CX 100 2023 US

100 Leaders transforming customer experience

2023 has already seen both tremendous innovation coupled with challenging circumstances.

We’ve seen immense technological advances in AI find their way into the enterprise. We’ve also seen more economic uncertainty and hiring and resource challenges, both compounded by the ever-rising customer expectations for experience.

In all times of transition, there are leaders that rise up high enough above the “now” to see opportunity. PolyAI is recognizing those leaders and the unique ways in which they approached this liminal time. What’s particularly impressive to us is that the leaders driving change in customer experience are often the most under-appreciated.

These individuals lead teams that interface between brand and customer, hold the voice (often literally, through the call center) of the brand, and lead the way for customer value and loyalty.

Our first annual "100 Leaders transforming CX" list lists those that are:


Visionary

In how they see the future of customer experience.

Empowering

Because they understand the impact of their decisions on their wider organizations and teams.

Clever

In their application of cutting-edge technology and process to improve the experience for their customer.


100 transforming CX in 2023


We’ve assembled a superstar list from several industries and angles of supporting their customers and each person earned their spot by being bold and innovative in a time that requires both.

Sally Aguilar-Robertson
H-E-B
Director Contact Center

Steven Alexander
Stanford Health Care
Executive Director, Enterprise Contact Center Operations

Tony Alwora
Hyatt
Vice President GCC Strategy, Technology and Innovation

Paul Anderson
Globe Life
Divisional Vice President Customer Care

Stephen Arnold
Hilton
Vice President, Hilton Reservations & Customer Care

Scott Berger
Vanguard
Head of Contact Center Technology – Personal Investor

Michelle Buckley
Southwest Airlines
Managing Director, Customer Engagement

Mary Ann Burns
Boyd
VP of Hotel Operations

Mitchell Carroll
Lowe’s
Senior Director, Call Center Workforce Management

Talia Castellanos
American Airlines
Managing Director, Customer Service Recovery and Contact Centers Planning and Operations

Sudarshan Chandan
JPMorgan Chase
Chief Architect – Contact Center Technology

Doug Charles
Mr. Cooper
SVP Customer Solutions

RJ Cilley
SAKS
COO

Jason Coats
Choice Hotels
Senior Director, Customer Care Strategy

Hal Coley
Truist
Senior Vice President, Group Head – Contact Center Technology

Susanne Colle
Mohegan Sun
Director of Loyalty Marketing

Chris Cory
Universal Parks & Resorts
Director, Guest Services

Richard Cox
Delta Air Lines
SVP Reservation Sales and Customer Care

Adam Davids
Consumer Cellular
Vice President of Contact Center Operations

Dean Del Vecchio
Guardian Life
Chief Information and Operations Officer

Joe DeLuca
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Sr Director Voice Contact Center & Collaboration

Mary Ann Dennis
Caesar’s Entertainment
Senior Vice President Teleservices

Valerie Egen
WM
VP Customer Experience

Jerry Ellis
Western Dental & Orthodontics
Vice President of Call Center Operations

Kacey Felila Tolua
Marriott
Senior Director, CEC Technology – Channels and Self-Service, Product Services

John Foulk
Royal Caribbean
Vice President Global Contact Centers

Nancy Fratzke
USCellular
Vice President Customer Support

Dennis Gammon
American Family Insurance
Director, Business Automation & Transformation

Neil Gibson
FedEx
Senior Vice President, Customer Experience

Chris Goostree
TMX Finance Family of Companies
Director of Contact Center Operations

Jeff Grant
Southwest Airlines
Senior Product Owner

Shelly Griessel
JetBlue
Managing Director Customer Support

Michael Hansen
Carter’s
Director, Call Center Operations

Chuck Harris
Mohegan Sun
Director Of Information Technology


Daniel Headrick
Moxie Pest Control
COO

John Henson
Conn’s HomePlus
Vice President Customer Service

Greg Hewitt
DHL Express
CEO, US

Will Holloway
Western Union
Group Leader, Self Service & Omni-Channel Strategy

Megan Ingraham
Navy Federal Credit Union
Senior Vice President, Contact Center Operations Strategy & Technology

Brian Jeppesen
Landry’s
Director, Contact Center Operations

Jen Johnson
Frontier Communications
SVP Call Center Transformation

Evan Johnson
U-Haul
Vice President, Contact Center

Michael Jones
Home Depot
Senior Director – Customer Care

Darrius Jones
USAA
Senior Vice President Digital Design & Innovation

Randy Kahlich
New York Life
Head of Workforce Management

Pavan Kapur
Caesars Entertainment
Chief Commercial Officer

Nadir Kiem
Seminole Hard Rock
Vice President Customer Care & Revenue Optimization

Sarah Kier
Emory Healthcare
Vice President, Enterprise Access, Emory Healthcare

Mark Killick
Shipt
Senior Vice President, Experiential Operations

Doug Klees
Moneygram
Head of Global Customer Care

Dean Kontul
KeyBank
EVP – Chief Information Officer Voice & Chat Automation/Contact Center Delivery

Jason Krammer
Fifth Third Bank
Senior Vice President and Director of Intelligent Automation

Kevin Lau
T-Mobile
Vice President, Digital, AI, and Self-Service Solutions

Willie Law
TTEC
Executive Director, Experience Design & Digital Consulting

Laurence Levin
Sleep Number
Vice President Customer Experience

Rob Lux
Cenlar FSB
EVP and Chief Operating Officer

Gail Mahan
Alaska Air Lines
Director, Call Center Planning & Technology

Gina Maiden
FedEx
Managing Director

Jason Mariasis
Credit One
VP, Digital Products & CX

Jennifer Mazur
Eli Lilly & Company
AVP, Head of Lilly Patient Services

John McCahan
FTD
Vice President Customer Care

Brian McGuinness
IHG Hotels & Resorts
SVP – Global Guest Experience, Shared Services

Carsten Miller
Fidelity
Vice President, Contact Center Solutions

Brian Murray
Baylor Scott & White
Vice President, Enterprise Contact Center

Ricardo Parodi
Marriott
Vice President, Customer Engagement Centers, Planning, Service Design & Deployment

Mike Parra
DHL Express
CEO, Americas

Jessica Paske-Driscoll
SafetyCall
Director, Operations

Douglas Pennington
Regions Bank
Executive Vice President, Head of Contact Center

Becky Ploeger
Hilton
Global Head of Reservations and Customer Care

Chris Purpura
Neiman Marcus
VP of Customer Service

Bo Ramsey
Frontier Airlines
Director of Customer Care

Paul Reh
Enterprise Holdings
VP Customer Experience, Global Operations

Brian Renfro
Westlake Financial
SVP Servicing

Mohit Saigal
Foot Locker
Global Director of Digital & Connectivity

Ben Salter
SafeRide
Co-Founder/Chief Product Officer

Jalal Shawwa
Ascension
Vice President, Consumer and Patient Experience, Ascension Contact Center Operations

Dennis Shirokov
FedEx
Vice President, Customer Experience Global Systems, Digital and Insights

Doug Shulman
OneMain Financial
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Valiere Simpson
Charles Schwab
Managing Director, Client Service and Support

Chris Smith
Ally
Sr. Director – Head of Customer Care & Communication Technology

Vincent Smith, Jr.
Home Depot
Director, Customer Care Operations

Steve Sorenson
Allstate
Executive Vice President Corporate Business Transformation

Bryan Stoller
United Airlines
Vice President, Global Head of Customer Care & Contact Centers

Dale Sturgill
Memorial Hermann Health System
Vice-President of Contact Center Strategy


Brian Syamken
USAA
VP – Contact Center Technologies

Sara Taheri
Prudential Financial
Vice President- Chief Product Owner, Contact Center & Robotics

Dorothy Thacher
UPS
GBS Customer Care Senior Director

Yeen Tham
Morgan Stanley
Executive Director, Head of Contact Center Technology

Erinn Thurston
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Global Director, Vendor Contact Center Partnerships

Stephenie Tiedens
Principal Financial
Head of Engagement Center Shared Services

Sandy Torrey
Costco
Sr. Vice President, Membership, Marketing, Services, Credit Card, Member Service Centers, Packaging Creative and Publishing

Dirk Van Peteghem
UPS
Vice President, Global Customer Experience

Sudhakar Veleru
MGM
Chief Technology Officer

Christopher Wantlin
Ashley Furniture
Executive Vice President Retail – Chief Digital Officer

Anthony Weinberg
Bright Health
AVP of Contact Center


Jessica White
Hyatt
SVP Global Property & Guest Services

Henry Work
The Walt Disney Company
Vice President, Technology & Digital

Donald Young
ADT
EVP and Chief Operating Officer


Marlene Zandell
Viasat
Sr. Manager Customer Operations & Technology

Chris Zenner
PG&E
Vice President, Residential Services and Digital Channels

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