Leaning into power: the story of fearless leadership

April Carr, Senior Director of Technology Strategy & Innovation in our Global Strategy & Transformation Organization, has been blazing new trails since childhood. Before fifth grade (yes, fifth grade!), she had already written her first book and performed on a music education album for Atlanta Public Schools. “Don’t shy away from what makes you happy. Tapping into your many interests can uncover the fullness of your talents and the talents of those around you,” April says. 

At PepsiCo, she has continued to break new ground—from becoming the first National Chair for our Women of Color (WoC) Employee Resource Group to delivering multiple sector-wide and global cutting-edge digital solutions, such as launching PepsiCo Foods North America’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled sales app. Her innovations have been recognized with Chief Information Officer (CIO) 100 Awards for two consecutive years. 

Can you tell us about your career journey and current role? 

After graduating from Alabama A&M University, I joined PepsiCo’s Management Trainee Program, a unique opportunity to learn the business with a general manager mindset and gain cross-functional experience. This approach not only launched my career: it defined it. 

Since then, I’ve held various leadership roles across PepsiCo and achieved several firsts with my teams. I was the first Customization Manager, integrating foods and beverages into a unified warehouse and display operation at our Atlanta Customer Business Center. I also helped Propel surpass $100M in sales as one of its first finished goods planners. 

I co-led a breakthrough pilot to bring Gatorade into the Home Improvement Retail space through Lowe’s. I also led digital transformation for PepsiCo Foods North America and Away from Home (AFH) Sales Leader Organizations. Leading across teams, I launched our first AI-powered selling app with a predictive model that provided Sales leaders customized sales recommendations, driving $62M in growth. My team also digitized key tools like Perfect 10 and Leads for our AFH Foods business, unlocking $500M in development. In PepsiCo’s first Global Digital Evolution Month, I engaged with hologram capsule technology deployed to nine countries to educate our associates on how digital is improving PepsiCo’s human experience across our businesses. 

Currently, I lead digitization across three global programs—Design to Value (DTV), Portfolio Optimization, and End-to-End Waste. In 2025, we delivered three new digital solutions to stakeholders who are on this digital journey with us: a global ecosystem for smarter product design with a conversational AI agent, centralized bill of material costing in the US and South Africa for better benchmarking, and a test-and-learn pilot that cut select product defects by 15-20%.

I set a high standard in all that I do, and I am grateful for my past and current teams and capability partners who deliver with excellence, intention, drive, passion, and purpose every day for our digital users. Include Every Voice is not only part of One PepsiCo Way—it is a personal value I seek out the best and brightest talent from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and experiences to enrich our culture and our technology with voices and perspectives that represent the people that we serve – our associates, our customers, and our consumers.

How has finding the courage to raise your voice helped you create impact?

Voicing your opinion is extremely important in business. Putting this into practice has empowered me to direct my own career path.

When I first started at the company, raising my voice was about finding my voice. Once I did, it became more about understanding what my strengths and growth opportunities were so that I could share that voice in the most meaningful ways, which meant putting myself in new experiences and raising my hand for leadership opportunities.

It meant not being afraid to be the first in certain roles. I’ve helped launch two startups at PepsiCo, led major turnarounds, and driven innovation through key partnerships with Microsoft and Salesforce. In 2024, I was honored to be featured in USA Today, The Guardian, and Future of Business and Technology for International Women’s Day, highlighting my work in inclusion and empowerment. These values shape not only my personal belief system but also my leadership style—so being recognized for them proves that authenticity truly leads to meaningful success.

Being encouraged to bring my authentic self to work while driving business impact is what’s kept me here for 26 years.

Creating inclusive spaces can be challenging. How do you navigate these in leadership?

You navigate challenging times by reflecting on what you’ve overcome in the past. It’s about being present in the moment, learning from what worked, and then deciding whether to double down to excel in the current situation or pivot to improve.

Of course, you also need a layer of support within the organization. That’s why I’m honored to be the National Chair for our Women of Color (WoC) Employee Resource Group. WoC has been a steady community for me to both receive and provide support for my colleagues.

Throughout my career, I’ve had advocates and sponsors who’ve leaned into my career. I’m grateful for all of them. I want to be able to pass that on and encourage other people to share their perspective. Their perspective could spark the next big idea for the organization

In 2025, I completed the Wharton Executive Leadership Program—an experience that meant so much to me, I was grateful to support a team member in joining the most recent class of graduates as well.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to step into their power and own their career?

Own your narrative—no one can tell your story better than you. Dare to voice it fearlessly. Gracefully own your accomplishments and share how you’re making a difference for our business and our people. This is how you move toward your goals—whether you dream them or dare them.