GEO AWARD FINALISTS 2025

Tom Paleka joined Gallagher in September 2008 as Vice President of Global Compensation, a newly created role. Promoted in 2016 to lead the global rewards function, he has overall responsibility for guiding the company’s equity, compensation, benefit, mobility and payroll organizations. In 2018, he was named an officer of the company. 

Prior to Gallagher, Tom had twenty years of extensive background in human resources, sales compensation, sales management, and sales operations, with such companies as AT&T, Ameritech, and Tellabs. 

Tom has served on the Global Equity Organization (GEO) Board of Directors since 2017, and was voted Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2024. He has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2022 and served as Judge for the GEO Awards for ten years, eight years as Lead Judge. He previously served as Chair of the Issuer Advisory Council for six years. He also has been an active member of the Fidelity Stock Plan Services Client Advisory Board. He has spoken at conferences for such organizations as GEO, NASPP, IBIS, CEPI, Equilar, World at Work, and the Conference Board. Tom has also been involved with Junior Achievement for 42 years, and has served on the Junior Achievement DuPage County Board of Directors for over 20 years. 

From the cricket pitch to the boardroom, Mark thrives on building strong teams and shared victories. Through leading WPP's global share plans, he empowers over 60,000 people across more than 70 countries to share in the company's success. 

Imagine navigating the world's largest ever return of shareholder value – Mark did just that at Vodafone, showcasing his ability to handle complex financial landscapes with innovation and poise. His journey, spanning roles at a leading bank and stock brokerage, has given him invaluable insight into the equity landscape of global giants like Axa, Diageo, and Unilever. 

A sought-after speaker at industry events and dedicated member of the UK Chapter team, Mark's passion extends beyond corporate governance and equity compensation. He's a committed coach and player at his local cricket club, instilling the values of teamwork and sportsmanship in his three children.

Melissa Jackmin is the Head of Compensation and Corporate HR at Mohawk Industries, a global leader in flooring solutions. With a background in human resources and compensation management, Melissa is responsible for designing and implementing strategic global compensation and equity programs to attract and retain top talent. Her leadership ensures that Mohawk Industries remains competitive in the global market by offering innovative and effective compensation strategies aligned with the company's business objectives.
Before joining Mohawk Industries, Melissa held key roles in compensation management at Genuine Parts Company, Cox Enterprises, and McKinsey and Company, where she successfully led initiatives to streamline compensation processes, optimize incentive programs, and ensure compliance with industry standards. Melissa holds an MBA from Georgia State University and bachelor’s in business management from The University at Buffalo.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Melissa is a board member with Atlanta Angels, a non-profit dedicated to supporting the foster care community in metro Atlanta and serves on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Area Compensation Association. She lives in Brookhaven with her two children where she enjoys reading, cooking, and cheering on her favorite sports teams.

Rebecca Kargl is the Senior Equity Manager at Zillow Group. In this role, she is a key member of the Corporate and Securities Legal team, overseeing the administration, analysis, and employee education for the company's global equity plan. Rebecca also leads collaboration with various internal and external teams on matters related to equity planning, processing, accounting, and global equity administration.

Before joining Zillow Group, Rebecca served as Payroll Manager and Senior Executive Compensation and Stock Plan Administrator at Concho Resources Inc., until its acquisition by ConocoPhillips in early 2021. She began her career as an auditor at Weaver.

Rebecca is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Equity Professional (CEP). She is an active member of the Global Equity Organization (GEO) and the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (NASPP), where she currently serves as President of the Dallas Chapter. Additionally, she frequently speaks at industry conferences and events and dedicates her time to equity education and networking initiatives.

Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Northwood University and a Master of Business Administration from Texas Tech University.

Karen has over 40 years of dynamic experience and leadership in the equity compensation industry. In her most recent role, Karen is responsible for the global equity administration and compliance for Wave Life Sciences as well as the multi-state U.S. payroll.

Prior to this role, she held management roles in client relations and education for 3 of the largest equity administration software providers. Karen began her career with Wang Laboratories where she was responsible for equity compensation in over 50 countries. She subsequently oversaw the equity administration for Genzyme, including the administration of employee equity plans for its numerous tracking stocks.

Karen is a member of GEO (Global Equity Organization), NASPP (National Association of Stock Plan Professionals) and is a Certified Equity Professional (CEP).She was recently honored as a Fellow of Global Equity at the 2019 GEO International Conference.

Andrew has been a professor in UNSW Business School, Sydney since 2019, and has had previous professorial roles at Durham University, the University of York, and Manchester Metropolitan University.  He has carried out research into all-employee share plans and employee ownership over many years, and has published widely on these topics.  Much of this research has been conducted in collaboration with service providers in both the UK and Australia.  He was a member of the Inland Revenue Advisory Group that developed Enterprise Management Incentives and the Share Incentive Plan in the UK.  He is co-director of the White Rose Employee Ownership Centre, which has been tracking the development of UK EOTs since 2017.  He has previously served as an awards judge for Proshare, the UK Employee Ownership Association, and Employee Ownership Australia.  He is currently a Board Member of Employee Ownership Australia

Elena is Head of Share Schemes at Aviva plc, joined in 2013 and leads the share plans team which is responsible for the Company's discretionary, fund, cash and all employee share plans globally. 

Prior to joining Aviva, Elena worked for UBS and she has successfully completed Tapestry’s ICSA Certificate in Employee Share Plans. 

Elena is a very active member in the industry and runs the UK Share Plans User Group (more commonly known as SPUG), which is an Issuer-only group of over 240 members from leading companies. SPUG enables Issuers to discuss issues and share knowledge, brainstorm ideas and acts as a collective voice within the industry. 

Elena has been in the industry since 2005 and proud to serve as an advisory member on the ProShare Advisory Panel and was previously a Board member of the Global Equity Organisation.

Lori is Director, Equity Programs and Payroll at Outset Medical, a medical technology company pioneering a first-of-its-kind technology to reduce the cost and complexity of dialysis. At Outset, Lori manages all aspects of Equity compensation, including plan design, new plan rollout, equity strategy, employee education, and communications.

She has over 36 years of experience in the Equity field, having managed the global equity departments at various Silicon Valley corporations, most recently at Intuitive Surgical.   In 1993, Lori was one of the first 18 individuals to obtain a CEP designation from Santa Clara University and has since been a key member of seven IPOs, three stock splits, and numerous mergers and acquisitions.   

During Lori’s tenure in the equity field, she has designed and implemented several successful, cutting-edge equity benefits, including an international Equity Mix Election (choice program) and a Cadillac ESPP with Cashless Participation (the “Bugatti ESPP”).

She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and enjoys sharing her knowledge and experiences with her peers.

Lori is an active member of GEO and NASPP. 

Eaton is a seasoned professional serving as the Director of Executive Compensation & Equity at Seagate. With more than ten years of dedicated experience in executive compensation and equity administration, Eaton has honed her expertise in this specialized field. She is recognized for her proficiency in data analytics, a skill she leverages to propel HR practices into the realm of data-driven decision-making.

Eaton holds a Master’s degree in Data Analytics, augmenting her educational background with an MBA and a CPA license. Her academic achievements reflect her commitment to staying abreast of industry trends and equipping herself with the necessary tools to excel in her role.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Eaton finds joy in outdoor adventures, particularly skiing. She embraces the thrill of exploring different destinations worldwide in search of pristine snowscapes, embodying her adventurous spirit and love for travel.