SBJ unveils 2025 class of Most Influential Women

For 26 years, Springfield Business Journal has honored local women for their professional and civic accomplishments and contributions.

An independent panel of judges has selected this year’s class of Most Influential Women. With the addition of this class, 520 women have received this award.

The 2025 honorees, in alphabetical order, are:

• Andrea Battaglia, chief excellence officer at Abacus
• Judy Brunner, chief education officer at Edu-Safe LLC and Instructional Solutions Group, clinical faculty at Missouri State University and president of the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education
• Ashley Casad, senior vice president and president of Springfield hospitals for CoxHealth
• Callie Carroll-Swafford, vice president of business development and shareholder relations at OMB Bank and member of Springfield City Council
• Sarah Everett, assistant vice president and residential lender at Guaranty Bank
• Leslie Forrester, executive director of Springfield Regional Arts Council Inc.
• Rachel Fortenberry, founder and attorney at Fortified Elder Law LLC
• Brigette Golmen, executive director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for Nixa Public Schools
• Jana Greig, executive vice president of administration at Brightli
• Stephanie Hurt, director of Forvis Mazars Private Client
• Camber Jones, of counsel at Spencer Fane LLP
• Winter Kinne, president/CEO of Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc.
• Natalie McNish, director of internal audit and risk management at Missouri State University and mayor of Marshfield
• Racheal Dami Odunewu, founder and CEO of Purpose Connect
• Lori Robertson, founder of Lori Robertson Consulting LLC and coach at SpeakHer
• Alison Roffers, director of counseling services at Springfield Public Schools
• Stacy Schneider, marketing director at Volt Credit Union
• Meleah Spencer, CEO at The Kitchen Inc.
• Stephanie Wan, assistant United States attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office - Western District to Missouri
• Regina Waters, director of the Drury Leadership Collaborative and professor emerita at Drury University

The 20 honorees will be recognized at an Oct. 17 event at the Oasis Convention Center.

Visit SBJ.net/MIW for more information on the event.