FEATURE: Influential Women in Transportation
Making it Happen as a Woman of Influence in Transportation:
“Resilience, Mentoring, and a Whole Lot More”
From left to right: finalist Eileen Dabrowski, finalist Amanda Schuier, WIT President and CEO Ellen Voie, and the 2021 Infuential Woman in Trucking, Lily Ley.
The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) recognized Lily Ley as the 2021 Influential Woman in Trucking. This is the 11th year for the award, which was developed in 2010 as a way to recognize female leaders and to attract and advance women in the trucking industry. Here’s her story, along with the two other impressive finalists.
Lily Ley has come a long way from her humble beginning in Mexico. The oldest of five children growing up in a two-room home, she was the first in her family to earn a college degree. Her father was a hardworking taxi driver and early on she learned a strong work ethic from him. After she graduated from CETYS Universidad, she worked through a series of programmer and systems development roles at Kenworth Mexicana, one of the larger employers in her area. At a point early in her life she realized the need to move to the United States to elevate herself to the next level in her career. Fast forward more than 30 years later: Ley has navigated a very successful career at PACCAR advancing through the Informational Technology Divisions at Kenworth Truck Co. in Kirkland,
Wash., and PACCAR in Renton, Wash, and ultimately being promoted to Chief Information Officer. She was the first female to rise to the Executive Operating Committee at PACCAR. In addition, she is the executive sponsor for the PACCAR Women’s Association (PWA) which was formed based on her vision. Ley is passionate and will not accept “no” for an answer helping the company drive change within the organization. Ley attributes resiliency as a key characteristic to her success in her career – and in life. “What I learned early in life gave me the ability to go beyond every challenge,” says Ley. “It gave me a foundation of fundamentals for what I do today. I see everything from different perspectives and I’m able to adjust to continued on page 12
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