THE 2020 LEADING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS & INTRA
Helen Archontou – YWCA Northern New Jersey As Chief Executive Officer since 2011 , Helen Archontou is focused on guiding YWCA Northern New Jersey into its next century of living its mission to eliminate racism , empower women , and strengthen communities . Helen has overseen the development of a continuum of programs to support women and families in every stage of life as well as to raise awareness and take action to end racial and social injustice . In 2019 , the organization expanded its service area to Essex , Hudson , Morris , and Passaic in addition to Bergen County and changed its name to YWCA Northern New Jersey .
Melissa Eichholz – Prospect Transportation , Inc , Alternative Fuels Transportation Inc Melissa has been active in the petroleum transportation industry for over 20 years . She has held various positions in operations , finance , insurance within the same family business that was started by her grandfather over 70 years ago . Today she is President and oversees a fleet of over 150 tractors and almost 300 drivers delivering gasoline , jet fuel , asphalt and various other petroleum products in the northeast US and Florida .
Kiira Benzing – Double Eye Studios Kiira is an award-winning , multi-dimensional director crossing the mediums of theatre , hybrid cinema and virtual reality . Virtual Reality credits include : Cardboard City , NYFF , Runnin ’ starring Reggie Watts ( Sundance ), Loveseat , ( Venice Film Festival ). Her latest VR Theatre production Finding Pandora X featured Broadway actors and won Best Immersive VR Experience at the Venice Film Festival 2020 .
Avigail Eisenstadt – AE Design Group A graduate of New York School of Interior Design , with experience in New York ’ s high-end residential design firms , Avigail has shaped a niche aesthetic giving AEDG projects a clear point of view . Avigail takes her profession seriously , attending to every project to the smallest detail . This attention and approach to client services distinguishes Avigail as a unique , professional design leader .
Diana Blankman Roberts – Sanofi US Diana has spent more than 25 years in the corporate and non-profit sectors , leading the development and execution of strategic social impact programs , community and stakeholder engagement , and building impactful public / private partnerships leading to shared value creation . Currently , she is Head of Corporate Social Responsibility , Sanofi US , and President of Sanofi ’ s North America foundation .
Kym Frank – Geopath Kym was elected TAB President in 2015 , leading the non-profit trade association through a rebrand under the new name , Geopath in 2016 . Kym has 20 + years of media research experience . Previously , she held leadership research positions at Symphony AM , ZenithOptimedia , FTI , and CBS . Kym ’ s has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA from Montclair State University .
Caroline Blazovsky – My Healthy Home Caroline Blazovsky is a national home expert and the CEO of My Healthy Home ®. She works with the public to create healthier living spaces . Caroline ’ s company offers products and services to evaluate homes for health and safety . They investigate for air quality , allergens , mold , toxins and offer green building solutions . Her goal is to improve human health with healthier environments .
Judith Friedland – American Heart Association Judith Friedland has been at the AHA for three and a half years as Development Director in Northern NJ . She brings the mission of the AHA to local companies & communities through employee engagement programs focusing on health & wellness . After spending time in the publishing and magazine industry , first at Conde Nast then at ( 201 ) Magazine , she loves bringing her passion of healthy living to her job every day . Judith lives in Bergen county with her husband , Steve , their two sons Alex ( 13 ), Noah ( 11 ) and Wheaten Terrier , Zoe .
Ginni Conquest – Wilhelmina / Romance Writer Ginni started her career at Wilhelmina Models 37 years ago . While specializing in the 30 + market , she has managed the careers of many models including Carol Alt and Coco Mitchell . She ’ s a Contemporary Romance Writer with 5 books available on Amazon . “ Mistletoe Over Manhattan ” anthology was a Best Seller in Canada and Australia . She is currently writing her 6th novel .
Tanya Helfand – Helfand & Associates For 29 years , Ms . Helfand is a Certified Matrimonial Attorney licensed in NJ and NY . She represents both men and women with complex financial and custody matters . She always tries negotiation or mediation first to resolve cases amicably ; however , if fair and reasonable settlement cannot happen , she is prepared to go to trial .
8 LWE 2020 TOP 25 EVENT
Marcia Dukes – Prudential Marcia has been an outstanding contributor and leader with Prudential for 14 years . She is currently a Director , Diversity & Inclusion . This focus has a three-pillar focus of Culture , Talent and Business Impact . She manages this body of work for three business lines for over 7,000 employees . Her efforts continue to be a best in class practice across the firm .
Natasha Hemmings – Girl Scouts Heart of NJ Natasha is the first African-American women in the council ’ s history to lead GSHNJ . A true advocate for girl empowerment and leadership , she is a Lifetime Girl Scout , and a sustaining donor who has served for over 20 years . Active in multiple charitable organizations and committees , Natasha is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc . and a proud LeadNJ Alum . .