
The annual award recognizes those in the transportation industry who provide leadership, create change, and inspire.

Women are propelling the industry forward every day through innovative thinking, bold decision-making, visionary leadership, and dedicated mentorship. The prestigious Influential Woman in Trucking award was developed in 2010 to honor those who are making significant contributions to the trucking, logistics, supply chain, or transportation sectors.
Cindy Ellers serves as chief customer officer at Fleetworthy, where she leads customer strategy, experience, and growth initiatives for the company’s expanding fleet compliance, safety, and toll management solutions.
Dee Dee Cox has 30 years of experience in human resources and organizational development. She has worked in a variety of industries, including textiles, flooring and transportation, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Katerina Jones is an executive with more than 20 years of client-centric, data-driven, and integrated marketing experience. She plays a direct role in onboarding new clients, including Top Private and For-Hire 100 Fleets.
Leah Shaver is president and CEO of NTI, where she leads the organization's efforts to turn compensation and human resources data into powerful benchmarking tools that drive recruiting and retention success.
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Chief Customer Officer
Fleetworthy
Cindy Ellers serves as chief customer officer at Fleetworthy, where she leads customer strategy, experience, and growth initiatives for the company’s expanding fleet compliance, safety, and toll management solutions. Since joining Fleetworthy in 2021, she has guided the organization through a period of record growth, integrating multiple acquisitions and strengthening its customer-first philosophy.
With more than 15 years of leadership in scaling customer-centric programs, Ellers has built and led high-performing teams focused on operational excellence and measurable business outcomes. She previously held leadership roles at RDC, later acquired by Moody’s Corp., where she helped deliver technology-enabled compliance solutions to global financial institutions.
A champion for inclusive leadership, Ellers launched Fleetworthy’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, creating forums for professional growth and visibility. She also spearheaded internal Women in Leadership panels, equipping rising leaders with tools to advance their careers in male-populated industries. Known for her strategic vision and empathetic leadership, Ellers mentors women within and beyond her company, helping them navigate and succeed in transportation and logistics.

Vice President of Human Resources
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (OD)
Dee Dee Cox has 30 years of experience in human resources and organizational development. She has worked in a variety of industries, including textiles, flooring and transportation, both in the U.S. and abroad. As vice president of human resources development at OD, she oversees talent acquisition, employee relations, leadership development, and engagement strategies that have helped shape a strong, people-focused workplace culture.
Cox has been a driving force behind OD’s leadership and workforce development initiatives. She launched and expanded the Management Trainee Program, Supervisor Development Program, Apprentice Programs, and internships designed to create clear career pathways — particularly for women and historically underrepresented groups in transportation. These programs have achieved steadily improving retention rates and increased female representation across the company.
Under her leadership, the HR team has grown from one employee to nearly 40 nationwide. Cox also developed a comprehensive leadership curriculum that integrates OD’s vision, core values, and family culture into every level of training. Her strategic approach and commitment to inclusion have made her a respected industry leader dedicated to empowering people and opening doors for the next generation of women in trucking.

Chief Marketing Officer
Fleet Advantage
Katerina Jones is an executive with more than 20 years of client-centric, data-driven, and integrated marketing experience. She plays a direct role in onboarding new clients, including Top Private and For-Hire 100 Fleets. Jones is credited with building Fleet Advantage into a billion-dollar brand through consistent educational messaging that gives the business a leading voice in the industry. As a Fleet Advantage senior leadership member, she provides counsel on critical business matters, including operations, business strategy, human resources, internal processes, diversity, company culture, and community and industry relations.
Jones also serves as safety liaison, reflecting her active leadership in conducting safety demonstrations and educating organizations with transportation fleets on advanced safety features.
Jones is seen as a leader and mentor for other women in the industry and has won several awards, including being named a Top Woman to Watch in Transportation by WIT and a Top Female Professional by the Supply Chain & Demand Chain Executive. In addition to her wealth of industry expertise, Jones is also involved in several charitable organizations, industry-related council positions, and committees.

Leah Shaver is president and CEO of The National Transportation Institute (NTI), where she leads the organization’s efforts to turn compensation and human resources data into powerful benchmarking tools that drive recruiting and retention success for trucking’s most vital assets: professional drivers and diesel technicians. With nearly 25 years of industry experience, Shaver has partnered with hundreds of motor carriers and private fleets to shape strategies around driver compensation structures, career paths, workforce development, and recruiting and retention programs. Her work also focuses on building pathways to attract more women and younger generations to trucking and strengthening the industry’s pipeline from pre-hire to retirement.
Shaver previously served three terms on the Women In Trucking Association’s Board of Directors, is an active board member for the Next Generation in Trucking Association and serves on multiple fleet capacity boards.
As a longtime host on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking Radio, Shaver connects directly with drivers on topics most important to them. She is recognized across the industry as a leading voice on driver engagement, helping companies create data-driven programs that fortify today’s workforce needs and position trucking as a first-choice career for the future.
Jennifer Hedrick
President & CEO
Women In Trucking Association
“By amplifying the incredible stories of women in trucking, we aim to inspire more women to explore rewarding careers in an industry that keeps America moving. We are honored to support the 2025 Influential Women in Trucking Award as part of Centerline's ongoing commitment to fueling progress and advancing opportunities for women in trucking.”
Jill Quinn
President
Centerline Drivers
The winner will be announced during the 2025 WIT Accelerate! Conference & Expo, to be held November 9–12 in Dallas, Texas. Finalists will participate in a panel discussion on November 11, where they will share their personal journeys, leadership philosophies, and advice for rising talent.



Nominations can be made by any individual or by an organization familiar with the nominee and her work.
High-performing women in a corporate, manufacturing, supplier, owner-operator, driver, sales or dealership setting within the transportation industry in North America. Nominees must have a proven record of responsibility, mentorship, and serve as a role model to other women in the industry. Please note: nominees do not have to be a member of the association.
A complete award nomination form consists of the following:
You can start the nomination process here.
No, there is no fee to nominate.
If the individual is not named winner, they can be renominated.
Nominations will be accepted through Thursday, September 18, 2025.
After the awards nomination deadline, nominations are submitted to the award selection committee established for review that year. After finalist candidates have been selected by the committee, final approval for the winning candidate will be voted on by the awards committee and Women In Trucking executives. The finalist candidates will be notified by WIT and publicized to industry and trade media. The winning candidate will be announced at the award presentation during the annual Accelerate! Conference & Expo.
Nov. 11, 2025. Each finalist will serve as a panelist for a panel discussion on Nov. 11 during the 2025 Accelerate! Conference & Expo hosted by the Women In Trucking Association in Dallas, TX. The winner announcement will directly follow the session.
Contact Lana Nichols
Phone: (208) 217-2147
Email: programs@womenintrucking.org.
The winner will be announced on Tuesday, November 11.