Hear Her Story

Hosted by Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM)

BusinessInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Facebook Instagram YouTube

Episodes

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

About the show

At the Women in Manufacturing® Association, we work year-round to support, promote, and inspire women who have chosen a career in manufacturing. Time and time again, our members prove that every woman has a unique story to tell and that by sharing our stories, we can inspire and empower one another. On each episode of Hear Her Story, we'll sit down with incredible women from different roles and niche industries within manufacturing. Join us to learn from their unique expertise and to hear about the experiences that have shaped their careers. Hear what drives the women who make the WiM Community vibrant and strong and leave inspired by their journey and their advice for other women in manufacturing. The Hear Her Story Podcast is produced by the Women in Manufacturing® Association. WiM is the only national trade association dedicated promoting, supporting, and inspiring women who have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry. We work year-round to empower women at all levels of their career - from production to the C-Suite. Membership is available to women and men working within the manufacturing sector.

Listen to episodes

57 recent

October 22, 2026Episode 726 min

Episode 57 | Stephanie Peters

Live at WIM's annual SUMMIT in Las Vegas, Nevada at Ceasars Forum, we welcome our guest, Stephanie Peters, who serves as General Manager of Cargill's Waco, Texas facility, and is a WIM 2026 Hall of Fame Inductee. Stephanie brings more than 30 years of manufacturing leadership experience, building strong teams, leading business transformations, and creating opportunities for others to grow while delivering results across complex operations. Today, we'll hear more about Stephanie's leadership and her journey in manufacturing.

August 7, 2026Episode 626 min

Episode 56 | Dr. Maja Durant

We're excited to welcome Dr. Maja Durant, Vice President of Human Resources – Americas at Greif and Board Director of the Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation, to the Hear Her Story podcast. With more than 25 years of experience in human resources leadership across organizations including Target, McLane and Greif, Dr. Durant brings valuable insights on leadership, talent development, workplace culture, and the future of work. Download the full episode to learn more about Dr. Durant's journey, how her doctoral research has shaped her leadership approach, and her work supporting women in manufacturing through the WIM Education Foundation. Explore all Hear Her Story podcast episodes here .

July 9, 2026Episode 527 min

Episode 55 | Kate Leiby

Hear Her Story Podcast Welcomes Kate Leiby, Director of Global Sustainability, Donaldson Company We're excited to welcome Kate Leiby, Director of Global Sustainability at Donaldson Company and Chair of the Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation, to the Hear Her Story podcast. With more than two decades of experience spanning operations, procurement, quality and sustainability, Kate brings a unique perspective on building resilient organizations and preparing the manufacturing workforce for the future. Download the full episode to learn more about Kate's leadership journey, her commitment to sustainability and workforce development, and her advice for women building careers in manufacturing. Explore all Hear Her Story podcast episodes here.

May 15, 2026Episode 527 min

Episode 54 | Mandy Trainer

We're excited to welcome today's guest, Mandy Trainer, Vice President, BDS Fabrication at The Boeing Company. Mandy's story is one rooted in purpose, resilience, and servant leadership, and today, she's sharing how those early experiences continue to shape how she leads at the highest levels. Today, we'll hear more about Mandy's leadership and her journey in manufacturing.

April 10, 2026Episode 329 min

Episode 53 | Jane Thomas

We're excited to welcome today's guest, Jane Thomas, President of Teijin Holdings and the Teijin Group Chief Representative in the Americas. With a career that spans law, private‑equity–backed manufacturing leadership and executive roles in global health services, Jane brings a unique perspective to the industries she serves. In addition to her corporate leadership, she also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for WIM.

March 5, 2026Episode 232 min

Episode 52 | Karen Horting

We are excited welcome our guest, Karen Horting, CEO of the Society of Women Engineers, where she leads a global community of more than 50,000 women and allies in engineering. With over 25 years of experience advancing STEM talent, international outreach and professional development, Karen is a recognized leader—honored on Forbes' 50 Over 50 list for Innovation and known worldwide for her advocacy for women in engineering. Today, we'll hear more about Karen's leadership and her journey in manufacturing.

February 5, 2026Episode 233 min

Episode 51 | Kathy Miller

We're excited to welcome today's guest, Kathy Miller, Founder & CEO of MORE 4 Leaders, Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductee, and author of Steel Toes and Stilettos and MORE is Better . With decades of experience across aerospace and automotive, Kathy brings a unique blend of business expertise and positive psychology to leadership. Today, we'll hear more about Kathy's leadership and her journey in manufacturing.

January 8, 2026Episode 126 min

Episode 50 | Wells Bullard

Women in Manufacturing is proud to celebrate our milestone 50th episode with Wells Bullard, President and CEO of Bullard. Wells has built her career on listening closely to the men and women who rely on her team's products and pushing for innovation that genuinely supports the people doing the toughest jobs. Since stepping into the CEO role in 2017, Wells has led with a clear vision, a collaborative spirit, and a deep commitment to understanding Bullard's customers. Today we're going to explore her leadership journey, her philosophy on building meaningful products, and the impact she's making across the manufacturing world.

November 6, 2025Episode 923 min

Episode 49 | Holly Paeper

Today's guest, Holly Paeper, is a passionate leader who serves as President for Commercial HVAC Americas at Trane Technologies. Since joining Trane Technologies in 2016, Holly has held executive roles as President of Life Science Solutions, General Manager for Data Center Precision Cooling, Head of Marketing and Head of Strategic Sales and Operations. Today, we'll hear more about Holly's leadership in HVAC and her journey in manufacturing, sustainability and mentorship.

October 9, 2025Episode 4825 min

Episode 48 | Laura Phillips

We speak with Laura Phillips, Vice President of Engineering and Procurement at Pella Corporation. With a background in chemical engineering and an MBA, Laura has been a driving force behind Pella's efforts to advance women in engineering, founding the Women in Engineering community and mentoring countless women in the field. Under her leadership, the number of women engineers at Pella has tripled. Beyond the company, Laura actively supports Iowa State University's Women in Science and Engineering program. Join us as we explore Laura's inspiring journey and the impact she's making in manufacturing today.