Hi Team,
We’re excited to announce that four new hires will be joining us in the coming weeks! Thank you to the hiring managers and the interview teams for your commitment and partnership.
On June 22, 2026, Christina Teufel, VP, Sourcing Strategy & Performance Optimization, reporting to Peter Ucovich, Chief Product & Sourcing Officer and Janette Cho, our new Supplier Relationship Manager, reporting to Colin Anderson, VP, Supplier Relationship Management will be joining our organization. Christina will be working from her home office in Paramus, NJ, and Janette from Brambleton, VA.
On July 6, 2026, Carol Yi, Sourcing Manager, Research & Sciences reporting to Sanjay Patel, Category VP, Research & Sciences and Kaitlyn Wallpe, Supplier Performance Manager, reporting to Colin Anderson, VP, Supplier Relationship Management will be joining us as well. Carol will be working from her home office in Wrightwood, CA and Kaitlyn from San Antonio, TX.
Christina Teufel, VP, Sourcing Strategy & Performance Optimization
Christina brings 25+ years of strategic sourcing and procurement leadership experience, most recently serving as Senior Sourcing Director at Verizon. In this role, she led a global team and managed complex sourcing initiatives across multiple categories including HR, financial services, travel, and consulting. Throughout her career, Christina has demonstrated a strong track record of delivering measurable results, driving significant cost savings, enhancing supplier relationships, and implementing data-driven strategies to optimize performance and operational excellence.
She has held progressive leadership roles at Verizon, EY, and other major organizations, where she consistently built high-performing teams, led large-scale sourcing transformations, and delivered impactful procurement solutions. Her expertise includes supplier relationship management, contract negotiation, category management, process improvement, and fostering collaborative, cross-functional partnerships.
In this role, Christina will lead enterprise-wide sourcing initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, optimize procurement processes, and drive measurable value for our members. She will partner closely with cross-functional teams to advance our sourcing strategy, implement supplier relationship management practices, and champion continuous improvement and innovation across the organization.
On a more personal note, Christina is a twin and is a proud parent of twin boys, a recent grad from Montclair State University and the other is entering his final year at Texas A&M before commissioning into the Army Reserve. She’s a big fan of the Beatles, and an avid New York Knicks and Texas A&M football fan. Go Knicks and Gig ’em! She shares her home with her 2 fur babies, Luna and Athena and has been married for 35 years, long enough to appreciate teamwork, patience, and the art of agreeing on dinner. 😊
Janette Cho, Supplier Relationship Manager
Janette is a seasoned professional with 25+ years of experience and expertise in sourcing and contract negotiations (both Commercial and Federal / SLED), project Management, IT and supplier relationship management. She joins us from Verizon, where she spent nearly a decade as Associate Director of Sourcing Contracts, leading a team of sourcing managers, overseeing $1B+ in supplier spend, and delivering roughly $100M+ in annual savings. Over her career she’s also held senior sourcing, vendor management, and program management roles at Sprint, Nextel, and IBM Global Services.
Her expertise spans the end-to-end sourcing lifecycle: supplier rationalization and management, contract negotiation and compliance, supplier scorecards and performance metrics, risk management, and cross-functional collaboration with Finance, Legal, and Product teams. She also holds a Master’s in Program Management from the University of Sydney and is a certified PMP.
In her new role, Janette will execute E&I’s supplier engagement strategy within her assigned categories, conducting supplier reviews, maintaining performance scorecards, tracking risks, and supporting renewals and amendments. She’ll ensure suppliers meet their contractual obligations and public procurement standards, support our Sourcing Managers on RFx development and negotiations, and partner closely with Category Management, the Growth and Engagement Team (GET), and Legal to optimize contract value and drive better outcomes for the members we serve.
Janette is a “mumzy” to three amazing children (Kailey (21), Jacob (18) and Cassidy (14)) who are her world, although they tend to ghost her frequently for their friends. She is a morning owl, running entirely on caffeine, but never complains about Monday mornings. Her hobbies include watching football (Hail to the Commanders!) and has recently picked up golf. Originally from Australia, she loves listening to live local bands and attends comedy shows.
Carol YI, Sourcing Manager, Research & Sciences
Carol brings nearly 15 years of extensive experience in strategic procurement, contract management, and supplier negotiations across complex and fast-paced environments. Most recently, she served as a Senior Sourcing Specialist at Western Governors University, where she led end-to-end procurement initiatives, including RFx design, vendor evaluation, and contract negotiations, achieving significant cost savings while ensuring quality and risk mitigation.
Throughout her career, Carol has consistently demonstrated strong analytical capabilities, cross-functional collaboration, and a focus on operational efficiency. She has led major sourcing initiatives, supported procurement system implementations, and driven over $1M in savings through strategic sourcing practices. Her experience also includes managing contract lifecycles, enhancing supplier performance, and improving procurement processes across multiple organizations.
In her role as Sourcing Manager, Research & Sciences, Carol will lead strategic sourcing initiatives within her assigned portfolio, managing the full sourcing lifecycle, from RFx development and supplier negotiations through contract execution and performance management. She will partner closely with internal stakeholders and suppliers to deliver compliant, high-value contracts, while also driving continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making, and strong member adoption.
On a more personal note, Carol lives with her partner, three adopted dogs, and a surprisingly long-lived 36-year-old snake! She enjoys staying active by walking her pups, running, hiking, or lifting weights. She also loves reading, tending her rose garden, and eating.
Kaitlyn Wallpe, Supplier Performance Manager
Kaitlyn brings experience across performance management, program management, procurement, and operations, with a strong track record of designing systems and solutions that improve engagement, streamline processes, and drive meaningful results. Throughout her career at organizations like Western Governors University and Accenture, she has led cross-functional initiatives, built training and knowledge-sharing programs, and partnered closely with stakeholders to translate complex needs into practical, people-centered outcomes. Her ability to connect data, process, and people makes her a thoughtful and impactful addition to our team.
Kaitlyn will be responsible for monitoring supplier performance within assigned categories and will provide reporting on their performance. She will be the final internal escalation point for supplier performance issues that are not able to be resolved in other units and will collaborate with Sourcing and Growth and Engagement teams to drive resolution. This includes maintaining supplier scorecards, helping us improve overall contract health; support contract compliance efforts, partner with sourcing and legal teams, serving as a key collaborator across the organization to resolve supplier challenges and strengthen outcomes.
Beyond her professional experience, Kaitlyn is passionate about learning, coaching, and brings a steady, people-first approach to her work and relationships. When not at work, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time with her husband and her two boys, reading fantasy novels, gaming, or planning their next adventure. Her family loves to travel, and Scotland holds a special place in their hearts!
Please join the People Team in welcoming our newest hires! We’re excited to have them on board and look forward to the contributions they’ll bring to E&I and our membership.
Thank you,
Jeannine
