2026 Future Leader in Convenience + Car Wash winner: CELINA HERNANDEZ

An experienced leader with strong sales success, Celina Hernandez has enjoyed bringing new products and programs to the market this year.

“It’s been a highlight to be involved at every stage including development and commercialization, iterating with our partners to meet their business needs and collaborating with our frontline team to execute in stores,” she says.

“Nothing is more rewarding than seeing our consumers excited and engaged with our products. Being able to work on new solutions, products and programs that address people’s changing needs is an exciting challenge.”

Early in her career, Hernandez led a team of dedicated field sales representatives and when the pandemic hit in 2020, she faced her biggest challenge: supporting the team though the difficult and unprecedented period.

“What I found most effective was leading with empathy and trust, which empowered my team to adapt and achieve strong results,” she says.

Through her leadership, collaboration and innovative thinking, Hernandez helps deliver growth and operational excellence in one of PepsiCo’s most important channels. 

During the eight years she's worked in the consumer packaged goods space, her deep expertise and strategic mindset have made her a trusted partner for her customers.