Customer Service & Contact Center Individual & Team Awards Judging Committee
Chair:
Lisa P Oswald, Senior Vice President, Global Customer Service
Travelzoo, New York, United States
Lisa P. Oswald is senior vice president and global head of customer service at Travelzoo, supporting its 30 million members and client network since 2011. Previously, she was vice president of operations and customer service for Priceline, where she led sales and service for the dot com and its affiliate partner network for a decade-plus. Lisa is an Advisory Board member with Execs In The Know, a founding and exclusive community of women executives at leading travel brands, and a strategy advisor with SOCAP International, the customer care industry’s membership association. She is a past recipient of the Gold Stevie Award® for Customer Service Executive of the Year from The American Business Awards, and the Travelzoo service team is the recipient of numerous excellence awards from the British Travel Awards and Stevie Awards®, including the People's Choice Award for Favorite Customer Service.
Committee:
Sathya Narayanan Annamalai Geetha, Principal Architect
Google, Apex, North Carolina, United States
Sathya is a Principal Architect at Google with 18 years of experience driving digital transformation for global enterprises, specializing in cloud, AI, and cybersecurity. An expert in retail and CPG sectors, he is a published author, thought leader, and advisory board member, frequently speaking at major industry events.
Vinoth Balasubramanian, Director - Customer Partner Experience
Microsoft Corporation, Seattle, Washington, United States
Vinoth Balasubramanian, Director of Dynamics 365 Customer Partner Experience at Microsoft, brings 17+ years of expertise in technology management and software development. Passionate about empowering organizations with intelligent business applications, he drives rapid digital transformation through automation, connecting People, Process, and Technology to deliver impactful solutions across diverse industries.
Vicki Brackett, Chief Knowledge Officer
Knowledgely, Hollister, California, United States
Vicki Brackett, a recognized expert in leadership, remote work, and knowledge management, has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, and Fast Company. As Chief Knowledge Officer at Knowledgely™, she helps contact centers optimize knowledge strategies to reduce costs, boost productivity, and elevate both employee and customer experiences.
James Cammareri, SVP, Channel Development & Sales
Call Center Power, Neptune City, New Jersey, United States
James is a senior business and sales executive with extensive experience in contact center operations, performance improvement management, client relationships and BPO/Vendor management. With over 30 years in the customer experience industry, James is viewed as a highly effective leader and trusted partner with a proven record of delivering on strategies.
Ridhi Deora, Manager, Technical Product Management
The Home Depot, High Point, North Carolina, United States
As Manager of Technical Product Managers at Home Depot, Ridhi leads data strategy and AI integration. She is also pursuing a Doctorate in Business, with an MBA in Management Information Systems and Project Management. She is experienced in optimizing contact center operations through Generative AI, enhancing customer service, and driving data-driven solutions for efficiency.
Constanta Lupu, Head of Customer Support and Training
Wolters Kluwer, London, United Kingdom
Constanta is the Head of Customer Support and Training at Wolters Kluwer with almost 20 years of experience in delivering CS/CX Operational Leadership. She is known for her strategic leadership, driving cross-collaborative team performance and fostering innovation.
Partha Dey, Senior Vice President
Citibank, New York City, NewYork, United States
Partha is a seasoned professional in the financial services industry with exposure to Wealth Product, Customer Service, and risk & product management. He has been involved in key projects impacting both the top & bottom lines & dealt with strategic issues. Partha has led many international teams & established an exceptionally strong track record.
Mandeep Kaur, Technical Director
AIS, Reston, Virginia, United States
Exemplifying a steadfast commitment to customer service, Mandeep makes it a priority to place the needs of her clients at the forefront of every initiative. This dedication is a commitment to delivering an unparalleled client experience, ensuring their objectives are not only met but surpassed. Mandeep brings a proactive approach to every facet of IT.
Prachi Misra, Senior Expert
McKinsey & Company, London, England, United Kingdom
Prachi is an expert with McKinsey, the world's number one consulting firm. She formerly served as a senior director of operations for Refinitiv and NCR. Her operational skills have won her recognition in Business Insider, the International Business Times, and Forbes, being named one of India's 40 Under 40 Supply Chain Achievers.
Kate Nelson, Managing Director, CX Solutions
Cloudlinx, Lone Tree, Colorado, United States
Kate Nelson is the Managing Director of CX Solutions for Cloudlinx, a Customer Experience Consulting firm. With a background in CX solutions and technologies, she is recognized as a trusted advisor passionate about meaningful connections. Kate actively supports professional groups and organizations dedicated to driving CX excellence.
Thangaraj Petchiappan, CTO - SIMS
iLink Digital, Houston, Texas, United States
Thangaraj has helped many Fortune 500 clients and industries innovate and transform for the digital future. He has led some impactful projects with industry leaders in Health Care, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, and NPO, in the last decade and is dedicated to enhancing infrastructure automation and integrating advanced cybersecurity solutions, continually driving improvements in platforms and processes.
Shellie Plymale, CEO, Executive Consultant
Plymale Enterprise Group, LLC, Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Shellie, CEO and lead Executive Consultant of Plymale Enterprise Group, leverages over three decades of expertise in technical and operational leadership. Her extensive experience drives innovative strategies and empowers organizations to achieve impactful and sustainable outcomes. She holds an MBA from Oxford.
Neha Pokharna, Senior Analyst, Loyalty Analytics
The Fresh Market, Greensboro, North Carolina, United States
Neha is Senior Analyst, Loyalty and Customer Insights at The Fresh Market. With over 10 years of experience in data-driven marketing, she led innovations that drove $28M in sales. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, she specializes in customer loyalty, personalization, and analytics-driven business growth.
Heidi Solomon-Orlick, Founder & CEO
GirlzWhoSell, LLC., Henniker, New Hampshire, United States
Heidi is an award-winning BPO industry veteran with 35+ years of global sales and executive leadership experience. She is the Founder of GirlzWhoSell, an organization committed to democratizing professional sales and to building the largest pipeline of diverse, early-stage female sales talent. She is recognized for being a gender equity champion and active aging advocate.
Carlos Suarez, Senior Manager, Head of Consumer Affairs
Pharmavite LLC, West Hills, California, United States
Carlos is Head of Consumer Affairs for Pharmavite, the makers of Nature Made. Carlos has successfully led Consumer Services for top food and beverage manufacturers, including at Pharmavite and previously at Nestlé USA, Dole, and Herbalife. Carlos is a results-driven CX professional with a solid background in innovation and building high-performing team cultures.
Neal Topf, President
Callzilla, Miramar, Florida, United States
Callzilla is an outsourced contact center provider, inspired by Annette Franz’s Built to Win time on how to truly serve customers. Neal has learned the importance of shaping Callzilla to be Employee Centric, Customer Centric, and Client Centric. Neal’s passions are taking apart and solving modern Customer Experience puzzles through the lenses of the employees, customers, and clients.
Matt Woody, Senior Director, Contact Centers
First Financial Bank, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Matt has over 25 years of customer contact center management experience through leadership roles at Fidelity Investments, Fifth Third Bank and First Financial Bank. He teaches as an Adjunct Professor at Xavier University, Williams College of Business, with a focus on the management course: Business & Professional Communication.