Her Story
About Andrea
Andrea Davis serves as a senior internal auditor at CPKC Railway, where she has worked for the past four years following a decade at Canadian National Railway. With 14 years in the railroad industry, she brings extensive experience from roles including train master and claims management, where she handled 24-7 operations involving employee injuries and accidents. An Air Force veteran with 11 years of active duty service, Davis holds two associate degrees, a bachelor's degree, and a master's degree, and she is certified as a military instructor. She is a proud member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and volunteers as an assistant troop leader for Girl Scouts of America. Davis attributes her success to the independence instilled by her mother and her desire to serve as a role model for her children, and she advises young women entering the male-dominated industry to develop thick skin, stay focused, remain true to themselves, and be open to both leading and following.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Andrea
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my mom telling me to be independent in any way and never be afraid to speak up for myself, and to my children as being a role model for them is really important to me. Even if I wanted to fail on any given day, I think about those people and say I have to do this for me, I have to do this for them.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've ever received is never stop smiling. It changes that energy and makes it something that's only better possible substitute.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Develop thick skin. Find a way to suppress all of the negativity and disappointments. Stay true to yourself and focused. Never lose sight of who you are. Be consistent, have a heart but can also lead when needed and follow if have to. Be open to both. Be aggressive at times and ask for what you need, don't be afraid to escalate if necessary so you don't fail.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that my team members are all in Canada in the headquarters building and I'm in the U.S. in a smaller terminal. Communication sometimes slips through the cracks because meetings are in-person at headquarters and I'm not privy to them, then they come up later on conference calls.
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