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ConnexFM2026 Session: Breaking Barriers: Women Leading the Way in Facilities Management

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Trace the journey of women in facilities management from the field's pioneers to today's leaders shaping its future. This panel will highlight the challenges, celebrate the successes, and spotlight opportunities for women in FM, offering practical, actionable insights to foster diversity and inclusion across the industry.

Historically, multi-site facilities management has been male dominated, but women have been breaking barriers and redefining the field for decades. This panel brings together women from different eras of FM to share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs. From the first women who entered the field to today's leaders driving innovation and change, this session offers a comprehensive look at how women have evolved in FM.

Angela Tolmasoff

Angela Tolmasoff

Director of Retail Facilities & Maintenance

SalonCentric

Angela Tolmasoff is a strategic leader and facilities management expert who currently serves as the Director of Facilities and Maintenance for SalonCentric and LUSA Retail at L'Oréal USA. Since joining the organization in 2018 with over a decade of industry

experience, Angela has become the company’s foremost subject matter expert in facility maintenance, overseeing a massive and diverse portfolio of over 2,400 locations.

Promoted to her current directorial role in 2021, Angela has been a pivotal force in driving operational excellence. She is responsible for establishing organizational best practices, spearheading high-impact improvement initiatives, and managing complex vendor
networks via Fexa. Her unique ability to navigate L'Oréal’s diverse brand portfolio allows her to cultivate deep, long-term partnerships with key stakeholders across US Retail.

Angela is a passionate advocate for innovation and sustainability. She has successfully led the implementation of sustainability-approved EMS controls and standardized lighting and electrical specifications, directly supporting L'Oréal’s commitment to environmental responsibility. Her strategic agility was further demonstrated in 2025, where she led the largest LUXE acquisition to date—integrating Aesop locations into the R&M portfolio—while simultaneously managing the assimilation of brands like Prada and expanding partnerships with senior leadership at Kiehl’s, Lancôme, and SalonCentric.

Beyond her technical and strategic oversight, Angela is deeply committed to people development. Leading a team of specialized managers, she focuses on mentorship, performance management, and evolving the Repair and Maintenance function through robust SOPs and proactive ways of working. Her leadership ensures that facility maintenance serves as a strong foundation for corporate strategy and cross-functional operational success.

Outside of her professional life, Angela values time spent with her husband and their college-age children. She is also a devoted owner to her black lab, Kobe, and believes in a well-rounded approach to life that balances personal joy with professional ambition. Looking toward 2026, Angela continues to apply her creative lens to optimize systems, improve departmental efficiency, and drive the evolution of L'Oréal’s facility requirements.

Elena Boone

Elena Boone

Director of Facilities

Guitar Center

Elena Boone, RFMP, is a facilities executive with 26 years of experience driving operational excellence across large, multi-site retail portfolios. As Director of Facilities for Guitar Center and Music & Arts she

leads a team of 7 who manage 600+ stores nationwide, leading strategic initiatives that align facilities performance with overall business objectives. Throughout her career, Elena has championed
accountability, credibility, and leadership development within the FM profession. She is especially passionate about empowering women to build influence, confidence, and authority in facilities management, helping shape a stronger and more inclusive future for the industry. When not tethered to her laptop, Elena enjoys cooking and entertaining friends as well as traveling with her wife Maxine and their
two cattle dogs Olivia and Ridley.

Teresa Phelps

Teresa Phelps

VP, Business Development

MCS Chainstore Maintenance

In my early career years, I served as Personnel Manager for Four Star Corporation, moving to diversify my experience even more by working for Clark Foodservice Cadillac Division Elk Grove in 1986. After several more years, I became District Sales Manager for Total Logistics Control based in Holland, Michigan.

Beginning back in 2004, I gained extensive knowledge in the facilities and logistics business servicing clients as the National Sales Director with a national provider who has departed the industry, but was the first national provider in the United StatesUS for landscaping and snow removal services.

In 2023 joined the fantastic team at Chain Store Maintenance, division of MCS where I shared my expertise and spent my time working directly with clients and the sales team. I have over 35 years of sales and managerial experience; I have been instrumental in matters related to business development and client services. I have worked with some of the largest brands in the retail, restaurant and commercial facility management industry, spoken at numerous conferences across the country. I have always been passionate about what I do and the clients I served.
I have been a engaged member of PRSM - now Connex for over 20 years proudly serving and chairing multiple committees.

I am proud and honored to have joined the ConnexFM Legacy Council in 2025 where I plan to continue to serve the association in any capacity, through mentoring, sharing my experience, skills and expertise.

I spend as much time with my Michigan family, Florida family and love being outdoors - preferably warm weather, walking my Shih Tzu's Patches and Tito and keeping BUSY!

Jammi Carroll Ray

Jammi Carroll Ray

VP, Client Success

Vixxo

Jammi Carroll Ray serves as Vice President of Client Success at Vixxo, bringing more than a decade of experience across facilities management, client strategy, and sales leadership. Her career began at just fourteen, working on a gas dock at the Lake of the Ozarks, where she learned the fundamentals of customer service - skills she later strengthened in sales and marketing roles with Two Men and a Truck. Jammi entered the facilities industry in 2015 when she joined Rogers Electric, a role that introduced her to the FM community and ultimately shaped the path of her professional growth. She has since held leadership positions at FacilitySource, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield Facilities Solutions, and now Vixxo, where she leads a talented client success team and supports national accounts across diverse portfolios.

Throughout her career, Jammi has built a reputation for fostering strong partnerships, serving as a trusted advisor to her clients, and championing collaboration across the industry. She is passionate about mentoring emerging talent, empowering women in FM, and helping others navigate their own growth within the field.

Jammi lives in Oklahoma City with her husband, Ben, and their two dogs, Griffey and Bambi. She is actively involved in her community, supporting the OK Humane Society, the Homeless Alliance, and local arts organizations. Her personal and professional journey reflects her commitment to service, relationship building, and elevating others - values she brings to every role and every conversation.

Shana Santoni

Shana Santoni

Director, National Accounts

Entouch Controls

Prior to joining ENTOUCH, Shana spent six years at ConnexFM as the Vice President, Global Membership Development, where she championed member acquisition and retention strategies while spearheading the development and implementation of marketing strategies. She has a proven track record of achieving record-setting new member acquisitions and building strong rapport and partnerships with other associations and Connex members. Before serving the members of Connex, Shana spent time at two children’s hospitals, raising funds for development. She was employed for eight years with Direct Energy, a large retail electricity provider, as the Sponsorship Manager, executing sponsorships with many professional sports teams, such as the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Indians, and the Toronto Raptors.

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