Kathryn Clay

I studied science and received a Master’s degree in electrical engineering and a Ph.D. in applied physics.  When I left the scientific bench to work in Washington D.C., I saw first-hand how important it is to have that data-driven perspective when making policy that affects industry.  When I was in graduate school in the 1990s, fewer than 5 percent of physics graduate students nationwide were women.  I am proud to bring diversity to policy discussions in Washington drawing both on my science and engineering background and as a woman representing industries with predominately male leadership.  Both of the trade associations I worked for before coming to ILTA were also male-dominated sectors, the automotive industry and the natural gas industry.

I believe terminals are a vital component of our nation’s supply chain, providing critical logistics services.  Importers and exporters of liquid commodities — from crude oil to petrochemicals to food-grade products — need terminals to connect them to their customers.  Whether these facilities are located in a port, on a river, or are connected to a pipeline, they are providing indispensable services to local, national, and global economies.   Our sector will be stronger as we bring more diversity to our workforce, all the way from the site to the C-Suite, including women and people of color.

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