'Executive Women in Rail: A Journey to the C-Suite' Webinar
|
|
A conversation about IDEAs
(Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility)
|
|
Join the League of Railway Women for an impactful conversation on
Wednesday, August 5 at 1 p.m. EDT with high ranking women in rail on how we can work together to build an inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible industry that attracts and retains top talent from the factory floor to the C-Suite.
As we sit together in the midst of a global pandemic and adapt our lives to a new reality, many of us have also awoken to see the structural racism and inequity faced by our Black coworkers, friends and loved ones. Are you looking to learn more so you can help be a part of the solution? This is for you.
Our all-star panel will speak openly about their experiences as women of color in rail and the obstacles they have faced in their personal and professional lives. They will share perspectives on the future of our workplace and how diversity and inclusion programs play a role.
If you want to hear different perspectives within our industry on how you can push this conversation forward in your workplace and be an effective ally, join us as we listen.
Please note this session will not be recorded to help facilitate a safe and honest dialogue.
We will be accepting questions for the panelists before and during the session.
|
|
|
|
Panel Moderator
Desirée Knight
Director, Education & Meetings, AREMA
|
Desirée Knight, CAE, CMP joined the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association in July 2000.
She is responsible for utilizing her leadership skills in executing a portfolio of events which includes the AREMA Annual Conference & Exposition and Rail Interchange.
She is a member of PCMA, ASAE, LRW and IEEE. She received her Certified Meeting Professional designation in 2006 and in 2017, named PCMA Visionary Award Meeting Professionals of the Year Finalists.
In 2018, she earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation and is an ASAE Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) Scholar (2016-2018 Class). Desirée was named the 2019 Event Industry Council, Pacesetter - D&I Social Responsibility, a 2017 and 2019 Meetings Today Magazine, Meeting Trendsetter as well as a 40 over 40 Award Winner with the Senior Professionals Industry Network (SPIN).
She is a sought-after speaker focusing on D&I and social awareness. She has also been active on several industry customer advisory boards, a PCMA Board Member and on the newly formed PCMA Governance Committee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stephanie Wiggins
Chief Executive Officer, Metrolink
|
Stephanie Wiggins was named chief executive officer of Metrolink by a unanimous vote of the board of directors in December 2018. Wiggins assumed leadership in January 2019 and leads the 275-employee strong commuter railroad with a budget of $793 million.
As CEO, Wiggins directs an agency that operates a commuter rail network on seven routes across a six-county, 538 route-mile system. Wiggins has held high-level positions at three of the five-member agencies that comprise Metrolink and is well-known as a customer -focused leader who finds solutions from a regional perspective.
Wiggins’ vision for the agency is to create value and exceed expectations by prioritizing a customer-first orientation with three pillars to provide an outstanding customer experience: safety and security, an integrated system, and modernizing business practices.
Prior to leading Metrolink, Wiggins was Deputy CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) where she assisted the CEO in providing leadership and formulating and achieving strategic public transportation objectives, including the passage of Measure M, a half-cent sales tax approved by 71 percent of voters in LA County.
During her tenure at LA Metro, Stephanie also served as the Executive Director of Vendor/Contract Management, where she implemented procurement streamlining initiatives and greatly expanded Metro’s utilization of small and historically underutilized businesses.
Prior to that role, Stephanie was the Executive Officer and Project Director of the Congestion Reduction/ExpressLanes Program where she launched the first high occupancy toll lanes in LA County, the I-10 and I-110 Express Lanes, which improved travel times and travel reliability on two of the County’s most congested freeway corridors.
Prior to Metro, she served as Regional Programs Director for the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and oversaw transit, commuter rail, rideshare, goods movement and rail capital projects.
Wiggins began her career in transportation when she accepted a temporary assignment at the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority and fell in love with the mission of the agency. The six-month temporary assignment turned into more than four years. She then accepted a policy analyst position with the RCTC where she worked for an additional nine and a half years in management and senior management roles.
Feeling the need for personal and academic growth, Wiggins earned a Master of Business Administration from the USC Marshall School of Business in 2007. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Whittier College in 1992.
Wiggins is a self-proclaimed “military brat” whose father made his career in the Air Force. She credits her experience moving from base to base and country to country as a child for teaching her the importance of diversity.
Wiggins is the founding president of the Inland Empire Chapter of Women’s Transportation Seminar. She is the recipient of many awards including the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials 2018 Women Who Move the Nation Award. She is a Board Member of the Los Angeles Chapter of Friends of the Children, the LA Division of the American Heart Association, and an Advisory Board Member for the UCLA Lewis Center.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stephanie W. Noel
VP Human Resources & Chief Diversity Officer, CSX
|
Stephanie Noel is the Vice President of Human Resources & Chief Diversity Officer at CSX. In her current role, she is responsible for driving change through the strategic direction and leadership of talent acquisition, performance management, learning and development, diversity, employee relations, organizational development and effectiveness as well as human resources business partner consulting.
Stephanie joined CSX in 1996 as a Management Trainee and has held a variety of roles in Human Resources, Sales & Marketing, Car Management and Process Improvement. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in business administration from Jacksonville University. She completed Harvard Business School’s HR Executive Suite and Executive Development Program.
Stephanie previously served on the board of Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville. She was a member of Leadership Jacksonville’s class of 2013, a 2005 fellow of the National African American Women’s Leadership Institute and in 2009, she was recognized as one of the Jacksonville Business Journal’s “40 under 40.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kim Cummings
Assistant Vice President,
Human Resources and Diversity, BNSF Railway
|
Kim Cummings, SCP, SPHR is assistant vice president, Human Resources and Diversity at BNSF Railway. In this role, Kim has responsibility for BNSF Railway’s diversity and inclusion efforts, EEO and HR Compliance. She also provides leadership to the HR matrix teams supporting Law, State/Federal Govt Affairs, Corporate Communications, Claims, Compliance and Audit Services, and Technology Services.
Kim has spent over 20 years in leadership roles encouraging and promoting employee engagement in companies that include Belo Broadcasting, Burger King Corporation, Dell and Target Corporation. Kim is a thought leader in the space of Diversity & Inclusion receiving numerous community service and business awards that include “HR Professional of the Year” designation by Ogletree Deakins Law Firm and the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, DiversityFIRST™ Award from the National Diversity Council, Texas Most Powerful Business Women by Texas Diversity Magazine.
Kim received her Bachelor degree in Social Work from Texas State University graduating from the University’s Emerging Leader program and was inducted into Who’s Who in College & Universities students. Kim received her Master degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She holds a Senior Professional designation in Human Resources and certified employee relations credentials. Kim is a professional member of the Fort Worth Human Resources Group and National Society of Human Resource Management.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Martita Mullen
Assistant Regional Chief – Track, CN
|
Martita Mullen was recently promoted to Assistant Regional Chief – Track. In her current role, Martita is responsible for track maintenance, basic capital improvements, emergency repairs, and safety for the North in the US.
Prior to this role Martita was Senior Manager Design and Construction, she was responsible for construction and infrastructure improvement projects in the US. She earned her bachelor's degree in civil engineering at Northwestern University and a master's in civil engineering at Tufts University. She is a PE in TN and has her PMP.
Ms. Mullen worked for Illinois Central Railroad as a track designer and assistant track supervisor. After graduate school, she returned to railroading as a management trainee at CN, which acquired Illinois Central in 1999. Since then, she has managed projects, including construction of the CN intermodal terminal and Harrison Yard in Memphis, Tenn., and CN infrastructure upgrades for the GO Transit expansion in Toronto.
Martita has also worked in Track Standards during her 20-year railroading career.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amanda Trainor Patrick
President, League of Railway Women
VP Trade Shows & Board Relations, Railway Supply Institute
|
Amanda Trainor Patrick is the Vice President of Trade Shows & Board Relations at the Railway Supply Institute (RSI) located in Washington, DC.
Amanda is honored to serve as the President of the League Railway Women (2019 – 2021).
In 2019, she was named a Progressive Railroading Rising Star which is given to a person who is viewed by others as an up-and-coming leader in the rail industry.
Amanda is the mom to three curious and tenacious girls and lives in Falls Church, Virginia.
Amanda enjoys reading, gardening, the Washington Nationals, and being outside exploring with her family.
|
|
|
|
Thank You To Our Corporate Partners
For Supporting This Webinar!
|
|
|
|
Offering our members educational opportunities through webinars is a priority for LRW.
We're continuing our Railroading 101 (RR101) series that focuses on broadening industry knowledge with an upcoming session about signalling systems.
Also coming soon are webinars on leadership and career development. We encourage you to review our
LRW Webinars & Online Education page and join us on our learning journey. Members can log in to view past webinar sessions.
|
|
2020 Railway Woman of the Year
|
|
The League of Railway Women (LRW) has commenced its search for the 2020 Railway Woman of the Year, co-sponsored by Progressive Railroading.
LRW's
Railway Woman of the Year Advisory Committee will be reviewing all applications and recommending a winner. This five-member committee is comprised of women rail leaders who are previous LRW Railway Woman of the Year honorees.
|
|
Founded in 1997, the League of Railway Women (LRW) is committed to improving the railroad industry by connecting and cultivating women in rail. Our mission is to advance the representation, recognition and opportunities for women, thereby promoting diversity and improving the business results of the railroad industry. Learn more at
www.railwaywomen.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
