Mia Mends

Mia Mends, a Ghanaian immigrant who has benefited first hand from the economic opportunity the United States offers, was uprooted with her family at the age of seven due to civil unrest. She shares that her parents always reminded their children not to squander any opportunity. Being admitted into Wellesley College and then later Harvard business school was for her, the quintessential American Dream come true. The experiences dramatically impacted the trajectory of her life, and her sense of what was possible. In 2014, Mends became the CEO of Sodexo Benefits and Rewards U.S. division. In this position, she leads the strategic evolution and growth of the business. She joined Sodexo Benefits and Rewards in 2012 in the newly created position of Vice President of Sales for Americas Region in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In that role, she was charged with overseeing sales processes and the strategic and profitable growth of Sodexo´s products and services through diversified distribution channels in 8 countries in Latin America.