Current Advisory Committee
Since being founded in 1997, LRW has provided a platform for the recognition of women’s leadership contributions to the North American rail industry through the Railway Woman of the Year Award, co-sponsored by Progressive Railroading.
In 2019, the inaugural LRW 'Railway Woman of the Year' Advisory Committee was appointed.
The purpose of the advisory committee is to provide an impartial executive-level review of the candidate applications received by the LRW and make a recommendation.
To be eligible to participate on this committee, each member must be a previous WOY award recipient. The committee shall be comprised of a minimum of at least five women, who commit to a two-year term and are led by a Chair appointed by the LRW Board of Directors.
The committee lends their industry insight and leadership expertise and assist the LRW Awards Chair, Denise Williams, in making the final decision in naming the Railway Woman of the Year.
2025-2026
.jpg) Advisory Committee Chair Outstanding Woman of the Year 2022 Jean Savage, CEO and President, Trinity Industries Inc. Jean Savage ws appointed CEO and President of Trinity Industries, Inc. in February 2020. She has served on Trinity's Board of Directors since 2018. Ms. Savage is a member of the Parker Hannifin Board of Directors, National Association of Manufacturers Board of Directors, Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation Board of Trustees, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Board of Directors, Dallas Citizens Council Board of Directors, and SMU Rowling Center Advisory Board. She also serves on the Texas A&M University Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology (MMT) External Advisory Committee. Prior to her role at Trinity, she served as the Vice President of the Surface Mining & Technology division of Caterpillar Inc., held leadership roles in Caterpillar's Progress Rail division and worked in a variety of manufacturing and engineering positions at Parker Hannifin Corporation. Jean is a proud veteran of the U.S. Army, and served for nine years as an Army Reserve Intelligence Officer. Jean has a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Dayton. |
 Advisory Committee Member Railway Woman of the Year 2023 Kari Gonzales, President and CEO, MxV Rail Kari Gonzales is President & CEO of MxV Rail, the world’s premier rail research advisory. Since taking the role in 2021, Kari has spearheaded the company’s transformation from TTCI to MxV Rail. Kari has been a part of MxV Rail, a subsidiary of the Association of American Railroads since 2000, advancing from a student intern to a research engineer, and transitioning to Vice President and CFO before assuming the role of President & CEO. She leads the MxV Rail team with the advantage of 20 years’ service and experience in the rail industry. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines, holds an MBA from Regis University, Denver. During her time as an engineer, Kari was the inaugural candidate for the MxV Rail Railroad Exchange Program, spending a year at BNSF Railway’s Texas headquarters as a visiting professional . She was recognized by Progressive Railroading magazine as a 2014 “Rising Star.” In 2023, Kari was named the League of Railway Women’s Railway Woman of the Year. In addition, Kari serves on a number of community and industry boards. |
 Advisory Committee Member Railway Woman of the Year 2021 Beth Whited, President, Union Pacific Beth Whited is a railroad industry leader and the first female president in the history of Union Pacific. Her experience includes leadership roles in disciplines that touch nearly every part of operating the world’s largest freight rail network. Over the past 35 years, Whited has led multiple functions across Union Pacific, spanning Strategy, Marketing and Sales, Sustainability, Finance, Investor Relations and Workforce Resources. As executive vice president-Sustainability and Strategy, she helped lead the development and implementation of Union Pacific’s strategic vision as it strives to become the nation’s No. 1 supply chain logistics provider while guiding its efforts to reach sustainability goals. Whited’s team led historic labor negotiations, securing unprecedented quality of life and paid sick leave agreements for Union Pacific’s craft professionals. As part of her Marketing and Sales leadership positions, she led the department for two years, the Chemicals business for four years and served as president of subsidiary Union Pacific Distribution Services. Whited’s industry-leading efforts have been recognized through a myriad of awards, including the 2021 Railway Woman of the Year by the League of Railway Women and Progressive Railroading, and Constellation Research’s ESG50 List reflecting her commitment to sustainability. Additionally, Union Pacific was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, underscoring its environmental and sustainability efforts. Engaged in both business and community activities, Whited is a member of the Board of Directors for RPM International Inc., serving on the Compensation Committee. She is also a Board member at Access Bank and Chair-Elect for the Greater Omaha Chamber Board of Directors. Whited is involved with the Humanities Nebraska Board, the Omaha Symphony Board, and the Aksarben Foundation Board of Governors. Additionally, she co-founded and led Union Pacific’s LEAD (Lead, Educate, Achieve, Develop) women’s initiative. Whited graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Iowa. |