Women To Watch 2025 honoree Dr. Elissa Peterson

Dr. Elissa Peterson is a transformative executive leader whose career bridges high-growth business strategy, psychological insight, literary innovation, and community empowerment. With over two decades of experience scaling multimillion-dollar enterprises, Elissa is widely known as a corporate fixer and brand builder, having generated over $50 million in revenue across the media, governance, and publishing landscapes.

Currently the Director of Business Development for The Outstanding Directors Exchange (ODX) at the Financial Times, Dr. Peterson serves as a high-level strategist connecting C-

suite executives, board directors, and institutional investors. As Co-Chair of FT Women US, she leads powerful conversations around equity, inclusive leadership, and legacy. Her

corporate fluency is matched by her academic depth—she is working on completing her PhD in Psychology, specializing in Behavioral Health Leadership, focusing on emotionally intelligent leadership in complex systems.

In addition to her executive work, Elissa is a creative force and literary icon. Known in publishing and wellness circles as Elissa Gabrielle, she has published over 200 books, mentored dozens of literary talents ushering them into the literary world with grace and integrity, and created transformational movements through works such as The You Are Enough Series, The Power Series and The Soul of a Man Series. As a Doctor of Naturopathy and founder of Elissa Gabrielle Naturals, she blends healing, storytelling, and entrepreneurship to elevate lives and well-being.

Her visionary leadership has earned her multiple literary awards, national media features, and board appointments—including with Center for the Heart. In October 2025, she will be honored at the African American Literary Awards in New York for her outstanding contributions to literature—a testament to her decades-long influence as a literary visionary and cultural storyteller.

She is also a professor of Psychology and Philosophy at an HBCU, continuing to shape the next generation of leaders. Whether she's commanding the boardroom, championing inclusion, or amplifying underrepresented voices, Dr. Elissa Peterson is a woman of vision, velocity, and unmatched versatility. Her name is synonymous with transformation—and her legacy is still unfolding.