The Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation (WiMEF) announced the election of members to its 2025 Board of Directors, whose term begin on April 1, 2025. WiMEF is a nonprofit organization that provides women with valuable connections, access to career pathways, and best-in-class programming at all stages of their manufacturing careers.

The board is led by Chair Laura Wilde, Vice President of Quality, Ultra Maritime, Braintree, MA; Vice Chair Kate Leiby, General Manager, Power Generation, Donaldson Company, Minneapolis, MN; Secretary Catherine Ross, Director, Community Engagement, AMT -The Association for Manufacturing Technology, McLean, VA; and Past Chair / Treasurer Mary Ellen Grom, Executive Director, Global Marketing & Communications, AFL, Duncan, SC.

New board members commencing their three-year term are:

•    Daniele Caserta, Principal, CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP (CLA), Canton, OH

•    Jessica Chavez, Training Manager, TRUMPF, Inc., Farmington, CT

•    Heidi DeMello, Senior Vice President Supply Chain, Blount Fine Foods, Fall River, MA

•    Michele Loo, Chief Diversity Officer, Linde Canada, Inc., Danbury, CT

•    Sabrina Richmond, Vice President Mission Assurance, Mercury Systems, Hudson, NH

•    The new board member commencing her one-year term is:

•    Jane Thomas, President, Teijin Holdings USA, Inc., Teijin Limited, Sausalito, CA

“I am thrilled to welcome this distinguished group of industry leaders to the Board of Directors,” said WiMEF Executive Director Gretchen Moore. “We rely on our board leaders to provide guidance, insight, and expertise during this season of growth and innovation for both WiMEF and the manufacturing sector.”

The 21-member board of directors supports the organization’s work to build a skilled and resilient manufacturing workforce. WiMEF is the 501(c)3 partner organization to the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM), the only national trade association dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women in manufacturing. 

Members of the WiMEF board who are continuing their three-year term are:

•    Tara Ashcraft, Residential HVAC Communications Leader, Trane Technologies, Davidson, NC

•    Veronica Braker, Vice President of Operational Excellence, Southwire Company, Decatur, IL

•    Kori Carlson, President, Brooklyn Tool, Inc., Minneapolis, MN

•    Dr. Maja Durant, Senior HR Director, Greif, Delaware, OH

•    Kaytie Elder, IAM/Boeing Joint Apprenticeship Program Senior Manager, Boeing, Auburn, WA

•    Dr. Susan Emmerich, Manufacturing Talent Programs Manager, BASF Corporation, Florham Park, NJ

•    Stacey Heidbrink, Senior Responsible Care Director, The Dow Chemical Company, Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada

•    Lynn Kier, Senior Director Strategic Communications, Shaw Industries, Charlotte, NC

•    Joanna Perz, Global Sustainability Manager, Ingersoll Rand, Davidson, NC

•    Steve Speich, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Operations, Winnebago Industries, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN

•    Paula Timco, Associate Director, Sherwin Williams, Cleveland, OH

WiMEF’s year-round education programs develop core competencies and durable skills for leaders in the manufacturing industry with a goal of increasing the number of women in leadership roles.  Since 2017, more than 1,200 women have graduated from the education programs and more than 20,000 have participated in the Virtual Learning Series.

WiMEF also hosts a bi-annual virtual career fair to connect top talent to leading manufacturing employers throughout the nation.

Moore thanks outgoing members of the WiMEF board for their outstanding service: Vanessa Davis, Novelis; Melissa DeTamble, Ascential Technologies; Mani Khanuja, Amazon Web Service; Shameka Lewis Dempsey, Kellanova; Melissa Rocha, Kymera International; Danielle Schneider, Pridgeon & Clay, Inc.

For more information, visit www.wimef.org and www.womeninmanufacturing.org.