Dena LaMar

Dena LaMar is the first Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Advance Auto Parts and is responsible for developing strategies, initiating action and driving organization change in support of the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities. Dena provides transformational thought leadership and guidance to help Advance Auto Parts develop and maintain a diverse and inclusive culture.

With over 20 years’ experience in leadership, retail, operations, customer experience and financial services/banking, Dena joined Advance Auto Parts in 2017 in the role of Regional Vice President for the Great Lakes Region. She was responsible for growing sales, profits, and market share and for developing strategy to drive the customer experience, operational excellence, people leadership and talent development for stores located in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York and Maryland.

Prior to Advance Auto Parts, Dena was the Vice President of Store Operations at GetGo Cafe & Market, a division of Giant Eagle Corporation, for stores located in Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In her role, Dena was responsible for the operational success of all stores, focused on growing the convenience, quick-serve restaurant, and fuel business while establishing the overarching strategy to drive customer experience, process execution, people leadership and P&L performance.

Dena was previously with Walmart Corporation where she was the Regional General Manager for Pennsylvania. She was responsible for the operational success of multiple markets, increasing market share and topline sales, customer experience, people leadership, and P&L with over $10 billion in yearly annual sales, for more than 35,000 Walmart associates. Prior to joining Walmart, Dena was with Bank of America Corporation as a Senior Vice President and Consumer Bank Market Executive for Metropolitan Atlanta.

Dena is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, Northern Virginia University, Carnegie Mellon Leadership Academy, various executive education leadership programs, and holds a Green Belt and Black Belt Certification in Project Management. She serves on the boards of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, Children’s Hospital Board, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, and Carnegie Museum of Art, and is a member of the International Women’s Forum and CHEIF.

Dena and her family reside outside of Pittsburgh, PA.