Alexi Venneri, CEO of Digital Air Strike, is one of the Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2016.
Alexi Venneri, CEO of Digital Air Strike, is one of the Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2016.

A crowd of nearly 500 packed Desert Botanical Garden Thursday to honor Az Business magazine’s Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2016.

“All the women we are honoring tonight have procured influence in their respective fields through hard-earned track records of profitability, leadership and innovation,” said AZ Big Media Publisher Cheryl Green. “These women are changing the face of Arizona Business.”

The women were selected from a pool of more than 1,000 candidates by the editorial team at Az Business magazine and a panel of industry experts.

[espro-slider id=198003]

Photos by Ana Richey, AZ Big Media

“While their resumes and industries may differ, the women we selected have all procured influence in their respective fields through hard-earned track records of professional excellence, leadership, innovation and community impact,” said Az Business magazine Editor in Chief Michael Gossie. “Az Business magazine is proud to congratulate the women who earned the right to call themselves one of the Most Influential Women in Arizona Business.”

Here are the Most Influential Women in Arizona business for 2016:

Clare H. Abel, Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A.

Kimberly Anderson-Matich, Anderson Security Agency

Sharon Bondurant, Tech Finders

Susan Brichler Trujillo, Quarles & Brady

Margery Brown, GPEC

Christina Burroughs, MRA Associates

Kami Cothrun, Pieceful Solutions

Jaime R. Daddona, Squire Patton Boggs

Roopali Desai, Coppersmith Brockelman

Ruth Engle, Troon Golf

Roxann Gallagher, Sacks Tierney P.A.

Kate Gallego, City of Phoenix

Karen S. Gaylord, Jennings, Haug & Cunningham

Sandy Gibson, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

Dr. Parul Goel, Barrow Neurosurgical Associates

Sharon Grambow, Sun Health Senior Living

Molly Greene, SRP

Nicholle Harris, Gust Rosenfeld

Sintra Hoffman, WESTMARC

Dr. Janice Johnston, Redirect Health

Nima Kelly, GoDaddy

Jalina Kerr, Charles Schwab & Co.

Linda Little, iHeartMEDIA

Dr. Melanie D. Logue, Grand Canyon University

Kate Maynard Hickman, Alliance Bank of Arizona

Heidi McNeil Staudenmaier, Snell & Wilmer

Dawn Nagle, Metro Phoenix Export Alliance

Pam Nenaber, Banner Pharmaceutical Operations

Mary Orlando, USAA

Deborah Ostreicher, City of Phoenix

Melanie Pate, Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie

Cathy Reece, Fennemore Craig

Cynthia A. Ricketts, Sacks, Ricketts & Case LLP

Mirja Riester, RIESTER

Dawn Rogers, 2017 Phoenix NCAA Basketball Final Four

Dr. Cecilia Rosales, University of Arizona College of Public Health

Kim Sabow, Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association

Jasgit Sachdev, HonorHealth

April Salomon, Musical Instrument Museum

Jody Sarchett, Lovitt & Touche

Trish Stark, First Western Trust

Lisa Urias, Urias Communications

Alexi Venneri, Digital Air Strike

Deanna Wise, Dignity Health

Az Business does not allow a woman to make the Most Influential Women in Arizona Business list more than once. If you know someone who should be considered for 2017, nominate them at azbigmedia.com.