Member of the Month

WIT has announced Casey Stone as its June 2021 Member of the Month. Casey is the customer solutions manager for Specialized Heavy Transport in Michigan.

Casey has been in the logistics field for over six years. She has served many roles within the company prior to her current position with Specialized Heavy Transport. With her empathic talent, thrill for serving others, and her ability to build strong positive relationships, she is excited to work in her current role.

As the customer solutions manager, Casey helps businesses of all sizes solve problems within their freight departments, while building trust with them all along the way. She strongly encourages the relationships needed between clients and carriers within the trucking industry.

Teaching other women in the industry about relationship building is a passion for Casey. “I truly believe that selling is no longer about the end goal of getting that sale. Rather, it is always about the beginning goal of building trust,” she said.

Casey notes that the trucking and logistics industry has always had some challenges around building relationships, especially for women. She suggests addressing those challenges in the following ways:

1. Find a common interest prior to calling a prospect. Check the prospects' social media accounts!
2. Always focus on the truth, not the sale.
3. Be the problem solver, not the product pusher.

Before joining the industry, Casey was (and still is) a Reiki Practitioner, Massage Therapist, and an Aromatherapist. When she is not working with a client, she enjoys spending time with her five children and her seven-year-old grandson.

WIT has announced Carina BeeBe as its May Member of the Month. Carina is a professional driver for Wilson Logistics.

In 1999, Carina began her professional driving career in Europe, driving primarily curtain van, mostly in Holland, Belgium, and Germany. After a couple of years, she moved on to refrigerated trailers and drove in Scotland and United Kingdom. Driving on the left side of the road was an interesting twist to the driving experience. During this time, Carina delivered flowers and plants throughout Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, and France. Wanting to try something different, she went back to refrigerated cartage in UK and Scotland.

Carina moved to Canada in 2011 to live a lifelong dream of driving a conventional style Peterbilt. The added benefit was to see a different part of the world. While in Canada, Carina worked for a Canadian Company driving step deck and flatbed where she hauled lumber and oversized loads.

A year later, Carina thought it was time to add a companion to her journey and married. Carina and her then husband moved to Montana where she drove oversize flatbeds to Canada and Alaska. In addition, she worked a dedicated Walmart route from Washington to Alaska. For a short period of time Carina also started her own transportation company where she delivered RV’s throughout North America.

After divorcing in 2018, Carina knew she missed driving over-the-road in a big truck and knew she had to get back to it. Carina moved back to Montana and started with Wilson Logistics. While with Wilson, Carina had the opportunity to be a CDL instructor. Not to long after becoming an instructor, it was clear to her that she really missed the road. So, today Carina and her dog Jack are living her dream of driving. Carina is one of the Wilson Logistics cross boarder drivers between the U.S. and Canada.

“I have always wanted to drive truck and see the world; I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” she said.

The Women In Trucking Association has announced Reanee Swiger-Gray as its April Member of the Month. Reanee is a professional driver for Brenny Specialized, Inc.

Reanee has been driving since 2012 and is well over a million miles as an OTR driver.  She is consistently one of Brenny’s highest mileage drivers with an impeccable safety record. She is always looking for ways to improve skills and be a safer driver. 

A few months ago, Reanee was taking some home time near Austin, TX. During this particular rainy day, she and her mother had taken her father to the hospital for a check-up. As they were finishing up with the doctor, Reanee couldn’t help but notice a scene unfolding at the bus stop nearby. There was a man trying to get on the bus and was told “no” over and over. The man was shouting, “I don’t have shoes.” She could hear the desperation in the man’s voice that he just wanted to get on the bus, take a load off and get out of the rain.  Well, the bus zoomed off, leaving the man in the cold rain. 

Reanee turned to her mother and said, “Momma, that man has no shoes!  I need to find him!”  So up and down the blocks near the hospital she went.  When she finally located this man, Reanee shouted out her window, “Hey Bubba, what size shoe do you wear?”  The man sheepishly replied, “8 or 9.”  Reanee called the man to the truck and said, “Take these!”  Her mother said later, “You gave that man your new fancy blue tennis shoes?”  Reanee said without hesitation, “That man can’t walk around in the rain without shoes, Momma!”  They smiled at each other knowing that man could now get out of the rain. 

This is just one of many stories Reanee will share with her co-workers when she is in the office. She is a trucking angel. She is always working to make sure someone that needs a hot meal, a cold bottle of water, a listening ear, and on that day— a pair of shoes.

She is one of the drivers that will leave a legacy as an angel, keeping this industry looking and acting professional. 

Liz Imel is WIT's March Member of the Month. She is an Over-the-Road (OTR) professional driver for Maverick Transportation out of Little Rock, Ark.

Imel grew up on a farm and started driving tractors when she was just five years old. Her neighbor was a grain hauler. As a teenager, she earned money by washing his bicentennial painted long nose Pete every Saturday. This was the start of her love for big trucks.

After working seven years in a farm repair shop, she went on to work at a hardware manufacturer. There, she started out on the package line and worked her way up to the machine setup. She continued to advance in the company to a press operator and then assistant foreman. After 13 years with the company, they closed due to foreign trade.

The company’s closure was just the beginning of Imel’s professional truck driving career. As a severance, she was given money for continuing education. With her oldest daughter out of school and her youngest almost out of high school, she thought, “this is my chance!” Imel started truck driving school at her local community college to earn her CDL.

Imel has been with Maverick Transportation as an OTR driver for over eight years. The first seven years with the company, she pulled refrigerated foods. Now, she is pulling boats and loves it. “Unloading is a great workout. I also love that I get to go all over the United States,” she said.

Maverick has recognized Imel for her high level of customer service and commitment to safety by selecting her as Driver of the Month in October 2014 and February 2019. In fact, she was also selected as the 2019 Driver of the Year for the company, which was a great honor.

As Imel reflects back on this past year and dealing with the pandemic, she is optimistic about the image of the trucking industry. “One good thing that came out of this pandemic, is that the general public has a newfound respect for professional truck drivers. I challenge every driver to maintain and keep that respect by being true professionals out there—while driving and parked!” she said.

Imel also encourages women to join the industry. “This is a great career if you are self-motivated and have a driven personality. If you are able to make split second decisions, are kind to others, and keep a smile on your face, this is a good career for you,” she said. 

Women In Trucking has announced Claudia Rodriguez as its February Member of the Month. She is a wellness coach for Rolling Strong.

Rodriguez has been in the wellness industry for over twelve years. Prior to joining Rolling Strong a year and a half ago, she had an online health products store. She also gave health and wellness workshops at universities, businesses, and other places around El Paso.

After a colleague emailed Rodriquez the Rolling Strong job posting saying, “This job posting describes you,” she decided to apply. Now she is thrilled to be using her talents in the trucking industry.

The trucking industry has unique health challenges. Although Rodriguez had coached people to improve their health for years through one-on-one coaching and workshops, she knew coaching professional drivers would be different. Even recommending something simple like “drink more water” is hard for truck drivers. “First, I had to listen to their challenges and what they struggled with, and then I adapted my recommendations to something that would work for them,” she said.

Because she is a wellness coach, one might assume that Rodriguez doesn’t struggle with incorporating healthy habits, but it’s quite the contrary. “I actually decided to get my certification as a Health and Nutrition Advisor to find answers for my own struggles like my sugar addiction and my struggle with incorporating an exercise routine,” she said.

Some health principles Rodriguez has learned over the years include:

• Just because something works (like a diet or exercise type) doesn’t mean it works for everyone. So, don’t feel bad if CrossFit or Keto didn’t work for you.
• You don’t have to label your eating habits for you to eat healthy.
• Emotions play a huge role on your health, take care of your mental health. 
• What works for you now, might not work in the future (you know, life!) so be extra patient with yourself when trying to find what works now.

Women In Trucking is currently hosting a health competition through Rolling Strong that will end on February 15. Rodriguez coaches the participants on their health journey. “Every day I am inspired by the drivers I coach. I admire their discipline, how they overcome obstacles, and how they keep going even when they’re tired. Eating healthy, exercising, sleeping well, and drinking water is a challenge for drivers. It’s definitely easier to eat fast food and consume energy drinks. However, what these drivers understand is that what they do every day affects their health and longevity,” she said.

For those drivers that are ready to make changes, the Rolling Strong program helps them incorporate healthy habits, lose weight, lower their blood pressure and cholesterol, improve their sleep, among other things. The Rolling Strong app allows for easy tracking of daily habits, personalized coaching, and competitions. This gives participants an opportunity to set a short-term goal, have a sense of community, and win prizes along the way.

“As women we have to re-learn so many things we’ve been taught in order to reach our full potential," she said "We were taught to be good, to be quiet, and to be pretty. We need to learn that it’s okay take up space, to speak up, to say ‘no’, to set boundaries and be okay with disappointing others."

WIT has announced has announced Karen Noel as its January Member of the Month. She is an owner/operator with Forward Air.

After working over 30 years in the banking industry, Noel found herself laid off. In 2015, her husband was changing careers and asked her if she wanted to go intro trucking with him. It was an industry he was familiar with, but she had no experience. Noel decided to join him on the road as a passenger.

“Once I was out on the road with him, I saw other women truck drivers,” said Noel. “It never registered with me that women could be truck drivers too.” She started asking every female truck driver she saw how they felt about the career. All the responses she received were positive.

Six months into being a passenger with her husband, Noel decided to go to school to earn her CDL. Without a background in trucking, she really worked hard to overcome challenges, such as backing. She credits her husband for encouraging her throughout the process and being her “rock.”

Once she earned her CDL, Noel and her husband worked for Knight Transportation as a team for three years. Now, they are owner-operators with Forward Air.

“Trucking has made me a better person. I’ve learned patience while out on the road,” said Noel. “I’m excited to be a member of Women In Trucking and support its mission. I would like to see more women working in the trucking industry.”

Noel wants to be an example to her grandchildren that they can be anything they want to be.

The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Baiba Blumbaha as its December 2021 Member of the Month. She is the Kenworth regional sales manager at PACCAR Parts, a division of PACCAR Inc.

From an early age, Baiba knew she wanted to work for a transportation company. She was fascinated by trucks and the logistics side of the industry. Baiba worked for a logistics company after graduating from Oklahoma State University in 2010 and was recruited by PACCAR a few months later. Growing up in Latvia in Northern Europe, Baiba was familiar with DAF Trucks, a division of PACCAR, and felt it was the right company for her. She moved to Bellevue, Washington, to work at PACCAR’s corporate headquarters and on her first truck plant tour, she fell in love with manufacturing.

Over the past ten years, Baiba has worked in many different fields of the company such as materials, purchasing, marketing and sales. As Baiba’s roles have evolved, she has used experience from previous positions to build a solid foundation of knowledge and unique perspective. Baiba believes each position she has held has aligned with the different phases of her life. “At this point in my life, I really enjoy working in sales. It gets me out of my comfort zone and makes me more strategic. I feel like this role is a great fit for where I am right now,” said Baiba. Getting the opportunity to get to know the end customers is important to Baiba. Whether it is an owner-operator or a large fleet, she likes meeting with customers to better understand their business needs.

As a regional sales manager, Baiba is on the road a lot, traveling to Kenworth dealerships around the U.S. and Canada. Baiba meets with dealership management and sales staff to learn about their business needs and how to best serve customers in their area. Baiba knows dealers in California have different needs than dealers in remote areas of Canada. She credits district parts managers for setting her up for success by providing information that helps her strategize business opportunities that strengthen the partnership PACCAR Parts has with Kenworth dealers.

Baiba values the expertise of colleagues who have been in the industry long term and enjoys working with young adults who are new to the trucking industry. She knows first-hand the impact a mentor can have and wants to be that person for others creating their career path.

Giving back is important to Baiba. She has served as PACCAR Parts Diversity Council Chair for several years and led PACCAR’s fundraising efforts for the Juvenile Diabetes Research’s event “Beat the Bridge.”

“Women have the same education and drive to forge ahead as men,” said Baiba. “Women should work in the transportation industry and continue to support and mentor each other. Just go for it, you will not regret it!”

The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Jessica Midkiff as its November 2021 Member of the Month. She is an author and a program development specialist, trainer, and facilitator for Saving Innocence.  

Years ago, Jessica couldn’t show her face on camera or in public out of fear for her life. She was uneasy, constantly looking over her shoulder. Jessica is a child sex trafficking survivor—suffering years of sexual, physical and mental abuse at the hands of exploiters.

Now she is using her experiences and strength to educate, empower and advocate for young girls throughout Los Angeles County. Though she has endured a tumultuous past, Jessica has become a survivor-leader, dedicating her life to helping others in similar situations. 

Over the last several years, there has been a noticeable industry-wide effort to combat human trafficking. Knowing this modern-day slavery is taking place on our highways and truck stops puts truck drivers in a position to identify victims. Survivor advocates like Jessica help victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) to escape the life. She offers various types of support, mentorship, and develops programs to assist in the recovery and employment of survivors.

Along with her work as a survivor-advocate, Jessica has spoken at various conferences, testified before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Jessica has received numerous awards for her outstanding work with victims of sexual exploitation, including being nominated for the 2015 Woman of the Year by one of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Don Knabe.

She recently co-authored a book with Alan Smyth called, “Men! Fight For Me” with the goal of reaching men and women everywhere to fight against human trafficking. Jessica is also going back to school, working towards a degree in psychology. Her hope is to become a therapist and continue assisting children and adults who have been commercially sexually exploited.

The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Jazmin Vasquez as its October 2021 Member of the Month. She is a professional driver for NFI Industries at their Chino facility in California.

Jazmin’s father and brother are both truck drivers, and Jazmin figured if they could do it, so could she. Jazmin began her professional driving career in 2019, hauling freight over-the-road and while she enjoyed the opportunity to see the country, Jazmin decided to take a yard tractor driving position with NFI two years ago, in part to stay closer to home and her family in southern California. 

Jazmin is one of few drivers (and even fewer female drivers) in the country who operate an electric heavy-duty truck - in this case a Kalmar Ottawa electric terminal tractor. Jazmin appreciates the reduction in noise and fumes compared to the diesel truck she used to drive, but most of all, Jazmin is proud of the fact that she is contributing to healthier air quality and a liveable climate future for her nephew and generations to come. 

Jazmin’s shift is quite rigorous, making dozens of drops and hooks on NFI’s campus each day. She’s been impressed with the electric terminal tractor’s ability to meet the demands of this grueling duty cycle, and she is no stranger to strenuous demands herself, frequently lifting the hefty charging cables on-site in order to plug in the vehicle. Jazmin is looking forward to the next generation of fast chargers, which will be lighter and more nimble.

Jazmin recently participated in Run on Less - Electric, an electric truck technology demonstration event in September and is featured in the NFI profile video here.

As for being a woman in a male-dominated industry, Jazmin shared that it’s been a great experience so far and encouraged other women considering a career in the trucking industry, “If you want to drive, don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t.”

 WIT has announced Melissa Bencivengo as its September 2021 Member of the Month. She is a professional driver for Carbon Express.

Melissa’s love for trucking began at six years old. She was introduced to trucking by her uncle, who drove a big sleeper truck. When he would stop by the house to visit family, he would always take Melissa out to his truck. Uncle Rebel and his truck won her heart and set her life path. Melissa was so small she had to stand up on the seat to pull the air horn. Growing up, she was consistently told trucking and heavy machines are not a job for women. Those comments only made her more determined to pursue her dream. Melissa’s enthusiasm is front and center when she talks about her trucking career.

Her career began in 1999 with driving dump trucks and operating big equipment including well rigs and pile drivers. Ultimately, Melissa earned a CDL Class A license and joined Carbon Express in 2019.

Melissa is more than a truck driver, she holds many labels; wife, Mom to six children, a certified nurse’s aide in the State of NJ and a tree arborist. Melissa is a driven, talented and knowledgeable woman who loves her family and driving her truck.  

One of the few women in the trucking industry driving liquid bulk trucks, Melissa says, “Control the tanker, don’t fear it. Driving a liquid tanker is like driving with a dance partner, only you have to be the dance lead and control the movement of the product in the tank.” Customers often comment that they are surprised to see a woman get out of the truck.  

Melissa loves Carbon Express; she has found her forever work home. Carbon is well suited for women drivers. They only have day cab trucks, so over-night drivers stay in hotels and not sleepers. Carbon Express does this to give their drivers respect and a better quality of rest, making them safer drivers. This summer Melissa’s time on the road has afforded her to take the family on a free vacation with rewards points earned from those overnight stays.

Melissa knows she is unique being a female in the male dominated liquid bulk business, but that has never discouraged her. At Carbon Express she is part of a team and is respected by her male counterparts. She is quick to point out how the other male drivers have gone out of their way to support, encourage and provide her the information to make her successful. She knows she can ask questions about directions, equipment, and even which are the best hotels to stay at. Melissa does her part to help keep Carbon Express the leader it is today in bulk liquid transportation. Carbon is always looking for great female drivers like Melissa in various parts of the country.

The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Charlene Poe as its August 2021 Member of the Month. She is the founder and managing partner of Middletown Truck Stop Eatery & Drive Thru, a business startup in Delaware.

A conversation with a friend, who is a truck driver, led Charlene into the trucking industry unexpectedly. That conversation was about the lack of commercial truck parking in her state. She was curious about it and did some exploring. At that time, she was also doing research for a business idea she was considering starting with her family. She came across a study done by the Delaware Department of Transportation. The study confirmed the need for more commercial truck parking in the northern and southern ends of Delaware. Charlene and her family made the change in their business plans to focus on providing commercial truck parking and amenities.

They are still in the beginning stages, but plan for the location to be a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified commercial truck stop. The location will have an extensive list of amenities that any professional truck driver would need while over-the-road. This includes an eatery, fitness center, healthcare clinic, truck service center and much more. Charlene and her family have a vision of effectively sustaining mobility. They will provide cleaner meat-based menu options along with some vegan/vegetarian food and drink options for healthier mobile living.

Charlene and her family aim to break away from the norm by redefining the truck stop image. They are clients of the Women’s Business Center in Delaware, members of National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO), National Association of Self Employed (NASE) and Women In Trucking Association (WIT).

Securing capital is a challenge, so Charlene and her team are launching a perks-based crowdfunding campaign in the coming months on the Indiegogo platform. They will also consider investors.  

“Everyone has something different and of immense value to bring to the table. When you truly discover what it is that you bring to this space, do it from the heart, with all your heart. Adopt a servant/leader mindset and never, ever give up!” said Charlene.  

WIT has announced Amanda McLaurin as its July 2021 Member of the Month. She is a student currently attending truck driving school in Pennsylvania.

McLaurin has several years of courier and delivery experience that she hopes to draw on as she finishes school and begins her career. Since 2019, she has wanted to earn her CDL. The maintenance and upkeep of a delivery vehicle can add up fast, so she began looking for a way to do what she loved: delivery, customer service, and an independent work environment, in a financially sustainable way.

McLaurin’s overall experience in CDL school has been a positive one. “If anything, I think being the only female in a class of eight has helped me adjust to the gender disproportion that still exists in the industry (even though it's getting better). Just as important, I think it has also helped my classmates learn to be more considerate, respectful and sensitive. I believe that I have gained their trust and respect, and they have gained mine too,” she said.

McLaurin joined WIT because she was searching for a welcoming, female-driven environment where she could ask all of her questions as a newcomer. Entering a male-dominated industry with very little prior exposure to it can be daunting. She wanted to connect with more experienced drivers, and other women in the field, who could help guide her and encourage her in her steps toward becoming a trucker.

“Having a mentor is incredibly important,” said McLaurin. “I am fortunate to have found a mentor in a supportive male driver. He is a great resource and gives me sound advice when I need it.” Having previously been a driver trainer, he is eager to teach and has the patience and experience to know the common pitfalls a new driver is likely to face. McLaurin added, “beyond that, having his support has helped keep me going after my goal many times when I felt like giving up. I wouldn’t have made it this far without him.”

McLaurin offered this advice for others considering a career in trucking, but who feel intimidated about giving it a try: “Don’t let anything distract you from pursuing your dreams. When you are training, it’s not ‘you versus all the big boys.’ It’s you and the truck. Learn it, respect it, and mature in how you handle it. All you are responsible for is learning to drive safely, carrying yourself professionally, and maintaining healthy boundaries. Do what you need to in order to achieve those three things. Your journey is your own. Travel it at your own pace, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you work hard, you can get your CDL, and step into a world full of possibilities. No matter what, never give up!”

It is the stories of mentorship like McLaurin’s that has inspired WIT to partner with LeadHER Alliance to develop a new program to connect recent female truck driving school graduates to experienced professional female drivers. The 10-month mentorship program, launching mid-July, supports new drivers during the most transitional period of their truck driving career. For more information about the program contact Debbie@WomenInTrucking.org.