Speakers
Abbey Gurley, Senior Manager of Customer Loyalty, Fleet Feet
Chad Nikola, Sr. Director of Customer Retention, American Eagle Outfitters & Aerie
Glenda Gabriel, SVP - Head of Employee Financial Services, Bank of America
Kate Phillips, SVP - Head of Global Benefits, Bank of America
Alaina Camsell-Schafer, Manager of Loyalty Marketing, Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA)
Jessica Starnes, Director of Loyalty, Weigel’s
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The finalists competing in the 2025 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers.
As a part of the award process, Loyalty360 members, Loyalty360 Award finalists, and attendees registered for the 2025 Loyalty Expo are invited to view these virtual sessions and are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze and honorable mention (if applicable) for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony in Orlando, FL on May 22nd.
Category Description - Employee Engagement & Impact
An engaged employee is one of the most valuable resources a company can have. Creating this engagement, however, is much easier said than done and requires a culture of alignment that ensures every employee is working together toward a shared goal of the larger brand identity. Finalists of the Employee Engagement and Impact category will have built this culture and created an engaged workforce that understands what the brand promise is, where it’s going, and how it will get there.
Speakers
Abbey Gurley, Senior Manager of Customer Loyalty, Fleet Feet
Abbey is a retail marketing professional who has spent the last 10 years finding new and exciting ways to engage and delight customers – from grassroots strategy to national activations, resulting in tens of thousands of inspired participants. Most recently, she turned her efforts to revamping Fleet Feet’s national loyalty program and launched Fleet Feet Milestones in July 2024. Abbey is a Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional through the Loyalty Academy. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh and currently resides in North Carolina with her husband. When she’s not working on new campaigns to nurture customers, you can find Abbey outside ticking another U.S. National Park off the list (she aims to visit them all!) or volunteering with her local Woman’s Club.
Chad Nikola, Sr. Director of Customer Retention, American Eagle Outfitters & Aerie
Chad is a visionary retail leader with over 20 years of experience across companies such as American Eagle, Aerie, Target, CVSHealth and Catalina Marketing. Today, Chad is focused on maximizing customer value through the Real Rewards Loyalty Program, integrated Credit Card portfolio and Customer Analytics. This focus spans brands, countries and channels to unlock new ways to engage the member base to fuel retention and customer lifetime value.
Glenda Gabriel, SVP - Head of Employee Financial Services, Bank of America
Glenda Gabriel is an executive at Bank of America in the Employee Banking & Investments organization. She is the Head of Employee Financial Services. In this capacity, Glenda is part of the Enterprise focus on emotional, physical, and financial wellness. Glenda leads the comprehensive strategic effort to connect clients, employees and retirees with financial education, solutions, resources, and tools to help empower them to achieve their life priorities at every life stage.
Glenda joined Bank of America in 2006. Prior to her current role, Glenda led Neighborhood Lending, a team dedicated to developing strategies and identifying opportunities to increase homeownership, inclusive of first-time homebuyers. She led the collaboration with national partners to deliver consumer education, homeownership programs and services across the enterprise. She has also held leadership roles covering strategies to deliver exceptional client care and solutions.
Glenda graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and obtained her Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Bachelor of Science from the Haas School of Business.
Glenda has served on numerous local and national boards, including serving as the former Chair of the Girl Scouts, Hornets’ Nest Council. Glenda is currently serving on the National Association of Mental Health (NAMI Charlotte), Board of Directors, and is the Vice President.
Glenda resides in Waxhaw, North Carolina with her husband, an attorney. Glenda and her husband have four adult children who live across the United States.
Kate Phillips, SVP - Head of Global Benefits, Bank of America
As Head of Global Benefits, Kate works to provide competitive benefits that help make Bank of America a great place to work while supporting the diverse needs of our teammates globally. She is responsible for delivering physical, emotional, and financial benefits and wellness programs including, healthcare plans and accounts, Employee Assistance Program, time away, education benefits, the employee discount program and much more.
Prior to this role, Kate led Life Event Services (LES), a team dedicated to supporting employees and their families during major life events by providing personalized connections to resources and benefits, leveraging experts inside and outside the company. The team supports employees, retirees and their family members on a wide range of needs such as survivor support, domestic violence, specialized leaves, natural and man-made disasters, retirement, transition related to military service and other major life events. During the pandemic, the team expanded its support to serve as a human connection to teammates through care, compassion, and empathy.
Kate joined Bank of America in 2008 as part of the Global Human Resources (GHR) Development Program. Kate has held HR generalist roles supporting the bank’s Risk, Compliance, Marketing, Legal, and Corporate Audit and Credit Review functions. Kate also previously served as the HR Executive for the Local Markets Organization and led the Market HR network across the U.S.
Prior to joining Bank of America, Kate led a team of researchers at the Corporate Executive Board (now Gartner) managing cross-industry client relationships through customized research support and consultative insight on HR topics and issues.
Kate graduated from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and obtained her Master’s in Business Administration from George Washington University.
Kate is a board member of the Alexander Youth Network, the ERISA Industry Committee and the American Benefits Council Policy Committee. She and her husband, Ben, reside in Charlotte, NC and have two sons, Matthew and Luke.
Alaina Camsell-Schafer, Manager of Loyalty Marketing, Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA)
Alaina Camsell-Schafer is the Manager of Loyalty Marketing at SIGA, where she leads the strategy and execution of the SIGA Rewards program. With over 20 years of experience in customer engagement, marketing, and operations, Alaina specializes in transforming data into strategies that enhance the player journey and drive measurable results. She played a key role in launching SIGA Rewards in 2024, overseeing its successful rollout across all seven casino properties.
Before joining SIGA, Alaina spent six years with the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation, where she contributed to the successful opening of Saskatchewan’s first dedicated children’s hospital. Her work focused on donor engagement, campaign coordination, and community-based fundraising efforts that helped bring this transformational project to life.
Alaina’s career is grounded in building meaningful relationships—whether with donors, players, or teams—and she brings a people-first, purpose-driven approach to everything she does.
Jessica Starnes, Director of Loyalty, Weigel’s
Jessica Starnes is the Director of Loyalty at Weigel’s, where she leads one of the most successful convenience retail rewards programs in the country. With a sharp focus on customer engagement, data-driven strategy, and seamless digital experiences, Jessica has been instrumental in transforming loyalty from a transactional tool into a cornerstone of Weigel’s growth. Her impact hasn’t gone unnoticed—Jessica is a two-time Top Women in Convenience (TWIC) honoree, having earned both the Rising Star and Senior Level Leader awards. Most recently, she was named the 2025 Category Manager of the Year for Loyalty, a reflection of her ability to blend innovation with measurable business results. Under her leadership, Weigel’s has achieved record-breaking loyalty penetration and built high-impact programs like “100 Days of Summer” and exclusive NIL partnerships that emotionally connect with customers. From acquisition to retention, Jessica’s strategy is rooted in making every interaction meaningful—translating into stronger brand loyalty and increased customer frequency. Jessica’s cross-functional approach ensures loyalty touches every part of the business—from merchandising to marketing to operations. A trusted voice in the industry, she continues to set the standard for customer-first innovation while building scalable platforms that drive long-term growth. She is a Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional, holds a NACS Category Management Certification, and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee.
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