Railway Age is celebrating eight years of recognizing women who not only excel at leadership but also serve the community and drive industry change, paving the way for the next generation. This year, 25 railroaders earned the publication’s Women in Rail award.
Established in 2017, the annual award is presented to railway industry women in the United States, Canada and/or Mexico for their outstanding leadership, vision, innovation, community service involvement and accomplishments. In an industry typically dominated by men, their professionalism and hard work set an example for many in the freight, passenger, government and supply sectors.
“All of us at Railway Age congratulate this distinguished group of women,” Railway Age Publisher Jonathan Chalon reported on behalf of the judging committee, which included Railroad Financial Corporation Senior Advisor Barbara Wilson, Commuter Rail Coalition CEO KellyAnne Gallagher and the Railway Age staff. “We are proud to honor these trailblazers who have a track record of breaking down barriers and helping to create industry opportunities for women.” In addition to the 25 honorees, seven women were selected for honorable mention in 2024.
In addition to the Railway Age staff, the judges are:
Barbara Wilson
Senior Advisor
Railroad Financial Corporation
Wilson served previously as President and CEO of short line holding company RailUSA, providing strategic leadership and implementing long-range goals, plans and policies. Prior to joining RailUSA in 2019, she was President of Wells Fargo Rail, where she led business growth by acquiring three industry competitors to build the largest railcar leasing business in North America. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and an MBA from Babson College.
KellyAnne Gallagher
CEO
Commuter Rail Coalition (CRC)
Gallagher is a public transportation policy professional and a strategic advisor to industry leaders. With more than 20 years serving across industry sectors, in 2019 she founded CRC, where she is shaping policy and driving the agenda of the association, which serves as the singular voice of the commuter rail industry. Previously, Gallagher was a member of the New York MTA’s senior leadership team, which she joined after 16 years with the American Public Transportation Association.
2024 Women in Rail Honorees
Ashley King
Assistant Vice President Trucking & Rail Integrated Solutions
Norfolk Southern
King is a veteran railroader with more than 17 years of experience at NS, where she started as a management trainee. In her current role, she oversees the Thoroughbred Bulk Transfer Network, which she helped grow by more than 6% in carloads and 8% in revenue in 2023, and the Thoroughbred Freight Transfer. In March, she was selected to lead Triple Crown Services, the railroad’s wholly owned trucking subsidiary, where one of her first acts was to merge Triple Crown’s sales team with the Rail Integrated Solutions sales team to better serve customers. No matter what leadership position King has held—from Industrial Products and Customer Service to Network Planning—she has focused on two of her core strengths: listening to customers and finding a better way. In 2019, in response to customer feedback, King spearheaded the establishment a new customer logistics center. And more recently, when a customer in the paper and packaging industry wanted to utilize the full capacity of a 60-foot high-cube boxcar to serve a facility with height restrictions, she helped to identify a solution, marking the railroad’s first foray into full truckload cross-docking. King also serves on the Advisory Board for the Transload Distribution Association of North America, working with other Class I’s and transload partners to develop best practices.
Andrea Niethold
Head of U.S. Public and
Government Affairs, Government and Regulatory Affairs
CN
After eight years in a Director role, Niethold was recently elevated to Head of U.S. Public and Government Affairs at CN, where she engages with federal lawmakers and regulators on freight rail issues and how railroads move the economy. Among her accomplishments: working alongside key trade negotiators, industry leaders and federal lawmakers to see tri-lateral passage of USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), and hosting more than two dozen federal lawmakers (STB members, White House officials, Members of Congress) and staff along key CN trade corridors, including Port Huron, Mich.; Memphis, Tenn.; Fulton, Ky.; Dearborn, Mich.; Ferndale, Mich.; Baton Rouge, La.; Toledo, Ohio; and Ranier, Minn. Before joining the Class I railroad, Niethold served as Chief of Staff to a former senior member of the House Railroad Subcommittee. Despite a challenging workload and travel schedule, Niethold helps to connect and cultivate women in rail. She is a founding member and Co-Chair of CN’s Women’s Employee Resource Group and has helped to launch mentorship, professional development and community engagement programs. Niethold also serves as Director-at-Large for the League of Railway Women and Co-Chair of the LRW Events Committee.
Karen Philbrick
Executive Director
Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI),
San Jose State University
Dr. Philbrick began her career as a research psychologist working with the freight rail industry and developed her expertise in fatigue countermeasures working with BNSF, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern and transit agencies. She is dedicated to improving mobility for all and now oversees a robust research, workforce development, education and technology transfer program. Since 2014, she has served as Executive Director of MTI, which leads four competitively selected multi-university consortia. To ensure that rail research reaches those responsible for managing change, Dr. Philbrick serves on industry boards and committees, including WTS International, the TRB (Transportation Research Board) Passenger Rail Transportation Committee, USDOT Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (appointed four times by respective U.S. Secretaries of Transportation), APTA, and NASA’s Academic Mission Services Science and Technology Council. She is dedicated to building the transportation talent pipeline and oversees numerous K-12 initiatives, as well as an advanced degree program that includes a concentration in High-Speed and Intercity Rail Management. Most recently, the WTS Bay Area Chapter acknowledged her service with the 2023 Katherine G. Johnson Trailblazer of the Year Award.
Lauren Roberts
Regional Vice President, Finance
Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services, Inc.
Shortly after joining G&W as an Accounting Manager, Roberts, at age 25, became Finance Director of the Southern Region, the company’s largest operating region at the time. When Hurricane Michael ravaged the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm in 2018, the main office and locomotive and railcar maintenance shop of G&W’s Bay Line Railroad suffered extensive damage. In addition, more than 150 railcars were blown over, and hundreds of trees and power lines had fallen along the right-of-way. Roberts oversaw rebuilding efforts. Today, the rebuilt shop serves as the maintenance and repair hub for G&W’s entire American Region. During Roberts’ G&W tenure, she has played a key role on cross-functional teams that have successfully integrated more than 50 acquired operations, including RailAmerica. Today, she provides financial support for more than five dozen railroads and more than a dozen industrial switching contracts; drives new business projects in conjunction with Sales and Marketing; and ensures the execution of individual railroads’ strategic plans. Working closely with Operations on safety and capital improvements, Roberts has helped to ensure that G&W railroads run cost-effectively while never compromising safety. Additionally, Roberts has developed Finance and Accounting workshops to lay the foundation for the next generation of rail leaders.
Angela Schwarz
Senior Vice President National
Transit & Rail Systems Leader
WSP
After graduating from Faculdade de Engenharia Industrial in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Schwarz moved from her home country to Germany to advance her career in transportation. She ultimately transferred to the United States to work on one of the largest control center projects to date, at MTA New York City Transit. Schwarz provided technical leadership as systems integrator on the Automatic Train Supervision project, which centralized into one Rail Control Center real-time train control functions and operations for the A Division, bringing 225 miles of subway lines into the 21st century. Schwarz was also integral to bringing NJ Transit’s Positive Train Control project to a successful completion in December 2020. Today, she serves as a technical advisor for MTA’s communications-based train control program for NYCT. To secure the $120 million CBTC project, Schwarz assembled a top-notch WSP team and applied the same approach to win a $40 million systems project in San Francisco. Additionally, she has served as the first engineering manager for MARTA’s general engineering consultant program; as Systems Package Delivery Manager for the 16-mile Purple Line light rail project in Maryland; and spearheaded the DART Communications Control Center project.
“Congratulations to our 2024 Women in Rail award winners and to Railway Age for celebrating these strong and successful women.”
— Barbara Wilson
Senior Advisor, Railroad Financial Corporation
Jennifer Shea
Corporate Vice President,
Global Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) and Regulator
Wabtec Corporation
Shea joined Wabtec as a result of a merger with GE Transportation in 2019 and built the new combined company’s EHS programs and professional staff. She oversees legal support and counseling related to EHS, ESG and product regulatory compliance. This includes oversight for 160 professional staffers around the world, including 150-plus manufacturing and service locations. Additionally, she leads stakeholder engagement around Wabtec’s decarbonization of rail transportation strategies and broader sustainability initiatives and reporting. In 2020, she was selected by the Wabtec CEO to build and co-lead a federal and state government relations program to accelerate the future of sustainable rail. Today, it boasts a cross-functional team focused on advocacy, grant and funding opportunities and public affairs, as well as a lobbying network of external consultants. More recently, her internal executive advocacy for EHS priorities led to the formation of Wabtec’s People First Commitments. Her leadership and vision have created new cultural commitments and behaviors for nearly 30,000 employees. This includes empowering employees to stop work for unsafe practices and emphasizing mutual accountability. Shea is part of the Women at Wabtec and Women in Operations employee resource groups.
Tina Sheaves
Vice President Operations East
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC)
A 30-plus-year career railroader, Sheaves worked as a Laborer, Forklift Operator, Engineering Timekeeper, Conductor and Yardmaster before transitioning into leadership as an Operations Coordinator. She continued to take on roles of increasing responsibility throughout Canada, and her experience in Engineering, Mechanical, Intermodal and Train & Engine Operations served her well as Assistant Vice President Operations covering the Eastern Region with a team of more than 700 employees. Sheaves was the first woman at this level in Operations at CPKC. Her commitment to safety is evident in her ability to identify at-risk behaviors and implement new processes to drive desired results. When she became Assistant Vice President, she recognized a higher frequency of new-hire safety incidents. Her recommendations to provide additional time in training along with changes to the trainers’ approach were carried out, resulting in a notable reduction in safety incidents and increased new-hire retention. A respected leader with deep credibility, Sheaves values feedback, accountability and making a meaningful impact. She is an active participant in CPKC’s Women’s Mentorship program, where she provides guidance and counseling to a diverse group of employees. Sheaves was recently promoted to Vice President Operations East.
Jocelyn Short
Chief of Staff to the President
and CEO (Operations)
Metrolinx
Metrolinx is undertaking the largest transportation investment in Ontario’s history to expand transit in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Fundamental to the delivery of this expansion is the agency’s newly established System Safety Assurance program. Short joined Metrolinx in 2020 to help lead the development and implementation of that program and support governance to ensure the highest standards of rigor are applied across all stages of transportation projects, from planning and design through to operation. The program’s success is evident in its widespread endorsement internally and externally, and in 2022, it was recognized with an award by the Railway Association of Canada. While working in the office of Metrolinx’s Chief Safety Officer, Short led Metrolinx’s Safety Culture Improvement Initiative. She also delivered the text-for-help, mobile grade crossing enforcement, graduated fee structure for fare related offenses and COVID-19 mobile vaccination clinic programs. As Chief of Staff, Short most recently worked to improve fare integration across the region, teaming with the province and local transit companies to launch Ontario’s One Fare Program in February. Short is committed to giving back, and serves as a mentor and Mentee Selection Committee member for Girls E-Mentorship.
Maria Graciela Trillanes Gallardo
Chief Commercial Officer
HGmotive Inc.
Trillanes is recognized for strategic vision, strong business acumen and moving initiatives into ongoing practice. She spent 12 years serving in the Mexican Army as a technician at the Laboratorio Central de Pruebas, earning a Medal of Honor. She joined GE Plastics Mexico as a sales manager in 1994 and moved to the U.S. in 2001 to serve as GE Plastics’ Platform Manager. In 2008, she became a GE Transportation Product Manager, managing the Direct Current Replacement Locomotive program. She was elevated in 2011 to Executive Product Manager, leading the development of new products, including the introduction of LNG Locomotives. In 2019, she became Chief Commercial Officer at HGmotive™. CPKC and HGmotive are currently jointly testing a hydrogen fueling system with the HGmotive™ Prototype Tender, which will facilitate the use of hydrogen for fuel cells on freight locomotives. Trillanes’ contributions to the rail industry include working with all Class I railroads and regulators in North America to achieve standardization of critical functions in the freight locomotive operator’s cab; leading the implementation of technologies that have achieved the performance of DC locomotives while using AC traction motors; and working with regulators on development and implementation of alternative fuel in current and future locomotives.
Connie Vail
Vice President of Rail Services
Cathcart Rail / BIP Railroad
Vail launched BIP Railroad, a former CSX line in need of repair, during the first stages of the COVID-19 shutdown—handling STB and FRA submission filings, developing safety and training programs, hiring engineers and conductors, building a track repair and maintenance department, leasing two locomotives and more. She worked side by side with crews as an engineer, conductor and manager on the first day of operations and many days afterward. Over the past 4-1/2 years, BIP has more than doubled traffic volume, tripled revenue and has allowed numerous customers to grow their businesses. Additionally, Vail has created a safety culture that has resulted in a zero injury rating since startup. Vail began her railroad career as an engineer at Norfolk Southern. She has also worked as a trainmaster for Canadian Pacific (now CPKC) and for Iowa Interstate, and served as Senior Director, Regulatory Compliance and Safety for Progressive Rail Specialized Logistics. Vail participates in Operation Lifesaver and local events to educate the community about the dangers of being on or around railroad tracks. She also plans a Santa Train event every holiday season to collect items for local food banks and animal shelters. Vail is a member of the League of Railway Women, GCOR (General Code of Operating Rules) Committee and ASLRRA Safety Committee.
Wendy Whalen
Vice President Supply Chain
Union Pacific
Whalen joined UP in 1998 and has held roles in HR, Finance and Marketing & Sales, and is currently Vice President Supply Chain. UP spends billions of dollars annually across its network of nearly 5,000 suppliers. Whalen took on her first supply chain role in 2006 as leader of the Mechanical purchasing team. She pioneered the integration of sharing ideas, information and total cost of ownership analysis, leading to widespread benefits. The practice has been institutionalized during the past 18 years, now forming the backbone of UP’s supply chain operations. Whalen is the driving force behind UP’s Supplier Diversity Program. Her team’s revitalized efforts have seen significant success, with more than 75% of all bids released by UP including at least one diverse supplier. This initiative not only promotes inclusion but also tracks and demonstrates the financial benefits of diverse suppliers, reinforcing that diversity is ethically sound and good for business. Key to Whalen’s success in addressing rising costs has been implementation of strategic sourcing wave processes, which have produced more than $450 million in company savings. Whalen is an Advisory Board member for UP’s young professionals resource group, UP Ties, as well as UNO Supply Chain and GoRail, and serves as an conference speaker to advance supply chain education and industry practices.
Tracie Winbigler
Executive Vice President and CFO
Amtrak
Amtrak has an ambitious goal—to double ridership to 66 million customers annually—and having a strong financial position is central to that. Winbigler leads Amtrak’s financial team, which includes the company’s 500-plus accounting, treasury, procurement, continuous improvement and enterprise project management staff members. When she joined Amtrak as CFO in 2019, the company’s annual financial resources were about $5 billion. Over the past five years, she and her team have managed the doubling of these resources—including $3 billion in revenue, $5 billion in capital expenditures, and the rest through government grants. She has helped Amtrak establish a Continuous Improvement organization to drive process and technology improvements in finance and the enterprise. In addition, she formed a cross-enterprise rotational program among the finance, commercial, strategy and planning and procurement teams to improve analysis capability and build a talent pipeline. Her leadership skills and approach were critical as Amtrak responded to and recovered from the effects of the pandemic, when ridership and revenue fell by as much as 97%. For more than two decades, Winbigler has embraced community service roles as a Board Member for the Girl Scouts of Western Washington, leading GE’s Women’s Network and serving as Executive Sponsor for Amtrak’s employee resource group for women.
2024 Honorable Mentions
All Photographs Courtesy of the Respective Companies.
