Women In Trucking Leadership Changes: What Jennifer Hedrick’s Exit Could Mean for the Industry

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

Leadership changes happen in every industry, but when the organization involved is focused on bringing more women into trucking and helping them advance, a leadership transition gets a little more interesting.

The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) announced that Jennifer Hedrick has stepped down as president and CEO, a position she held since January 2023. WIT Vice President Lana Nichols will serve as interim president and CEO while the organization's board searches for a permanent successor.

And here's the bigger question:

What happens next for an organization that has spent years trying to change the face of trucking?

This Isn't Just About One CEO

Hedrick said she is stepping away to focus on family matters and expressed pride in the work accomplished during her time with WIT. The organization says continuity will remain a priority, with support from its board, partners and staff, which collectively has nearly 50 years of WIT experience.

That's important.

Because the easiest way to look at a leadership change is to focus on the person leaving.

The more interesting question is what happens to the mission after that person leaves.

WIT's mission is to champion the employment and advancement of women in trucking, foster connections and recognize achievements. The organization says its membership includes more than 8,000 corporate and individual members across North America.

That's bigger than one executive.

Women Are Becoming a Bigger Part of Trucking's Leadership Conversation

And the timing matters.

WIT has been collecting data on women's participation throughout the transportation industry through its WIT Index.

Its 2024-25 data found that women represented an average of 28% of C-suite executives among participating companies, while women represented about 34.5% of company leaders with supervisory responsibilities.

Those numbers don't mean the job is finished.

They mean something else:

The conversation has moved beyond simply asking whether women belong in trucking.

Now the industry increasingly has to ask how women can enter, stay, advance and lead.

And It's Not Just About Driving

One of the myths about trucking is that the industry is basically drivers and trucks.

That's an awfully small view of a very large industry.

WIT itself highlights career opportunities ranging from the driver's seat to corporate leadership, maintenance, dispatch, technology and other professional roles.

That's an important message because trucking needs people with all kinds of skills.

Drivers matter.

But so do dispatchers.

Maintenance professionals matter.

Safety managers matter.

Technology specialists matter.

Executives matter.

And people who can recruit and retain the next generation matter.

The Next CEO Has a Big Job

Whoever eventually takes the permanent CEO position won't simply be walking into an empty office.

They'll be stepping into an organization with an established mission, programs, partnerships, events and a growing conversation about workforce diversity.

WIT is already preparing for its 2026-27 Index results, with the organization describing the Index as a benchmark for measuring women's participation in critical transportation roles.

The organization also continues to run programs recognizing women in the industry and encouraging companies to create opportunities for advancement.

That means the next leader will have to answer some pretty important questions.

How do you attract more women to trucking?

How do you keep them in the industry?

How do you make sure they're not just entering the workforce but moving into leadership?

And perhaps the biggest one:

How do you make trucking an industry where talented people actually want to build a career?

The Industry Needs More Than Recruiting

Here's where things get interesting.

It's easy for companies to say they want more women in trucking.

Recruiting is the easy part.

Retention is harder.

If someone enters trucking and discovers that the workplace doesn't provide opportunity, mentorship or a path forward, eventually that person may decide to take their talents somewhere else.

That's why leadership organizations like WIT can play a role beyond simply promoting careers.

They can help create connections.

They can highlight successful people.

They can provide examples of what a career in trucking can actually look like.

And they can give companies something to think about when it comes to their own workforce strategies.

Trucking Has a Talent Problem to Solve

This may ultimately be the biggest story behind the leadership change.

Trucking needs people.

And the industry can't afford to limit itself to the same pool of workers it has always recruited.

Women represent one important part of that talent pool.

But attracting people is only half the battle.

The industry also has to give those people reasons to stay.

That means better career paths, better leadership development, better workplace cultures and opportunities to move from entry-level positions into roles with more responsibility.

In other words:

Don't just recruit people into trucking. Give them somewhere to go.

The Bottom Line

Jennifer Hedrick's departure marks a change for Women In Trucking, but it doesn't necessarily mean a change in direction.

Lana Nichols will serve as interim president and CEO while WIT's board conducts a search for the next permanent leader.

The organization already has an established mission, a large membership base and programs focused on women's participation and advancement across transportation.

So the real story isn't simply who gets the CEO job next.

It's what that person does with the opportunity.

Because trucking's future isn't going to be built by one type of person.

It's going to be built by drivers, mechanics, dispatchers, managers, entrepreneurs, technology professionals, executives—and everybody else willing to roll up their sleeves and keep this industry moving.

And if trucking wants the best people available, it can't afford to overlook half the talent pool.

The trucks may be getting smarter, but the industry's biggest competitive advantage is still people.

Keep learning. Keep your options open.

Trucking offers plenty of opportunities, but your career doesn't have to stop at the driver's seat.

👉 LifeAsATrucker.com — resources for life and work in trucking.

👉 RetireFromTrucking.com — because it's smart to have a plan for what comes next.