Her Story
About Jennifer
Jennifer Thomas is the founder of Rooted Connections Consulting, a leadership education and consulting platform based in the Greater Phoenix Area. She holds a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University School of Leadership Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature from California State University, Northridge. With more than two decades of experience leading national account strategy across the wine, hospitality, and CPG sectors, Thomas brings a practical, real-world perspective to how organizations align culture, strategy, and people. Over the course of her career, she held senior sales leadership roles at companies including Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Opici Wines, and John Anthony Wine & Spirits, working with major hospitality and retail partners such as The Cheesecake Factory, Kimpton Hotels, and Applebee's.
Through Rooted Connections, Thomas designs and delivers leadership programs, workshops, and advisory engagements that help organizations strengthen culture, build accountability, and prepare the next generation of leaders. She is the creator of the Power of Five™ framework, which guides professionals in building intentional advisory networks, and the Rooted Leadership Program, a curriculum centered on self-inquiry, resilience, and confident decision-making. Her consulting work spans sales and commercial strategy, succession planning, executive facilitation, and keynote speaking, and she is also developing AI-influenced software aimed at addressing inefficiencies within the CPG industry.
Thomas credits her professional success to a steady commitment to authenticity and integrity, values she carried through achievements such as earning President's Club recognition and helping bring a private-label wine to market with The Cheesecake Factory. Outside of her professional accomplishments, she draws inspiration from trees and the idea of pentimento, using it as a lens for personal growth and renewal. Her guiding values — integrity, authenticity, self-awareness, meaningful relationships, personal growth, confidence, and intentionality — continue to shape both her consulting practice and the way she mentors others, including her active involvement with the Women of Wine mentoring group.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jennifer
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to authenticity and integrity. I have always stayed true to myself and held myself to a high standard of honesty, including being willing to admit when I didn't know something. I made it a priority to follow up with people and stay on top of my communication, and I never misrepresented myself.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My philosophy on mentorship is that no single person can meet every professional need, which is what led me to develop my Power of Five framework. Rather than relying on one mentor for everything, I encourage women to intentionally build a network of people who can challenge them, offer expertise, provide perspective, create accountability, and support their growth. My own career and education have reinforced how valuable it is to surround myself with people who bring different perspectives, while still staying true to my own leadership style.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is to look at yourself in the mirror and be ready to hold yourself accountable every day, asking whether you would hire yourself. You have to be honest with yourself about where you stand, and then surround yourself with the right people. It's also important to understand the value of your time.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I see significant opportunity at the intersection of leadership development, sales strategy, technology, AI, and the CPG industry. My own career has shown me how much professional visibility and relationship building have changed. After years of working remotely in sales, especially through and following the COVID era, I realized my professional visibility had decreased despite having more than two decades of experience behind me. That realization pushed me to become more intentional about building my own brand and presence. I also see real opportunity in technology — I'm currently developing an AI-driven software system for CPG companies, which reflects my interest in combining traditional industry knowledge with emerging tools.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me are integrity, authenticity, self-awareness, meaningful relationships, personal growth, confidence, and intentionality. I find inspiration in trees and the concept of pentimento, which reflects the way growth and renewal build upon what came before.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.