Member Spotlight: Erica Baird

Member Spotlight: Erica Baird

Erica Baird is the Executive Director of Global Sales and Services at Cummins, a company that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines for a wide variety of machinery that powers the world. Erica is a leader in driving global business transformation, guiding top companies in the highly complex and regulated automotive, construction equipment, and mining industries to strategic functional and operational excellence. She oversees multi-billion-dollar P&Ls, spearheads profitable bottom-line revenue, and ensures value-added governance. Erica is a strong advocate for women in her company, dedicated to calling out biases and microaggressions that hinder women’s career advancement. Outside of work, Erica is a foster mom and loves to write and perform poetry. Erica has been a C200 Member since 2024. 

 

Eva Glassman: Tell me about your role at Cummins.  

Erica Baird: As the Executive Director of Global Sales and Services at Cummins, a $48B company that builds engines for a variety of industries, I lead the centralized, global center of excellence that supports Cummins’ growth, profitability, and distribution operational excellence. My team partners across the business to drive excellence in the areas of aftermarket engineering, support, sales and service capabilities, business processes, and strategic company-wide sales and service initiatives.  

EG: What do you love the most about your job?  

EB: I love knowing that Cummins powers so many machines that make the world go round—Navy vessels, power generators at hospitals, tugboats that deliver gas to gas stations. There is undeniable pride in knowing my team truly makes an impact in “everyday” people’s lives. 

I’m also the executive sponsor for the Cummins Black Network and the National Society of Black Engineers. I love opening doors for women, African Americans, and for all people to have a seat at the table. Everyone has a voice at Cummins. I am proud that my company built its legacy of leading the charge in this space, dating back to our CEO, J. Irwin Miller, working with Martin Luther King to organize the March on Washington. 

And I’m energized to see so many women in power at Cummins. My CEO, Jen Rumsey, is considered the most powerful woman in the industrial industry. My boss is also a remarkable woman. That is three women at the top of the command chain. It is unprecedented. Transparently, I never thought I’d see this in my lifetime. 

EG: When you reflect on growing up and the early days of your career, did you think you would land in this type of transformation role? Tell me a bit more about your career journey. 

EB: My mother always wanted to be an engineer. She was my idol; so, I was determined to be an engineer! Engineering opened the door for me to work in technical sales. From there, I have worked in manufacturing operations, dealer operations, functions, and managed multibillion dollar P&Ls.  

I am very process oriented. I’m energized by solving problems and driving global business transformation. Driving business results and directly affecting the company’s growth and customer experience drives me. It’s energizing, challenging, and fun!  

I work best when challenged with big strategic, complex goals—goals that require changes in thinking, in collaborating, in doing. For example, as Cummins moves towards its zero emissions goals, my team and I are looking at what the company will need to win when we get there. We’re evaluating it all, from what skills we will need, to how we work, how we take care of our customers, how we look at future business opportunities. And, ultimately, how we’ll drive a world-class customer experience.  

EG: What is your hope for the next generation of women leaders?  

EB: While we see an increase in women and minorities in the C-Suite and boardrooms, we still need more.  

It was HARD climbing the corporate ladder in my career—but I am kicking that ladder down to build elevators. No woman or minority should have to go through what I went through to get to where I am today. It is not a glass ceiling for Black women; it is concrete. I can still name every single person who got out a jackhammer and drilled through that concrete with me and for me. 

My way of saying “Thank you” is being successful and producing results in every role and then doing for others what people have done for me. There is not a person breathing who got to where they are by themselves. I live and breathe helping others succeed. I joined C200 because it is a group of influential women who are doing the same. 

EG: Reflecting on your career, what support did you have along the way to help propel you to success?  

EB: When I was first starting out, all my mentors and sponsors were men— and very few of them were Black. However, all these men saw that I had potential, and they believed in change. 

Women mentors crossed my path later into my career. For example, part of the reason I’m at Cummins is because of a woman mentor. We worked together at another company, and I followed her to Cummins.  

What I appreciate most about all my mentors is the honest feedback they gave me, so I could continue to hone my skills and grow within the company. They also looked out for me when I was not in the room. They moved barriers. They guided me so I could do my part, and when I had done everything in my power to achieve everything I could possibly achieve, they used their collateral and did what only they could do. 

EG: What can be done to support women at work? 

EB: I was a single mom for many years coming up through the ranks. Because I know what it’s like, I have helped remove barriers for women and men in similar situations. In my own career, I wasn’t offered certain opportunities because of a set of false assumptions about me, so today I am very intentional about calling out microaggressions against women. I talk to the women on my team to ensure they’re being treated fairly. I try to know their stories, so that if I’m in the room and someone misrepresents their truth, I speak up. I am a proud Black woman. I earned my seat at the table. So, when I’m at the table, I’m not silent. I am what I needed. 

EG: Outside of work, how do you spend your time? 

EB: I love open mic poetry. Growing up, as a Black woman in a man’s industry (I have been the first Black woman in every role I have taken), I felt so much pressure to perform and achieve. If I failed, I felt I would be failing for all women or Blacks. The weight of that load was immense, and writing became a very healing space for me.  

I often speak on leadership, global business transformation, talent development, helping women break through barriers. There’s nothing I enjoy more than pouring my insights and wisdom back into people and watching them shine. 

Something about me you probably didn’t know is that I’ve raised over 20 children. As a foster mom, I specialized in teenage girls of severe sexual abuse. I have a big heart for abused girls and abandoned boys.  

I am involved in my church. I volunteer there and at the homeless shelter with my husband. I will never forget growing up poor and the people who cared for me. Paying it forward is my way of honoring God and those who were there for me. 

EG: What advice can you share for aspiring leaders?  

EB: Find your people. We all need people who will tell us the truth and support us. Sometimes, as women, we can let imposter syndrome and others’ bias change us. I remember once receiving feedback from a man that I was too direct. I challenged him and said, “I noticed that “John” is direct, “Tom” is direct, and you are direct.  I have never heard this mentioned about any of you, so help me understand—is the problem directness or is the problem directness from a woman? Because that is a different conversation”.  He paused, and said, “You’re absolutely right. I have unconscious bias.”  He appreciated my pushback and became an advocate for me and other women going forward. A little courage turned a blind spot into a bright spot. 

Also, you will need different mentors at different times in your career. I didn’t have P&L responsibilities when I first became a GM. When I started managing P&Ls, I went to one of my peers in finance for coaching and class recommendations to develop the skills I needed.  

And never stop learning. If I hear my boss, my CEO, or anyone I admire is reading a book, I’ll read the book. It’s important to continue to learn and grow. 

AI Governance: The CEO’s Ethical Imperative in 2025

AI Governance: The CEO’s Ethical Imperative in 2025

By Rani Yadav-Ranjan | RedCloud Consulting | Member since 2015

In this Forbes article, C200 Member Rani Yadav-Ranjan highlights the critical need for CEOs to prioritize AI governance not just for compliance, but as an ethical responsibility. She discusses how organizations must integrate AI governance into every aspect of development and deployment, ensuring transparency, fairness, and privacy. Rani also emphasizes the importance of appointing a leader to own these efforts and build trust in AI technologies.

Read the full article here.

2025 Black History Month

2025 Black History Month

C200 is committed to taking action to address the long-standing racial inequality in the business world, which affects businesswomen of color the most. The lack of women, especially women of color, in positions of profit and loss (P&L) leadership roles in business is a product of systemic and institutional bias and exclusion. For any odds that women in business have against them, they are exponentially true for women of color—particularly Black women.  

C200 empowers all women in business to connect and find community in order to advance each other both personally and professionally. We believe that the exchange and sharing of knowledge in community is a powerful tool to fight inequity in the business landscape, which is why we use our platforms to share the facts, experiences, and authentic stories of all businesswomen, sparking important conversations about what it truly means to advance women in business.

When it comes to ensuring that women, especially Black women, have an equal opportunity to achieve professional success, we know that C200’s unique resources and spaces are just one part of a bigger solution. It will take all of us to bring about real progress for women in business, and we must advance all women in that effort. Every businesswoman’s struggle for equality, success, and respect in the workplace—although each personal and unique—is connected.

In honor of 2025’s Black History Month, this blog post focuses in on the unique experiences of Black women in business, at all stages of career. Below, please find a non-exhaustive list of recent studies, reports, and articles about women entrepreneurs and corporate executives in the workplace, particularly Black women.

These resources have helped us gain deeper insights into what we already know about the experiences of women in the workplace, but again, this is by no means a complete list or understanding. We encourage all to share what they know with others so that we may all grow our perspectives and invite deeper conversations about these important issues.

 

Why CEOs Must Actively Prevent An Echo Chamber At The Top

Why CEOs Must Actively Prevent An Echo Chamber At The Top

By Doris Meister | Wilmington Trust | Member since 2017

Creating a culture where healthy debate is the norm doesn’t just prevent groupthink; it enables the organization to remain adaptable and responsive to change. CEOs must balance assertiveness with openness, listening to diverse opinions and creating an environment where all voices feel heard. In doing so, leaders can build stronger, more innovative organizations capable of navigating today’s rapidly changing business landscape.

In this recent article for Forbes, C200 Member Doris Meister explains how CEOs must be aware of the risks of echo chambers and maintain a balanced approach to leadership.

Read the full article here.

Stop Isolating Your AI Strategy and Make It Part of Your Business Strategy

Stop Isolating Your AI Strategy and Make It Part of Your Business Strategy

By Sophia Velastegui | Fmr. Aptiv | Member since 2023

Too often, AI is viewed narrowly as a tool for efficiency. When integrated with the right leadership and strategy, AI has the potential to transform entire organizations.

In the latest Forbes article from C200 member Sophia Velastegui, the power of AI is redefined—not as a passing trend or technical fix, but as a strategic lever for driving long-term growth and innovation. Here are three key takeaways from this article that every business leader should consider:

  1. AI as a Strategic Lever, Not Just a Tool
    AI should be seen as a force for growth. By shifting the mindset from mere technical application to a strategic asset, leaders can drive innovation and decision-making that accelerates organizational transformation.
  2. Leadership Alignment Drives Success
    For AI to have its full impact, it must be embedded at the heart of the business strategy—not siloed in IT departments.
  3. Fostering a Culture of Experimentation
    AI adoption requires a shift in mindset. Encouraging a culture where experimentation is valued and failure is seen as a learning opportunity will help to harness AI’s potential.

 

Read the full article here.

2024 Reflections from Our CEO

2024 Reflections from Our CEO

Dear C200 Community, 

 

It has been an incredible 2024. I’m so grateful for the community that surrounds this organization and our mission to advance women in business. Thank you to all of you who show up for C200 and for one another. 

2024 has shown us a lot about the state of women in business at large, and that C200 has a unique solution to these issues. While we’ve made steady progress in the way of representation for women entrepreneurs and senior executives, we’ve learned from research released this year that those gains are stagnating at best, reversing at worst. 

What’s more, the fight for gender parity in the workplace is only half the problem. Even if we do achieve it, will the workplace truly be equal if there is no support for women along the way? That lack of support (e.g., lack of professional development resources, community, childcare access, etc.) is why women feel so lonely and isolated in their careers, despite increased representation at the top. If we are solely focused on achieving 50-50 parity, we overlook the lived experiences of women in the workplace, limiting our abilities to see the issues they face and the solutions they need. 

What C200 offers is more than a network or mentorship opportunities. We are not a transactional organization—we are transformational, providing an intimate community for women business leaders where they can be vulnerable and bring their authentic selves. Within every engagement opportunity at C200, there is a transformative experience that happens for everyone present. Sometimes, these are small but powerful moments that are hard to capture, but they are essential to how C200 thrives and what more women in business deserve to have. I’m thrilled that C200 welcomed over 50 new Members to our sisterhood in 2024, showing that we are still needed and sought out in the landscape. 

The theme of transformation will continue in C200’s work in 2025, with goals to expand the organization through our Membership experience and Advancing Women Programs. Everything we do is about advancing women in business—whether that be in the traditional sense of helping women get that next position or facilitating conversations that shift mindsets.  

The need for community never goes away, and it’s clear that C200 is needed now more than ever. To continue creating our one-of-a-kind, priceless moments for more businesswomen, we need donations from our community. We want to offer all women in business even more chances to gather, connect, and learn together. Please consider donating or spreading the word to those who can. With your help, the possibilities for connection are limitless. 

Thank you for everything. I’m excited to usher in 2025 and all the wonderful things we’ll accomplish. I hope you’ll join me and the rest of us there. 

 

Myla Skinner 

CEO, C200