Lidia Fonseca, Quest Diagnostics – SVP & Chief Information Officer
Fonseca leads the enterprise-wide Information Technology (IT) function to support the Quest’s business needs. She also leads our end-to-end enterprise architecture and integrates processes, data and systems across the network, enabling future growth and driving operational excellence. Previously, Fonseca was the Chief Information Officer at LabCorp and also held a number of senior leadership positions in supply chain and IT at Philips Healthcare. A member of the Board of Directors of Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), she earned a BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA and a Masters in business informatics from the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus Graduate School of Business in the Netherlands.
Mirian Graddick-Weir, Merck & Co. – EVP, Human Resources; among Black Enterprise’s 50 Most Powerful Women
Graddick-Weir joined Merck in 2006 from AT&T, where she was executive vice president of Human Resources and Employee Communications for five years, with responsibility for all aspects of human resources for 68,000 colleagues located in over 90 countries. Previously, she spent 20 years at AT&T holding operational and HR positions. Among her many awards, Graddick-Weir received the Distinguished Psychologist in Management award; the HR Executive of the Year; and the AT&T Catherine B. Cleary Woman of the Year award. Mirian was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the University of Michigan in 2012 and received the Academy of Management’s Distinguished HR Executive Award. Most recently, in 2015 she was named by Black Enterprise as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women and she was recognized by Human Resources Executive as one of the 15 most influential women leading HR. On the Board of Yum! Brands, Inc., Human Resources Policy Association (Chair), and the Cornell Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS), Graddick-Weir is also a National Academy of Human Resources (NAHR) Fellow, and a senior advisor to the Jersey Battered Women’s Services (JBWS). She holds a Bachelor’s in psychology (Hampton University), a Master’s and Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology (Pennsylvania State).
Mary Lou Panzano, Bayer Corporation – VP & Head of US Internal Communications
Responsible for developing, leading and implementing country-wide, cross-business internal communications strategies, Panzano provides strategic communications counsel for executives, ensuring consistency in communications across all groups and U.S. sites while furthering the company’s “engage and educate” strategy. She joined Bayer in 2008 to lead internal communications for its US Pharmaceuticals business, with responsibility for strategic communications planning, implementation of business, leadership and site communications. Panzano also led major change communications programs across the US HealthCare businesses, including the company’s successful move to Whippany, NJ, bringing together employees from four locations to a new 100% open workplace environment. Previously, she led retiree communications at Pfizer, managing communications for the company’s Global Compensation and Performance Management programs. Before that, she led communications at Odyssey Pharmaceuticals, and spent 20+ years at Prudential, where she moved through various positions of increasing responsibility in management and communications. Mary Lou holds a BS in liberal arts (Caldwell College). Her hobbies include cooking, entertaining, home remodeling, music, attempting to play piano, and spending time with family and friends.