The Top 50 Detroit Women Leaders of 2026
Detroit’s business story has always been bigger than a single industry. Yes, the auto economy still anchors the region-but Metro Detroit is also a living lab for energy modernization, healthcare scale, fintech, neighborhood redevelopment, advanced manufacturing, and a nonprofit/philanthropic ecosystem that can move real dollars into real communities.
What’s especially worth paying attention to right now: many of the leaders shaping this next chapter are women-CEOs running legacy giants, founders building durable mid-market companies, civic executives steering capital into neighborhoods, and senior leaders in law, accounting, and technology who quietly (and sometimes loudly) make the whole machine work.
Below is an editorially ranked list of 50 of the most influential women in the greater Detroit metro area, selected for the scope of their decisions, the reach of their organizations, and their visibility as builders of Detroit’s economic and civic future.
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#1 Mary Barra
If you want a single executive whose choices ripple across jobs, suppliers, technology bets, and the global perception of “Detroit,” it’s Mary Barra. As CEO (since 2014) and Chair (since 2016), she sits at the helm of a company that remains one of the region’s defining institutions-and one of its most consequential employers and innovation engines. For professional women watching leadership at the highest scale, her career is also a signal: Detroit produces operators who can run a global enterprise, shape industrial strategy, and still remain deeply tied to the region’s identity and talent pipelines.
#2 Joi Harris
Energy is the invisible prerequisite for everything Detroit is trying to build-advanced manufacturing, data-heavy tech, healthcare reliability, and livable neighborhoods. Joi Harris became DTE’s president and CEO in 2025 after serving as chief operating officer, with responsibility spanning electric and gas utilities as well as major operational functions. Her influence shows up in the fundamentals: reliability, modernization, safety, and the long-arc transition decisions that affect every employer and household in Southeast Michigan.
#3 Mary Sheffield
The most important “operating system” for local business is city governance-permitting, development priorities, neighborhood investment, public safety coordination, and how inclusive growth is defined in practice. Mary Sheffield’s election as Detroit’s next mayor (taking office January 1, 2026) places her at the center of the region’s development agenda and civic tone. For professional women, her ascent is also a reminder that influence isn’t only held in corporate org charts-Detroit’s next era will be shaped by leaders who can align community needs with economic momentum.
#4 Gretchen Whitmer
Even when the action is in Downtown Detroit, many levers live at the state level: infrastructure, workforce systems, statewide economic development tools, and regulatory environments that affect capital decisions. Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s platform sits above the regional chessboard, influencing the policy context businesses plan around-and the public investments that can accelerate (or slow) Metro Detroit’s growth. When people say “business climate,” this is one of the offices they actually mean.
#5 Tricia A. Keith
Healthcare costs and access are a boardroom issue, not just a personal one-especially in a region built on large employers. As president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Tricia Keith helps shape how coverage, networks, and affordability strategies play out for companies and families across the state, with Detroit at the center of that footprint. Her role is a reminder that influence isn’t only measured in revenue; it’s measured in whether workers can get care, whether employers can sustain benefits, and how healthcare economics impact regional competitiveness.
#6 Tina Freese Decker
Large health systems are among the region’s biggest employers and most complex operational environments. Tina Freese Decker leads Corewell Health, steering a system where decisions touch workforce scale, care access, clinical quality, and the patient experience across communities. In a region where healthcare is also economic infrastructure-jobs, research, and community stability-her influence shows up in both outcomes and the long-term strength of Metro Detroit’s talent base.
#7 Sherry House
CFO influence is often underestimated-until you remember who allocates capital in a capital-intensive industry. As Ford’s CFO, Sherry House holds responsibility for Finance functions (including accounting, planning, treasury, tax, investor relations, and audit) and Ford Credit. In the middle of industry transformation, that remit becomes strategy: deciding what gets funded, how risk is managed, and how the company stays investable while navigating volatility. For Detroit, it matters because Ford’s financial choices cascade through suppliers, labor, and the future of mobility here.
#8 Christina “Chris” Feuell
Brands are not just marketing-they’re product roadmaps, manufacturing priorities, and jobs. As CEO of the Chrysler brand (and also holding leadership responsibility for Alfa Romeo in North America), Chris Feuell sits where identity meets execution: what vehicles get built, where investment flows, and how a storied Detroit-nameplate positions itself for what’s next. Her influence is felt in how Stellantis’ North American strategy intersects with Metro Detroit’s engineering base and automotive ecosystem.
#9 Lisa Drake
Energy strategy is becoming mobility strategy. As president of Ford Energy, Lisa Drake leads work tied to how a major automaker thinks about energy-from infrastructure and partnerships to the systems required to support an electrifying transportation landscape. In Detroit, where mobility is cultural and economic DNA, this role matters because it helps determine how quickly (and smoothly) the region can scale new technology realities while staying practical for customers and fleets.
#10 Suzanne Shank
In cities, capital has an address-and public finance shapes that address. Suzanne Shank leads Siebert Williams Shank, a firm known for its work in municipal finance and public-sector capital markets. That puts her in the conversation around how infrastructure, public projects, and large-scale civic investments get financed. For professional women in Detroit, she’s also a standout example of sustained leadership in a field where credibility is built over decades and relationships are currency.
#11 Shannon Striebich
Healthcare delivery at scale is a community stabilizer-especially in regions with uneven access and big employer footprints. Shannon Striebich leads Trinity Health Michigan as president and CEO, placing her at the center of decisions about care delivery, workforce, and regional health priorities. In practical terms, that means influencing how families experience care-and how thousands of healthcare professionals build careers in Metro Detroit.
#12 Denise Ilitch
Detroit’s skyline and entertainment footprint are shaped by a relatively small number of decision-makers-and Denise Ilitch is one of them. As an owner within Ilitch Family Companies and president of Ilitch Enterprises, she is linked to a portfolio that includes major Detroit institutions (from sports and entertainment to related business holdings). Her influence shows up in the long-term bets that determine how districts evolve and how Detroit positions itself as a place where people want to live, work, and gather.
#13 Heather Lovier
Detroit’s fintech story is real-and Rocket is central to it. Heather Lovier was named Rocket Companies’ COO (effective June 2024) after a long tenure at the organization. Operational leadership at this scale touches product execution, customer experience, and the internal systems that determine whether a modern services company can deliver consistently. For the region, that means influence over one of Downtown Detroit’s most visible corporate anchors-and over how Detroit competes for tech, data, and operations talent.
#14 Ivy Greaner
If you care about the physical Detroit-offices, mixed-use districts, and the built environment that supports entrepreneurship-Bedrock is part of the equation. As COO and EVP, Ivy Greaner sits in a role that intersects development execution, operations, and the everyday realities of shaping place. This kind of leadership matters because cities don’t transform by press release; they transform when projects get delivered and districts become functional, attractive, and economically vibrant.
#15 Linda Apsey
Grid infrastructure is “quiet power”-until it isn’t. Linda Apsey has led ITC Holdings, a major electric transmission company, placing her at the intersection of reliability, modernization, and the backbone that enables growth. Notably, ITC announced her retirement effective March 22, 2026, underscoring both the significance of her leadership era and how closely watched succession is in infrastructure-heavy industries. In a region remaking itself through electrification and industrial investment, transmission leadership is a strategic seat.
#16 Nicole Sherard-Freeman
Few organizations shape a region’s nonprofit capacity like a major community foundation. Nicole Sherard-Freeman became president and CEO in January 2025, leading an institution that has distributed more than $1.4 billion via tens of thousands of grants across Southeast Michigan. That translates to real influence: what gets funded, which collaborations scale, and how philanthropic capital supports economic mobility, arts, education, and neighborhood resilience. If you want to understand “the connective tissue” of Detroit’s civic progress, follow the community foundation.
#17 Angelique Power
Long-term regional strength is built early-through education, opportunity, and systems that keep young people on track. Angelique Power leads The Skillman Foundation, one of Detroit’s best-known philanthropic forces focused on children and youth. Her influence comes from directing capital and attention toward outcomes that will define Detroit’s workforce and civic health for the next generation. In leadership terms, she represents a model of impact that’s measured not quarterly, but over lifetimes.
#18 Wendy Lewis Jackson
Kresge’s Detroit Program is a major driver of the city’s philanthropic and revitalization landscape-and Wendy Lewis Jackson leads it. That portfolio influences economic opportunity strategies, community development, and the strength of local organizations that do on-the-ground work. In a city where smart grantmaking can unlock additional public and private dollars, Kresge’s role is catalytic-and so is hers.
#19 Carla Walker-Miller
Entrepreneurial influence looks different from corporate influence: it’s built in hiring decisions, contracts won, capabilities grown, and reputations earned. Carla Walker-Miller founded and leads Walker-Miller Energy Services, a Detroit-rooted company working in the energy services space. She represents a particularly Detroit kind of leadership-practical, operational, and tied to the region’s industrial and infrastructure future.
#20 Andra Rush
Andra Rush is a builder in the most literal sense-creating companies, capacity, and opportunity in sectors like logistics and manufacturing. As founder and chair of The Rush Group, she’s become one of the region’s most visible owner-operators, with influence that extends into supplier ecosystems and job creation. For many professional women, her story is compelling because it shows how scale can be built outside the usual “coastal tech” narratives-through grit, execution, and strategic relationships rooted in Detroit’s industrial reality.
#21 Linda Hubbard
Linda Hubbard leads Carhartt with a steady blend of brand stewardship and operational discipline, protecting the company’s values while keeping it competitive in a demanding global market. Under her leadership, the iconic workwear brand continues to support quality jobs and a resilient supply chain that reinforces the region’s manufacturing and retail economy.
#22 Brittany Lavis
Brittany Lavis leads Detroit Medical Center through the complexity of modern healthcare delivery, balancing quality, access, and financial performance across a large urban network. Her focus on patient outcomes and workforce stability strengthens a critical regional institution that anchors jobs, emergency care, and community health.
#23 Kim Montague
Kim Montague guides Albert Kahn Associates with a modern vision for design and engineering, helping clients execute complex projects that demand precision, safety, and speed. By positioning the firm for the next era of industrial and civic investment, she helps shape the built environment and the economic momentum that comes with it.
#24 Rachel Stewart
Rachel Stewart has brought contemporary leadership to Gardner White, elevating customer experience and operational execution in a competitive retail landscape. By pairing brand-building with community-minded growth, she supports local employment and keeps a legacy Michigan retailer relevant for new generations of shoppers.
#25 Carolyn Cassin
Carolyn Cassin has expanded Michigan Women Forward’s ability to back women entrepreneurs with capital, coaching, and long-term support that turns ideas into durable businesses. Her leadership advances inclusive economic growth by helping more founders build wealth, create jobs, and strengthen communities across the state.
#26 JoAnn Chavez
JoAnn Chavez provides trusted legal and governance leadership at DTE Energy, helping guide complex regulatory work and enterprise risk in a rapidly changing energy environment. Her counsel supports reliable service and responsible innovation, reinforcing the stability that households and businesses depend on throughout the Detroit region.
#27 Kelly Ann Doherty
Kelly Ann Doherty shapes Rocket’s people strategy and workplace culture, building the talent systems and leadership practices needed to scale in a fast-moving, customer-focused business. By strengthening engagement, inclusion, and performance, she helps a major Detroit-based employer compete for talent and deliver consistent results.
#28 Yasmeen Jasey
Yasmeen Jasey leads Citizens’ Michigan presence with a focus on partnership, disciplined growth, and the everyday banking needs of businesses and families. Her community and commercial leadership helps expand access to capital and fuels the local ecosystems that drive small-business and regional expansion.
#29 Tarolyn Buckles
Tarolyn Buckles has built Onyx Enterprise into a high-performing organization known for dependable delivery and a strong commitment to clients and teams. Her leadership and advocacy for opportunity-forward business practices create jobs and open doors, strengthening Detroit’s supplier and service economy.
#30 Linzie Venegas
As president of Ideal Group, Linzie Venegas leads diversified operations with a sharp focus on execution, safety, and innovation across complex client environments. By investing in people and capability, she helps deliver the infrastructure and technical services that keep regional industry running and growing.
#31 Ronia Kruse
Ronia Kruse founded OpTech and has grown it into a trusted technology and talent partner for organizations navigating digital change. Her entrepreneurial leadership builds pathways into high-demand careers and reinforces Michigan’s reputation as a place where tech teams and businesses can scale.
#32 Mariyah Saifuddin
Mariyah Saifuddin co-founded Innovative Solution Partners and leads with a customer-first, problem-solving approach that helps organizations modernize and operate more effectively. By building strong teams and delivering reliable outcomes, she creates lasting value for clients while expanding opportunity in the region’s tech and professional services economy.
#33 Meagan Ward
Meagan Ward created Femology to be more than a workspace—she built a community that supports women founders through connection, visibility, and practical resources. Her work strengthens Detroit’s entrepreneurial pipeline by helping more women-led businesses launch, collaborate, and grow sustainably.
#34 Melissa Butler
Melissa Butler has scaled The Lip Bar into a widely recognized beauty brand by challenging industry norms and putting inclusive representation at the center of product and marketing. Her success proves that bold innovation can be built in Detroit, inspiring new founders while creating jobs and economic energy in the city.
#35 Amy Peterson
Amy Peterson co-founded Rebel Nell and has grown it as a mission-driven brand that pairs design innovation with meaningful employment and development opportunities. By turning creativity into sustainable commerce, she shows how social enterprise can generate both cultural influence and real economic mobility.
#36 Portia Roberson
Portia Roberson leads Focus: HOPE with a results-oriented approach that connects people to training, opportunity, and support that can change lifetime outcomes. Her leadership strengthens Detroit’s talent pipeline and helps businesses and communities thrive through a more prepared and equitable workforce.
#37 Maureen Donohue Krauss
Maureen Donohue Krauss has positioned the Detroit Regional Partnership as a high-impact driver of business attraction and investment by aligning the region’s assets with what growing companies need. Her leadership helps convert site visits and relationships into job creation and long-term competitiveness for Southeast Michigan.
#38 Anika Goss
Anika Goss leads Detroit Future City with a data-driven, equity-centered strategy that helps neighborhoods, entrepreneurs, and institutions make smarter decisions about growth. Her work translates planning into action, strengthening the city’s resilience and expanding opportunity across Detroit’s economy.
#39 Darienne Driver Hudson
Darienne Driver Hudson leads United Way for Southeastern Michigan by convening partners and directing resources toward measurable outcomes in education, health, and financial stability. Her collaborative, performance-focused approach strengthens the region’s social infrastructure, which in turn supports workforce readiness and long-term economic vitality.
#40 Patricia Mooradian
Patricia Mooradian has guided The Henry Ford as both a cultural landmark and an innovation-driven learning institution, expanding its relevance for families, educators, and leaders. By stewarding a major destination and employer, she delivers tourism, education, and community benefits that ripple throughout the regional economy.
#41 Patty Isacson Sabee
Patty Isacson Sabee has strengthened Detroit Opera by pairing artistic ambition with disciplined management and a modern approach to audience and community engagement. Her leadership helps keep the region’s arts ecosystem vibrant, generating cultural value as well as jobs and downtown activity.
#42 Dr. Hayley W. Murphy
Dr. Hayley W. Murphy leads the Detroit Zoological Society with a strong commitment to animal welfare, conservation, and education that elevates the institution’s national reputation. By growing impact while enhancing the guest experience, she supports tourism, community learning, and sustained economic activity around a beloved regional asset.
#43 Ora Hirsch Pescovitz
Ora Hirsch Pescovitz leads Oakland University with a clinician-scientist’s perspective and a president’s focus on student success, research strength, and community partnership. By aligning academic programs with regional workforce needs, she helps develop talent and innovation that power Southeast Michigan’s future.
#44 Trista Van Tine
Trista Van Tine co-founded Michigan Founders Fund and has helped build a powerful network that supports entrepreneurs with capital, mentorship, and long-term relationships. Her work strengthens the state’s startup ecosystem by helping more founders scale companies in Michigan and keep innovation-driven jobs rooted locally.
#45 Megan Spanitz
Megan Spanitz drives strategy and operational excellence at the Detroit Regional Chamber, helping translate business priorities into coordinated action and measurable initiatives. Her leadership supports a stronger regional business climate by convening employers, advancing competitiveness, and accelerating inclusive growth.
#46 Angie Kelly
Angie Kelly leads EY’s Detroit office with a reputation for trusted assurance work and steady relationship-building across the market. By mentoring talent and advising organizations through complexity, she strengthens confidence in financial reporting and supports the growth of the region’s business community.
#47 Shatica McDonald
Shatica McDonald leads Accenture Song in Michigan, helping organizations reimagine customer experience through the intersection of strategy, creativity, and technology. Her leadership builds local capability and delivers transformation that helps companies grow, compete, and connect more meaningfully with customers.
#48 Julie Wahrman
Julie Wahrman brings deep audit and assurance expertise to complex organizations, helping strengthen the transparency and trust that markets require. Her leadership and mentorship develop future professionals while supporting the integrity of the region’s corporate and nonprofit ecosystem.
#49 Sherrie L. Farrell
Sherrie L. Farrell leads Dykema’s Detroit presence with seasoned legal judgment and a collaborative style that helps clients navigate high-stakes matters with confidence. By building teams and relationships across the community, she reinforces Detroit’s standing as a center for sophisticated legal and business leadership.
#50 Danielle Mason Anderson
Danielle Mason Anderson guides Miller Canfield with strategic clarity and a focus on exceptional client service, helping the firm grow while maintaining high standards of professionalism. Her leadership strengthens a key Detroit-based institution that supports business formation, investment, and problem-solving across industries.
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