Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation announces 2021 board of directors

The Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation (WiMEF), Cleveland, has announced the election of 20 members to its 2021 board of directors. Terms begin April 1.

The board is led by Chair Mary Ellen Grom, executive director of customer experience solutions with AFL in Duncan, S.C., and Vice Chair Steve Speich, factory manager with John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group in Fargo, N.D.

First-term members of the 2021 WiMEF board are:

  • Michel Conklin, executive director, BotsIQ, Pittsburgh.
  • Sascha Harrell, director of education and workforce, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
  • Ivory Harris, vice president people services, BASF Corp., Florham Park, N.J.
  • Danielle Lancianese, director – tile and stone category, Shaw Industries Group Inc., Dalton, Ga.
  • Leslie LeMair, vice president of sales and marketing, George Utz, Minneapolis.
  • Jenn Martin, engineering manager, Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Georgetown, Ky.
  • JoAnn Mitchell, partner marketing specialist, Sandvik Coromant, Fair Lawn, N.J.
  • Melissa Rocha, director of strategic sourcing, Wastequip LLC, Charlotte, N.C.
  • Catherine Ross, director of education, Smartforce development, AMT - The Association for Manufacturing Technology, McLean, Va.
  • Shauna Smith, director of process improvement, Americas, SPX Flow, Charlotte, N.C.
  • Laura Wilde, senior director quality and mission assurance, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Huntsville, Ala.

“On behalf of the entire WiM organization, I am thrilled to welcome this new group of leaders to the WiMEF board of directors,” said WiM President Allison Grealis. “The work of the WiMEF—to provide effective and affordable manufacturing industry skills and leadership programming—is extremely important in furthering the advancement of women in the industry.”

WiMEF funds the Leadership Institute for Women in Manufacturing and STEM, the Leadership Consortium, the Management Development Program, and the Empowering Women in Production Program. In addition, the foundation, with direct support from Arconic Foundation, has delivered more than 40 virtual learning sessions since its inception in 2016. These programs have helped more than 12,000 women and men in the industry grow professionally and personally.

Additional members of the WiMEF board who are continuing their service are:

  • Rachel Camarillo, CFO, Erin Air, Seattle.
  • Alicia Cannon, CEO, Apex Filling Systems, Michigan City, Ind.
  • Cara Herzog, director of workforce development and diversity and inclusion, Southwire Co., Carrollton, Ga.
  • Kaitlyn Pogue Kelly, operational excellence coach for digital and energy services, Trane Technologies, Lexington, Ky.
  • Sheila LaMothe, vice president of strategic initiatives, Goyer Management Intl., Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
  • Susanne Lauda, director of global advanced manufacturing technology, AGCO Corp., Duluth, Ga.
  • Gretchen Zierick, president, Zierick Manufacturing Corp., Mount Kisco, N.Y.

Grealis also thanked outgoing members of the WiMEF board for their outstanding service: Teresa Beach-Shelow, Superior Joining Technologies Inc.; Erika Ferrell, Hy Cite; Katie Kelley, BMO Harris Bank N.A.; Bernadette Palumbo, Sonepar; Traci Tapani, Wyoming Machine Inc.; and Kelli Wells, STEM Leadership Alliance.