Who’s Next in the COO Seat? Meet 8 Women Redefining Operations Leadership
- The WW Team
- Dec 15, 2025
- 2 min read
In the world of high-growth companies, the role of Chief Operating Officer has never been more mission-critical — and yet, the path to the COO seat isn’t always clearly visible, especially for women in ops.
That’s why we launched this special edition of A Seat at the Table, shining a light on eight exceptional operations leaders who are already making a mark — and, by reference and recommendation, ready to take the helm.
This series was made possible thanks to the support of Chili Piper, a company and team committed to elevating the next generation of SaaS leaders and making sure emerging talent gets the visibility and recognition it deserves.
🚀 Why This Matters
This isn’t just a list — it’s a spotlight. These women aren’t "on the way" to leadership. They’re already leading. Their work is shaping teams, scaling businesses, and driving meaningful change across industries.
In particular, these women stand out as leaders who were recognized by industry COOs and senior leaders – who raved about their insight, innovation, and excellence.
Here's who was feature:
Nominated by Christy Poulos. A compelling up-and-coming leader with a rare blend of strategic clarity, operational rigor, and people-first leadership.
“She’s analytical, empathetic, decisive, and deeply committed to building organizations that execute with speed and heart.”
Nominated by Vlasta Dusil. A leader with strategic vision, strong execution, and a natural ability to elevate those around her through genuine relationship-building.
“She has a leadership presence that lifts the people and teams around her.”
Nominated by Pravin Raj. An operational powerhouse behind a $100MM+ revenue business — Katherine creates clarity in chaos and leads through influence.
“We couldn't run our business without her leadership.”
Nominated by Amber Webb. A dynamic ops professional known for strategic thinking, vision, and relentless commitment to continuous improvement.
“She’s already shaping the future of organizational excellence.”
Nominated by Lisa Rozzelle. With over 20 years in the ARM industry, Bekah blends creativity and resourcefulness with a drive for greatness that lifts others with her.
“She ensures with every step forward that she lifts while she rises.”
Nominated by Kim Hackmann. Founder of her own fractional ops business, Holly brings structure, clarity, and calm to even the messiest startup environments.
“She brings order to startup chaos!”
Nominated by Jasmine Chung. A systems thinker fluent in automation, AI, and operational transformation — she sees across silos and solves problems most miss.
“She connects dots most people don’t even realize are on the table.”
Nominated by Leslie Greenwood. A 5x high-growth operator and public speaker with a diverse background spanning small biz, startups, and corporate — Rachel’s operational mind is legendary.
“If I could take 10% of her operational brain, I’d be 500x better.”
Let's keep the momentum going.
Recognition is just one way to amplify extraordinary leaders. Here's how else you can help:
Follow these rising leaders
Open doors when you can
Celebrate excellence loudly, for others to see
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