From the Editor - The 2023 Rising Stars class: They'll help rail get to 'next'

By Pat Foran, Editor

For more than a decade, we’ve been stepping up our coverage on the North American rail workforce development beat. The aims: to follow wherever it leads us, and to identify (and get to know) some of the people who’ll be leading the change charge in the years ahead. 

A big part of stepping up was launching our Rising Stars program in 2013.  

Progressive Railroading defines a Rising Star as someone under the age of 40 who has made, or is making, a positive impact on their company, organization, department or team, and is viewed by peers, colleagues, supervisors, clients or associates as an up-and-coming leader in the rail industry. 

On May 1, we unveiled our 2023 winners, the 11th Rising Stars class.  

During the nomination process, Progressive Railroading readers submitted forms to tout 130 individuals who work for Class Is, regionals, short lines, passenger railroads, transit agencies, government entities, associations, engineering firms, contractors or suppliers. The winners were chosen based on their contributions to railroading, as well as their career achievements, demonstrated leadership, professional association activity and community involvement.  The winners will be profiled on ProgressiveRailroading.com this summer and featured in our September print issue. They’ll also be honored during a virtual ceremony to be held July 26. Here are this year’s winners: 

Lauren Berry, CSX 

Kriss Beudjekian, CN 

Jason Boche, Union Pacific Railroad 

Adam Brock, Belt Railway Co. of Chicago 

Sabri Cakdi, Holland Co. 

Alex Clark, Loram Maintenance of Way 

Ismael Cuevas, Amtrak 

Cassie Dull, RailUSA/Gulf & Atlantic Railways 

Desirae Faber, Modern Railway Systems 

Sean Fahey, MTA Metro-North Railroad 

Max Lafferty, Herzog Services Inc. 

Keith Fitzhugh, R. J. Corman Railroad Group 

Ryan Hill, Conrail 

Cami Hoffmann, TTX Co. 

Catherine Kersting, New York New Jersey Rail LLC 

Matthew Long, Canadian Pacific Kansas City 

Geetika Mahajan, CN 

Mike McGonagle, National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association 

Emma Moser, Genesee & Wyoming Inc. 

Dustin Ralls, Canadian Pacific Kansas City 

Manuel Salazar, CN 

Tim Thompson Jr., Union Pacific Railroad 

Ryan Vickers, Progress Rail 

Antoinette Walker, Port Authority Trans Hudson Corp. 

Jennifer White, Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway 

Congratulations to this year’s recipients. We look forward to talking with and listening to you in the months and years ahead as you lead the change charge — and help this industry get to next.