philanthropic mission to eradicate hunger and improve the lives of children and families in the communities in which it operates.
With Goot's leadership and the efforts of her store team and the local community in Mayville, they raised more than $15,000 last year to support local food banks, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Children's Miracle Network.
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2026 Women of InfluenceAngie Smith
Head of Omni-Commerce Marketing -- Snacks, The Campbell's Company
Read MoreAngie Smith is a transformative leader who has driven best-in-class omni-commerce growth with Campbell's largest retail customer. She has delivered double-digit e-commerce and omni-business gains, with snacks online market share surpassing in-store share across all categories, reflecting the strength of her holistic, customer-focused process from strategic vision through disciplined execution.
Smith's customer alignment and commercial leadership have earned Campbell's three Walmart awards, and she also has received Campbell's highest sales honor, the Merit Award. She is recognized for her ability to translate insight into action, strengthening partnerships while accelerating performance across platforms.
Before joining Campbell's in 2021, Smith led Kimberly Clark's omnichannel customer marketing strategy, securing Huggies brand exclusivity within the Walmart Baby Registry and managing a $20 million Walmart Connect Retail Media investment.
Her prior experience at Unilever and in agency leadership roles further sharpened her ability to integrate brands, customers and media into cohesive growth strategies.
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2026 Women of InfluenceAnna Cook
Buyers Administrative Assistant, Merchants Distributors (MDI)
Read MoreAnna Cook represents the type of service-focused leadership that strengthens relationships across the independent grocery community. Through her work at Merchants Distributors (MDI), she consistently demonstrates a commitment to putting customers at the center of every decision and interaction.
Cook approaches her role with a strong service mindset, focused on practical solutions that support both internal partners and the independent retailers MDI serves. She has built trusted relationships with key customers and her ability to anticipate needs and respond quickly helps reinforce strong partnerships with retailers.
Cook also plays an active role in identifying and resolving issues that affect operational efficiency and company profitability. She approaches challenges with a sense of ownership and collaborates with teams across departments and external partners to ensure the best outcome for both customers and the business.
Through her service-driven approach, collaborative spirit and dedication to the values that guide the organization, Cook continues to make an impact on her team and the retailers MDI serves.
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2026 Women of InfluenceAnna Stoermer
Executive VP, Chief Merchandising and Retail Officer, Hy-Vee
Read MoreKnowing where customers are today and where they're heading next is Anna Stoermer's top priority. As one of the first female executives in company history to start her career in a store and work through the retail ranks, Stoermer brings a high level of retail expertise to her current role.
Over the past 18 months, she has helped bring a renewed focus to service, pricing and quality at Hy-Vee. This included introducing a "New Lower Prices" campaign that lowered prices on more than 15,000 items to match the nation's largest discount retailers. As a result, this led to increases in basket size, customer count, units and sales, as well as a spot on Forbes' national list of Best Brands for Value. It also included a shift in Hy-Vee's production, moving fresh-made items back to stores to ensure the freshest and highest-quality product for customers.
Most recently, Hy-Vee launched a new brand campaign that centers around its 95-year-old commitment to delivering helpful service. To coincide with this, Stoermer and her team rolled out new employee training to ensure every customer receives the best experience. Under Stoermer's leadership, the grocer has continued to advance its private brand and specialty food offerings and has continued to make further investments in e-commerce to meet the evolving needs of its customers.
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2026 Women of InfluenceAnnette Gutierrez
Replinishment Manager -- Center Store, Northgate González Markets
Read MoreAnnette Gutierrez oversees replenishment strategies for key center store categories. In her role, she manages the purchasing of liquor, wine and beverages for the company's distribution center, monitors weekly out-of-stock and inventory performance reports and supports purchase and sales order coordination for the company's joint venture with El Moro Bakery at the Echo Park location.
Gutierrez also leads a team of four buyers responsible for sourcing and replenishing product categories to help ensure stores remain well-stocked and operationally efficient.
Gutierrez joined Northgate Market in 2014 as a consultant, supporting the consolidation of warehouse orders following the company's acquisition of another grocery business. Her dedication and collaborative approach led to new opportunities and growth within the organization, ultimately advancing into leadership roles in replenishment and procurement.
Gutierrez is motivated by the opportunity to empower others and work alongside passionate team members. She describes her leadership style as supportive and grounded in the company's core values of respect, trust and accountability. She believes that strong teamwork and clear communication help teams achieve results.
Gutierrez is proud of completing retail management courses through the Western Association of Food Chains.
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2026 Women of InfluenceAzeb Gebrewihot
Operation Field Specialist, Kroger
Read MoreAzeb Gebrewihot is a leader, wife and mother, as well as a strong example of what it means to lead while balancing family and a successful career. Gebrewihot leads with humility, passion, courage and resilience, and is known for being authentic, grounded and deeply people-focused. She brings a strong commitment to performance, team development and operational excellence in her work. Recognized by her organization as a high-potential leader, Gebrewihot was selected to attend the Food Industry Management program at the University of Southern California -- an investment in her continued growth and future leadership impact. She represents a rising leader who is expanding her influence and helping shape the future of the food industry.
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2026 Women of InfluenceBarb McGlothlin
VP, E-Commerce, C.A. Fortune
Read MoreBarb McGlothlin is a results-driven, solutions-oriented leader whose impact on the food and CPG e-commerce landscape is measurable and influential. With more than 20 years of CPG experience, she brings exceptional grit, hustle and strategic clarity to her role, consistently helping large and small brands profitably scale across Amazon and Pure Play platforms.
McGlothlin is recognized as an expert in the Amazon ecosystem, translating its complexity into clear, executable strategies that drive sustainable growth. She leads end-to-end e-commerce strategy development -- ensuring product availability, optimized content and customer acquisition -- while holding a sharp focus on profitability. Her success is ultimately measured by clients' ability to scale efficiently. Her track record speaks for itself.
In a fast-paced, high-growth environment, McGlothlin embodies true entrepreneurial leadership. She leads with solutions, sets a high bar for performance and delivers best-in-class results without losing sight of people. She is a fierce advocate for her team, investing in coaching and development to help individuals grow into confident, high-performing leaders.
Beyond her professional excellence, McGlothlin is a vocal supporter of her community and brings authentic passion to everything she does -- whether championing her team, her clients or cheering on the Seattle Seahawks. She exemplifies what it means to be a Woman of Influence.
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2026 Women of InfluenceBecky Schaeffer
Senior Manager of Facility Services Finance, Brookshire Grocery Co.
Read MoreBecky Schaeffer provides strategic financial leadership supporting a complex, multi-state retail operation. In this role, she oversees financial planning, forecasting and performance analysis for facility and retail support functions critical to daily store operations and long-term asset stewardship.
Schaeffer is known for her strong leadership presence, operational mindset and unwavering professionalism. She partners with operations, finance and executive leadership to balance cost control with operational effectiveness, making her a trusted advisor across the organization.
Schaeffer's results-oriented approach is evident in the rigor she brings to expense management, capital planning and vendor analysis -- areas where her work supports store performance, asset reliability and profitability. Her attention to detail and follow-through improve financial visibility and accountability, strengthening both operational execution and financial outcomes.
Beyond her technical expertise, Schaeffer leads with integrity and tenacity. She invests in her team, supports cross-functional collaboration and consistently contributes to the continued success of BGC.
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2026 Women of InfluenceBeth Atkinson-Keeton
President, Elephant House PR
Read MoreProfessional Achievements:
● 14 years in the produce industry
● Founded Elephant House PR in 2021, specializing in the produce industry with clients such as Natural Delights, ¡Yo Quiero! Brands, Nature Fresh Farms, Frieda's, Taylor Farms, Onions 52, Bolthouse Fresh, Bako Sweet, CMI Orchards, Offshoot Brands and others, aiming to drive the consumption of fresh produce.
● Elephant House has earned over 150B+ media impressions and 8,000+ media placements and has engaged over 500 media and influencer contacts.
● Clients have been featured in outlets such as Women's Health, Good Housekeeping, TODAY, DREW, Washington Post, USA Today, Prevention, Parade and many more.
● Earned Top Women in PR Award in 2025 from PRNews for her work in the produce industry
● Graduate of the International Produce Association's Leadership Class (Class 28), demonstrating her dedication to advancing leadership in the produce sector
● Has spoken at the Global Produce & Floral Show, Women's Fresh Perspectives Conference and other fresh produce industry events as an expert in her field
● Mentored 60+ registered dietitians through Experts With Influence, a program that she supports as a guest speaker
● Worked at top agencies such as DGWB in Santa Ana, CA and DMA Solutions in Dallas, TX prior to starting her own company in 2021
Industry and Community Activities:
● Graduated the International Fresh Produce Association Leadership Program and has served on boards and committees as a key mentor and advisor.
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2026 Women of InfluenceBeth McGough
Senior Director -- Deli, Giant Eagle
Read MoreBeth McGough exemplifies the highest standard of partnership and leadership. Her responsiveness, engagement and commitment to collaboration elevate outcomes for Giant Eagle and vendors. She approaches every initiative with clarity and purpose, ensuring that cross‑functional teams are aligned and empowered to deliver best-in-class solutions that offer mutual benefit.
McGough's leadership style is inclusive and inspiring. She creates an environment where open dialogue is encouraged, perspective is valued and teams feel supported in working toward shared objectives. She anticipates challenges, identifies opportunities and provides the strategic and operational guidance needed to move complex initiatives forward.
Beyond her day‑to‑day contributions, McGough embodies a mindset of continuous improvement. She seeks ways to strengthen processes, enhance team efficiency and remove barriers to success. Her ability to balance strategic vision with practical execution makes her an indispensable partner and a catalyst for results.
McGough is equally committed to advancing women within the industry. She is a member of United Way's Women United (Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter) and contributes to Giant Eagle's Women's Business Resource Group, supporting programs that foster inclusion and leadership development. She also mentors emerging female talent, offering guidance and advocacy that helps strengthen the next generation of leaders.
Focused on continuous improvement, McGough seeks out opportunities to enhance processes, strengthen efficiency and remove barriers to success. Her blend of strategic vision and practical execution makes her a trusted partner and a catalyst for results.
McGough's dedication, professionalism and impact extend beyond her role. She sets a standard of excellence that strengthens Giant Eagle's collective success and serves as a model for what exceptional partnership looks like. For these reasons, she is deserving of this recognition.
Celebrating the Women of Influence in the food industry for 21 years!
Presented by The Shelby-Griffin Report
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