Women to Watch

by Staff | Feb 12, 2026

We take great pride each year being able to present some of the inspiring local ladies who are making their presence felt in the South Jersey business world. Driven, determined and dedicated are just some of the ways to describe these women who come from various professions but share a common goal: to lead by example and use the lessons they’ve learned along the way to help not only themselves, but also those around, reach their full potential.

Jenny Breunig, Vice President of Operations, Jefferson Washington Township Hospital

Breunig oversees a 286-bed acute care facility and leads regional service lines across New Jersey, including heart and vascular, neurosciences, cancer, women and children’s services, and emergency medicine. A strategic health care leader with more than 15 years of experience nationwide, Breunig has driven significant operational growth and innovation, including increased admissions and surgical volume, the introduction of New Jersey’s first portable MRI, and expansion of advanced cardiac and neonatal care services. Her leadership has also resulted in meaningful improvements in patient experience and operational efficiency.

Recognized as a rising leader in health care, Breunig was named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s “100 Healthcare Leaders Under 40” in 2025 and received the American College of Healthcare Executives Senior-Level Healthcare Executive Regent’s Award in 2024. Deeply committed to community engagement, she serves on the boards of Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey, National Association of Women Business Owners South Jersey, Emmanuel Cancer Foundation and the Greater Washington Township Chamber of Commerce. Breunig resides in Sicklerville with her husband, Jeff, and sons, Jasper and Julian.

Jennifer Dubrow Weiss, CEO, Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey (JFSNJ)

Since 2012, Dubrow Weiss has served as CEO at JFSNJS, after beginning her career serving the Jewish community as an intern at JFSNJ’s agency, Samost Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS). She and her team have launched numerous initiatives and services for the community, including Aleph Home Care, which provides concierge-style home care services to older adults in the community; Aleph Adult Day Center, a day program for older adults providing socialization in a safe and engaging environment; and Weinberg Commons, an affordable housing community with 160 apartment units for older adults and adults with developmental disabilities with onsite wraparound support services.

In 2021, Dubrow Weiss and the JFSNJ team established JFed Security, a community security initiative designed to ensure the safety of local Jewish communities, as well as the community at large. She also led the expansion of the Aleph Adult Day Center and the JFCS day habilitation program, TOPS, housed at the fully renovated Jonathan Sinay Building, which includes a Main Street-style multi-use space for older adult and special needs programming and services.

Rhonda Jordan, SHRM-SCP, Executive Vice President and CHRO, Virtua Health

Jordan shapes Virtua Health’s vision and strategy for empowering its 16,000 colleagues to advance the organization’s mission of helping people “Be Well, Get Well, and Stay Well.”

Jordan is responsible for developing and executing all aspects of talent management and acquisition, organizational culture, change and development, and compensation and benefits. Following Virtua’s 2019 acquisition of Lourdes Health System, she led the introduction of a renewed, system-wide culture and the launch of comprehensive inclusion, belonging and wellness initiatives.

Jordan has more than 30 years of human resources experience, including 24 years at Virtua. She has implemented a wide range of HR solutions in employee and labor relations, organizational effectiveness, performance management and leadership assessment.

She earned her undergraduate degree from Lamar University and received an M.S. in performance improvement and training from Capella University. Jordan is Six Sigma Green Belt trained and STAR® Coach certified. She is also a master coach and certified through the Success Unlimited Network. A steadfast advocate of women in leadership, Jordan is a board member of Junior Achievement of New Jersey and an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Theresa Amato, Licensed Vice President, Brokerage and Client Services, NAI Mertz

Amato is a key contributor to NAI Mertz’s transaction execution, client experience and internal operations. Having grown with the company from intern to licensed vice president, Amato’s career reflects her commitment to long-term growth, relationship building and delivering consistent results.

Driven by the collaborative, family-oriented culture at NAI Mertz, Amato has continuously expanded her role while working to strengthen the organization as a whole. She is widely regarded as a go-to problem solver, known for anticipating challenges, navigating complex transactions and keeping deals on track. Through strategic coordination with owners, tenants, attorneys and other key stakeholders, she keeps complex negotiations moving and delivers results that exceed client expectations.

Beyond transaction and client support, Theresa is a trusted resource to the brokerage support services team, offering guidance, training and operational leadership. She is widely respected for her accessibility, responsiveness, and ability to remain calm and decisive under pressure.

Theresa holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Real Estate from Monmouth University’s AACSB-accredited Leon Hess Business School and Kislak Real Estate Institute.

Laura M. Danks, Executive Director, Shareholder, Capehart & Scatchard, P.A.

Danks provides firm leadership while maintaining an active litigation practice, bringing over 32 years of general litigation experience to clients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania state and federal courts with a particular focus on commercial litigation and insurance defense matters.

She has represented clients and their insureds in a broad range of matters, including premises liability, construction accidents, DRAM shop claims, civil rights disputes, employment matters, consumer fraud and claims involving public entities. In addition, Danks has a long history of representing landlords in eviction proceedings and lease transactions, as well as handling collections and commercial litigation for lending institutions and credit issuers.

She is known for her practical, strategic approach to litigation and her ability to efficiently manage complex cases while keeping client goals at the forefront. As executive director, Danks oversees the firm’s daily operations and plays a key role in supporting the firm’s long-term strategic initiatives and fostering a work environment that ensures the firm continues to deliver high-quality legal services to its clients.

Veronica Diaz, Director of Consumer Markets and Sales Support, AmeriHealth

At AmeriHealth, Diaz oversees the ACA Consumer Market, sales strategy and product development across all segments—advancing a seamless experience for members, customers and brokers. Having been with the organization for nearly 15 years, she has demonstrated strategic vision and industry expertise, including helping position AmeriHealth on New Jersey’s Individual Marketplace at the onset of the Affordable Care Act.

Diaz is a current participant in the 2025–2026 AHIP Executive Leadership Program cohort, a selective, year-long experience designed to develop the next generation of health insurance leaders. She also completed the KPMG Executive Leadership Institute for Women, underscoring her commitment to continuous growth and excellence. A champion of inclusion, she is active in AmeriHealth REACH, helping plan programs that engage and support diverse associates.

Outside of work, Diaz volunteers locally, including support for organizations such as Moms Helping Moms, which provides essential items to families in need. As a mother, she connects deeply with efforts that strengthen families and communities. Across her career and community involvement, Diaz brings vision, integrity and service to everything she leads.

Allison Eckel, Deputy Director, Burlington County Board of Commissioners

Eckel is a mission-driven leader whose career reflects a deep commitment to collaborative problem-solving and community impact. As deputy director of the Burlington County Board of Commissioners, she is liaison to Public Safety, Resource Conservation—including Parks and Farmland Preservation—and the County Medical Examiner. She served as president of the Southern New Jersey County Commissioners Association in 2025 and was a member of the U.S. EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee in 2024.

Eckel brings extensive strategic communications experience to public service, serving as executive vice president of marketing and advertising for L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence), where she leads a team implementing data-driven marketing strategies to expand program adoption nationwide.

A Burlington County native and Medford resident, Eckel holds degrees from Franklin & Marshall College and Emerson College. She previously served on the Lenape Regional High School District Board of Education and has volunteered extensively with Scouting America, earning recognition as 2019 Women Scouter of the Year for bringing the first all-girl troop to the Garden State Council.

M. Elaine Dasti, PE, SVP, National Market Leader, of Buildings and Facilities, T&M Associates

In her multi-faceted role at T&M, Dasti serves oversees the construction management, MEP and structural teams. She is a licensed professional engineer in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, North Dakota and Kentucky. She brings more than 17 years of experience in the design and construction of buildings and has led a variety of projects including K-12 and higher education schools, government, assisted living, office, retail, restaurants, hotels and casinos, residential, manufacturing, sports and recreation, and wastewater treatment plants. Dasti is well-versed in construction document preparation, construction administration, facility condition assessments, LEED certifications, indoor air quality assessments and building information modeling (BIM).

Dasti’s technical area of expertise spans mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems for buildings. Over the past decade, she has expanded the buildings and facilities market at T&M by securing and delivering more than 250 new projects in the past 10 years by cross-selling, cultivating new client relationships, strengthening quality control practices and improving quality control.

Rachel Coleman, MS, ABA, Vice President, Oaks Integrated Care

Coleman was recently appointed as vice president, overseeing many of Oaks Integrated Care’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) services. The private, nonprofit organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children, adults and families living with a mental illness, addiction of developmental disability. It offers more than 230 health and social service programs throughout New Jersey, designed to meet the needs of communities with compassion.

Coleman brings more than two decades of experience within the organization, having begun her career at Oaks as a part-time direct service professional in a group home and advancing through progressively senior leadership roles.

Coleman oversees a comprehensive continuum of residential, day programs and bin-home community supports for children and adults, provides strategic and fiscal leadership across multi-million-dollar budgets, and champions high-quality, person-centered supports. She holds a master’s degree in applied behavior analysis from Drexel University and is deeply committed to staff development, quality improvement and effective behavioral interventions.

Stephanie Casano, Director of Business Growth & Innovation, NJMEP

Casano is a trusted connector within New Jersey’s manufacturing ecosystem, known for leveraging extensive legislative and state-level relationships to advance initiatives that deliver measurable impact.

Currently, Casano leads strategic initiatives that expand NJMEP’s reach, align manufacturers with the right resources and foster collaborations that support operational excellence, workforce development and compliance readiness. Her ability to navigate government, education and industry networks enables NJMEP to secure funding, influence policy alignment and translate programs into real-world results for manufacturers statewide.

Prior to NJMEP, Casano was an accomplished banking professional. She led high-performing banking teams in an omnichannel environment for JPMorgan Chase Bank and PNC Bank. Her strengths were in exceeding sales, service and audit goals while driving P&L growth through stellar networking and client relations. That experience continues to inform her relationship- driven approach at NJMEP while blending strategic insight with a deep understanding of business needs.

Passionate about advancing New Jersey manufacturing, Stephanie is widely recognized for her ability to connect people, ideas and opportunities in ways that move the industry forward.

Amy R. Guerin, Counsel, Labor & Employment and School Law, Parker McCay PA

As counsel in Parker McCay’s labor and employment department, Guerin helps both public and private sector clients confidently navigate the evolving and complex world of labor and employment law. Her practice covers topics as diverse as labor contracts, wage and hour matters, workplace grievances, discrimination and harassment investigations, leaves of absence, FMLA administration and abuse, ADA accommodations, employee discipline and a myriad of related issues. While her focus is on guiding clients through complex matters to avoid litigation whenever possible, she also brings comprehensive courtroom experience, representing clients at all stages to achieve the best possible outcomes.

One of Guerin’s greatest passions is supporting the nonprofit sector, drawing on her nearly 20-years of law practice to provide legal services to charitable organizations of all sizes. She offers cost-effective, mission-driven and budget conscious counsel. Complementing her career in labor and employment is Guerin’s experience with public schools and municipalities. She currently serves as solicitor or special counsel to several boards of education and labor counsel to a number of municipalities, including civil service jurisdictions.

Meredith Lorrilliere, Executive Vice President and COO, Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ)

For the last 25 years, Lorrilliere has been a dedicated staff member of CCSNJ and brings a breadth of experience in chamber management to her role, including leadership roles in communications, special events, budgeting and operations.

Additionally, she serves as president of the SJ Chamber Foundation, the CCSNJ’s charitable 501c3 organization, which seeks to enhance workforce development and economic opportunities to improve the vitality of the region.

Additionally, Lorrilliere served on the board of trustees for the South Jersey Young Professionals Association and held the position of secretary. She was honored as one of South Jersey Biz’s 20 Under 40 in 2012 and South Jersey Magazine’s Super Women in 2024.

Genelle Franklin, Esq., Partner, Moustakas Nelson LLC

Franklin is a seasoned employment litigator recognized for her ability to guide both public and private employers through some of their most complex workplace disputes. With nearly 20 years of experience, she has handled a wide range of matters involving discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour claims, workplace accommodations, disciplinary actions and employment-related contractual disputes.

In addition to her employment work, Ms. Franklin maintains a strong civil rights and general liability practice. Earlier in her career, she served as an Assistant City Solicitor in the City of Philadelphia Law Department’s Civil Rights Unit, where she gained significant experience litigating Section 1983 and municipal-liability claims.

Kathleen Cashman-Walter, President, Cashman Consulting LLC

Cashman-Walter provides individual, executive and team leadership coaching to senior leaders, coaches and their organizations and teams. Empowering leaders and those they lead to find answers, coaching them through challenges and inspiring them to be confident, accountable and courageous.

In the more than 30 years that she’s been with Cashman Consulting, she interacts with organizations across industry spectrums and all levels, beginning at the top. Cashman-Walter has served her clients as executive coach, leadership coach, leadership development presenter, developer and project manager as well as taken on interim senior positions while supporting the recruiting function.

Devon Perry, Executive Director, The Garden State Wine Growers Association

Perry is a seasoned marketing and communications executive with more than two decades of experience guiding organizations through growth, transformation and high-visibility engagement. She currently serves as executive director of the Garden State Wine Growers Association (GSWGS), representing more than 50 New Jersey wineries and vineyards and advancing the state’s wine industry through advocacy, strategic marketing, and stakeholder collaboration.

In addition to her role with GSWGA, Perry is managing partner of Dream Then Go, where she advises executive teams across the tourism and hospitality sectors. Her work spans association management, brand relaunches, national and international product launches, crisis communications, and strategic partnerships.

Denise Monahan, President, Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey Region for Wilmington Trust

Monahan leads Wilmington Trust’s Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey regions, overseeing administrative and business development functions across personal trust and estate services, wealth planning, investment management, and private banking. She directs the delivery of comprehensive wealth management services for families, individuals and nonprofit organizations, working to develop strategies that address current needs and long-term goals.

A banking leader with more than 30 years of experience, Monahan has completed leadership programs at PNC, M&T and Cornell University. She serves on the executive board of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey and is a board member of Mission Kids, Inc. and Catholic Partnership Schools.

Michelle Nocito, Principal Partner, CapWealth

Nocito is dedicated to providing clients with premier wealth management solutions. With a strong commitment to empowering women in their financial journeys, she emphasizes the importance of deep, meaningful conversations to address the unique challenges her clients face.

Bringing over 20 years of experience in the financial services sector, Nocito previously owned her own financial planning firm. Her extensive background includes pivotal roles as vice president at PNC Financial Services and managing director at Ameriprise Financial Services.

Nocito is also passionate about financial education and has taught as an adjunct professor at both Camden County College and Rowan College at Burlington County.

Renee Fiorelli, President and Owner, Peterson Service Company, Inc.

Fiorelli is a respected leader in the mechanical contracting industry, recognized for her technical expertise, commitment to workforce development, and long-standing service to industry advancement. She is the past president of the Mechanical Contractors Association of New Jersey, where she provided strategic leadership on labor relations, industry standards and contractor advocacy. She also serves on the Schedule A Oversight Committee, contributing to the governance and integrity of collective bargaining agreements.

Under Fiorelli’s leadership, Peterson Service Company is known for its highly trained union workforce, data-driven service delivery, and long-term client partnerships built on accountability and performance.

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Author: Staff

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