DUBLIN, Ohio — Emily Gallo, senior vice president and general manager of Cardinal Health OptiFreight Logistics, was named a recipient of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s 2026 Women in Supply Chain Forum Award in the Trailblazer category.
“The Women in Supply Chain Forum Awards aren’t just a way to honor females in supply chain. It’s a representation of progress, it’s a symbol of growth and it’s a way to celebrate achievements of all women in the supply chain who continue to pave the way for the next generation,” said Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive in a press release announcing all 2026 award winners. Mayer is also the cofounder of the Women in Supply Chain Forum™, an annual in-person education, networking and mentorship conference designed to provide support and community to women in the supply chain.
As a recipient of the Trailblazer award, Gallo is being honored as a female leader who continues to pave the way for other women in logistics. "This award is especially meaningful because it reflects not only individual achievement, but also the collective efforts of the teams and leaders, with whom I have had the privilege to work.” shared Gallo. “Building a strong, resilient supply chain requires innovation, collaboration and a leadership team that represents diverse perspective, and I am proud to be part of an industry that continues to create opportunities for women at every level."
Trailblazing for women across the supply chain
In her day-to-day, Gallo works alongside her team to build technology products and tailored solutions to innovate the way healthcare supply chain leaders manage logistics and optimize spend. As the leader of OptiFreight Logistics, one of Cardinal Health’s key growth businesses, she has ensured the business has reached double-digit revenue growth every year since her tenure as senior vice president and general manager began in 2021. Reporting directly to Cardinal Health CEO Jason Hollar, Gallo is a member of Cardinal Health’s Operating Committee, supporting the company’s vision and helping to drive transformational strategy.
With her OptiFreight team, she supports healthcare customers across 31,000 shipping locations, including hospital systems, integrated delivery networks, labs, surgery centers and pharmacies. Last year alone, the team managed more than 26 million inbound, outbound and intra-facility shipments, and helped generate more than $1 billion in annual customer savings.
“In our business, we are motivated every day by the mission of ultimately supporting patient care. There are health care providers and patients counting on us,” Gallo reflected. “The work we do in OptiFreight® Logistics is making a life-changing impact on the lives of people every day, and everything we do should be guided by their needs.”
The insights Gallo brings today are rooted in years of experience, strengthening her connection to customers and their evolving needs. Prior to leading Optifreight® Logistics, she led executive customer engagement strategy and several medical product businesses, including operating room and PPE portfolios. Prior to Cardinal Health, Emily held roles in consulting, marketing and sales at various healthcare organizations, understanding the importance of supply chain reliability to drive commercial success.
Empowering future trailblazers
In an industry where only 40% of leadership roles are occupied by women, Gallo is fierce in her pursuit of paving the way for women in logistics both by example and advocacy. "I've experienced being the only woman leader in the room," shares Gallo. “This has shaped my understanding of how important it is to empower other women to join leadership at the table. I try to encourage women to embrace what makes them unique and recognize those differences as leadership strengths. By celebrating individuality and bringing one's whole self to work, people not only strengthen their own leadership but also help create more inclusive, innovative teams.”
Gallo is also passionate about mentorship and serves as a confidant for leaders across her organization and communities. She strives to make space for every woman in her path to speak up, coaching others on how to show up authentically, be curious and understand how to embrace, celebrate and communicate their unique traits as assets in leadership.
“I’ve been fortunate to learn from and work alongside exceptional women and to have the support of male leaders throughout my career, both at Cardinal Health and across the industry. Their influence has been invaluable. This recognition is an opportunity to celebrate the collective impact of supporting female leaders to harness their strengths to advance the future of supply chain. I look forward to continuing to champion the next generation of leaders.”
Editor’s note: The full list of Women in Supply Chain Forum Award winners can be found here. This year’s winners will be honored at the 2026 Women in Supply Chain Forum™ on November 17-19, 2026, in Charleston, South Carolina.
