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 InfluenceJacqueline Michlitsch
Senior Director of Sales Support, Albertsons Cos. -- Shaw's
Read MoreJacqueline Michlitsch leads with inspiration and a commitment to achieving high standards for herself and her team. She is an authentic and thoughtful leader, known for being collaborative, team-focused and a joy to work with.
A humble, people-centered leader, Michlitsch brings a strong foundation of experience and a commitment to continued growth. Recognized by her organization as a high-potential leader, she 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 to shape the future of the food industry.
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2026 Women of InfluenceJamie Collins
VP of Marketing and Advertising, Dierbergs Markets
Read MoreJamie Collins embodies what it means to be a Woman of Influence in the food industry. A visionary, mentor and authentic leader, she has redefined customer engagement in her current role. Over her 25-year career, Collins has led with curiosity, accountability and courage -- encouraging her teams to "be comfortable being uncomfortable" while building a culture rooted in innovation and heart. Under her leadership, Dierbergs has evolved into a digitally connected, customer-first brand. She spearheaded the development of the Dierbergs app, advanced loyalty and personalization strategies and built a seamless omnichannel experience that connects digital engagement to the in-store journey. Her data-driven approach has strengthened analytics capabilities, increasing customer engagement and loyalty participation. One of her most transformative achievements was guiding Dierbergs' transition from a decades-long weekly print ad to a digital ad platform. This shift required deep cross-functional collaboration and thoughtful change management. The result: greater agility, measurable cost and environmental savings and a more personalized, real-time customer experience. Beyond Dierbergs, Collins serves on the Women's Grocers Association's board of directors, advancing mentorship and leadership opportunities for women. Through innovation, empathy and strategic vision, she is an inspiration to colleagues, peers and future leaders alike.
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2026 Women of InfluenceJamila Jackson
Director of Replenishment, Harris Teeter
Read MoreJamila Jackson is a results-driven leader who consistently delivers strong execution against key merchandising and operational metrics, demonstrating reliability, accountability and a disciplined leadership style.
She drives follow-through on priorities and ensures teams deliver on expectations across multiple initiatives. Her ability to translate strategy into action strengthens performance, supports alignment and reinforces a culture of ownership.
Beyond operational excellence, Jackson helps shape culture and engagement. She serves as co-chair of the Women's Empowerment Group and is a member of the Harris Teeter CORE Team, contributing to associate development, inclusion and community connection.
She leads by example, invests in others' growth and fosters an environment where associates feel supported and empowered to succeed.
Jackson's impact extends beyond the workplace. She volunteers with the School Improvement Team at Butler High School, served as director of Dream Academy and supported after-school programs and tutoring through Prosper U.
She also participates in Harris Teeter volunteer events, reinforcing the company's commitment to service.
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2026 Women of InfluenceJan Concannon
Director of the Project Management Center of Excellence, Harris Teeter
Read MoreJan Concannon leads the strategy, structure and continuous advancement of project management practices across the Harris Teeter organization. As a respected professional woman in leadership, she brings strength, credibility and a collaborative mindset to her role, serving as both a strategic driver and a role model for excellence.
Concannon defines and champions a clear vision for project management excellence, ensuring strong alignment between enterprise strategy and project execution. She is responsible for establishing and standardizing methodologies, governance frameworks, tools and templates that create consistency, accountability and transparency across initiatives.
Passionate about developing others, Concannon focuses on building organizational capability by mentoring and coaching project leaders, identifying competency gaps and elevating overall project performance. She also oversees resource and portfolio management to ensure effective prioritization and execution across complex initiatives.
Through a strong commitment to continuous improvement, performance optimization and best-practice sharing, Concannon drives measurable results while fostering an environment of professionalism, empowerment and high performance.
Beyond her formal leadership responsibilities, she is involved in the THRIVE Resource Group at Harris Teeter, which is dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace where all associates feel valued.
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2026 Women of InfluenceJane Ciccone
Owner, Onesto Foods
Read MoreJane Ciccone is deserving of recognition for her leadership, integrity and lasting contributions to the food industry. Through her vision, hard work and commitment to quality, she has built Onesto Foods into a respected and trusted company.
Ciccone leads with authenticity, professionalism and a passion for excellence, earning the respect of customers, partners and peers alike. She understands that long-term success is built on strong relationships, consistency and doing things the right way.
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2026 Women of InfluenceJanet Moreno
Senior Asset Protection Manager -- Safety, Northgate González Markets
Read MoreJanet Moreno supports safety initiatives across Northgate González Market's stores. In her role, she helps ensure associates have the proper personal protective equipment, that safety equipment is maintained in good condition and that training programs promote safe work practices. She also collaborates with cross-functional teams to develop programs and processes that help associates perform their responsibilities safely.
Moreno began her career with Northgate in 2002 as a courtesy clerk. Over the years, she has grown within the organization, holding several roles that have shaped her professional journey. She worked as a cashier and payroll clerk before moving into the role of safety coordinator. She later joined the risk management department as a claims coordinator and eventually transitioned into human resources as a district manager, where she supported several districts.
Through these experiences, Moreno gained a deep understanding of company operations and the importance of supporting the associates who are at the heart of Northgate Market.
She describes her leadership style as collaborative, supportive and focused on continuous improvement. She believes in leading by example, encouraging open communication and building trust through hard work, honesty and respect.
Outside of work, Moreno enjoys cooking and spending time with her husband going to the movies.
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2026 Women of InfluenceJenna Busby
Category Manager, Fruit, The Giant Co.
Read MoreJenna Busby leads with vision and precision. She models leadership by coaching, developing and empowering her team while overseeing a diverse and high-impact portfolio.
Busby manages key areas across assortment, pricing, merchandising and procurement, driving performance in some of the company's most critical categories. Two of the categories under her leadership rank among the top three in total sales for The Giant Co.'s produce department.
Busby leads a high-performing team of five and oversees a business portfolio generating 30 percent of the total annual produce sales. Her leadership extends far beyond category management; she is a strategic connector who brings together marketing, advertising, private brands, transportation and store operations to ensure execution for customers and nearly 200 stores.
In 2025, Busby was selected to participate in NextUp's Rising Stars Program, a leadership development experience that recognizes high-potential talent. She volunteers with organizations dedicated to fighting food insecurity, including Project SHARE's food pantry distribution and New Hope Ministries' food drives.
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2026 Women of InfluenceJenna Sullivan
VP Sales, So Good So You
Read MoreJenna Sullivan is a star, leader and "hype" woman -- the reason the So Good So You team feels like a family. She shines bright every day, leading the team forward, finding ways to achieve success in everything it does.
It's because of Sullivan that the team synergizes so well. Thanks to her, team members maintain a positive attitude and are resilient to change. More importantly, it is because of her that they find happiness at work. They thank her for showing up for them every day. They are lucky to have her as their boss, peer, partner and friend.
So Good So You has been very successful with Sullivan as the leader of the sales team. Joining the company nearly nine years ago, she has paved the way for growth, taking the brand from an itty-bitty startup to the No. 1 wellness shot brand and fastest growing functional beverage in the U.S.
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2026 Women of InfluenceJennie Coleman
President and Co-owner, Equifruit
Read MoreEquifruit is a leading North American importer and marketer of Fairtrade bananas, recognized for its ethical sourcing. Since acquiring the company in 2013, Jennie Coleman has transformed it into a high-growth, values-led business with expanding distribution across North America -- demonstrating that responsible supply chains and strong commercial performance can scale together.
Under her leadership, Equifruit has achieved consistent growth and secured major retail partnerships, helping bring Fairtrade bananas into the mainstream. This success has delivered measurable impact: more than $5.5 million in Fairtrade Premiums have been generated for banana-growing communities, funding worker-led investments in education, infrastructure and workplace safety.
Coleman's influence extends beyond her company. She serves on the board of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (2023-present), is a non-executive director of BananaLink (2022-present) and contributes to the World Banana Forum (2024-present), where she advocates for fair pricing, labor protections and gender equity in agriculture. She also is a voice on supply-chain accountability, including issues of forced and child labor.
Coleman's leadership has received national recognition, including Canada's Most Admired CEO (2024), RBC Women of Influence Momentum Award (2023) and Outstanding Woman in Produce (2022).
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2026 Women of InfluenceJennifer Falzon
HR Manager, People and Culture, C.A. Ferolie
Read MoreJennifer Falzon is a people‑focused human resources leader whose work positively impacts all 475-plus employees across C.A. Ferolie. She led the complex transition from Rippling to Paylocity, ensuring the change was seamless, intuitive and centered on employee needs.
Falzon personally recruited and onboarded more than 24 associates, including senior‑level hires, and she manages key compliance activities such as ACA reporting and annual audits. Her ability to balance technical detail with empathy makes her a trusted partner throughout the organization.
Falzon is known for providing hands‑on support to leaders, guiding them through difficult conversations, clarifying expectations and helping strengthen team structures. She goes above expectations, most notably spending New Year's Eve downloading and delivering benefit cards so employees had uninterrupted access to coverage after a vendor delay. Her leadership extends beyond the workplace as well, serving as PTA president and youth soccer coach.
Falzon's impact grew further with the launch of C.A. Ferolie's new division. She quickly researched an unfamiliar sector, defined talent needs and successfully hired three key team members, saving significant recruiting costs and strengthening the company's reputation. With her expanding influence, dedication and deep commitment to people, 2026 is the ideal year to recognize her contributions.
Celebrating the Women of Influence in the food industry for 21 years!
Presented by The Shelby-Griffin Report
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