Agenda

Brian is the founder and CEO of Peerless Media. He has 30 years of experience in B2B publishing; 27 of which are in the logistics, supply chain and materials handling markets. Brian’s vision when launching Peerless was to create a unique media company for the new digital era in publishing, offering both the traditional print and online B2B products, while adopting new digital services such as market intelligence, SEO enhancement, behavioral targeting and content engagement. His goal is for Peerless to become a full-service media partner to their clients.

Cherie (pronounced as Scher-ree) Brinkerhoff is senior vice president of operations for Ryder’s Supply Chain Solutions business unit. She is responsible for operational execution, strategic leadership, sales, and financial performance of the company’s Retail, Technology, and Health business segments throughout North America. Cherie’s organization provides fully integrated supply chain services, including warehousing, forward and reverse logistics, refurbishment, warehousing, and various other value-added services. Her team handles more than $900 million in managed and dedicated transportation services for customers in these industry segments across 40 locations.

Cherie also spearheaded various workforce and development initiatives at Ryder including launching the Retail, Tech & Health Women’s Leadership group.

Prior to joining Ryder in 2018, she was vice president of operations and supply chain at FedEx where she led operations for the Technology business unit, including warehouse logistics, engineering, business development, and procurement. Previously, she was with Teleplan International, where she was responsible for warehouse logistics in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Cherie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Pheonix University. She also graduated from the Power of Negotiating program at Harvard University’s School of Business. In her spare time, Cherie enjoys welding, woodworking, painting, and sewing.

Drew Eubank is the EVP & Co-Founder of Zion Solutions Group. He is an operations executive with over 20 years of experience running both large and small operations, building and leading high-performing teams, and developing strategies that drive significant returns.

His areas of expertise include: operations improvement, facility and process design, network development and strategy, labor efficiency, software functional design and system selection, material handling integration, partnership/program management, executive strategy, and support.

Drew lives near Athens, Georgia, has been married to his wife Lindsay for fifteen years, and is father to a son, Caleb (12) and a daughter, Adilynn (9). An avid Georgia “Bulldawg,” Drew holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership.

As Vice President of Value Chain Management & Sourcing Operations, Jason Luby leads BJC Health System’s procurement and distribution strategy for the entire enterprise which includes maximizing our service at the patient bedside while reducing our total cost to serve. Jason’s team goals include integrating our clinical strategy with our trading partners to ensure we deliver better patient outcomes at the lowest total cost of ownership.

Most recently, Jason served as the Vice President, Supply Chain Operations working with our HSO leaders to build new logistics capabilities and improve our patient experience. Prior to that, Jason held numerous supply chain roles in the areas of logistics, business development, and strategic planning with industry leaders such as Ralcorp, Covidien, and Beckman Coulter developing a proven track record in reducing waste, improving inventory management strategies, and capturing gains in efficiencies and productivity. Most recently, Jason served as the Director of Supply Chain Central Operations, forming a Central Operations Team which defined comprehensive systemwide inventory and distribution strategy while simultaneously establishing ad-hoc inventory planning and internal distribution needs.

Jason served as a Quartermaster Officer in the United States Army and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Jason and his wife Heather live in St. Louis, Missouri with their two daughters Ryan and Tiernan.

Kristen is the Senior Vice President of Analytics, Digital and Data supporting the Supply, R&D, and Commercial functions of Mars Snacking. She joined Mars in 2021 to lead the Global Supply Chain function, exploring how the intersection of her prior industry experience and tech start-up experiences could support the acceleration of value supporting Mars growth agenda. She leads an investment program to bring AI-enabled digital solutions to life to support growth while making work easier for Associates. What most excites Kristen is leading with problem solving and teaming cross-functionally to provoke and explore new possibilities in driving quality growth enablement. Prior to joining Mars, she was a Partner for Opex Analytics and supported a number of companies to reinvent their supply chains and operations with artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics. She has held strategic planning, innovation, and engineering roles in Procter & Gamble and Unilever and was the Vice President of Global Supply Chain for SC Johnson. Kristen resides in Chicago with her husband and two Skittles loving sons.

Nitin Kapoor is an accomplished entrepreneur, 2x founder, and executive with a specialization in technology and product management within the Omnichannel retail and supply chain sectors. At present, he oversees the technology strategy and execution as GM & VP of Technology for Wayfair’s Omnichannel Retail, Supply Chain, and Enterprise where he is responsible for an integrated technology stack that enables Wayfair’s digital and physical retail environments and end-to-end supply chain and logistics capabilities. He also serves as the Head of Data and Innovation.

Previously, Nitin was GM of Supply Chain at Shopify, responsible for building out Shopify Logistics, a set of managed fulfillment products for Shopify’s merchant base. He also spent time building and leading ultra-scaled fulfillment systems and global teams in Amazon’s Supply Chain. Nitin has over 25 years of domain experience and his ventures have contributed significantly to evolving the digital commerce and logistics landscape.

Bijoy Sasidharan is a supply chain and analytics leader based in Atlanta, with a career spanning strategic roles across retail and ecommerce. His experience includes leadership positions at Walmart E-commerce in supply chain analytics, capacity planning, and forecasting, before serving as Director of Analytics at Fanatics Inc. At Fanatics, he leads capacity planning, demand forecasting, and agile inventory optimization for one of the largest licensed sports apparel platforms. His background combines deep expertise in financial and operational analytics from his Walmart tenure with hands-on inventory strategy across consumer goods and ecommerce. He holds a Master’s degree from Georgia Tech.

Douglas J. Kent is founder of the Supply Chain Impact Alliance (scimpactalliance.org) focused on improving global communities through focused initiatives including global health, sustainability and humanitarian efforts.

Formerly, Kent was the executive vice president of sales and alliances at ASCM having overseen ASCM’s North American chapters, international training partners, corporate clients, eCommerce and was responsible for growing and strengthening the organization’s strategic collaborations.

Kent has nearly 40 years of transformational advisory and practitioner experience with large multi-national organizations. He specializes in SCOR®-based transformations, supply chain strategy & segmentation, supply chain planning, enterprise risk optimization, and supply chain visibility. As a certified SCOR® master instructor, he has traveled the globe leading workshops, education, and transformational programs.

Kent holds a master’s degree in international business from Pepperdine University and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Indiana university. His 2024 book, Sustainable Supply Chain Orchestration: Unlearning for a Better Tomorrow has been released as the seminal work on the topic.

Andy Moses is the senior vice president of solutions and sales strategy for Penske Logistics. He leads the organization’s engineering solutions team and heads corporate sales strategy. Moses also advises Penske’s product line leaders with their sales and development strategies.

He was most recently senior vice president of sales and solutions. Moses was also senior vice president of global products.

He has had a distinguished career in the transportation industry in product and sales leadership roles. Prior to joining Penske Logistics, he was vice president of sales at Penske Truck Leasing.

A member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), Moses has spoken at industry-leading supply chain conferences and guest lectured at top universities. He is also a supply chain author.

A master black belt, Moses was awarded a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Brooklyn College and a master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University in leadership development.

Michael Levans is the Group Editorial Director at Peerless Media, where he oversees several industry-leading publications, including Logistics Management, Supply Chain Management Review, and Modern Materials Handling. With over 30 years in B2B media management and decades of experience in the logistics and supply chain industries, Levans has established himself as a trusted authority, providing insights on the latest trends, challenges, and innovations. Under his leadership, these publications have become key resources for professionals seeking to navigate the complexities of logistics, supply chain management, and materials handling operations.

Casey Basford is a technology and operations leader with more than 13 years of experience at Polaris, where he has led software engineering initiatives and enterprise technology solutions supporting manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain operations.

His expertise includes warehouse management systems (WMS), systems integration, software engineering, automation, and technology strategy.

A strong advocate for quality and automation, Casey has helped lead Polaris’ automated testing strategy since partnering with Cycle Labs nearly eight years ago. He has established testing standards and best practices that transformed testing from largely manual processes into scalable, repeatable automation, improving software quality, reducing risk, accelerating deployments, and increasing confidence in enterprise system changes.

Josh Owen is the President & Executive Chairman of Cycle Labs, which he founded after more than a decade leading a global supply chain consulting firm. With over 19 years of experience deploying enterprise solutions across diverse industries, Josh guided the evolution of Cycle from an idea into today’s patented Cycle® Test Automation Platform, now used by leading global organizations to modernize solution deployment and reduce business risk.

In his role, Josh focuses on product vision, customer and partner engagement, and strategic initiatives that accelerate Cycle’s long-term growth. Known for his emphasis on culture, innovation, and curiosity, Josh encourages his teams and customers to question everything and pursue continuous, iterative improvement.

Karli Sage is the Vice President of Supply Chain Management Technology & Engineering for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (Southern Glazer’s), the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol. In her current role, she oversees national automation and systems strategy aligned to the company’s 10-year vision.

Karli joined Southern Glazer’s in 2024 as Sr. Director of Emerging Technology.

Prior to Southern Glazer’s, Karli held leadership roles at Bimbo Bakeries USA and Niagara Bottling, specializing in automation design, robotics integration, and large-scale distribution center transformation.

Karli’s overall career focus is on human-centered innovation and scaling technology into practical solutions that deliver real results in operations. She earned her Master of Business Administration and holds a bachelor’s degree in information systems from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Omar Devlin is Vice President of Supply Chain Technology, Planning & P2P at Stanford Health Care, where he sets strategic direction for technology, data analytics, planning, and procure-to-pay operations across a top-ranked academic health system. He has driven AI adoption initiatives that cut manual P2P intervention by 30%, implemented Control Tower and Command Center capabilities purpose-built for healthcare, and led GPO and value analysis programs delivering tens of millions in savings.

Prior to Stanford, Omar held senior supply chain and program leadership roles at Google, Facebook, Apple, and BlueScope Steel, where he managed multi-billion-dollar infrastructure portfolios, led global teams of up to 200, and delivered over $300M in cumulative cost savings through ERP, TMS, and S&OP transformations. He holds an MBA, an MSc in Logistics, and a BE in Mechanical Engineering, and is ASCM CSCP-certified. Omar recently completed Stanford’s AI-Driven Leadership program and speaks frequently on applying AI and analytics to modern supply chain operations.

Paul Havens is Director of Project Management at Dematic, bringing more than 20 years of experience in the material handling and conveyor industry. Since joining Dematic in 1998, he has held a variety of roles within project management, building extensive experience leading complex projects and supporting successful customer implementations.

Paul holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Grand Valley State University.

Antonio Luna is the Founder and Managing Partner of Vitti Logistics. His expertise in logistics management and customs clearance has cemented the company’s reputation in the USMCA corridor. Vitti Logistics specializes in comprehensive door-to-door services — from over-the-road transportation to contract logistics — thriving on operational efficiency.

Hilla Herzog Manor is VP of Business Development and Strategy at Zimark, where she drives the company’s growth strategy and partnerships across the warehouse and logistics technology space. Zimark provides real-time visual verification for warehouses and 3PLs, using computer vision at the dock door and on forklifts to close the gap between what the WMS assumes and what’s actually happening on the floor.

Piu Ghosh is a Senior Manager at Apple, where she leads strategic initiatives across global manufacturing, capital investment, supplier strategy, and product operations for new product introductions. Over her 10+ year career spanning Apple, Amazon, and Bechtel, she has led complex, cross-functional supply chain transformations at the intersection of technology, operations, and data-driven decision making.

Piu’s work focuses on how AI is reshaping modern supply chains — not simply by automating tasks, but by transforming how organizations make decisions. She is particularly interested in the evolution of supply chain talent as planners, buyers, and operations leaders transition from executing transactions to orchestrating AI-enabled networks and strategic business outcomes.

Beyond Apple, Piu is an active speaker, startup pitch competition judge, mentor, and advocate for stronger collaboration between industry and academia. She regularly shares insights on AI, leadership, operational excellence, and the future of work, with a passion for helping the next generation of supply chain professionals develop the skills needed in an increasingly intelligent and autonomous world.

Kayla Watson is a seasoned inventory control and 3PL operations leader with deep expertise in building the processes, playbooks, and people that keep warehouse operations running accurately at scale. As Director of Inventory Control at ODW Logistics, Kayla oversees inventory strategy across a national network, driving measurable operational improvement that turns inventory from a liability into a competitive advantage.

Kayla blends hands-on operational discipline with a talent for developing teams and scaling best practices across complex, multi-site environments. Her work at ODW has reduced customer-required physical inventories from five-day, around-the-clock counts to two-hour audits, and her Inventory Playbook has become a foundational training tool for leaders across the organization. A recipient of the 2023 Women in Supply Chain Award, Kayla is recognized not only for her operational impact but also for her commitment to mentorship and developing the next generation of supply chain leaders.

Todd is a seasoned warehouse automation and robotics leader with deep experience driving supply chain technology innovation globally. As VP North America at Dexory, Todd leads expansion into the U.S. market, leveraging Dexory’s cutting-edge autonomous mobile robots and AI-driven data platform, DexoryView.

Todd blends innovation strategy, execution, and advisory across dynamic supply chain environments. His focus on scalable innovation, operational efficiency, and commercializing emerging technology solutions positions him as a recognized voice in the future of logistics automation.

Craig Ledbetter has served as Senior Vice President, Chief Supply Chain Officer since July 2026. In this role, Craig has responsibility for management of all transportation and distribution center activities for Tractor Supply Company, as well as the distribution center growth strategy and continuous improvement of supply chain operational efficiencies. Craig joined Tractor Supply in December 2017 as Vice President, Distribution Operations and most recently served as Senior Vice President, Distribution Operations where he had responsibility for management of all distribution activities for Tractor Supply, including distribution centers, mixing centers, import transload centers and distribution operations excellence.

from 2011 to 2017, where he began as Senior Operations Manager in 2006. Before 2006, Craig was Plant Manager for Federal-Mogul Corporation, where he began his career as a Packaging Design Engineer. Craig holds a Bachelor of Science from Jacksonville State University.

Ms. Dissen is the Engagement and Partnerships lead at the NC Institute for Climate Studies (NCICS), a research institute within the NC State University Office of Research and Innovation. Her work with NOAA Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth System Studies (NOAA CISESS) involves engagement activities with NOAA, cloud partners Google, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft, and leads industry sector engagements with retail associations RILA and NRF, and with EPRI. She provides strategic user engagement support to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Services Team and was a program lead for the U.S. Department of State NOAA U.S.-India Partnership for Climate Resilience.

In prior roles, Ms. Dissen was an executive at Accenture and worked with William J. Clinton Foundation Clinton Climate Initiative in Southeast Asia. Ms. Dissen has a Masters and Bachelors in Civil/Environmental Engineering from NC State University, with recent certificates in Climate Change and Society and Harvard Business School Executive Education Program. She currently serves on the Boards of Mountain True, NC School of Science and Math, supports the Asheville Museum of Science and was involved on the Advisory Council for Electric Power Research Institute.

Andy Gray is the Editorial Director of Supply Chain 24/7. He oversees coverage of supply chain, logistics, and materials handling news, providing readers with clear and practical insights. A graduate of Columbia Journalism School, Andy spent 13 years at Sports Illustrated and also worked at the Harvard Business Review, JPMorgan, lululemon, and the fitness startup MIRROR. He lives on Cape Cod with his wife, son, and dog, Larry.

Carey Boone is the Vice President of Transformation at DP World Americas, tasked with supporting and developing the region’s engineering and quality, environmental, health and safety initiatives as well as overseeing the project management and business intelligence teams. With over 15 years of experience in logistics, Boone is a leader in developing and driving solutions. His background spans roles in many functions including Engineering, Operations, and Business Development for large multi-national companies including CEVA Logistics. Boone earned a BA in Marketing and Logistics from The Ohio State University.

Eric Watts is the Group Vice President of Field Operations for Target’s Food Supply Chain, where he leads the performance and development of a nationwide network of nine Food Distribution Centers, as well as middle-mile carrier management and daily transportation execution for the company’s temperature-controlled supply chain. In this role, he is focused on advancing Target’s enterprise and Food & Beverage priorities, delivering greater reliability, freshness, and efficiency for stores and guests while building a more resilient, responsive, and future-ready network. Known for his ability to develop high-performing teams and align organizations around clear priorities, Eric partners across functions to modernize capabilities, scale innovation, and unlock value through strategic investments, automation, and network optimization.

With more than 20 years of supply chain leadership at Target and eight years of service in the U.S. Army Reserves, Eric brings a disciplined, team-first approach to leadership grounded in operational excellence and continuous improvement. Over the course of his career, he has led large-scale distribution operations, start-ups, and multi-million-dollar transformation initiatives that have strengthened Target’s supply chain capabilities and performance. He holds a Master of Science degree in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Angelo State University.

Jay De Sieno, MBA, is a supply chain leader at Edible Brands, where he drives initiatives in cost optimization, strategic sourcing, and operational excellence. With experience spanning telecommunications, automotive, industrial distribution, and software, he brings a broad, cross-industry perspective to building agile and resilient supply chains. Jay has a proven track record of delivering sustainable cost savings, strengthening supplier ecosystems, and enhancing end-to-end supply chain performance.

Throughout his career, Jay has consistently delivered sustainable cost improvements, strengthened global supplier networks, and enhanced end-to-end supply chain performance in both complex and rapidly evolving environments. His ability to transfer best practices across industries enables him to unlock new efficiencies and drive innovation at scale.

Jay is recognized for shaping and executing supply chain strategies that align with broader business priorities, enabling organizations to drive measurable enterprise value, resilience, and long-term growth. He brings a disciplined, data-driven approach to navigating complexity and transforming supply chains into strategic advantages.

Norman Katz is President of supply chain consultancy Katzscan Inc. (www.katzscan.com) which celebrates its 30-year anniversary in 2026. Prior to starting Katzscan, Norman held various technical, analyst, and management roles at consumer product companies for over a decade.

Norman’s core specialty is helping consumer product brands comply with retail and grocery supply chain technical and operational vendor requirements. His efforts reduce financial penalty chargebacks, improve end-to-end performance, and enhance data analysis and reporting. He acts as a dedicated software and supply chain strategic partner with responsibility for retail and grocery B2B-B2C-D2C portfolios of upwards to $60M annual.

Norman is an expert in ERP, X12-EDI, and barcode label/scanning applications including GS1US standards, and FDA FSMA 204 compliance pertaining to retail and grocery compliance. He helps to transform his clients’ relationships with their software partners, contract manufacturers, 3PLs, and customers through clear communications, master data management, and smooth flowing transactions.

Norman is a US and international speaker (60+ presentations) and writer (60+ articles including two peer-reviewed journal submissions), an editorial writer for Supply Chain Management Review since 2023 including the Perfect Order article series, and the author of innovative books “Detecting and Reducing Supply Chain Fraud” (Gower/Routledge, 2012), “Successful Supply Chain Vendor Compliance” (Gower/Routledge, 2016), and “Attack, Parry, Riposte: A Fencer’s Guide To Better Business Execution” (2020).

Norman is an ambidextrous foil and saber fencer, but will fence epee if one is handed to him.

Casey Basford is a technology and operations leader with more than 13 years of experience at Polaris, where he has led software engineering initiatives and enterprise technology solutions supporting manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain operations.

His expertise includes warehouse management systems (WMS), systems integration, software engineering, automation, and technology strategy.

A strong advocate for quality and automation, Casey has helped lead Polaris’ automated testing strategy since partnering with Cycle Labs nearly eight years ago. He has established testing standards and best practices that transformed testing from largely manual processes into scalable, repeatable automation, improving software quality, reducing risk, accelerating deployments, and increasing confidence in enterprise system changes.

Josh Owen is the President & Executive Chairman of Cycle Labs, which he founded after more than a decade leading a global supply chain consulting firm. With over 19 years of experience deploying enterprise solutions across diverse industries, Josh guided the evolution of Cycle from an idea into today’s patented Cycle® Test Automation Platform, now used by leading global organizations to modernize solution deployment and reduce business risk.

In his role, Josh focuses on product vision, customer and partner engagement, and strategic initiatives that accelerate Cycle’s long-term growth. Known for his emphasis on culture, innovation, and curiosity, Josh encourages his teams and customers to question everything and pursue continuous, iterative improvement.

Karli Sage is the Vice President of Supply Chain Management Technology & Engineering for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (Southern Glazer’s), the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol. In her current role, she oversees national automation and systems strategy aligned to the company’s 10-year vision.

Karli joined Southern Glazer’s in 2024 as Sr. Director of Emerging Technology.

Prior to Southern Glazer’s, Karli held leadership roles at Bimbo Bakeries USA and Niagara Bottling, specializing in automation design, robotics integration, and large-scale distribution center transformation.

Karli’s overall career focus is on human-centered innovation and scaling technology into practical solutions that deliver real results in operations. She earned her Master of Business Administration and holds a bachelor’s degree in information systems from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Omar Devlin is Vice President of Supply Chain Technology, Planning & P2P at Stanford Health Care, where he sets strategic direction for technology, data analytics, planning, and procure-to-pay operations across a top-ranked academic health system. He has driven AI adoption initiatives that cut manual P2P intervention by 30%, implemented Control Tower and Command Center capabilities purpose-built for healthcare, and led GPO and value analysis programs delivering tens of millions in savings.

Prior to Stanford, Omar held senior supply chain and program leadership roles at Google, Facebook, Apple, and BlueScope Steel, where he managed multi-billion-dollar infrastructure portfolios, led global teams of up to 200, and delivered over $300M in cumulative cost savings through ERP, TMS, and S&OP transformations. He holds an MBA, an MSc in Logistics, and a BE in Mechanical Engineering, and is ASCM CSCP-certified. Omar recently completed Stanford’s AI-Driven Leadership program and speaks frequently on applying AI and analytics to modern supply chain operations.

Paul Havens is Director of Project Management at Dematic, bringing more than 20 years of experience in the material handling and conveyor industry. Since joining Dematic in 1998, he has held a variety of roles within project management, building extensive experience leading complex projects and supporting successful customer implementations.

Paul holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Grand Valley State University.

Antonio Luna is the Founder and Managing Partner of Vitti Logistics. His expertise in logistics management and customs clearance has cemented the company’s reputation in the USMCA corridor. Vitti Logistics specializes in comprehensive door-to-door services — from over-the-road transportation to contract logistics — thriving on operational efficiency.

Hilla Herzog Manor is VP of Business Development and Strategy at Zimark, where she drives the company’s growth strategy and partnerships across the warehouse and logistics technology space. Zimark provides real-time visual verification for warehouses and 3PLs, using computer vision at the dock door and on forklifts to close the gap between what the WMS assumes and what’s actually happening on the floor.

Piu Ghosh is a Senior Manager at Apple, where she leads strategic initiatives across global manufacturing, capital investment, supplier strategy, and product operations for new product introductions. Over her 10+ year career spanning Apple, Amazon, and Bechtel, she has led complex, cross-functional supply chain transformations at the intersection of technology, operations, and data-driven decision making.

Piu’s work focuses on how AI is reshaping modern supply chains — not simply by automating tasks, but by transforming how organizations make decisions. She is particularly interested in the evolution of supply chain talent as planners, buyers, and operations leaders transition from executing transactions to orchestrating AI-enabled networks and strategic business outcomes.

Beyond Apple, Piu is an active speaker, startup pitch competition judge, mentor, and advocate for stronger collaboration between industry and academia. She regularly shares insights on AI, leadership, operational excellence, and the future of work, with a passion for helping the next generation of supply chain professionals develop the skills needed in an increasingly intelligent and autonomous world.

Kayla Watson is a seasoned inventory control and 3PL operations leader with deep expertise in building the processes, playbooks, and people that keep warehouse operations running accurately at scale. As Director of Inventory Control at ODW Logistics, Kayla oversees inventory strategy across a national network, driving measurable operational improvement that turns inventory from a liability into a competitive advantage.

Kayla blends hands-on operational discipline with a talent for developing teams and scaling best practices across complex, multi-site environments. Her work at ODW has reduced customer-required physical inventories from five-day, around-the-clock counts to two-hour audits, and her Inventory Playbook has become a foundational training tool for leaders across the organization. A recipient of the 2023 Women in Supply Chain Award, Kayla is recognized not only for her operational impact but also for her commitment to mentorship and developing the next generation of supply chain leaders.

Todd is a seasoned warehouse automation and robotics leader with deep experience driving supply chain technology innovation globally. As VP North America at Dexory, Todd leads expansion into the U.S. market, leveraging Dexory’s cutting-edge autonomous mobile robots and AI-driven data platform, DexoryView.

Todd blends innovation strategy, execution, and advisory across dynamic supply chain environments. His focus on scalable innovation, operational efficiency, and commercializing emerging technology solutions positions him as a recognized voice in the future of logistics automation.

Barry Kukkuk is co-founder and CTO of Netstock, where he leads technology strategy and guides the development of the company’s AI capabilities for inventory and supply chain planning. With more than 25 years of experience building inventory and supply chain software, Barry has worked across the full product lifecycle – from designing retail ERP systems and developing inventory optimization tools to leading global technology teams. His work focuses on helping businesses make better decisions about what to stock, when to order, and how to respond as demand and supply conditions change.

Kyle Detwiler is the Head of Sales & Solutions at Robust.AI, where he helped build the commercial motion behind Carter™, a collaborative mobile robot now live across 20+ customer sites. His focus has been making automation easy to say yes to — low risk, low capex, immediate value — so operations get results the day it lands, not months later. Across a career in engineering, sales, consulting, and partner management throughout the automation industry, Kyle has focused on giving customers a way to grow into automation rather than bet big all at once. He holds degrees in Industrial Engineering and Computer Science from Cal Poly, SLO.

Pete Blair is the VP of Product & Marketing at Pickle Robot, a pioneer in Physical AI for supply chain applications. He leads with a customer first approach that balances strategy with execution to deliver innovative products that customers love. Pete has spent 20+ years at the forefront of robotic innovation for supply chain. Pete’s experience ranges from logistics operations to consulting to technology development and marketing for both startups and enterprise companies. Prior to Pickle, Pete ran marketing for Berkshire Grey, a leader in intelligent robotics for piece picking in ecommerce operations, served on the leadership teams at Kiva Systems and Amazon Robotics, consulted for IBM, and held various leadership roles in distribution operations at The Home Depot. Pete has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and operations research from Cornell University.

Dr. Mar Gimeno is an experienced supply chain executive with 20 years in the pharmaceutical sector. She started her career as a pharmacist, later working in the food industry before transitioning to manufacturing and supply chain roles within pharmaceuticals. She has held several leadership positions, including Vice President of International Markets Supply Chain and Vice President of Global Planning & Global Supply Chain at Teva Pharmaceuticals, where she led supply chain strategy and transformation across a complex network of 53 sites and 60 markets. Currently, as Associate Vice President of US Supply Chain and Global Launches at Eli Lilly, she manages the team responsible for demand planning, order fulfillment, and customer service for the US Affiliate. She also oversees the supply chain execution for all new product launches at Lilly. Mar is a registered pharmacist in Spain and holds a PhD in health sciences, an MBA, and a master’s degree in Public Health. She is a Corresponding Member of the Academy of Pharmacy “Reino de Aragon” in Spain, regularly lectures at Reichman University (Israel) and San Jorge University (Spain), and has authored some articles and books on medicine, supply chain resiliency in pharmaceutical industry, and supply chain management.

Sam Colen is Vice President, Head of Forecasting at GE HealthCare, where he built and leads a decision intelligence team that turns planning into a financial lever. Partnering with operating teams across commercial, finance, and supply chain, the team blends generative AI with traditional AI/ML forecasting and operations research to optimize cash flow, defend EBIT, and put supply chain decisions where they ultimately land: on the financial statements.

A finance native by background, Sam built McKesson’s Finance and Supply Chain AI practice from the ground up — improving cash flow by 25% and implementing digital twins that today manage $20B in inventory. That finance-first lens shapes how he builds and how he leads. Much of his current focus centers on simulation-based optimization as the bridge between supply chain and finance — an approach that retires the simplifying assumptions most planning tools still rely on, the ones that quietly fail when product portfolios are imbalanced and correlated. Sam holds a BA in Economics from the University of Southern California and a Master of Accounting from the University of Dallas.

Santosh Yerasuri is a supply chain and logistics leader with more than 12 years of experience specializing in risk management, transportation strategy, and operational finance across the specialty chemicals and aerospace industries. He currently serves in a critical supply chain leadership role at a global specialty chemicals company, where he leads cross functional initiatives and manages high impact logistics optimization and risk mitigation programs across complex global networks.

Santosh is a Senior Member of the IEEE and an active contributor to the engineering, power systems, vehicle technology, and logistics communities. He has served as a Grand Judge for Society for Science fairs and regularly reviews technical papers for leading IEEE conferences, including ITEC and CIACON, as well as other international engineering forums.

An accomplished author and inventor, Santosh has published multiple peer reviewed papers indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, authored several books on supply chain, logistics, and transportation systems, and holds patents for logistics devices. His work focuses on transportation systems, power systems engineering, and operational optimization.

Santosh holds a Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering Management from California State University, Northridge, and is a frequent speaker at major industry supply chain conferences. Through thought leadership and technical contributions, he provides actionable insights on supply chain resilience, sustainability, and strategic growth in complex industrial environments.

Dan Pellathy is Faculty of Practice and Director of Corporate Programming in Supply Chain Management at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville’s Haslam College of Business. Pellathy holds a Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, an MBA/MPIA with a focus on international economics from the University of Pittsburgh, and a BA in philosophy and anthropology from Cornell University.

Pellathy’s professional background includes enterprise risk management and he continues to actively consult with companies across a broad range of issues related to strategic supply chain planning, organizational alignment, supply chain risk management, and end-to-end operational excellence.

Pellathy’s research has been published in academic journals including Journal of Business Logistics, Journal of Supply Chain Management, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, and International Journal of Logistics Management. He is also co-author of numerous papers on forward-thinking topics in supply chain management. This work has been featured in practitioner and popular outlets including Supply Chain Quarterly, Supply Chain Management Review, The Conversation, and the Wall Street Journal. He is also co-author of “Advanced Practice Playbook: Right-to-Left Planning” (Great River Learning Publishing, Copyright 2026).

Ron Volans is a globally recognized leader in healthcare supply chain management, with a distinguished career spanning more than 25 years. As the Head of North America Deliver at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Ron plays a pivotal role in overseeing distribution and customer service for Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical business, which generates over 60% of the company’s pharmaceutical revenue. Leading a dedicated team of more than 150 professionals, he ensures the timely delivery of life-saving medicines to 90 countries, serving over 7 million patients, including clinical sites and healthcare providers. He also serves as President of the Board for JOM Pharmaceutical Services, a Johnson & Johnson Company.

Ron’s career at Johnson & Johnson is marked by an extensive range of supply chain roles across Planning, Procurement, External Manufacturing, and Deliver, spanning the Medical Devices, Consumer, and Pharmaceutical sectors. He has successfully managed an extensive external manufacturing sites, cultivated strong relationships with more than 300 customers, and spearheaded the distribution integration of J&J’s largest pharmaceutical acquisition, Actelion, across 80+ countries. His innovative approach to supplier management, business transformation, and change management has consistently driven measurable results, all guided by his patient-centric, people-focused leadership philosophy.

A passionate advocate for talent development and diversity, Ron has contributed to initiatives such as WiSTEM and DISCOVER, fostering the advancement of underrepresented groups in STEM fields and supply chain professions. He also served as Board Chair for Penn State University’s Supply Chain Center for Supply Chain Research, reflecting his deep commitment to nurturing the next generation of supply chain leaders.

Ron’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree from Rochester Institute of Technology and an MBA from Villanova University, enriched by international studies in Russia and China. Outside of his professional endeavors, Ron is an avid runner, basketball enthusiast, and traveler who cherishes time with his three daughters, family, and friends.

Debanshu Sharma is a supply chain and transportation strategy expert with 15+ years of experience spanning freight network design, carrier performance optimization, predictive analytics, and large-scale logistics operations. He currently leads transportation strategy initiatives at Amazon Transportation Services, where his work spans carrier performance optimization, machine learning-based logistics analytics at scale, and network design optimization across one of the world’s largest transportation networks.

Debanshu developed the Predictive Reliability Index (PRI), a machine learning framework validated on 150,000+ shipment records across 1,600+ carriers that generates pre-departure carrier risk scores — yielding a 35% reduction in pickup defects and 85% model accuracy. The framework is the subject of a peer-reviewed academic paper co-authored with Dr. Amulya Gurtu, Department Head at Texas A&M University, accepted for presentation at the 2026 INFORMS Annual Meeting in San Francisco under the Transportation Science and Logistics track.

His published work spans Supply Chain Management Review, CSCMP Supply Chain Xchange, Inbound Logistics, SupplyChainBrain, and Supply & Demand Chain Executive. He serves as a peer reviewer for IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management and Taylor & Francis journals.

Debanshu holds an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from SUNY Buffalo. He is based in Metro Detroit, Michigan.