Railway Age’s 2022 ‘Fast Trackers’ 25 Under 40 Honorees

Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
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Railway Age is pleased to announce the 25 “Fast Trackers” selected for this year’s 25 Under 40 awards program.

Established in 2016, the annual awards are presented to railroaders under the age of 40 in the United States, Canada and/or Mexico for making an impact in their respective fields or within their company.

For the 2022 program, Railway Age increased the number of honorees from 20 to 25, due to a growing number of entries and top candidates. This year’s honorees were selected from freight and passenger railroads; government entities; and the supplier, contractor and consultant communities. They were required to be under 40 as of Jan. 1, 2022.

“Our seventh-annual awards program honorees not only represent the strength and growth of our industry, but also the ‘best of the best,’ and come from the highest pool of entries we have ever had—more than 120,” Railway Age Publisher Jonathan Chalon said. “Railway Age will feature their accomplishments in the February 2022 issue.”

“The quality of nominations continues to increase,” added Michigan State Center for Railway Research & Education Director Nick Little, who was program judge. “It is amazing what can be achieved, the contributions to the railway industry as a whole, and the impact on society through giving back. And this is done alongside family obligations at a time when the pandemic has changed the way we live. I look forward to next year’s competition!”

Honorees (in alphabetical order):

• Folu Adepitan, Senior Sales Account Executive, Kansas City Southern

• Will Baker, Vice President-Rail Sales, Evraz

• Zachary Boehme, Assistant Vice President-Industrial Development, Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services, Inc.

• Damien Cantrell, Assistant Vice President-Rail and Liquids, Watco

• David F. Casaceli, Railroad Safety Specialist-Technical Training (Track), Federal Railroad Administration (Runner-Up/Honorable Mention 2020)

• Ben Dobernecker, Project Director-Trainsets, Siemens Mobility

• Shanda Durbin, Vice President-Human Resources, Herzog

• LaVoy Golden, Regional Operations Manager, CSX

• Cait Hicok, Product Team Lead, The Greenbrier Companies

• Matthew Hornak, Senior Manager-GTA Intermodal Operations, CN

• Tiffani Jenkins, Director-Signaling Systems Renewal Program, Office of Capital Program Delivery, Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA)

• Milan Karunaratne, Director-Digital Advanced Technologies and Applied Innovation, Wabtec

• Jonathan Kirby, Chief Road Foreman-PTC, New Jersey Transit

• Stephanie Kuntzman, General Director-Consumer Products, BNSF

• David Lallier, District Manager, Ontario Northland Transportation Commission

• Eilidh McGregor, Senior Engineer (Transit), Hatch Ltd.

• Clayton Miller, Product Manager-Asset Characteristics, Railinc

• Cassandra Mullee, Director-Chicago Transportation Coordination Office, Norfolk Southern

• Jason Murray, Director-Construction Observation, RailPros

• Christina Roberts, Treasurer, Patriot Rail Company

• Zach Russell, Assistant Vice President-Asset Planning, Union Pacific

• Sam Sargent, Director-Strategy, Capital Metro

• Thomas Stuebner, Senior Director-Labor Relations, Metra (Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation)

• Lionel Thompson, Assistant Roadmaster, Florida Central Railroad Company

• Nicholas C. Walker, Vice President Operations-West, Canadian Pacific

Railway Age’s 2021 “Fast Trackers” 20 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2020 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2019 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2018 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2017 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees

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