RSI/CMA 2018

Roquita Coleman-Williams
Manager of Supply Chain Solutions
CN


An award winning leader, engaging speaker and author, Roquita Coleman-Williams has permanently changed the landscape in male dominated rail and transit industries. In 2011, Williams became the 63rd president, and first African American, of the Memphis World Trade Club. She has been recognized nationally and internationally - CN President’s Award of Excellence, Memphis Business Journal Top 40 under 40, MBJ Super Women in Business, and Progressive Railroad’s Rising Stars of North American Railroads. In 2014, Roquita was appointed, by Mayor and City Council, to Memphis Area Transit Authority. Her leadership, of Tennessee’s largest transit authority, earned her a bi partisan recommendation from Senate Leader Mark Norris (R) and Congressman Steve Cohen (D) for a Department of Transportation Federal Advisory Board. After 20 years in the transportation industry, Roquita answered the ultimate call in the railroad industry. In 2016, she became one of few female sales leaders licensed as a railroad conductor - proving leadership is not a title but the result of actions we take to inspire change. With this real world boots on the ground rail experience, she can speak with a new earnestness about overcoming obstacles in a male dominated industry. Roquita was born, raised and educated in Memphis. She and her husband, a Memphis police officer, have two sons. In addition to leading her city’s economic development efforts, she has served a host of civic and community organizations. This spring, Roquita published her first book, Storealities. Joined by 21 women across the nation, Roquita explores challenging moments to empower women to discover the positive reality on the other side of their most difficult experiences.

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