Jill Scalamandre, CEO, Beekman 1802 and Chairwoman, Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW), welcomed attendees to the 2023 Women’s Leadership Awards, presented by CEW, in partnership with Dotdash Meredith, on April 25, 2023.

Scalamandre highlighted the rigors of excellence demonstrated by the honorees, saying, “We showcase what it takes to excel and what can be achieved.” Adding, “Women are often not the best judges of their own merit,” she emphasized that this year’s exceptional and diverse leadership represented the future of the beauty business.

Here’s a play-by-play of the event—and details about the photos above. 

Pictured in the slider above in the slider photo #1, Jill Scalamandre, CEO, Beekman 1802 and Chairwoman, CEW stands with Nancy Mahon, The Estée Lauder Companies, Catalyst for Change honoree. Standing at the podium on the right is Sharon Chuter, UOMA Beauty, presenting the Keynote.

In the slider photo #2, the Female Founder Panel is shown, left to right: Brook Harvey-Taylor, Pacifica Beauty; Anisa Telwar Kaicker, Anisa International; Alicia Grande, Grande Cosmetics; Jenny B. Fine, Beauty Inc.; Tracee Ellis Ross, Pattern Beauty; and Nyakio Grieco, Thirteen Lune and Relevant: Your Skin Seen.

Opening Remarks

Lisa Klein, Senior Vice President, CEW, noted the outpouring of support received for this year’s awards, and thanked the participating partners, including Gold Sponsors, Amazon Premium Beauty, Harris Williams, Unilever, P&G Beauty, 24/Seven, RéVive, Charlotte Tilbury, Olaplex®, L’Oréal USA, Dyson; Silver Sponsors, Shiseido, Tarte, IPSY, Dior, L’Oréal Consumer Products, Ulta Beauty, Parlux, Kargo, Rare Beauty, Ilia, Two Faced, Marina Maher Communications, Kendo, NIQ, and HSN; and Event Partners, Beauty Inc., Fairchild Media Group, Moss®, Kaplow Communications, and Suite K.

Leah Wyar, President of Entertainment and Beauty & Style Group, Dotdash Meredith, referenced a recent study which highlighted the leadership achievements of C-suite executives.

The study looked at not only their satisfaction in having achieved their goals, but the “predominant sentiment of women in leadership roles who value bringing diversity and inclusion to the forefront.” She urged those in their beauty journeys to “take risks, don’t fear failure, set your own goals, and don’t compare yourself to others.”

Opening proceedings also included a welcome to the Achiever Award Honorees of 2020 and 2021, who were unable to receive their accolades in person, due to the pandemic. CEW’s spotlight on their achievement, during which each honoree came forward to accept their honors, set the stage for the celebration.

Female Founder Awards Keynote

Sharon Chuter, Founder and CEO, UOMA Beauty, provided an inspiring address, speaking to the unique qualities of entrepreneurship.

“To be a founder is to be delusional,” said Chuter, remarking that the thought and articulation of the premise, are astounding. “The one legitimate reason to start your own business is to change the world, to push through insurmountable challenges,” she said.

As the Nigerian-born founder of the inclusive UOMA beauty brand, Chuter is the embodiment of energy and passion for beauty. She urged women to celebrate their uniqueness and to persevere. “We dare to follow our dreams. I see you and I celebrate you women,” said Chuter.

Female Founder Honoree Panel Discussion

The Female Founder Honoree Panel Discussion, presented by Harris Williams, included Alicia Grande, Grande Cosmetics, Nyakio Grieco, Thirteen Lune and Relevant: Your Skin Seen, Brook Harvey-Taylor, Pacifica Beauty, Anisa Telwar Kaicker, Anisa International, and Tracee Ellis Ross, PATTERN Beauty, with Jenny B. Fine, WWD and Beauty Inc., as moderator.

Kaicker, who as the Founder and CEO, of Anisa International, a globally branded business which designs and manufactures cosmetic brushes for makeup and skin care, highlighted the support she had received in her entrepreneurial journey, saying, “Leadership can’t be done alone.” Panelists agreed that a measure of fearlessness, combined with support, are important elements in the journey.

“The CEW Leadership Awards are like the Oscars of Beauty,” said Tracee Ellis Ross, Founder and CEO, PATTERN Beauty. “As a four-year beauty founder, it is really exciting and wonderful, and a moment like this is a representation of the team,” she said.

Ellis Ross elaborated on what was ten years in the making for her PATTERN Beauty brand. “I believe that if you’re going to change something, you’ve got to do it in a different way,” she said. PATTERN Beauty, a haircare line for the curly, coily and tight-textured hair community, is a place to celebrate Black beauty, as well as a community at large whose beauty needs have not been met. “I believe that beauty for women of color is not a niche market,” she said.

Nyakio Grieco, Co-Founder and Chief Beauty Officer; Founder, Thirteen Lune and Relevant: Your Skin Seen, shared her journey.

Grieco’s career was shaped by the inspiration of her grandmother and grandfather, from Africa. They introduced her to natural ingredients from their homeland that resonated with her. Always attracted to beauty and fashion, she founded nyakioBeauty, a collection of premium skincare products inspired by her family and her world travels.

As co-founder of Thirteen Lune, Grieco created an e-commerce destination designed to inspire the discovery of beauty brands created by BIPOC founders that resonate with all people, and encourage engagement with a wider audience.

Brook Harvey-Taylor, Founder and CEO, Pacifica Beauty, offers cruelty-free, vegan beauty products, with high performance ingredients and accessible price points.

She spoke about her roots in guiding her lifestyle choices and career. Growing up on a cattle ranch in Montana, Harvey-Taylor gained perspective on animal rights and the environment, which impacted her journey to essential oils, aromatherapy, and natural beauty products. She is committed to using conscious packaging, sourcing sustainable ingredients, and reducing waste in all areas of her business.

Alicia Grande, CEO and Founder, Grande Cosmetics, spoke about her star launch in 2008, GrandeLASH-MD Lash Enhancing Serum. It marked the beginning of a now 15-year career at the helm of her Lash and Brow Serum brand.

Grande spoke enthusiastically to the uniqueness of women, encouraging women “to own their own beauty.” She employs more than 95% women of all backgrounds, ethnicities and ages in her company, and empowers her employees to flourish.

Each panelist shared insight into their leadership style and work ethic, with Grande recalling the challenges she faced in the early years. “It was difficult going to trade shows and leaving my kids, but I had a vision and I had to be controlling at the beginning,” she said.

Ellis Ross noted her work ethic as a young person, working for Ralph Lauren as a teenager. “My leadership style is based on positivity and language. I’m not a micromanager, but I want to encourage everyone to have agency in everything they do,” she said.

Harvey-Taylor said, “It means a lot to be prepared and to be intentional.”

Telwar Kaicker learned leadership from her mother, noting how those skills impacted her at Anisa. “I learned how to be a female leader and survive. I’m starting to really look at managers and directors, and I’m trying to look at how to make it easier for my team to do what they need to do.”

Grieco shared, “As a leader I believe it is most important to be able to put trust in my team and I’m so inspired by the visionaries they are, and how they continue to inspire.”

The panel addressed funding and opportunities for the future, with Telwar Kaicker noting that the most important lesson for her was learning what not to do; and Grieco encouraged perseverance. “There are a lot of great investors out there, so don’t be discouraged, find your people,” she said.

Ellis Ross committed her energies to the journey. “We’re still a community that is not really being listened to; the message of our brand is to serve the coily and curly, not a race or a gender; but coming from my place, I feel that Black beauty is not a niche market, and that there has to be a way for our industry to really open up a pipeline and reach a community that we all serve,” she said.

Harvey-Taylor noted that inclusivity is really transformative. “If we get to use our platform for social justice and compassion with activism, that’s what I’m excited to continue to bring to beauty and the beauty industry,” she said.

Telwar Kaicker emphasized products that are responsibly made, as well as the role of education, asking, “How can we encourage education without being condescending?” The power of allyship was also front and center, with Grieco stressing the beauty of inclusion, and the importance of allyship to her brand. “The way we work together to lift each other up is key,” said Grieco; while Grande highlighted results through proven formulas. “The long-term benefits of functional cosmetic solutions, that’s my forecast for the future,” said Grande.

The Catalyst for Change Honoree

Jill Scalamandre introduced the Catalyst for Change Honoree, Nancy Mahon, Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Citizenship & Sustainability, The Estée Lauder Companies.

Scalamandre cited her background in purpose-driven brand marketing, including her leadership of MAC Cosmetics’ MAC Viva Glam campaign, for more than a decade, which raised more than $60M annually and more than $500M over its history for HIV/AIDS research and programs.

Prior to her role with the Estée Lauder Companies, Mahon was the Executive Director of God’s Love We Deliver, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to Chair the Presidential Council on HIV/AIDS, which she led for five years, reporting directly to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Mahon, who earned a J.D. from NYU School of Law, has garnered numerous awards for her leadership, and has contributed to a wide range of media outlets. She spoke about her undertaking as CEO of God’s Love We Deliver and the Viva Glam campaign, saying she was so impressed by the beauty industry along the way.

“You supported AIDS research, cancer research, and you showed up,” said Mahon. “Here I am 17 years later and I am so proud to be part of the Estée Lauder family,” she said, noting the opportunities she has had at Lauder to make a difference. Mahon concluded, “To all of you here today, we must punch above our weight and continue to make a positive impact on our communities. I look forward to the journey together.”

Achiever Award Honorees 2023

Honoree, Nikki Eslami, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer; Founder & CEO, Bellami Hair and New Theory Ventures, was introduced by Derrick Porter, Beauty Industry Group, who described her as a true visionary leader.

“As a woman born in a strict Persian household, I was told I could be a lawyer, a doctor, or a failure,” said Eslami. She became a lawyer, saying that as an Iranian woman, aware that women in her country were still fighting to show their hair, she became increasingly drawn to the beauty industry. “I believe in empowering women and shifting the paradigm,” said Eslami.

Christina Fair, President of L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty Division, N.A., L’Oréal USA, received her award from Leslie Harris, L’Oréal USA. Fair recalled how she and her family came to the US from Cypress, with very little, and she realized early on that determination and self-worth are the first keys to success. She thanked her father for instilling those values. Her second lesson was to define what achievement looks like for you, and lastly, share it.

“Achievement is not an individual sport. I have been lifted and mentored by so many women in the industry. Take my lessons to heart and define what it looks like for you; and dad, you did tell me so,” said Fair.

Alison Hahn, Senior Vice President, Merchandising, Makeup and Fragrance, Sephora, received her award from Carolyn Bojanowski, Sephora. Hahn acknowledged the sisterhood that has been a true value for her.

“As one of four girls, I would not be who I am without my mom and three sisters, and my dad; and, of course, here today, is my Sephora family of sisters,” said Hahn. “I love Sephora, I love what we stand for, I love the founders we meet, and I love the fact that we are mentoring for the future. We lift each other up and do not compete with each other. Thank you to CEW for this award. It is a beautiful icing on my beauty career cake,” said Hahn.

Taydra Mitchell Jackson, Chief Marketing Officer, SheaMoisture, Unilever, received her award from Anne Sempowski Ward, Curio Brands, who acknowledged Mitchell Jackson for her “thoughtful, generous, and warm spirit.” Mitchell Jackson thanked her mother for instilling “the faith that would take me far from the familiar,” as she described her journey to launching brands, helping women-led businesses expand, and believing she could help those under-represented to make sure they had a seat at the table.

“Here I am, representing women with textured hair and melanin-rich skin,” said Mitchell Jackson. She thanked her mentors and the SheaMoisture team, adding, “To all the young, brown girls in the room, wondering if you can stand in this place, you can, if you just keep walking your path and following your convictions.”

Kory Marchisotto, Chief Marketing Officer; President, e.l.f. Beauty and Keys Soulcare, was honored by Tarang Amin, e.l.f. Beauty, who described Marchisotto as “a bold disruptor with a kind heart and an insatiable curiosity.” Marchisotto, a marketer who spent 18 years at Shiseido transforming many of their prestige brands, joined e.l.f. Beauty in 2019, and expanded the company’s portfolio to include e.l.f. SKIN, clean beauty pioneer Well People, and the lifestyle brand Keys Soulcare, created with Alicia Keys. She acknowledged those who surrounded and supported her as she reached for her vision, and shared a poem she wrote encapsulating her journey, concluding with the lines, “Support, uplift and encourage, in a real, intentional way; inspire every day.”

Hilla Ram, Senior VP, Global Hair Care Brands & Global Beauty Analytics & Insights Leader, P&G Beauty, received her honor from R. Alexandra Keith, P&G Beauty, who noted Ram’s leadership of three of P&G’s biggest beauty brands, Pantene, Head & Shoulders, and Herbal Essences.

Keith cited Ram’s commitment to team growth and “bringing out the best in everyone and everything she touches.” Ram said, “Embracing choices and chances have been characteristic of my journey.” After marrying and leaving her native Israel, she came to the beauty industry as her “true calling.”

In a 20+ year career with P&G, she has guided the direction for market sight identification that inspired product innovation across P&G’s portfolio. “I stand here today, because of the choices and chances I took. Trust your choices, you’re unlikely to go wrong,” said Ram.

Final Achiever of the day was Gregg Renfrew, Founder, Beautycounter, honored by Margot Fooshee, Beautycounter. Renfrew, who launched Beautycounter ten years ago, had a vision for a company that offered clean ingredients and sustainability, and established a list of 1,800 potentially harmful ingredients that Beautycounter avoids using in its products, which has expanded to more than 2,800 ingredients this year.

Possessed of an entrepreneurial spirit, she completed college and a life-changing Semester at Sea program, which enabled her vision to coalesce. Although not originally from the beauty industry, she watched “An Inconvenient Truth,” which inspired her to create beauty products made with “significantly safer ingredients,” and has advocated to pass legislation to protect the health of consumers.

She said, “Some of you have called us ‘Brutal Counter,’ because at Beautycounter we use commerce as an engine for change. This age we live in is wrought with challenges and divided on issues, but the one thing we have in common is the power of our collective voice, to work in unison with one another. If we can change this industry, we can change the world together.”