Amtrak EVP Mason named WTS-DC 'Woman of the Year'

WTS-DC has named Amtrak Executive Vice President of Capital Delivery Laura Mason as the chapter's 2024 Woman of the Year.

Mason was recognized for her commitment to Washington, D.C. and service as an "outstanding role model who has contributed to the advancement of women and minorities in transportation," according to an Amtrak-issued press release.

"With historic levels of funding for Amtrak in recent years, Laura has risen to lead a truly massive portfolio of capital projects, and upgrades to the Northeast Corridor will directly benefit mobility in the D.C. area. Her career is a great example and inspiration to many women in the field," said WTS-DC President Sophia Guiny.

Mason works at Amtrak’s D.C. headquarters next to Washington Union Station and previously served in leadership roles with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), responsible for driving transit capital projects across D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Before joining WMATA, she spent more than a decade at Bechtel Corp., an American engineering company.

Today, she leads Amtrak’s infrastructure investments that are underway to support future growth along the Northeast Corridor and around the United States, while also improving safety, reliability and travel times for rail passengers, Amtrak officials said.

In the D.C. region specifically, investments include new trains for Northeast Regional and Amtrak Virginia passengers, upgrades at Ivy City Yard in northeast D.C., and several tunnel and bridge replacements or expansions to replace century-old assets and improve future service between D.C. and Boston.

Each year, WTS-DC recognizes the area’s leading women who have had a significant impact on transportation, as well as prominent men and distinguished public or private organizations in the nation’s capital that support the development, growth and advancement of women in transportation.

In 2021, Progressive Railroading recognized Mason as a "Rising Star" of the railroad industry.