Programs

Ellen Valencia

Assistant Vice President - Planning & Logistics
AT&T

Ellen leads an organization of 100+ employees that provide the Planning and Logistics support for AT&T’s Consumer Mobility operations. Ellen has responsibility for the Strategy and Execution of Demand and Supply Planning, Inventory Procurement and Management, Distribution Center and Transportation Logistics, Retail and Customer Order Fulfillment, and Recovery and Reverse Logistics – both through internal operations and external vendor management.

In Ellen’s sixteen-year career at AT&T she has experienced a diverse set of roles – having held ten different positions at four levels of management across five business units. The majority of Ellen’s contributions have been in Supply Chain, with experience across Network Mobility, Network Wireline, Consumer Broadband, and currently Consumer Mobility.

Ellen is a graduate of AT&T’s Leadership Development Program. And AT&T has recognized her as a champion of customer service, awarded twice with the corporate Service Excellence Award. Ellen also has a passion for community service. She is in an active leader within the AT&T Employee Group – FACES, Filipino-American Communication Employees. She was recognized as an AT&T Champion of Diversity in 2015, awarded by the Chief Diversity Officer for her work in supporting AT&T’s diversity and inclusion values.

Ellen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. She also studied Business and Economics at the Universiteit Maastricht in the Netherlands, where she discovered her love of travelling.

Alan Gartrell

Vice President of Procurement
Caesars Entertainment, Inc.

Alan has over 20+ years of experience in Purchasing & Warehousing Management in the Entertainment & Hospitality Industry. Alan joined Caesars Entertainment in June 2011 and is currently the Vice President of Procurement responsible for overseeing Regional Procurement, Warehousing, Supplier Diversity and Sustainability for all Caesars’ properties. Prior to this role, Alan has held multiple Regional Director positions throughout the country most recently the Senior Director of the Western Region. Before coming to Caesars, Alan spent 4 years as the Purchasing Manager at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville, NC and 10 years as the Purchasing and Warehouse Manager at Six Flags America in Maryland.

Dana Greer

Deputy Chief Procurement Officer
City of Atlanta

With over 20 years of procurement experience using tactical and strategic sourcing methodologies, Dana MJ Greer demonstrates expertise in end-to-end procurement as a problem solver and servant leader while inspiring transformational change.

Having a career start in private sector supply chain management while earning undergrad and graduate degrees in Public Administration and national credentials as a certified procurement officer and project manager, she is relied upon by top levels of leadership to leverage her exposure and experience to improve operations at various levels of government including State, County, District and Local Municipalities.

Jaideep Majumdar

Chief Procurement Officer
City of Atlanta

Jaideep Majumdar currently serves as the Chief Procurement Officer for the City of Atlanta. He is a seasoned corporate procurement leader with 25 years of global experience in procurement and supply base strategy.

He has led and managed medium-large global procurement organizations at major corporates encompassing a comprehensive range of direct and indirect commodities & services. Known as a strategist with a global perspective, Jaideep has a proven record of transforming organizations, creating and implementing procurement strategies & solutions, and developing robust supplier management programs. He is also known as leader who creates high performing teams, develops strategic vision, and implements change.

His expertise in enhancing operational and financial performance through effective procurement will create a long-term sustainable impact for the organization. Additionally, Jaideep has proven knowledge of C11 Procurement Restructuring and M&A, having led organization through that process. A Six Sigma Black Belt in Sourcing, Jaideep has worked at a wide range of companies including GE, Delta Air Lines, Capgemini, Larsen & Toubro Ltd. In addition, he has experience working in the staffing and auto industry.

Jaideep is a guest speaker in many industry events and serves as a mentor to several small and diverse businesses. Jaideep holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Catholic University of America.

Bruce Mizokami

VP, Indirect Sourcing
Edwards Lifesciences

James Czarnecki

SVP & Chief Procurement Officer
MGM Resorts International

Karla Smith Jackson

Senior Procurement Executive, Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer & Assistant Administrator for the Office of Procurement
NASA

Purvee Kondal

Vice President, Strategic Sourcing, Indirect Procurement, & Supplier Diversity
Sephora 

Dan Edwards

Vice President, Direct Procurement
Trane Technologies

Dan Edwads has been the Vice President of Direct Procurement since August 2022. He joined Trane Technologies (Formerly Ingersoll Rand) in 2002 and has over 15 years experience in strategic sourcing and category management.

Prior to joining Trane Technologies, Dan worked with FreeMarkets and Authur Andersen LLP, both located in Pittsburgh, PA. Dan holds an NMBA from Indiana University, as well as a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon. University and a BA in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh.

Tom Lutz

Senior Vice President Enterprise Procurement Partners
U.S. Bank

Tom Lutz joined U.S. Bancorp as Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer in April 2008. He has been responsible for strategic sourcing, acquisitions, and supplier diversity. Since joining U.S. Bancorp 15 years ago, Tom has focused on delivering significantly greater value across the enterprise through more effective internal alignment, risk management, improved vendor relationships, strategic talent management, and a shareholder-centric view of operating costs and business practices.

Tom has thirty eight years of experience in the areas of procurement, supply chain management, and information systems. Tom serves as board member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council effective. Prior to joining U.S. Bank, Tom spent twenty years with General Mills in a variety of roles, and three years with Pulte Homes as national vice president of procurement. Tom currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Bethlehem College & Seminary.

Tom is a native of Minnesota, and received a bachelor’s degree in business and systems analysis from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Tom and his wife Heather have six children and three grandchildren.

Barbara Kubicki-Hicks

Chief Procurement Officer
Wells Fargo

Barbara Kubicki-Hicks is a seasoned executive with over 25 years’ experience in supply chain management and global procurement operations in the financial services industry. She is the chief procurement officer at Well Fargo, responsible for leading Supply Chain Management, which is comprised of strategic sourcing, procure-to-pay, supplier diversity, and

third-party risk management functions. Her team executes end-to-end supply chain activities and third-party initiatives that align with business priorities and leads strategic, enterprise-wide programs with focus on third- party expense optimization.

Previously, Barb was a senior procurement executive at Bank of America responsible for end-to-end procurement, associated risk management and third party program adherence for all eight lines of business, and led a procurement transformation initiative to simplify the end-to-end third- party process, reduce connections, restructure roles to gain economies of scale, and replace current technology solutions.

Barb serves on the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee as board chairperson. During her 10- year tenure on the WBENC Board of Directors, she was also Corporate Membership and Revenue Generation Committee chairperson, co- chairperson of the Strategic Planning Resources Committee, and active member of the Marketing Committee.

Over the course of her career, Barb has held a variety of supply chain management, procurement, and technology roles with a proven track record for developing procurement professionals, delivering consistent results by balancing business needs, risk and value, as well as leading business transformation enabled by technology.