Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail 2025

Conference sessions take place in the Mahogany Ballroom on the lobby level.
Breakfasts, breaks and the reception take place in the Mahogany & Ivory Foyers on the lobby level.
Luncheon takes place in the Sienna Ballroom on the lower level.

Tuesday, October 14

5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Early Check-in | Badge Pick-up

Wednesday, October 15 

8:00 a.m.
Registration | Badge Pick-up Sponsored by Genesee & Wyoming
Continental Breakfast Sponsored by UTLX

8:55 a.m.
Welcome! 

9:00 a.m.
Opening Session with Annie Adams, Ph.D., Chief Human Resources Officer, Norfolk Southern
Adams is a strategic business, technology, and human capital leader and an innovative C-Suite executive and board director. In a fireside chat with Railway Age and RT&S editors, she will offer insights on recruitment trends, career development, and how her professional journey—and the lessons she’s learned along the way—can help attendees excel in their own careers. Adams was named an Influential Leader by Railway Age in 2021 and earned sister publication IRJ’s Women in Rail award in 2022. 

Moderators: Railway Age and RT&S Editors  

9:25 a.m.
Innovation Spotlight Presented by Accommodations Plus International (API)
Jason Leone, Senior Vice President of Client Engagement & Growth, Accommodations Plus International (API)

9:40 a.m.
SESSION 1: Railroading’s Heroes
Veterans play a key role in the railroad industry—in the field and the C-Suite. Join us for a session that addresses today’s hiring practices and talent development for veterans and how having a military background helps freight and passenger railroaders succeed in leadership roles and beyond. 

•  Jean Savage, CEO & President, Trinity Industries, Inc. 
•  Quilesha Hodges, Assistant Terminal Superintendent, Women’s Network Mentorship Chair, BNSF 
•  John S. Morris III, Chief Financial Officer, Metra
•  Herman E. Crosson, Chief Safety & Compliance Officer, Anacostia Rail Holdings 

Moderator: James T. Riley, President, Railway Supply Institute 

10:20 a.m.
Coffee Break Sponsored by Progress Rail

10:35 a.m. to 12:20p.m.
SESSION 2: Leadership Journeys
Whether you are early in your railroad career or a seasoned professional, this special session is for you. Leadership Journeys will focus on the career and life trajectories of decision-makers across the rail industry. It will be broken into three segments: freight rail, engineering, and passenger rail and transit. Each panelist will discuss how they got to where they are. In speaking to the route their careers have taken them, they will attest to how they overcame challenges and became leaders in their respective fields. Learn from their experience and bring your questions! 

Moderators: Railway Age and RT&S Editors, plus KellyAnne Gallagher, CEO, Commuter Rail Coalition  

Leadership Journeys – Freight Rail  

• Jennifer Hamann, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Union Pacific (2023 Railway Age  Women in Rail)
• Kate Bourgeois, President & CEO, Mississippi Export Railroad (2022 Railway Age Women in Rail)
• Jenni Benton, Senior Vice President Commercial, Patriot Rail (2023 Railway Age Women in Rail)
•  Kimia Khatami, Director of Transload Strategy & Operations, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (2025 Railway Age 25 “Fast Trackers” Under 40)

Leadership Journeys – Engineering 

•  Rachel Burckardt, Senior Vice President/Senior Project Manager-Northeast Lead, Freight Rail National Business Line, WSP USA
•  Lariza Stewart, Senior Project Manager, Rail, KCI Technologies, Inc. and Chair – AREMA Committee 2

Leadership Journeys – Passenger

• Janice R. Thomas, Deputy Executive Director, External Affairs/Chief of Staff, Metra
• Sarah Watterson, President, Brightline West

12:20 p.m.
Awards Luncheon Sponsored by Canadian National
During this networking luncheon, we will recognize the outstanding honorees of Railway Age’s 2024 Women in Rail and RT&S’s 2025 Women in Railroad Engineering award programs. 

1:45 p.m. –  3:00 p.m.
SESSION 3: – Commanding the Track: Your Leadership Toolkit
Join mentors in the industry as they share hard-earned lessons learned and tips on becoming a successful leader—from effective communication and leadership skills to building a productive team and handling crises with aplomb.  

Moderators: Railway Age and RT&S Editors  

Leadership Toolkit – How to Be an Effective Leader 

•  Karen Claussen, Vice Chair, Gulf & Ohio Railways, Inc. and SVP, Knoxville Locomotive Works

Leadership Toolkit – On the Fast Track 

•  Cassandra Mullee, Vice President Network Operations, CN (2022 Railway Age 25 “Fast Trackers” Under 40)

Leadership Toolkit – Building a Team 

• Kari Gonzales, President & CEO, MxV Rail (2023 Railway Age Women in Rail)

Leadership Toolkit – Crisis Management 

•  Henrika Buchanan, Senior Vice President, National Practice Consultant, Transit & Rail Market Sector, HNTB (2024 Railway Age Women in Rail)

3:00 p.m.
Energy Break Sponsored by Union Pacific

3:30 p.m.
SESSION 4: Executive Edge: Branding, Negotiation and Presence
Whether you want to move forward in your current position or make a larger leap, the panelists of this not-to-be-missed session will have advice. They will cover how you can successfully market yourself—from developing an executive presence and asking for a raise to building a network, a skills portfolio, and your personal brand.  

•  Anna Guzman, Vice President – HR Business Partner, Wabtec
•  Cherise Myers, Senior Director of Workforce Development, American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
•  Ashley Nelson, Chief Human Resources Officer, AITX
•  Kari Wagner, Vice President Commercial Strategy, The Greenbrier Companies

Moderators: Railway Age and RT&S Editors  

4:15 p.m.
Allyship to Action: Maintaining a Culture of Belonging
Our panelists will reveal how they work to uphold a culture of respect, sensitivity and acknowledgement. Fostering a supportive environment that lifts up all talent and recognizes an individual’s or project’s contribution to the organization or community is key. Learn how you can best partner with your allies to help advance your career and the careers of your industry colleagues. 

•  Paul Hubler, Chief Strategy Officer, Metrolink
•  Joe Gioe, President and CEO, The Indiana Rail Road
•  Scott Sandoval, Assistant Vice President, Engineering, American Region, Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc.

Moderator: Barbara Wilson, Senior Advisor, Railroad Financial Corporation  

5:00 p.m.
Networking Reception Sponsored by R. J. Corman
After a full day of in-depth educational sessions, network with friends at our evening reception. As a bonus, author Chris Enss will be on hand to share highlights from her latest book, “Iron Women,” celebrating women’s contributions to the rise of the rail industry. 

6:00 p.m.
Day Ends 

Thursday, October 16 

8:00 a.m.
Registration | Badge Pick-up Sponsored by Genesee & Wyoming
Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.
Welcome! 

9:05 a.m.
Inclusive Growth and Emerging Talent
We will kick off the Women in Rail conference’s second day with a panel discussion on workforce trends and how companies are striving to break down barriers and increase diversity across the North American freight and passenger rail sector. 

•  Vianey De la Mora García, Director General of Asociación Mexicana de Ferrocarriles (AMF)
• Karen E. Philbrick, PhD, Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose State University (2024 Railway Age Women in Rail)
• Amy Krouse, Vice President Communications, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA)

Moderators: Railway Age and RT&S Editors

9:45 a.m.
Trackside Impact: Environment and Community
Freight and passenger railroads support communities, ensure reliable service for customers and consumers alike, and move the economy forward—sustainably and with a commitment to environmental stewardship. Experts will discuss how today’s 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.  

•  Kayden Howard, Senior Vice President, Health, Safety, and Environmental Programs, OmniTRAX
•  Sean Strong, Vice President of Environmental, Watco
•  Brett Guarino, Project Manager, CSX Construction Engineering (2025 RT&S Women in Railroad Engineering)

Moderator: Lisa Tackach, Head of Marketing, Railroad Construction Company, Inc., and President, League of Railway Women

10:30 a.m.
Coffee Break Sponsored by Patriot Rail 

11:00 a.m.
High-Tech Career Development and Industry Innovations
Join Railway Age and RT&S Editors in conversation with executives who will share how they are pioneering innovative training methods like Virtual Reality; implementing IT systems that drive efficiency and allow employees to work smarter; and teaming with startups to solve public transportation challenges for the largest transit agencies in North America. 

• Jason R. Myers, Director Technical Training, Norfolk Southern
•  Christina Booth-Jackson, Vice President of IT, R. J. Corman (2024 Railway Age Women in Rail)
•  Stacey Matlen, Senior Vice President of Innovation, The Partnership for New York City

Moderators: Railway Age and RT&S Editors  

11:45 a.m.
Becoming an Operation Lifesaver Inc. (OLI) Authorized Volunteer 
Each year, Operation Lifesaver’s trained volunteers conduct free programs on rail safety education for audiences in large and small communities. Why not join them? Find out how you can help make your community safer by attending this important session. 

•  Moriah Whiteman, Director of Education & Training, Operation Lifesaver
• Sergeant Douglas Balk, Central Division Supervisor Criminal Investigations, Amtrak Police Department

Moderators: Railway Age and RT&S Editors  

12:10 p.m. 
Conference Sessions End 

1:15 p.m.
Gather for Tour in Lobby
Tour is currently sold out. Tour participants confirmed via email.
Gather in hotel lobby for 1:30 p.m. departure.

1:30 p.m.
Depart for Tour Via Bus

2:00 p.m.
Tour of Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s (CPKC) Bensenville Yard Sponsored by RailPros
Join us for a tour of CPKC’s Bensenville Yard, the railroad’s primary classification yard in Chicago. Located just south of O’Hare International Airport, Bensenville is a key logistics hub for CPKC intermodal operations. It is also home to an auto compound, built as part of the yard reconfiguration project started in 2022. Participants will get an overview of the yard, learning about its operations and the recent reconfiguration project. 

3:45 p.m.
Approximate Return to Hotel from Tour 

Subject to change.