Celebrating The Work Of True Sheroes
We're highlighting the less-covered stories of women who are doing everything from building face masks to replenishing our food supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you so much for supporting our communities with your hard work and for inspiring us all to do more!
Kathryn Baxter
Secures our Food Supply Chain
As an agricultural commodities inspector for the USDA, I take my job seriously. Not only am I inspecting grain to make sure it meets proper quality standards but also inspect the vessels it is transported in to make sure they are up to par and the grain is safe from contamination.
There are many steps in this process - we go 24/7, often working 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, in varied shifts - and I will continue to make sure they are all completed with the highest integrity. During this time, food still has to be manufactured for our consumption and I am doing my part to maintain high-quality grain and transportation standards. I am proud to be part of an important cycle that can not be stopped by a pandemic.
Jenna Jacobs
Delivers PPE to Health Care Workers
I have made use of the extra time I have from working at home by coordinating deliveries of medical supplies throughout Michigan and beyond on behalf of General Motors. I personally delivered one of the first drop-offs to Detroit Medical Center in downtown Detroit last week on April 1st.
In this time of need, I'm just happy to give back in any way possible and proud to work for a company that instills the same values.
Jenny Tuertscher
Installs Production Lines for Face Masks
I have been working with the global team leading this effort to ensure the lines we are receiving in Canada, the United States, and Mexico can be installed to meet local electrical codes and that operators will be kept safe while running the lines. We are working to install production lines in some of our manufacturing sites to make masks for our employees and local health care facilities.
It is important to me that every employee is kept safe while at work and as a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician I understand the importance of having the masks available.
We are helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19 while protecting patients, health care workers, and the general public.
Tia Richardson
Linear Actuators for Hospital Beds
I am a production engineer at LINAK where we make linear actuators for hospital beds.
When I originally chose to become a production engineer it was because I wanted to help people by improving manufacturing processes and making their daily lives better.
Not only am I able to help my coworkers by improving production processes, but our actuators also improve the lives of people all over the world.
This has never been more important or more rewarding than during this pandemic.
Lindsey Piscitell
Gets PPE to First Responders
I am working with NYC hospital administrators to source and distribute PPE to first responders, and fundraising to purchase N95 masks to be distributed to NYC paramedics.
I am also assisting an artist collective, MORAKANA, in their fundraising efforts and communications strategy. MORAKANA is 3D printing and hand assembling face shields for hospitals in the Bronx and creating an open-source tool for others to replicate their efforts. Because I am privileged enough to work from home, I feel compelled to use my time to assist those who don't enjoy that luxury.
I also find that being proactive helps me combat the anxiety that accompanies anything as unknown and overwhelming as a global pandemic; channeling my energy for good allows me to stay present and grateful.
Kelcey Stuart
Secures Our Water Infrastructure
Deemed an essential business, U.S. Pipe provides essential products that are critical to our nation’s water, wastewater and drainage infrastructure. The stress of COVID-19 presents new challenges to ensure the safety and health of our employees, outside of the normal OSHA standards and regulations.
My motivation is, and always will be, THE PEOPLE! Each day our team is looking for new and innovative ways to keep our employees safe and healthy, by changing our normal meeting structure to accommodate social distancing, offering reusable water bottles and filling stations, and providing additional sick leave for employees.
I am proud to work for a company that has such a strong impact on the infrastructure for our country, but never loses sight of the importance of safety in our employees.
Kelsey Holtz
Contributes to a Healthier Planet
Interior design should make an impact in your space, for your family, your productivity, and your life, but it does not need to negatively impact the environment. Selecting materials and making design choices that have a positive impact on the health of your family and/or the environment are not difficult to find.
The Kohler WasteLAB is producing products made from up to 98% recycled materials, reclaimed from the Kohler Campus that would have otherwise been landfill-bound. Damaged, unfired toilets from the pottery become a tile body while slag from the cast iron process and enamel overspray are used in glaze colors.
Exploring sustainable manufacturing practices and taking care of our environment will benefit our global health in the long run.
NYC Non-Profit Team
Create Open Source for Face Masks
Renata Gaui, Regina Cantu, Lindsey Piscitell, Shruti Shyam, Poy Kritchaya, and Tiri Kananuruk
We are a non-profit collective working together to deliver face shields to healthcare providers at Jacobi Medical Center and Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY. We are fortunate to have constant feedback from the medical team that we are providing the masks and this is probably the biggest motivation we get - we hear first hand the impact of what we are making, seeing the doctors' reactions and knowing they are safer once when they receive the masks.
Through this collaboration, we've created an open-source, shareable design that will allow others to replicate our process for fabrication and sterilization. This design is in the process of being approved by the National Institute of Health (NIH).
Katie Takacs
Face Shields for the Department of Health
Since the end of March, Bednark has teamed up with some other companies (mainly Duggal with support from NewLab and Boyce) to make face shields for the Department of Health and various other folks on the front lines.I work for Bednark - a commercial shop that usually builds for events, shops, and things of that nature.
I’m usually the Assistant Foreman for Fast Fabrication, but here I’m one of the Floor Managers, working with such an amazing crew, to make these shields as fast and as safely as we can - being diligent about gloves, masks, and 6’-0” distancing while working.
And really, it’s just amazing to be part of this - using my fabrication skills to make these face shields for people on the frontlines who are truly fighting this virus.
Allison Grealis
Supports Women in Manufacturing
Nearly 10 years ago, our organization was founded to support, promote and inspire women in manufacturing careers and today given the current climate and constraints our work is more important than ever. Our organization has launched a campaign in response to COVID-19 called #thrivingtogether and our goal for this campaign is to provide support, solutions, and camaraderie for our member community during this difficult time. This campaign includes hosting weekly community connect webinars where members can connect virtually and share support and advice.
We have also been promoting member stories on our blog and other social platforms to lend advice on topics such as adaptability and lastly, we have activated a corporate member private LinkedIn group where members can share timely information on important topics related to employees, supply chain and business continuity.
Many of our active 24 local chapters have also moved to deliver virtual meetings that are allowing manufacturing women in regional areas to connect and lend support to one another. Now more than ever we want to be here for our individual and corporate members and lend them support and resources. I am personally motivated each morning when I wake up to work on improving our member benefits and services. I think about the more than 4,000 members we currently serve and their work inspires me and motivates me to want to constantly improve and expand the ways in which we can help them be successful.
Rachel Ciavarella
Makes Open Source Designs Accessible
When I first learned about how COVID-19 was affecting our frontline workers I knew I needed to find a way to help. Many of my relatives are frontline workers so it was very close to home seeing all the medical professionals, delivery drivers, and grocery store workers making online pleads for PPE.
I reached out to a friend who was developing an open-source face shield, he needed help designing instructions that would teach anyone how to make them. I knew this was a way that I could make an impact to help those in need so I volunteered to design and illustrate the instructions which are now being used around the world.
Brenda Waters and Carmen Brewer
Prepare Safe Daily Workstations
Brenda Waters (right) and Carmen Brewer (left) work at Camfil Air Pollution Control and were nominated by Melissa Dooley.
These ladies come in early every day before us all and begin cleaning and sanitizing all the tables, work stations, desks, bathrooms, break rooms, machines, walls, doorknobs, and handles.
They help setting up tables and moving workstations to ensure everyone adheres to the 6-foot rule.
We are all safer because of the attention and passion these ladies put into their work.
Haleyanne Freedman
3D-Prints Safe PPE for Hospitals
I started an initiative a few weeks ago to 3D Print PPE for small hospitals in small towns that won’t otherwise get any kind of PPE. There are lots of 3D Printing and community projects aimed at supporting the COVID19 efforts, which is wonderful, but the truth is a lot of the masks that are being provided aren’t very safe or effective.
We wanted to produce something that “did no harm” and provided health care workers with the best PPE possible as fast as possible so they can keep doing what they’re doing.
Our world is in trouble right now. Not only is there a public health crisis, but the economy is also in jeopardy. Health care workers are risking their lives right now to keep everyone safe and we should be doing everything we can to support them and protect them to the best of our abilities.
Tina Rexing
Delivers T-Rexes and Smiles
I've supported the community through the donation of 1/2 pound cookies to our local district 196. They have been instrumental in distributing food to families who are food insecure during this time. I have also partnered with a local chef, Justin Sutherland to distribute cookies to the front line nurses at local hospitals.
My customers have also made contributions towards the donations and I match all contributions so that we can continue to provide treats to people in need.
I know many think that it's just a cookie, but when you are a kid and your "normal" has been turned upside down, it's the little (or in this case, big) things that make things feel a little bit better.
Hayley Albright
Uplifts Women Everywhere
Last but definitely not least we want to celebrate the awesome work of our talented Social Media Manager and a badass leader of the Dahlias moto club, Hayley Albright.
Hayley has been the driving force behind this Sheroes celebration campaign and she continues to help our team grow and reach new heights each and every day.
A lot of her behind the scenes efforts are less covered, but they need to be celebrated because they've been crucial to the success of Xena Workwear.
Thank you 🙏Hayley!
- Enjoy smart snacks that keep you healthy – donated by Cindy Poiesz, founder of Supernola
- Unwind after a long day with relaxing and natural bath bombs – donated by Trenise Watson, founder of Asili Naturals
- Take those snacks AND wine into the bath with you with HaloVino, a shatterproof, dishwasher safe wine glass – donated by Jessica Bell, founder of HaloVino
- Be safe at work by wearing a visible safety vest specifically designed for women – donated by Melissa Gaglione, founder of Safety4Her
- Feel confident in your stylish steel-toe safety shoes designed for women – donated by Anastasia Kraft, founder of Xena Workwear