Job history: Ailsa began her role at Watco in June 2019 following roles at the Port of New Orleans, the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway. She joined Watco's federal and state government relations team in part to help persuade Congress to pass the 45G short-line tax credit. She also oversees government relations in Watco's southeastern states as the company expands its footprint.

Why she's influential as a leader: In Louisiana, Ailsa prepared the grant application that resulted in the Louisiana Southern Railroad receiving a state infrastructure grant that funded critical track upgrades for the railroad as it works toward achieving 286,000-pound rail-car capacity. In Mississippi, her efforts led to a state short-line maintenance tax credit modeled after 45G. She also has written two CRISI grant applications now totaling more than $80 million in track upgrade projects for two of Watco's railroads.

Ailsa previously served as president of both the Texas Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and the Mississippi Railroad Association and currently serves as secretary of the Louisiana Railroad Association.

Watco VP of Railroad Sales Cody Gilliland said Ailsa "has an uncanny ability to correlate the rail network to people who may not understand the vast complexity of what railroading entails."