Manufacturing Women’s Leadership Conference 2026: Harness Influence

White is an 18-year Sonoco veteran beginning her career as a Reliability Engineer after working in Manufacturing and Process Improvement for Milliken & Company for over a decade. She quickly expanded her roles within the Company to serve as a Global Maintenance Excellence Manager before assuming the position of Director, Global Sonoco Performance System and Organizational Development in 2018. In 2022, she was named Vice President, Global Operational Excellence with additional leadership responsibilities in Commercial Excellence and Information Technology before being named to the role of Vice President of Global Human Resources.

White is a 1996 graduate of N.C. State University, with a Bachelor of Science in Textile Engineering, and is certified in Lean Manufacturing and serves on the Florence Darlington Technical College Foundation Board.

Bonny Lin is director of the China Power Project and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Previously, she was the acting associate director of the Strategy and Doctrine Program of RAND Project AIR FORCE and a political scientist at the RAND Corporation, where she analyzed different aspects of China’s foreign and defense policy and U.S. competition with China, including China’s use of gray zone tactics against U.S. allies and partners. Her research advised senior leaders in the Department of Defense, including military leaders at U.S. Pacific Air Forces and U.S. Army Pacific.

Dr. Lin also served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2015 to 2018, where she was director for Taiwan, country director for China, and senior adviser for China. Dr. Lin has testified in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee, House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an adjunct at the RAND Corporation and Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA). Dr. Lin holds a PhD in political science from Yale University, a master’s degree in Asian studies with a focus on China from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard College.

As Head of Human Resources and Environmental Health & Safety at Hanwha Qcells USA, Inc., Lisa Nash is helping shape the future of clean energy manufacturing in America—both inside the factory and far beyond it. With more than 20 years of leadership across human resources, environmental health & safety (EHS), and government relations, Nash is a dynamic force at the intersection of people, policy, and innovation.

Currently leading the workforce and safety strategy for Qcells’ landmark manufacturing projects in Georgia, Nash is driving one of the most impactful job-creation efforts in the Southeast. The project—bringing over 2,000 new positions to the region—has become a model for how private investment, skilled workforce development, and public-sector collaboration can fuel long-term economic growth.

In addition to her HR and EHS responsibilities, Nash plays a key role in the company’s government relations efforts, working closely with federal, state, and local officials to align workforce initiatives, training programs, and economic development incentives. She has been instrumental in forging partnerships with state workforce agencies, technical colleges, and local economic development organizations to ensure that Qcells’ growth also uplifts the communities in which it operates.

Her career spans leadership roles in manufacturing and aerospace across the Southeast, where she developed deep expertise in talent management, organizational development, change leadership, and compliance in complex, multi-site environments. Known for her pragmatic leadership and forward-thinking approach, Nash is a trusted advisor not only within Qcells but also in the broader business and policy ecosystem.

Nash holds a bachelor’s degree in human resources management from Shorter University. She lives in Rome, Georgia, with her husband, Roger. When she’s not driving strategy or shaping policy, you’ll likely find her exploring new destinations, reading a great book, enjoying a round of golf, or spending time with her family.

Whether she’s building workforce pipelines, advancing safety standards, or sitting at the table with policymakers, Lisa Nash is a powerful advocate for the future of American manufacturing—where clean energy meets community, and innovation starts with people.

Haley Janicek brings lessons from competitive athletics into every room she enters. A former Division I volleyball athlete and the youngest Division I head coach in the NCAA, she learned early how competition shapes leadership, resilience, and performance. After coaching, she thrived in the tech startup world and, for nearly a decade at Kit, has helped entrepreneurs and creators grow their businesses with a strategic, results-driven approach. Haley believes women succeed when they compete well, not hide from competition, and that a growth mindset is the foundation for achieving their full potential.

Yvette joined Regal Rexnord in October 2022 as Vice President of Strategic Sourcing. Prior to joining the Company, Yvette was the Vice President of Global Sourcing at Kennametal. Prior to that role, Yvette served as Segment Director, Sourcing at Illinois Tool Works from 2014-2020. Yvette has over 20 years of global sourcing and supply chain experience in the medical technology, automotive and personal care industries. Yvette held various procurement and operations roles at Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), Ford Motor Company and the Gillette Company. She started her career at Federal-Mogul Corporation.

Yvette graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Materials and Logistics Management from Michigan State University and received a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Michigan.

Maithili Shenoy is a global retail and supply chain leader, founder of La Naia Collective, and creator of the Regenerative Retail framework—a new model for how brands grow responsibly and profitably. Over three decades of experience spanning leadership roles at Nike and Target, she built and led multi-billion-dollar global sourcing and supply chain organizations spanning a wide range of categories including apparel, footwear, pets, baby, essentials, health, beauty, wellness, sporting goods, electronics and home.

Sheila Tiegs serves as Vice President of Global Operations at Lubrizol Corporation. With over 30 years in chemical manufacturing, she brings deep expertise in operational excellence and supply chain strategy. Sheila is recognized for her strong leadership, strategic planning, and problem-solving skills, consistently driving results through accountability and collaboration.

Prior to joining Lubrizol in 2025, she held leadership roles at DuPont Chemical and Solenis LLC (Private Equity). She holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville and resides in Landenberg, Pennsylvania with her husband, Albert.

Ruth Gratzke is President of Siemens Smart Infrastructure in the United States. In this role, she leads operational and commercial activities for Siemens’ smart building, grid edge and energy infrastructure portfolio.

Comprised of six business units – Building Products, Grid Software, Electrification & Automation, Electrical Products, eMobility and Regional Solutions & Services Americas – Siemens Smart Infrastructure delivers building IoT, automation, fire safety, security, energy, low and medium voltage and smart grid solutions as well as control components to the U.S. commercial, industrial and utility markets.

Most recently, Ruth served as the Head of Product and Systems Sales for Smart Infrastructure in the U.S., a role aligning the product and systems business units towards a platform of connected building and power distribution products and systems.

She returned to Siemens in 2019 after spending several years in executive management roles with General Electric and HUBBELL Inc. Ruth originally joined Siemens in 1995 and relocated to the US in 1999 to lead the US-based steelmaking business. Subsequently she held positions in Corporate Strategy and C-level sales, followed by general management roles in Building Technologies and Industrial Automation.

In addition to her business leadership responsibilities for Smart Infrastructure, Ruth also serves on the board of the Siemens Foundation and is the CEO of Siemens Industry, Inc., the legal Siemens business entity for Smart Infrastructure and Digital Industries in the United States.

Emma Macan Roberts is the VP of Lean In Programs at LeanIn.Org, part of the Sheryl Sandberg and Dave Goldberg Foundation.

In this capacity, Emma oversees Lean In's global Circles community of more than 130,000 Lean In Circles – small peer groups of women who come together regularly for peer-to-peer mentorship and support – across 183 Countries.

Emma is also responsible for the growth and adoption of Lean In's suite of free programs for companies. Emma's team support thousands of companies around the world to close the gender leadership gap and build more equal and inclusive workplaces.

Prior to joining Lean In, Emma spent her early career in Customer Business Development (Sales) at Procter and Gamble and Coty in the UK, after graduating from the London School of Economics.