Find out more about the 2021 nominees for FEM's  Global Mobility Professional of the Year in The Americas. Read what those who nominated them have said about them and then cast your vote:

VOTE HERE for the Global Mobility Professional of the Year in The Americas 2021

In A-Z order:

Ashli Aldrich, Program Manager, Talent Mobility, Netflix

“Ashli is superb at her job and an excellent client. Ashli knows global immigration inside out; could not be a better ambassador for the positive delivery focused culture of Netflix; understands our job and is great at then communicating what she needs from us; helps my job do the best job they could in a way that I have rarely seen in the last ten years; can make the complex simple; has taught me a lot about the job of mobility and the pressure you are all under; is friendly and fun; completely reliable with any audience - on a stage to a lot of people, with my team at all levels, in front of government, with her colleagues; and finally just gives me confidence and the team confidence to do the best job for Netflix. We always work hard, always learn and always serve our clients well but the way that Ashleigh operates just makes it so easy for us. I really hope she wins the award. She is excellent and deserves a lot of credit.”

Ish Bajwa, VP, Human Resources Global Mobility Group, Capital Group

“Ish Bajwa is an expert in global mobility. He has more than 20 years of experience with major relocation management companies and the corporate mobility management side. This diverse experience gives him a unique perspective of industry and associate challenges.
Ish is adept at navigating mobility complexities and being the catalyst for creating new and innovative solutions. His commitment to Diversity & Inclusion is one example. He looks for ways to make mobility benefits more inclusive by reviewing each move as an individual relocation and accommodating the associate’s and their family’s needs. Ish has always prioritized the associate experience because he knows it significantly impacts relocation success. He has streamlined global mobility and improved the associate onboarding and transition process to limit disruption, reduce stress, and create a more enjoyable experience. His dedication to the industry has been honored previously with an EMMA for Best Vendor Partnership: Corporate Organization & Relocation Management Company - Capital Group & SIRVA Worldwide Relocation and Moving. Ish is always looking for ways to improve relocation, including evaluating vendors, updating policies, and improving benefits. He seeks new solutions to make relocation easier, more efficient, and cost-effective. As a member of SIRVA’s Executive Advisory Board, Ish shares his experiences and lends advice to improve SIRVA and the mobility industry as a whole. Ish shares his knowledge by speaking at various industry events, including the Southern California Relocation Council, SIRVA University, and the Corporate Housing Providers Association. He has also written articles for various industry publications.”

Vivi Cahyadi-Himmel, CEO & Founder, AltoVita

“Vivi Cahyadi Himmel pioneered AltoVita’s proprietary technologies including the Business to Employee (B2E) platform. As the CEO of AltoVita, she is responsible for the overall strategy and financial health of AltoVita as well as overseeing product development and winning high profile accounts such as Apple, Spotify and leading relocation companies (SIRVA & NEI Relocation). Her vision is to position AltoVita as a global company, improving corporate housing experiences for companies and their employees across the world. She is determined to build AltoVita’s product to become a global brand for the corporate housing sector. Vivi has been instrumental in developing partnerships with relocation companies. AltoVita has signed contracts with 21% of top 20 relocation companies and in advanced discussion with another 20%. She deep dives into clients’ pain points and builds technological innovation that translates complex mobility policies into simple & intuitive interface. Her product vision has been translated into an intuitive technology with customisable workflow and a two-layer proprietary onboarding process consisting of vetting & compliance training. She has raised AltoVita’s position as the market leader with her visionary end-to-end execution in delivering collaborative virtual events, bringing together leading RMCs, mobile employees, global mobility managers, and corporate housing experts.
The cross-industry initiatives such as the Innovation Summit, the November 2020’s 5-Day Symposium and the 2020 Corporate Home Awards are examples of ways that she is actively bringing together the sector’s best minds to create and embrace future-proof corporate housing solutions of the 21st century. Under her leadership, AltoVita has demonstrated fast growth globally with over 1m verified alternative accommodation with more than 800 top global property management companies. In a span of 3 years, she has taken AltoVita to 165 countries and 800 cities in EMEA, USA and APAC with 300% YOY growth in revenue during the current challenging pandemic.”

Mauricio Chavez, Global Mobility Manager, Becton Dickinson (BD)

“Mauricio Chavez just missed out on being named Rising Star at the FEM EMMAs in San Diego in 2019 and he deserves recognition for his work in GM. Mauricio doesn’t push himself forward but I’ve seen him speak at events and he is really good. With experience in M&As, integrating legacy programs, and managing vendors he has a lot of solid knowledge. Always approachable, Mauricio also clearly cares about the business and assignees. He’s a great example of someone who works hard for his business and the people in it.”

Cathy Heyne, Managing Director of Marketing & BD, Living Abroad & FEM New York Chapter Lead

“I hope Cathy won’t mind if I say she’s an unsung hero (heroine) of the mobility industry. Cathy Heyne started in the real estate industry, but she’s been working in Global Mobility for almost 20 years and is an inspirational woman. Her New York Chapter meetings are always so lively and she really knows how to bring people together. It’s great that she is doing them online for now. Cathy has huge knowledge of the industry and should be honored for it.”

Karen King, Senior Manager, Global Mobility, Kearney

“Karen King has already won awards with her team at Kearney but not as an individual and yet she is the modest, driving force behind so much of their success. She is highly skilled at program management and her masterclass at the FEM last year on program redesign was really inspiring.  It also gave me solid practical advice that I used at my own organization.”

Ray Kirby, Sr. Manager, Talent Mobility, Twitter

“Ray has a reputation for building best in class Mobility programs at large organizations. When Ray was at Nordstrom, we rebuilt the Mobility program from the ground up bringing in both a new RMC and Immigration vendor, a complete relocation policy re-design that drove savings and increased the employee experience. In Ray's short-term at Twitter, he's already transformed the Mobility function by introducing a new service delivery model to better align his team to regions, streamlined policies and built trust with stakeholders. Ray leads best in class programs while continuing to be a thought leader in the Mobility space. As the President of the Puget Sound Relocation Council (PSRC) in Seattle, his leadership is not only bringing new ideas to the table, but he's also had a keen focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, inviting his board members and sponsors to an ongoing educational series from i-Urban Teen. Beyond this education, PSRC has added two teens from the i-Urban Teen program as interns onto the board, to help them achieve their goals for understanding how non-profit organizations are run. Ray always says yes to mentoring opportunities and has a passion for taking our industry to the next level. Ray should win Global Mobility Professional of the Year because he successfully navigates the needs of the business with the needs of the employees and his staff. It is becoming increasingly difficult to accomplish this due the constant change in demands from corporates to spend less and the needs of the employees when it comes to mobility cost more! The care, attention, and compassion that Ray expresses everyday all day is an inspiration to us all!”

Elaine M. Kumpula, Partner, Faegre Drinker

“Elaine Kumpula leads Faegre Drinker’s global mobility team and manages global visa matters for domestic, foreign and multinational clients. She has sent employees to 40+ countries across six continents over her career. As a partner in the firm’s Minneapolis office, Kumpula represents clients, including Fortune 500 companies, in the food, agribusiness, financial, construction, beverage, biomedical, manufacturing, automotive, advertising and technology industries. As a U.S. immigration lawyer since 1985, Elaine has experience in all facets of U.S. employment-based immigration. She provides high-quality, individualized service by understanding and advancing the client’s business objectives. In her practice, Kumpula regularly develops tailored expatriate programs that align with assignment length and purpose and with the company’s goals. In addition to her client work, Elaine dedicates time to pro bono work. She volunteers as an Asylum Attorney for The Advocates for Human Rights Asylum organization, leading teams of lawyers and paralegals in representing clients seeking asylum in the United States. She also serves as a board member for the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce of Minnesota., is Vice Chair of the Membership Committee of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) Global Migration Section and Vice Chair of the Conference Committee for AILA’s APAC Chapter. This past  year, Elaine has invested significant time in creating resources for clients and the industry about the global mobility implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and of new policy updates. She hosted several webinars and authored a number of articles providing practical and cutting-edge advice concerning immigration, international travel restrictions/solutions, national interest exemptions, and other issues involving global mobility and COVID-19.
While the past year brought unprecedented challenges for the industry, Elaine has made it a priority to stay ahead of the ever-changing landscape and to continue to provide the sophisticated and innovative client service she’s known for.”

Brenda Levis, President, NYC Navigator

“In a year like no other, Brenda Levis, President of NYC Navigator embodied a commitment to collaboration and service. “We are all in this together” was their credo. These are her guiding principles. An agile role model, Brenda guided her team and their transferees through an unprecedented pandemic. A consummate, empathetic professional, Brenda made sure clients were reassured that their employees were in capable hands – receiving support, accurate information and flexible solutions - Inspiring the team to carry on delivering exceptional services. Brenda swiftly implemented measures to protect and nurture transferees, clients and team. Examples: Safety and Well-being: 1. Transformed exclusive Compass Club events to virtual. Invited Expat Psychologist addressed mental health concerns, Educational Specialist – Children’s Virtual Learning & Entertainment, Virtual Meeting Zoom Etiquette, Creating a Productive WFH space, Professional Comedians 2. Developed Pandemic Business Continuity Policy 3. Contacted government offices, monitored pandemic/safety protocols. Informed clients weekly: travel/quarantine requirements, schools/public transportation, Social Security/Drivers’ License procedures 4. Created Homebound Services – a la carte services for transferees required to self-quarantine: Airport Transportation, Grocery Delivery 5. Adapted to virtual Area Orientation and Home-Finding 6. Modified IT Security policies to incorporate WFH risk Inclusion: 7. Distributed e-newsletters, incorporating featured families, fun facts, giveaways 8. Developed Navigator Adventures – an extension of live Compass Club events: for transferees to explore beyond their immediate surroundings and make connections. Excursions adhered to safety guidelines, offerings opportunities to participate in curated activities: Maine seashore visit, Vermont foliage trip, Pennsylvania horseback riding excursion. Additionally, Brenda integrates ESG as a business strategy that are aligned with the company’s values.”

Tanya Mariottini, Director, Global Talent Mobility, Expedia Group

“Tanya Mariottini is a highly accomplished global mobility professional with a huge breadth of expertise. An engaging speaker and presenter, Tanya is particularly generous in the way that she shares her knowledge and experience with her peers in the GM community and she is extraordinarily supportive of others too.. Tanya is a real ambassador for the profession in the way that she is often the first to comment positively and constructively on the work of others in the industry. A consummate professional who is open to new ideas, committed to her role and generous and supportive of her peers. Tanya deserves recognition for all of this and more.”

Monica Sherman Ghiglia, Senior Associate at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy

“Monica has been instrumental in helping WWE overcome a very specific and incredibly complex immigration challenge in 2020/2021 layered on top of an already difficult global immigration landscape that COVID presented for WWE's Global Mobility program. The long-term success of our immigration program was at risk and she deftly guided us through, clearly presenting our options and recommendations to multiple levels of senior management, engaging appropriate experts to a better than expected conclusion. She spearheaded multiple value-add projects and led her team with confidence and finesse, always delivering timely and creative immigration solutions. She was truly a God-send during this tumultuous year and we would not have been able to keep key Talent working without her expertise and rock-solid commitment to us as a client. Her expertise and guidance, without doubt, positively impacted our production value. Our service provider/client relationship grew stronger in the face of adversity - she was patient, understanding, listened to our needs and consistently delivered top-notch service - she was my constant support during this tumultuous time and I am so grateful that she leading our account. So much so that I requested to her manager that she never be taken away - haha! She fully deserves Global Mobility Professional of the Year!”

Patricia Maria Neia Tavares, FEM Brazil Chapter Lead and Co-Founder Brazil Talks

“Patricia is very committed with the Global Mobility topics, created a forum specific for Brazilians to discuss this that was very helpful. She is an example for me and other global mobility professionals.”

Becky Woods, Senior Director, Global Mobility at ADP

“Becky Woods is accomplished in talent management and global mobility and though she is already very knowledgeable, she always seems open and humble enough to continue learning from her peers. She’s worked at some big corporations including News Corp but she has also worked on the supplier side, so she has a good understanding of both sides of the mobility industry. Becky is a great speaker too and I always tune in if she is speaking on a panel or webinar.”

Dwayne Waldrop, Vice President, Global Supplier-Partner Management, Bristol Global Mobility 

“Dwayne Waldrop, SCRP, SGMS-T is Bristol Global Mobility’s Vice President of Global Supplier-Partner Management. With 25 years of global mobility experience in an executive leadership role, having managed the global supply chain at three global RMCs, Dwayne has continued to be one of the most consistent global supply chain leaders to demonstrate his global mindset, industry volunteer work and the relationships he’s developed. Dwayne has traveled to 30+ countries to meet with suppliers to understand the local needs and customs, consult on supply chain matters, and implement proven processes. Having launched global mobility alternate service options well in advance of the pandemic, his commitment to offering flexibility in how we deliver services to the relocation employee has been critical to support Bristol clients. Supplier testimonials: Elaine Héry of Eres Relocation: “Dwayne has always understood local challenges and when it comes to “think global, act local”, he really walks the talk.” Roy Phelps of QMM: “Dwayne is pioneer and a collaborator. He values personal relationships, and is keen on innovation and technology but understands that behind it all are people and that you need to have the alignment & trust of those people.” For 25+ years, Dwayne has volunteered his time to share knowledge and support the industry, including: Chairperson, Americas Strategic Council (WERC), Advisor, RMC Advisory Group (EuRA), Advisor, Global Task Force – RDC, and Instructor for the Global Mobility Specialist designation (Module 1) in Germany and USA. Dwayne was the first global supply chain leader of an RMC headquartered in North America to successfully champion his vision to challenge traditions and deliver the company’s annual supplier awards ceremony outside of North America as the global leader. Dwayne also delivered training sessions to the supplier community, providing them with a transparent look into the Global RFP process from an RMC.” 

Alain Verstandig, President, NetExpat

“Alain has made multiple contributions to Global Mobility over the years, helping expats with the challenges of moving from one culture to another. Not satisfied with simply helping expats adjust when moving to a new culture, Alain recruited the assistance of EY to conduct a ground-breaking study on the challenges faced by trailing family members. The study's results called attention to the needs of trailing family members and identified concrete things that corporations could do to meet their needs. Alain and the team he leads then developed services that support trailing family members and make material contributions to their adjustment. The social media network NetExpat sponsors gives trailing family members the ability to help others in similar situations - a great example of "paying it forward." The quiet force behind these innovations is Alain Verstandig, a very deserving nominee for Global Mobility Professional of the Year.”

VOTE HERE for the Global Mobility Professional of the Year in The Americas 2021