Women Grocers of America Announces Kristie Maurer as New President and Donna Zambo as Vice Chair

• March 23, 2026

Washington, D.C. - Women Grocers of America (WGA), a professional development network operating under the National Grocers Association Foundation, today announced the appointment of Kristie Maurer, Owner of Maurer's Urban Market, as its new President. WGA also announced that Donna Zambo, Executive Vice President, Chief Information and Marketing Officer at Allegiance Retail Services, will serve as Vice Chair of WGA.

Maurer and Zambo succeed outgoing President Kristin Popp and Vice Chair Heidi Huff, whose leadership helped expand WGA's national presence and deepen its impact across the independent grocery industry.

At Women Grocers of America, members engage in meaningful relationships through in-person and virtual events, connect across career stages, and access tools and programming designed to help them grow personally and professionally. Under Popp and Huff's leadership, WGA strengthened its executive and emerging leader networking groups, professional development offerings, and created new pathways for women shaping the grocery industry today and leading it into the future.

Maurer brings a strong track record of operational leadership and community engagement to her new role. As a next-generation independent grocer in Wisconsin, she has played a key role in operating and expanding her family's grocery business, including serving diverse and evolving communities through innovative urban store concepts.

"I am deeply honored to serve as President of Women Grocers of America," said Maurer. "WGA is a community where women across the independent grocery industry come together to advance their careers and support one another. I look forward to building on the strong foundation Kristin and Heidi have established and continuing to create opportunities for women at every stage of their careers."

"Kristie represents the entrepreneurial spirit and forward-thinking leadership that define the independent grocery industry," said Greg Ferrara, NGA President & CEO. "She understands both the operational realities and the community impact of independent grocers, and I am confident she will continue the impressive growth and momentum of Women Grocers of America. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to Kristin Popp and Heidi Huff for their exceptional service. Their dedication has strengthened WGA's mission and expanded its reach across the country. We are equally excited to welcome Donna Zambo as Vice Chair and look forward to the leadership and strategic insight she will bring to the organization."

As President, Maurer will work alongside Zambo and the WGA Board of Directors to further expand engagement opportunities, strengthen mentorship and networking programs, and champion the advancement of women throughout the independent food retail sector.

Women Grocers of America remains committed to fostering meaningful connections, celebrating achievements, and equipping women with the resources needed to navigate challenges and lead the industry forward.

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About Women Grocers of America
Women Grocers of America is a professional development network operating under the NGA Foundation. WGA supports women in the independent grocery industry by providing leadership development, networking opportunities, scholarships, and educational programming designed to help members engage, network, and grow.

About the National Grocers Association

NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation's overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers' associations, manufacturers and service suppliers.