Freight and passenger railroads support communities, ensure reliable service for customers and consumers, and move the economy forward—sustainably and with a commitment to environmental stewardship. The Women in Rail 2025 Conference, presented by Railway Age and RT&S, will feature a dynamic panel of industry experts discussing how railroads are having a positive impact on the environment—through new technologies that lower carbon emissions, transportation planning, construction projects that engage all stakeholders, and much more.
Their session—“Trackside Impact: Environment and Community”—is one of many scheduled for the third-annual in-person Women in Rail Conference, taking place in the Chicagoland area on Oct. 15-16. The event will also include a celebratory luncheon for the Railway Age 2024 Women in Rail and RT&S 2025 Women in Railroad Engineering award honorees, and the chance to network with a wide-reaching group of like-minded professionals. All this will take place at a new, larger venue: the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg.
“I’m honored to join the Women in Rail Conference panel on Environment and Community. Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to lead initiatives that connect freight rail operations with environmental responsibility and positive community impact. I look forward to bringing that perspective to the conversation and exploring how we can continue to advance sustainability across the industry.” – Kayden Howard, SVP Health, Safety, and Environmental Programs
Meet the Panel
Join us Oct. 16 to be part of a conversation with:
- Kayden Howard, who is Senior Vice President, Health, Safety, and Environmental Programs at OmniTRAX. As an accomplished global executive and respected leader, Howard has a distinguished track record of leading and improving health, safety, and environmental programs, optimizing operations, and promoting sustainability. Over the course of her career—including an 18-year tenure at Kansas City Southern (now CPKC)—she has successfully guided large teams and organizations in legal affairs, human resources, sustainability, and health, safety, and environmental initiatives, primarily in the freight rail sector. Renowned for taking high functioning teams to the next level, Howard has consistently delivered end-to-end process improvements while transforming organizations.
As Senior Vice President Health, Safety and Environmental Programs, Howard serves as Chief Safety Officer, Chief Environmental Officer, and Chief Sustainability Officer for OmniTRAX, where she leads ESG reporting and initiatives, environmental protection, worker safety and health, public safety, and hazmat preparedness and response across the company’s U.S. and Canadian operations.
- Sean Strong, CHMM, QISP, who is Vice President of Environmental for Watco, a single source transportation and supply chain services company. He has extensive experience in compliance, remediation, sustainability, and environmental due diligence for industrial properties. Strong is a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager and a Qualified Industrial Stormwater Practitioner through the California Stormwater Quality Association. He has worked throughout the lower 48 states and has completed projects in Mexico and Canada. Strong serves as the Chair of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s Environmental Committee and holds a degree in economics from the Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
- Brett Guarino, who is Project Manager II, Design and Construction for CSX, and a 2025 RT&S Women in Railroad Engineering Award honoree. She is a seasoned rail design and construction professional with more than 15 years of experience leading capital infrastructure projects for CSX. Guarino brings deep expertise in project development, financial oversight, and resource management, with a focus on ensuring smooth operations and stakeholder alignment. Since 2012, she has been an active member of AREMA (American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association) Committee 1 (Roadway and Ballast), currently serving as Chair of Subcommittee 4, advancing culvert design standards. Guarino has also represented CSX in the CREATE (Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency) Program since 2015, contributing to the modernization of Chicago’s freight and passenger rail systems. She is based in Wyoming, Mich., and committed to advancing rail design through innovation, collaboration, and mentorship.
- Paula Dowell, Ph.D., who is Senior Vice President and National Practice Leader for Integrated Planning at HNTB Corporation. She has 24 years of experience in transportation planning and policy, focusing on transportation economics, freight transportation planning, and transportation funding and investment prioritization. Dr. Dowell is one of the nation’s leaders in transportation economics, freight and goods movement planning, and integrated transportation planning and economic development, continuously driving innovations in the industry through study efforts for strategic development planning and feasibility studies, application of big data, port and rail planning, and national freight research and development. She has led more than two dozen state freight plans, numerous large regional goods mobility studies, and has served as principal economist for several private-sector freight facility feasibility studies.
Dr. Dowell received her M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1998 and 2000 respectively, and is a member of the National Academies’ Transportation Research Board, Women Transportation Seminar (WTS), International Transportation Economist Association, and Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.
The panel will be moderated by Lisa Tackach, President of the League of Railway Women (LRW) and Head of Marketing for Paterson, N.J.-based Railroad Construction Company, Inc. (RCC), which was established in 1926 to provide an array of track services for the private and public sectors along the East Coast and has since developed into a major general contractor with experience and expertise in all areas of track, civil, utility, and building construction. Following graduation from Pace University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Advertising and Promotion degree, Tackach was introduced to AREMA and dedicated the first seven years of her professional career to promoting the non-profit organization in the marketing department. Through AREMA, she quickly learned how propitious the rail industry is and how fortunate she was to have the foundation of her professional future begin with advocating for those who dedicate their time and knowledge to supporting the AREMA mission. In 2014, she relocated to New Jersey, reconnected with her network of railroad industry professionals, and began working at RCC in the marketing department, later evolving into her role on the Marketing and Business Development Team. Having witnessed firsthand the benefit of connecting likeminded individuals to help support, advance, and grow an organization, Tackach became a member of the LRW and was elected to serve on the Board as the Awards Chair in 2017. She is now President. In addition to LRW, Tackach was elected to serve on the New Jersey Railroad Association Board as the Associate Member Representative in 2019 and continues to hold this position today.
About Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail 2025
The “Commanding the Track: Your Leadership Toolkit” panelists will be joined at the 2025 Women in Rail Conference by a diverse group of railroaders with a shared commitment to our industry’s future. Among them: Annie Adams, Chief Human Resources Officer, Norfolk Southern; Jennifer Hamann, EVP and Chief Financial Officer, Union Pacific; Sarah Watterson, President, Brightline West; Herman E. Crosson, Chief Safety & Compliance Officer, Anacostia Rail Holdings; Jenni Benton, SVP Commercial, Patriot Rail; Vianey De la Mora, Director General, Mexican Railway Association (AMF); Kari Gonzales, President and CEO, MxV Rail; Henrika Buchanan, SVP, National Practice Consultant, Transit & Rail Market Sector, HNTB; Paul Hubler, Chief Strategy Officer, Metrolink; Cherise Myers, Director-Workforce Development, American Public Transportation Association (APTA); and many more.
Speakers will offer their candid thoughts on topics ranging from marketing yourself to ESG and new technologies.
Supporting Organizations
Industry support for the 2025 Women in Rail Conference is already strong, including sponsorship from: AITX, GATX, TrinityRail, CN, CPKC, RailPros, R. J. Corman, API, Genesee & Wyoming, The Greenbrier Companies, UTLX, Progress Rail, Patriot Rail, Union Pacific, The National Association of Railway Business Women, and The League of Railway Women.
Learn More
To inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Jonathan Chalon at jchalon@sbpub.com or (212) 620-7224.
View the agenda and confirmed speakers for Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail 2025 >>
Don’t Forget
Through Oct. 2, Railway Age is accepting nominations for its 2025 Women in Rail Awards program, which will honor 25 trailblazers for their achievements in our November issue and at the 2026 Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail Conference. These outstanding railroaders will be selected based on their leadership, vision, innovation, and accomplishments. This award celebrates female leaders in rail and pioneers with a track record of breaking down barriers and helping to create industry opportunities for women. Entries will be judged by Barbara Wilson, Senior Advisor at Railroad Financial Corporation, and Catherine Rinaldi, Executive Vice President of Gateway Development Commission, with input from the Railway Age staff. Both Wilson and Rinaldi will participate at the 2025 Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail Conference.
