Brought up in a mining family that had no time for gender stereotypes, Allyson Hawley, our guest on today’s show, was surprised when she began her mechanical engineering degree with hardly any fellow women students. Throughout her career in the male-dominated mining industry, Allyson has received a lot of support but has also experienced a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle discrimination based on the fact that she is a woman. As she explains, sometimes it’s difficult to identify discrimination, which is why it is so important to find a community that has your back. Allyson also shares the ways in which men in these fields can contribute to eradicating the issue of gender discrimination. We discuss how Allyson’s company is working towards increasing gender diversity in STEM fields, changes she has seen take place in her industry over the years, her take on the hiring process, and her thoughts about what it takes to create a sustainable future. Emily is joined by Blair Fraser and Charli K. Matthews as co-hosts and the combination of perspectives makes for an eye-opening discussion!
Sn. 2, #11 Allyson Hawley, Charli K. Matthews, and Blair Fraser: Working Towards Eradicating Gender Discrimination in Male Dominated Industries
Emily Soloby
Emily received her BA in Women’s Studies and JD from Temple University. Early on, she worked as a legal advocate for women in domestic violence cases. After practicing law, Emily began working on the business side of things. She is the co-owner of AAA School of Trucking, a truck and heavy equipment safety training firm, which she has spent the last 10 years growing into a thriving national business through government and military contracting and corporate partnerships.
As an executive in the transportation industry, darting from client meeting to trucking range required safety boots that met her style standards, and when she couldn’t find them anywhere, she created Juno Jones Shoes. Emily trained in shoemaking in Cuernavaca, Mexico and at the Brooklyn Shoe Space, and assembled a powerhouse team of designers, consultants, and industry experts to bring Juno Jones to life. Through Juno Jones Shoes, Emily is fulfilling her dream of not only providing women with safe, stylish footwear options for their jobs but of helping to normalize and empower women in traditionally male-dominated fields.
For more information go to junojonesshoes.com.
