Women in Rail South East Regional Group

Channel has been in the rail industry for 7 years, starting out in NR Training before moving into Programme Management for the last 4 years. Channel has been intentional about how she has navigated her career, and believes the lessons we learn along the way should be shared.

“I’m passionate about supporting women to progress, and a big part of that is pulling back the curtain on what it can really take to progress in the rail industry, and helping women strengthen their visibility, self-belief and networks.

“EDI is very important to me because it is fundamental to creating meaningful and lasting change, but it must be about more than representation. It is about changing experiences, improving access to opportunity and helping more women feel able to progress and thrive in the industry and beyond. I’m also passionate about the wider social value of rail. The industry has so much to offer, and I want more young women to understand the range of careers available to them and see rail as a place where they can build a future.

“I’m excited to be a part of the Women in Rail committee, share what I’ve learned and be part of a community working together to make a real difference across the industry.”

Raye has worked in the rail industry for twelve years, starting their career in a maintenance depot, and is now the Diversity and Inclusion Manager at Rail Delivery Group, where she leads the organisation’s EDI strategy and provides guidance and support to staff, including RDG’s employee networks.

Alongside their role at RDG, Raye is Deputy Chair of the EDI Charter for Rail. She is passionate about turning good intentions into meaningful action, helping people to embed inclusion into everyday decision-making and creating environments where people feel they belong and can thrive.

As a proud non-binary rail professional, Raye is a strong advocate for equity, allyship, and representation. They regularly speak at industry events, support mentoring initiatives, and work collaboratively across the sector to share good practice and drive positive change.

“I am excited to be part of the Women in Rail South East committee, supporting women across the region to build connections, develop their careers, and help to shape a more inclusive future for the railway.”

Natalie Edwards is a senior rail and infrastructure leader with 30 years’ experience delivering complex programmes across the UK rail industry. She is currently Director of the Intercity Programme at Hitachi Rail, providing strategic leadership across major rolling stock programmes including East Midlands Railway, West Coast Partnership and the Open Access Programmes. Her career has spanned rail operations, major infrastructure projects, highways and river projects and programme leadership, including senior roles at South Western Railway and Transport for London. She is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management and holds an MSc in Project Management in Construction & Infrastructure.

Passionate about strong leadership, collaboration and developing people, Natalie has built and led high-performing teams throughout her career. She is particularly interested in creating inclusive, supportive environments where people can develop, connect and succeed, and in encouraging more women to see senior leadership as a realistic and achievable career path.

Outside of rail, Natalie is a qualified fitness instructor and Pilates instructor and teaches a range of classes including Body Pump, Spin, Aqua and Pilates. Fitness is a real passion for her and a major part of her life providing a balance in her working day and she enjoys the way it brings people together, builds confidence and creates a strong sense of community. She is looking forward to bringing that same energy and enthusiasm to Women in Rail South East, sharing her experience, supporting others and helping to build connections across the industry.

Clare has been on the railway for 12 years. She progressed from an on-board host to a Train Manager, and as of 6 years ago, a Train Driver. Clare Chaired LNER’s women’s network, Empower for two and a half years; creating a community, implementing and leading initiatives, and putting together events, helping to raise awareness, shift culture, and create actionable change. She is an advocate for women and frontline staff and works tirelessly to effect change within LNER and the industry alike. Clare is an avid reader of feminist literature and a keen learner. She is Mental Health First Aid Trained, and has a CIM Level 5 in Managing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, which she uses to support her colleagues and organisation to create an inclusive workplace.

“Being able to work in EDI alongside my role as a Driver is an incredible opportunity. To be able to drive change (no pun intended) to achieve gender equity is a huge passion of mine. I have a particular interest in women’s health, both physical and mental, and challenge how the industry acknowledges and supports women in their roles in relation to the impact of health. I’m constantly looking at new ways to make women’s experiences better, and to leave the industry in significantly better shape than I found it!”

She loves working with Women in Rail, to continue breaking barriers, bettering culture, and connecting women from across the region.

Nada began her rail journey with a year in industry in 2015, which sparked a lasting interest in rail and inspired her to return as a graduate after completing her engineering degree. She now works in the ERTMS team at GTR, helping to shape the future of digital signalling. Alongside her work, Nada has always been active in engineering and rail outreach.

Since becoming a mother, she is particularly interested in highlighting the challenges faced by parents and working towards a more inclusive and supportive industry.

Debbie is an Interface Manager for Structures at VolkerFitzpatrick, where they specialise in bridges and tunnels within the rail and construction sectors.

After making a bold career change from education just four years ago, Debbie has quickly established themselves in the industry, known for connecting teams, overcoming challenges, and driving complex projects forward. Passionate about problem-solving and collaboration, they bring a fresh perspective that bridges both people and projects.