Why Women Need Mentorship in the Workplace

Genena Armstrong, ACC, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is a highly sought after, ICF certified Professional and Personal Development Coach, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and Best-Selling author, with over 25 years of Human Resources experience. She is currently CEO and Executive Coach for her very own coaching and consulting practice, Metamorphosis Coaching LLC (www.morph-coach.com). She also is an Executive Coach with Building Champions (www.buildingchampions.com), as well as a Guide for www.chief.com. Previously, Armstrong has served as an HR and Diversity and Inclusion Executive for various Fortune 500 companies. Her prior experiences include Vice President with The Jacob Group, Director, Diversity and Inclusion at CHRISTUS Health, Vice President of Diversity, and Inclusion for Wells Fargo Bank, and as Executive Recruiter for Target/Marshall Field’s Company. She is a former board and executive committee member of Communities in Schools, and her professional and non-profit memberships include WOVI (Women of Visionary Influence) Dallas HR, the  National Association of Health Service Executives, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Armstrong’s specialties include leadership coaching (executive presence, strategy development, career management, priority management and brand identification), diversity & inclusion, culture and engagement, and women In leadership.

Laura Roan Hays has been in the transportation industry for more than 30 years. She began her career in 1989 as an administrative assistant and worked her way up to Branch Manager, leading the Great Dane Tampa and Miami branches.

Along with her extensive sales and customer service experience, Laura also has comprehensive knowledge of the trucking industry’s aftermarket sector. 

She has been a member of WIT since early 2012, and most recently, she was appointed to the Women in Trucking Board of Directors. She is excited to take on this role and further assist in fulfilling the WIT mission to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the industry.

Debra Hamlin is currently the Director of Operations for the Bridgestone Commercial Dealer Network (BCDN) at Bridgestone Americas. Ms. Hamlin oversees leadership and operational support of the BCDN, including (but not limited to) EHS support, expanded service capabilities, and Emergency Road Service and Breakdown support for over 200 Commercial Dealers in the BCDN. Prior to her current role, Ms. Hamlin served as the EHSS Director for the Commercial Division of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO).

Ms. Hamlin has numerous years of experience and leadership around Fundamental Safety Activities for the Commercial Business unit, as well as leadership of environmental remediation activities, environmental compliance, energy efficiency and resource conservation for the U.S. and Canadian commercial operations, including Off the Road Tire, Agricultural Services and Mileage Solutions. She is experienced with OSHA and MSHA regulations as well as TIA Commercial Tire Standards.

Since joining Bridgestone in the Retail Group in 1997, Hamlin has conceptualized, developed and implemented a scrap tire management program in response to a voluntary tire safety recall, a program so successful it was published as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) TREAD Act. Additionally, she was instrumental in the development of the Bridgestone Tires4ward program, which works to assure that for every new tire Bridgestone sells in the U.S., one used tire is recovered and put to valuable new use. She also spearheads and organizes volunteer community clean up events for the company.

In addition to her current role as Director of Operations, Hamlin is currently Secretary on the Board of the Tire Industry Association (TIA) and is the incumbent president in 2025. Ms. Hamlin is actively engaged in numerous committees within TIA including training and education, environmental advisory committee (Chair), governmental affairs, NextGen and the Electric Vehicle Advisory Counsel (EVAC). She is President/CEO of the Associate Assistance Fund for BSRO, which is a program designed to assist fellow Teammates in their time of need. She is spearheading initiatives to partner with Women In Trucking (WIT) association and is active in the Bridgestone Women’s Initiative Network (BWIN). BWIN is an Employee Resource Group within Bridgestone focused on advancing and developing engagement, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Ms. Hamlin also sits on the Board of the Scrap Tire Research and Education Foundation, Inc.

Hamlin holds a bachelor’s degree in resource development from Michigan State University. She lives in Nashville, TN where she is an active volunteer in her community.

Bonnie Voldeng is the VP, Freight Marketing and FedEx Freight Direct Sales of FedEx Freight Direct. Since 2019, she has led the strategic short-and long-range objectives of FedEx Freight Direct including acceleration to market, scale, development, and growth across the U.S.

Voldeng joined FedEx Services in 2002. She has held a variety of marketing roles across the FedEx enterprise including project and product management, new product development, go-to-market channel orchestration, e-commerce, digital, customer experience, and content strategy. She led the business to business go-to-market and content discipline across FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, and FedEx Freight. In this role, she launched the FedEx Small Business Center, Entrepreneur Advisory Board, and the Go-To-Market Orchestration Process. Voldeng also served as Director of Freight Marketing and was responsible for launching LTL Select, growing freight automation to its highest levels yet, as well as developing the value proposition and business case for FedEx Freight Direct.

Voldeng is a two-time FedEx Five Star Award winner and the 2017 TMSA Marketing Executive of the Year. She serves on the board for New Ballet Ensemble and School and on the United Way Campaign Cabinet for Tocqueville Society. She graduated from the University of Memphis with a BBA concentrating in marketing and logistics, as well as an MBA.

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