The 2024 Leading Women in Pet

Rooted in and driven by care and compassion for animal companions, the pet industry has benefited greatly from the insights, experiences and perspectives of its female leaders, especially with consumer data showing that women tend to make the lion’s share of household purchasing decisions. While many of these women profess that a lifelong love for pets is what first drew them to the industry, their storied career paths that brought them to where they are today illustrate there is no one way to achieve a professional goal. Some started by earning a postgraduate degree, others gained valuable experience through trial-by-fire, on-the-job training, and still others changed career fields completely. Through their inspired journeys, these leaders continue to demonstrate why women should have a place at the table. Further, if one doesn’t exist, she’ll make her own.

Meghan Verrell, VP & Executive Assistant to the President for Hollywood Feed, came from the medical field. “I’ve always enjoyed solving problems and helping people,” she said. “I was working in the hospital as a cardiac intensive care nurse when I was invited to the home of Jean and Shawn McGhee of Hollywood Feed for Christmas. After meeting the team and learning their passion for pets, I knew that Hollywood Feed was the place for me! I have worked for Hollywood Feed for more than 7-and-a-half years during which I have served many roles including Store Manager, Jean’s Assistant, Category Manager and Director of Merchandising.”

Reflecting on what she enjoys about the pet industry, Verrell said, “I love the people and all the pets that I have met throughout the years. I love helping people. That is one of the reasons I am a nurse. Providing solutions and solving problems are among my favorite things. Connecting with people through their pet is so rewarding and easy because we love them so much.”

Verrell’s Hollywood Feed colleague Evanthia Martin, who is SVP of Technology and Strategy, has an equally colorful background. “My career prior to Hollywood Feed was focused on creating experiences for people,” she said. “I started in live music building concerts and festivals. Then, I moved to creating parades and shows at Walt Disney World; then I was picked up by American Girl where I opened more stores than I can count so we could delight little girls every day. It truly feeds my soul to create a certain warmth and experience people will not forget. So, why Hollywood Feed? My sister-in-law told me about a pet supply retailer that deeply valued employee education because it drove the customer experience. She told me they were heading into growth mode and recommended I meet Jean McGhee. Shortly after that conversation, we moved to Memphis, and I have been focused on the mission of ‘doing what’s right by the customer’ ever since.”

Kelly O’Brien, the Director of Veterinary Relations at Chewy Health, was on the path toward diplomacy between taking a hard turn toward animal health. “I grew up in a small town in Oregon with aspirations to be a diplomat,” she said. “I headed to Washington, D.C. for college, graduating with a degree in foreign service. Then, I began my career at a public affairs and public relations firm, where I spent six years honing my skills in coalition building, lobbying, strategy and PR for multiple clients. This experience led me to association work where I assumed several different roles at statewide business groups, until a job posting for an industry relations position at Banfield Pet Hospital piqued my interest. The rest, as they say, is history—that opportunity marked the beginning of my career in animal health, and I had a decade-long tenure leading veterinary relations and public affairs at Banfield and later Mars Veterinary Health. About two years ago, I joined Chewy Health to help create a best-in-class veterinary relations program, and I haven’t looked back since!”

Pet Food Expert’s National Sales Director Sarah Daniels, shared that her career path was rooted in a love for pets. “My journey started with a deep love for animals, leading me to study veterinary technology,” she said. “But after college, I took a surprising turn into the software industry. As I climbed the ladder in sales, I saw a chance to blend my love for animals with my knack for sales. That’s when I stumbled upon a distributor sales position in the pet industry. I quickly forged a strong connection with the hiring manager, and in 2005, I officially stepped into this world that I’ve come to adore. Next year, I’ll proudly celebrate two decades in the pet industry.”

Samantha Greenwood is currently Chief Marketing Officer at UK-based MPM Products. With a background in sales and marketing in the CPG industry, she only came to pet a few years ago. “I was approached to join MPM, the company who makes Applaws and Reveal natural cat food, as they were looking for someone to lead their marketing organization based out of their head office in the UK, but who had global and specifically US experience since that was one of the geographic areas in which they were experiencing significant growth,” she explained.

Now responsible for growing MPM Products’ portfolio of brands around the world, Greenwood said she’s embracing the task. “I have always found it a privilege to work on brands that at the end of day are a part of someone’s life,” she said. “The kinds of brands that people bring into their homes and share with their friends and families, I have been especially fortunate to work in categories, like coffee and candy, that bring a little piece of everyday joy to consumers. Working in the pet industry is experiencing that feeling at an even higher level because people love their pets so much, and with the brands that we have at MPM, Reveal and Applaws, I know they are giving their beloved pets the best food available which enriches that pet/owner relationship even further.”

Adrienne Kardosh, General Manager and Vice President, Pet Health & Wellness, Central Garden & Pet, shares a similar beginning working in sales before moving onto brand management. “My favorite jobs were ones in which I could work on great brands with great people to make consumers’ lives a little more well-rounded, be it with a better performing product, a meaningful gift or a yummy treat,” she said. “When said that way, how could I not end up in the pet industry? It’s one of the most diverse sets of brands sold through one of the most diverse sets of retailers I’ve seen. Though I’m a relative newcomer, I’ve also enjoyed seeing how many people have chosen to stay in the pet industry. It speaks volumes of the business dynamics and competitive set that exists here.”

For Nicole Logan, SVP, General Merchandise Manager for Tractor Supply, her path through retail was a given. “I’ve been in retail my entire life, starting as a part time team member at a shoe store,” she said. “At that point, retail was already in my blood. It makes me tick. The pace, the energy, the satisfaction of serving the customer face-to-face. I love everything about it. I joined Tractor Supply nearly 16 years ago. Throughout the course of my career here, I have held a variety of roles across the merchandising organization. Ten years ago, I was serving as the hardware buyer when I was tapped to take on a new and exciting project. Tractor Supply was opening a new pet specialty concept, and I had the opportunity to lead it. Operations, merchandising, real estate, design, naming — you name it, I was involved in all of it. It was by far the most fulfilling experience in my entire career so far. Post Tractor Supply’s acquisition of Petsense, I was promoted to Vice President and Divisional Merchandise Manager of Clothing, then moved to oversee Pet, then Large Animal and now I have the opportunity to lead merchandising for all three of those business units. What an amazing ride it has been so far.”

ZIWI Senior Marketing Manager Jessica Krueger studied marketing, international business and German at the University of Hawaii. “I began interning with a large automotive and powersports dealership group who in turn hired me full time upon graduating,” she said. “It was there that I got hands-on experience in everything from websites, business development, social media, media buying, branding, PR and digital advertising from some truly inspiring mentors. This is also where I adopted my best friends (Leo, a 9-year-old aussie/border collie mix and Jax, an 8-year-old golden retriever) who have since moved with me to Japan, Chicago and now my final home of Kansas City. When I got to Kansas City, I had realized how badly I missed the camaraderie of being in an office in post-Covid times, where I stumbled upon a Marketing Manager position at ZIWI. The thought of combining my love for pets with my passion for growing brands enthralled me, and it is a jump that I am forever grateful that I made. No industry has as much fun as the pet industry! ZIWI hired me while I was finishing up my MBA at the University of Iowa in the evenings, and it has been such a joy to get to apply the learnings from that program to such a wonderful company.”

As Chief Merchandising Officer for Pet Food Express, Andrea Petrone is thriving in her element. “My career path has included design, merchandising and merchandise/inventory planning, with experience in both apparel and home furnishings for both large and small companies,” she said. “These experiences equipped me with a deep understanding of retail, leading me naturally to the pet industry. The blend of my background and expertise in merchandising and planning made the pet industry an appealing and fulfilling new challenge.”

Sophie Provencher, CEO of the Legault Group in Canada which holds multiple banners including Mondou in Quebec and Ren’s Pets in Ontario and Eastern Canada, along with a strategic partnership with Homes Alive Pets in Western Canada, is also a seasoned executive. “Prior to joining the Legault Group as a CEO, I was most recently a part of the International Executive Leadership Team at Alimentation Couche-Tard (ACT),” she said. “I graduated from the Executive MBA McGill HEC. My expertise lies in customer experience including omnichannel sales, marketing and loyalty, as well as in operations management, supply chain management, centralized negotiations, exclusive brands and human resources. I have more than 25 years of experience in the retail landscape including 15 years with multinational consumer goods (CPG) companies such as Kraft Foods, PepsiCo, and L’Oréal plus more than 10 years within major retail companies including Valéro and Couche-Tard. I’m so pleased to now be part of the Legault Group, and I am aiming to make an impact in the pet industry with our team.”

Abby Heubsch is Chief Growth Officer for NutriSource and also came to pet with a background in working for large CPG companies. “I held a variety of roles in sales/account management, category management, trade/business planning, e-commerce and digital marketing,” she said. “All of those roles and experiences helped shape me into the leader I am today. When the opportunity to join NutriSource arose, I jumped at it. I’ve been around pets my whole life and I knew this industry was where I should be. Joining NutriSource has felt like coming home; literally and figuratively—I grew up about a mile away from the Tuffy’s manufacturing plant in Perham, MN. Each day I get to work with a remarkable team of people who are passionate about pets and producing the highest quality products for them.”

Charli LeGette, Public Relations and Influencer Marketing Specialist for Propel Communications, also had her start in consumer goods. “I have spent my entire career in marketing and communications for consumer products in a variety of capacities and roles,” she said. “Ten years ago, I was asked to join Erin Terjesen’s dynamic team at Propel Communications and jumped head-first into the pet industry working with the impressive list of Propel’s clients and partners. The last 10 years at Propel have been truly transformative, working with some of the industry’s most empowering and inspiring individuals and helping brands create awareness, increase engagement and drive revenue. The passion and dedication among the pet-passionate people in this industry is contagious, and I feel fortunate to be able to do what I love every day, surrounded by such inspiring individuals.”

Carrie Van Wert, meanwhile, came to the pet industry as a second career of sorts. Having started working in sales in the 80s for the Eastman Kodak Company, she built a network of potential partners and mentors for herself such that she also started her own Pressworks brand, which she operated for 15 years before selling it in 2010. Being semi-retired and raising three boys, she began volunteering at the local humane society and came around to the reality that many cats were being surrendered for litter box issues, so she founded Kitty Sift in 2018, which manufactures disposable sifting litter boxes to make cleanup easier. As a solutions-oriented entrepreneur, Van Wert wasn’t done as this year she also founded North Start Pet, dedicated to launching innovative brands to bring enrichment to the pet space. “I love innovating and trying to provide domestic pets with a better life, new products that address enrichment in their lives,” she said.

Currently in the works is the brand Giddy Kitty. “It’s a first-of-its-kind toy that brings the ability to have a cat have the thrill of the hunt with a treat reward,” she said. “The cat space in particular has been underrepresented. It really needs some innovation to allow enrichment in the space. There’s a big opportunity that we will fill. The cat space has been lacking innovation.”

Pamela Bosco, Founder and President of Pet King Brands, seized her opportunity when her brother Michael Pellico, the scientist behind the company’s LP3 Enzyme System, first introduced the solution to her for her German Shepherd, Elizabeth, who was suffering from chronic ear infections. “I knew I had to share this antibiotic-free solution to help countless pets find relief too,” she said. “My love and care for the pet industry goes all the way back to my upbringing. I was the 10th of 11 children in a loving, tight-knit family with a backyard full of cats, dogs, rabbits and chickens. This, combined with my love and concern for Elizabeth, turned ZYMOX and Pet King Brands into what it is today.”

It’s not uncommon that a beloved pet serves as the impetus for a new venture. For Johnna Devereaux, Owner of Fetch RI and Chief Nutrition Officer for Bow Wow Labs, it was her dog Diego. “My love for my rescue pup, Diego, and his early-life ailments drove me to learn everything I could to help support his body and allow him a vibrant, well-lived life,” she said. “He is the reason I opened my retail store, as at the time, I couldn’t find any ‘clean’ products that are so common these days. Diego is why I became a Clinical Pet Nutritionist and share the knowledge I have to make other pets as healthy as possible.”

Sevy Maurer, Senior Director of Vendor Sales and Marketing for Animal Supply Company (ASC) launched her professional career in fashion. She attended the Fashion Institute in New York City and later honed her retail industry experience with the Cato Corporation, a women’s and girl’s clothing store based in Charlotte, NC. The experience led to her being recruited by the Limited brands as an assistant buyer for its sub brand, Justice.

As she excelled in professional life, Maurer began shopping at her local PetPeople store weekly to find solutions for her two American bulldogs, Hank and Wylie, who suffered from several allergies. Maurer’s regular patronage, along with her retail background, led to her accepting the first buyer role that PetPeople founders Mike and Trish Elkind offered her. Maurer stayed with PetPeople until it was acquired by Hollywood Feed in 2022. “It was an amazing time in my career, and I was proud to have worked alongside some of the most dedicated and caring people I have ever met,” she said. “In eight years, we grew from 24 stores in three states to 78 stores in 11 states. I am so grateful for my time with PetPeople and the relationships we made with our community and our vendors.”

Strengthening those relationships is now part of her role with ASC. “ASC has always prided itself on identifying how to be better than the day before,” she said. “ASC always puts the customer first and is not afraid to think outside the box. We have come a long way in the last year as we have really focused on how we provide tools to sell our products on shelf and connect ASC sales teams with our vendor’s sales team to achieve turns on shelf. On the marketing side, we are focusing on best practices, streamlined processes and clever initiatives that support our customers and vendors across multiple platforms and varying outreach vehicles. We know the key to success as a national distributor of pet products starts with delivering on our mission of sharing our passion for animals through trusted partnerships that connect the brands and customers we serve to those who love pets.”

Erika Spath, VP of Nutrition for EarthWise Pet, came to the pet industry after studying and working in human nutrition for several years as a dietitian in an eating disorder recovery facility. Though she had at one point envisioned this field as her career, Spath said it was high stress and not rewarding, given the emotional aspects of diet management for humans. Upon answering an online ad for a pet nutritionist, Spath met Chairman Mike Seitz and the rest was history. “I combined my passion for nutrition and pets as I stepped into a pet nutritionist role at EarthWise Pet,” she said. “I spent hundreds of hours—thousands at this point—studying the minor nuances that separate human and animal nutrition, reading every book I can get my hands on, participating in numerous training and certification programs.”

Spath said the initial job description was vague, and through the years she was able to put her expertise to the role with aplomb. “I have spent the last several years training our stores on all aspects of pet nutrition,” she said. “After utilizing my own training methods and using some third party online programs I decided it was best to create a platform that gave our stores a one-stop-shop for all of their pet nutrition education needs. So, I created a comprehensive online pet nutrition training program that allows our stores to access training from anywhere, at any time. This virtual training allows me to edit content as new research emerges, update hot topics in the pet industry and give current and necessary training on the products our stores are carrying. More recently, I have been knee deep in our private label efforts formulating canine diets. That whole side of the pet industry is so interesting to me. It has made my professional experience come full circle because I had always trained on pet nutrition and brands and their product lines, but I hadn’t yet literally been in on the manufacturing and formulating side of things; and now that I have, it’s really connected everything and heightened my level of knowledge and appreciation for all aspects of this industry.”

Rachel Vosko, Owner of Las Vegas-based Bogart’s Bone-Appetit, was also inspired to help other pet parents in her own way. “In 2000, my late husband Harold and I along with three others founded a local non-profit in Las Vegas called Heaven Can Wait Animal Society. During this time, I had a Boxer named Cagney that was allergic to everything. It was not until I started buying him Solid Gold out of a garage that I realized that more people would benefit from healthier products for their pets. So, after the opening of Heaven Can Wait, I knew that I wanted to do more with the animal community in Las Vegas, so I opened Bogart’s Bone-Appetit. I love being able to help customers with their pets. Whether it may be picking out the perfect food, finding the right toy or even the perfect fitting collar and leash, I find what I do rewarding, and I leave daily fulfilled knowing that I was able to help people with their fur babies. However, my biggest passion is dog training!”

Emily Benson, Marketing Director for Starmark Pet Products, has honed her passion for pets throughout her career with Starmark.

“I started out working in veterinary clinics and came to Starmark in 2000 while taking a break from college,” she said. “We were a relatively small operation back then, offering boarding and training services, hosting dog shows and running a newly opened school for professional dog trainers. Occasionally, I would assist on writing and editing projects, but my day-to-day responsibility was managing our 200-run kennel. While I liked the company and really enjoyed being around the dogs, it wasn’t what I saw myself doing long-term, and so I began preparing to go back to school to finish my degree in English and anthropology.”

Upon hearing the news, the company owner divulged plans of expansion into product manufacturing and asked if I would consider staying on as a project manager. The opportunity sounded interesting, and so I stayed and have been part of our growth ever since.”

Benson explained, “Pets have always been an important part of my life, and I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to improvements in their lives on a large scale. The working environment is also more enjoyable when dogs are around and when you can bring your own dog to work every day. Plus, it’s just fun working with dog people who are enthusiastic and geek out over a new trick that they have taught their dogs.”

Like Benson, Melissa Gulbransen, Chief Operating Officer for Oxyfresh Worldwide, got in with the company from the ground up. “I was extremely lucky as early in my career I started with Oxyfresh and they had just started to expand into the pet space,” she recalled. “Oxyfresh was innovating early and working directly with veterinarians at the time. I was able to be a part of it from a start-up line to what it is today.”

And it’s no accident she hasn’t left. “Is there ever truly a bad day when you work with pets? I love that this industry is a tight community of people who strive to give pets a better life. For me, we didn’t have children and I love being a bad a** dog mom. I’m passionate about creating a connection to pet parents and educating them on what they can do to help give their pet a longer, happier life.”

For Megan Mouser, VP of People and Culture at Independent Pet Partners (IPP), the love of pets started as a child when she wanted to be a veterinarian. Realizing early on that the clinical setting wasn’t for her, Mouser worked as a bather when she was a teenager and became aware of grooming as a career, so she went to grooming school. She is a master groomer concurrently with her position at IPP. From there, Mouser had leadership aspirations and furthered her education by going back to school to study management. “I wanted to learn how to do this the right way,” she said. “Over time, it led me to a corporate position in pet retail. I’ve done various things in corporate; marketing, operations, HR. It helped shape the direction in my career. It helped having in-store experience, in specialized areas like pet grooming. It put me in a unique position throughout. I got an MBA in marketing. I tried marketing for a minute. I loved working with people, and that brought me back to the people side of it.”

Mouser said she most enjoys the pace and challenge of retail. “There’s something unique and different in the best possible way when it comes to working with pet lovers,” she said. “Pet people in general are a special breed. It’s easy to find joy and energy in my job because of the people in the industry. I grew up in it. I can see myself in various parts and pieces of the people I support.”

Amy Cairy, VP of Marketing for W.F. Young, had similar veterinary aspirations as a child. “After a high-school summer internship with my local vet, I quickly learned that I preferred the fluffy exterior of animals rather than their insides,” she said. “I also loved stories—hearing them and telling them. As I explored careers, marketing really captured my interest. I always thought that if I could get a job that combined both my love of animals and my passion for marketing that it would be a dream come true. After some fascinating jobs working for national nonprofits, multi-billion-dollar financial institutions and even a think tank, a Google alert I had set—and forgotten—for animal health marketing jobs popped up. I interviewed for the position, got the job and have been hooked on this industry ever since. Every day I get to work at my dream job!”

Emily Mugford, CEO of the Company of Animals, also wanted to become a veterinary surgeon as a child, and she became one. Pets ran in the family blood as the business was founded by her father, Dr. Roger Mugford. “Throughout my childhood it was much a family business with ‘all hands on deck’ at times,” she said. “I saw the hard work and passion thrown into the business firsthand, and the dedication, and at times sacrifices required to carve out a niche in the pet industry, and really bring a new era for dog training and behavior to the wider public. This provided me with a fantastic base to enter the pet industry and instilled an excellent work ethic in me.”

Though Mugford only took on the CEO role this year, she “spent a happy and professionally satisfying 19 years working as a small animal veterinary surgeon in the UK,” she said. “Throughout my career, I have strived to constantly improve and develop my clinical skills and knowledge, achieving post graduate certificates in Small Animal Medicine in 2012, and Emergency and Critical Care in 2023. In recent years, focusing on the field of emergency and critical care enabled me to combine my veterinary career with a young family. The opportunity to take over the leadership of the Company of Animals came about at the beginning of 2024, and I felt the time was right for me to take a step up. I believe the experience I have gleaned from the leadership and management roles in my veterinary career, along with the veterinary expertise I possess and the awareness of the wider pet industry means I have an excellent base to lead the Company of Animals into the next chapter, and maintain the Company of Animal’s reputation as being the market leader in training and behavior solutions within the pet industry.”

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