FACILITATOR

Laura entered the transportation industry as a professional driver in 1993 after graduating from CMU with a BFA in Viola Performance. Over the span of her career, she drove for 25 years, owned an organic farm for 15 years, was secretary and bingo manager for her local FD, was named to the FMCSA WOTAB in 2022, is a peer leader in ATA’s WIM program, is chair of the Content Committee for WIT, is on the Advisory Board for ECCA, belongs to the Savannah Professional Women for Good, is on two committees for the ATA, and is the events coordinator for the First City Pride Center in Savannah.
 
Now the Director of Driver Recruitment and Professional Growth at Boyle Transportation, her goal is to build the happiest fleet of drivers in the industry and to empower individuals to reach their goals.

Avaneesh Babu is the Co-Founder and CEO of Neuro Safety Systems, where he leads the development of a headset that detects driver fatigue before it's apparent, outperforming camera-based systems and helping fleets be proactive about accident mitigation. A chemical and biomolecular engineer trained at Johns Hopkins University, Babu cofounded the company to make the cab safer and the job less taxing for professional drivers. Neuro Safety Systems is running pilots with regional and national carriers including Old Dominion Freight Line, and partners with leading insurers and fleets to bring driver-focused safety technology to market. Babu is passionate about designing tools that put drivers' well-being at the center of innovation, and is proud to support Women In Trucking in their mission to improve the driver experience.

Alyx Henry is the Head of Customer Success at Project 61, a nonprofit on a mission to raise the average life expectancy of professional drivers beyond 61 years. The people who keep America moving shouldn't be dying at 61, and Henry is committed to breaking down the barriers to better driver health.

Henry earned her bachelor's degree in Psychology and Pre-Medicine from the University of Tennessee and brings over a decade of experience in health and wellness. Her experience includes coaching professional drivers one-on-one and helping develop wellness programs tailored to the unique demands of life on the road. Today, she leads efforts to help fleets nationwide implement practical wellness solutions, leveraging Project 61's mobile app and technology to support lasting behavior change and empower drivers to live longer, healthier lives.

Tyler Robertson is the founder and CEO of Diesel Laptops, an industry provider of diagnostic products, services, parts, and repair information to the commercial truck, construction, agriculture, off-highway, marine, and automotive markets. Prior to Diesel Laptops founding in 2014, Robertson worked for Carolina International Trucks, Inc. as service manager, parts manager, and then in IT/Marketing. With an IT background and more than 15 years of experience working at commercial truck dealerships, Robertson has created a unique company that provides efficiency solutions to repair facilities across the U.S.

Evan Shelley is the Co-Founder and CEO of Truck Parking Club, the fastest-growing truck parking marketplace in the United States. Since founding Truck Parking Club, Shelley has grown the platform from zero to thousands of locations across 49 states, connecting commercial drivers with safe, reservable parking through technology. Under his leadership, Truck Parking Club has become a leading voice on the truck parking shortage and its real-world impact on driver safety, carrier operations, and the broader supply chain.

Keith Whann is the Founder & CEO of The Whann Group and a former Assistant Ohio Attorney General. An attorney, entrepreneur, and technology innovator, his career spans more than four decades across law, the motor vehicle industry, and software development.

He is the founder of Whann & Associates, a former wholesale motor vehicle auction owner, and a recognized industry voice on Capitol Hill. Whann is also the author of the GTE Guard Warranty Portfolio and Maintenance Matters in Waste Advantage Magazine.

Whann is the creator of the BizTech Technology Platform, a mobile-first digital ecosystem that enables businesses to connect, transact, and deliver services directly to customers in real time. He also developed Truck On Mobile, an all-in-one platform designed to eliminate app fatigue and streamline operations for truck drivers and fleet operators.

Through his work, Whann focuses on building integrated technology solutions that simplify complex industries and improve real-world outcomes for businesses and their customers.