The Exceptional Women Alliance announced that after an expansive search and in-depth interview process, Gia Pignanelli Dowling, Corporate Vice President of People and Culture at Nicholas and Company, was selected as a Fall 2022 EWA Awardee.

Pignanelli Dowling is an inclusive, culture-focused leader who understands the benefits of a galvanized and diverse workforce and works diligently to coach and inspire purpose-driven professionals. She is a dedicated business partner in providing transparency, goal alignment and cultivating high-performing organizations.

Pignanelli Dowling is a strategic HR executive with over 25 years of experience in human resource leadership across multiple business cycles, industries and organizations. Her expertise ranges from strategy development, leadership and management coaching, organizational design and cultural development, and workforce planning to M&A due diligence and integration, HR technology implementation and administration, and people focused development and recruiting.

“As a seasoned, passionate HR executive, Gia’s leadership and culture-building focus will bring influential insight to our talented network of exceptional women,” said Larraine Segil, Chair and CEO of EWA. “We welcome Gia to EWA and look forward to her contributions!”

“It has been a pleasure to work with Gia for the last seven years,” said George Adondakis, COO at Nicholas and Company. “I have tremendous respect for her talent, intellect and commitment to the EWA values. I am excited for Gia to have the EWA experience and equally as excited to see the great benefit to our organization.”

Gia has experience serving in leadership roles with many organizations, including UCLA, Universal Studios, DreamWorks and Sundance. She is a graduate of Westminster College with a degree in business administration and is a certified graduate of the UCLA Professional Development Program. She has served on the Santa Monica – Malibu Education Foundation board, the Park City Education Foundation and EATS of Park City.