Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail

Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail
November 2, 2023 - November 2, 2023 | Union League Club of Chicago | Chicago, IL
Connect. Inspire. Innovate.

Event Info

NOW SOLD OUT!

Our first in-person Women in Rail conference takes place Nov. 2 in Chicago!  

Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail 2023 is your opportunity to network with a diverse group of women and their allies as we discuss how railroaders can maintain the momentum of inclusion, build strong support networks, and take advantage of ever-broadening career opportunities.

Join us on Nov. 2 as the industry conversation continues with this live event covering the freight, passenger, and transit rail sectors!

Why You Should Attend Women in Rail 2023

  • Get career insights from our speakers, who will share how they rose to the top of their field.
  • Discover career advancement and development opportunities and methodologies to improve skillsets.
  • Network with your peers—both upcoming talents and accomplished women who have blazed a trail.
  • Learn how mentorship and ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) can offer community building and support.
  • Explore how DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives in today’s railways are supporting women.

Judy K. Carter

SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, BNSF

Janet Drysdale

SVP & Chief Stakeholder Relations Officer, CN

Deb Schrampfer

AVP & Chief Diversity Officer, Workforce Resources, Union Pacific

Peter A. Gilbertson

President & CEO, Anacostia Rail Holdings Company

Robert Grasty

EVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, Amtrak

Rachael Peterson

EVP & Chief People Officer, Watco

Don Itzkoff

Chief Policy Officer, Patriot Rail Company

Sebastian Moreno

Director, Diversity & Inclusion, NJ TRANSIT

CleLeatha Shaw

Manager - Crew Dispatching, Metra

Cherita Hunter Jones

Group Manager Performance Excellence, Norfolk Southern

Staci Moody-Gilbert

VP, BMWED-International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Marc Buncher

President & CEO, Siemens Mobility North America

Kari Gonzales

President & CEO, MxV Rail

Ed Quinn

President & CEO, R. J. Corman Railroad Group

Maggie Vuono

President, TraConcepts

Jannet Walker-Ford

SVP & National Transit & Rail Business Line Leader, WSP USA / Chair, WTS International

Matt Dick

Chief of Strategy & Development, ENSCO

Jacqueline Patterson

VP & Co-Founder, Zephyr UAS, Inc.

Anna Barry

Program Manager & VP, HNTB

Luisa Fernandez-Willey

AVP - Policy & Economics, AAR

Sarah Yurasko

President, League of Railway Women; SVP Law & General Counsel, ASLRRA

Patty Long

President, Railway Supply Institute

Laura Ramirez

Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Trinity Industries

KellyAnne Gallagher

CEO, Commuter Rail Coalition

Barbara Wilson

Freight Rail Industry C-Suite Executive

Tom Prendergast

EVP, AECOM

Danielle Kandybowicz

VP of Human Resources, RailWorks

Jason Ward

Founder & Managing Partner, Industrial Search Partners

Sponsorships
Sponsorships are available for all Railway Age and RT&S events. For more information, contact Jonathan Chalon at [email protected], 212.620.7224.

Venue | Hotel
The conference takes place at the Union League Club of Chicago. Our hotel block at the Union League Club is now sold out, but several highly-rated hotels are available within a 5-block radius of the conference venue.

More area hotels >>

Union League Club of Chicago
65 West Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
ULCC dress code >>

Business or business casual attire is recommended for this event.

Questions?
Contact us at [email protected].

Supporting Organizations

gold
gold
luncheon
case study
case study
bronze
bronze
bronze
bronze
bronze
bronze
continental breakfast
morning coffee break
afternoon coffee break

November 1

5:00 to 6:00 PM
Registration in the Crystal Ballroom Foyer (5th floor)

6:00 to 7:30 PM
Welcome Reception in the Library, with the League of Railway Women, The National Association of Railway Business Women, and WTS International (4th floor)

November 2

8:00 AM
Registration & Badge Pickup | Continental Breakfast sponsored by Telegraph (5th floor)

9:00 AM
Opening Session
A conversation with Judy Carter, Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, BNSF

9:30 AM
Forging New Paths to the Top, presented by Edna A. Rice Executive Recruiters, Inc.

Moderated by Debbie Taylor, Executive Search Consultant, Edna A. Rice Executive Recruiters, Inc.

  • Luisa Fernandez-Willey, Assistant Vice President – Policy & Economics, Association of American Railroads
  • Shannon Farling Scott, Assistant General Counsel, CSX

9:45 AM
Employee Resource Groups
The panel will delve into what ERGs are; how they provide community/support and address DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives; plus how to start ERGs and what to include.

Co-moderated by Sarah Yurasko, President, League of Railway Women / Senior Vice President Law & General Counsel, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and Railway Age and RT&S Editorial Staff

  • Laura Ramirez, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Trinity Industries, Inc.
  • Sebastian Moreno, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, NJ TRANSIT
  • Deb Schrampfer, Assistant Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer, Workforce Resources, Union Pacific

10:30 AM 
Coffee Break sponsored by Watco

11:00 AM
Technology and Innovation
Our panel will address the latest freight railroad and passenger railroad/transit industry technologies and innovations, plus how companies can support employee education on these subjects.

Co-moderated by Patty Long, President, Railway Supply Institute and Railway Age and RT&S Editorial Staff

  • Marc Buncher, President & CEO, Siemens Mobility, Inc. North America
  • Kari L. Gonzales, President & CEO, MxV Rail
  • Jannet Walker-Ford, Senior Vice President & National Transit & Rail Business Line Leader, WSP USA / Chair, WTS International
  • Tom Prendergast, Executive Vice President, AECOM

11:45 AM
Women in Rail from the Short Line Perspective
Peter A. Gilbertson, President & CEO, Anacostia Rail Holdings Company

12:15 PM
Luncheon in the French and Tudor Rooms, sponsored by Canadian National (CN) (7th floor)
Recognition of RT&S’ 2023 Women in Railroad Engineering Honorees

1:30 PM
Human Resources
Speakers will discuss how recruitment and retention is changing; inclusion; career growth opportunities in the industry; how companies are supporting the well-being of women today (productivity, work/life balance, networking, community building, mental welfare, effects from the COVID-19 pandemic); and how companies are addressing challenges for women in the workplace.

Moderated by Railway Age and RT&S Editorial Staff

  • Rachael Peterson, Executive Vice President & Chief People Officer, Watco
  • Robert Grasty, Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resource Officer, Amtrak
  • Danielle Kandybowicz, Vice President of Human Resources, RailWorks
  • Jason Ward, Founder & Managing Partner, Industrial Search Partners

2:15 PM
Mentorship
We will explore the mentorship role from the mentor and mentee perspective; how to find a mentor who can help guide your career and address challenges, such as feeling isolated within your discipline; how to navigate the mentor-mentee relationship; and how to best help mentees.

Co-moderated by Maggie Vuono, President, TraConcepts / Chair, Mentorship Committee, League of Railway Women and Railway Age and RT&S Editorial Staff

  • Anna Barry, Program Manager & Vice President, HNTB
  • Don Itzkoff, Chief Policy Officer, Patriot Rail
  • Matthew Dick, P.E., Chief of Strategy & Development, ENSCO, Inc., TTC operated by ENSCO
  • Ed Quinn, President & CEO, R. J. Corman Railroad Group

3:00 PM
Coffee Break sponsored by RailWorks Corporation

3:30 PM
Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail Honorees Panel
We will cover the awards programs that celebrate women trailblazers with track records of breaking down barriers and helping to create industry opportunities for women, plus past honorees will offer industry insights and discuss their career journeys.

Moderated by Barbara Wilson, Freight Rail Industry C-Suite Executive; KellyAnne Gallagher, CEO, Commuter Rail Coalition; and David Lester, Editor-in-Chief, RT&S

  • Cherita Hunter Jones, Group Manager Performance Excellence – Data Optimization, Norfolk Southern (RT&S Women in Engineering Honoree, 2022)
  • Staci Moody-Gilbert, Vice President, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Railway Age Women in Rail Honoree, 2022)
  • Jacqueline L. Patterson, Vice President & Co-founder, Zephyr UAS, Inc. (Railway Age Women in Rail Honoree, 2022)
  • CleLeatha Shaw, Manager – Crew Management, Metra / Local Chapter President, National Association of Railway Business Women (Railway Age Women in Rail Honoree, 2022)

4:15 PM
Delivering Metra’s Largest Capital Program, presented by
WSP
Janice R. Thomas, Deputy Executive Director, Metra

4:30 PM
Closing Session
A conversation with Janet Drysdale, Senior Vice President & Chief Stakeholder Relations Officer, CN

5:00 PM
Event Ends
Program is subject to change.

 

Register Now >>

 

Sponsorships

Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail 2023 is your opportunity to connect with a diverse group of women and their allies who are driving their businesses forward while effecting change. Market your services directly to these fast-rising decision-makers and those who make purchasing recommendations.