Maria Tkacheva is the chief operating officer at Roshel, a North American manufacturer of specialized armoured vehicles. She played a key role in transforming Roshel from a small-scale manufacturer into an industry leader, driving strategic growth and market expansion. With over ten years of experience in operations, business development, strategic communications, and marketing, Tkacheva has held leadership positions across operations, corporate strategy, and global communications agencies.In this episode of Advance: Women in Manufacturing podcast, Ojasvini Parashar, the associate editor of Canadian Manufacturing and Food in Canada, sits down with Tkacheva to discuss her journey in the manufacturing industry, the challenges she has overcome, and her role in driving innovation at Roshel. Tkacheva shares her insights on mentorship, leadership, and how women can break barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields. Join us as we explore the future of women in manufacturing and what it takes to succeed in this dynamic industry.

Alexandra Monkhouse is a partner at Monkhouse Law Employment Lawyers in Toronto. Alexandra helps employees and employers navigate their employment issues. The focus of her practice is class actions and major claims. She is called to the Bar in Ontario and has appeared before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and the Supreme Court of Canada. In this episode of Advance: Women in Manufacturing podcast, Ojasvini Parashar, the associate editor of Canadian Manufacturing and Food in Canada, sits down with Monkhouse to discuss workplace laws that protect women. From recognizing different forms of workplace harassment to understanding key legal protections against discrimination, safety concerns, and unlawful terminations, Monkhouse provides valuable insights that every woman in manufacturing should know.Join us to empower yourself with the knowledge to advocate for a fair and safe workplace!

Sarab Hans is president of Hans Dairy, a dairy company in Ontario specializing in in South Asian food products. In this episode, Sarab discusses her journey in the manufacturing industry, how she transitioned from being an ‘owner’s daughter’ to company head, highlights the people who helped her along with the way as well as shares her vision for Hans Dairy.

Diane Reko is the CEO and chair of the board of directors of Reko International Group, a diversified, technology-driven manufacturing company located in Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada. Diane is proud to lead a diverse team of skilled and innovative people that help to support the community of Windsor-Essex. She believes that Reko’s support of other manufacturers also strengthens their communities and helps to provide critical economic independence and freedom.In this episode, Diane discusses her journey in the manufacturing industry, what keeps her motivated, establishing a firm footing as a leader and her experiences as a woman in a leadership role.

Advance: Women in Manufacturing, The Podcast: Evelyn Allen, founder and CEO, Evercloak

Advance: Women in Manufacturing, The Podcast: Janelle Abela, founder and principal consultant, Diverse Solutions Strategy Firm

Advance: Women in Manufacturing, The Podcast: Aynsley Dueck, operations manager, Duxton Windows & Doors

Carla Cheung is a technical product manager at Mettler Toledo Canada. Some of Cheung’s responsibilities include technical and application support for their product line; product management ensuring they are certified approved and priced for use in the Canadian market; training and education for their direct sales channel, channel partners and customers; start up and commissioning support; and onsite technical and product support for customers and end users.Canadian Manufacturing associate editor Alanna Fairey spoke to Carla recently to discuss Carla's career journey, the power of mentorship, and why she wasn't interested in forcing herself into a "boys club".

Suzane Greeman is the President and Principal Asset Management Advisor of Greeman Asset Management Solutions, a firm headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She is the author of Risk-based Asset Criticality Assessment (R-b ACA©) Handbook, and an accomplished asset management leader with over 22 years of experience.Suzane has worked across several asset management disciplines to implement asset management strategies for cement manufacturing, power generation, wastewater treatment and airport assets.In this episode, Greeman, speaks about her role as President and how they pivoted during the ongoing global pandemic. She speaks about her journey in establishing Greeman Asset Management Solutions, and the successes she has achieved over the years. She also speaks about barriers she faced as she started out in the asset management world, and how she overcame these barriers. She speaks about the gender-related challenges she faced as a female working in a male-dominant field, and also the support she received in return. In this episode, Greeman gives advice to all females who are looking to advance leadership positions and senior roles, and how to overcome biases and barriers they might face.

Erin Buchanan-Gelinas is a General Manager at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc. (TMMC), in Cambridge, Ontario. In her role, Erin overseas all manufacturing operations in the North Plant, producing the 5th Generation RAV4. She is also assigned the role of Lexus NX Chief Production Manager, responsible for the TMMC launch of the 2nd Generation NX and its manufacturing localization from Japan to Canada.Canadian Manufacturing associate editor Alanna Fairey spoke to Erin recently to discuss Erin's career at Toyota, the challenges she overcame and her advice to encourage more women to take on more leadership roles.