Her Story
About Danielle
Danielle Squires is a Sales Director for the US West region within Alstom Transportation’s Rolling Stock and Components division, specializing in rail transportation, sustainable mobility, strategic sales, business development, customer engagement, and complex transportation solutions. She entered the transportation industry in 2015 through a temporary opportunity with Bombardier in England and subsequently built an international career through roles spanning sales, marketing, business development, and strategic operations. Following Alstom’s acquisition of Bombardier, she progressed into her current leadership role, where she focuses on connecting customers with innovative mobility solutions and positioning Alstom as a long-term strategic partner.
Squires brings expertise across sales strategy and execution, strategic planning, business development, bid and tender management, contract negotiation, stakeholder engagement, market expansion, rolling stock procurement, and transportation innovation. She holds an MBA from the University of Warwick – Warwick Business School, completed with Distinction in 2021, as well as a postgraduate diploma in marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and an associate degree in business and marketing from Southampton Solent University. She has also completed Harvard University’s Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles program and is actively engaged with APTA, WTS, and the Transportation U Committee. She leads Alstom Women of Excellence (AWE) in Southern California, supporting inclusive leadership and the development of future industry leaders.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Squires is passionate about future mobility, public transportation, innovation, artificial intelligence, sustainability, leadership development, and community impact. She volunteers with local wildlife restoration projects and beach clean-ups throughout the Los Angeles area and supports WTS initiatives that introduce young women to opportunities within transportation. She is particularly committed to helping the next generation recognize that successful careers do not have to follow a predetermined path. Squires attributes her own success to strong mentors, supportive managers, continuous learning, resilience, and a belief in her ability to overcome challenges. She emphasizes honesty, integrity, and accountability as guiding principles in both her professional leadership and personal life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Danielle
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to the mentors and influential people who have supported me throughout my career. Alstom’s internal mentoring program has been particularly valuable because it has connected me with leaders, functions, and skill sets outside my day-to-day responsibilities, helping me strengthen areas where I wanted to grow.
I have also benefited from managers who believed in my potential, even at times when I did not fully recognize it myself. They challenged me with ambitious stretch goals and encouraged me to break difficult challenges into smaller, achievable objectives. Their confidence in me pushed me beyond what I initially thought was possible.
Ultimately, I believe having a mindset that I can accomplish difficult things has been essential to my success. My career and personal journey have not always been easy, particularly while raising my three children and moving across different parts of the world, but those experiences have strengthened my resilience and broadened my perspective.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women to understand that their career path does not have to be a straight line. My own career certainly was not. When I first applied for a temporary role at Bombardier in England, I never imagined that I would eventually become a Sales Director based in Long Beach, California.
Every career move can provide an opportunity to build experience, broaden your perspective, develop new skills, and increase your impact. I would encourage the next generation not to become discouraged if their career does not unfold exactly as they initially planned. Each step can contribute something valuable to where you ultimately want to go.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in transportation is funding and the influence of politics on the industry. Funding, political support, procurement processes, and regulatory requirements can significantly affect which transportation projects move forward, how quickly they progress, and how long it takes to deliver them.
Another challenge is the lengthy procurement and sales cycles associated with transportation projects. In the United States, procurement cycles can take approximately four years and are becoming longer. Projects also require extensive coordination among consultants, infrastructure teams, suppliers, and other stakeholders before vehicles can actually be delivered. This can create a gap between public expectations and the realities of delivering complex transportation infrastructure.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty and integrity are extremely important to me. I believe integrity is fundamental to how I live my life with my children and how I conduct myself professionally, both internally and externally.
I believe in being honest, presenting myself authentically, and making sure that what I communicate is truthful rather than simply telling people what they want to hear. I also believe that problems should be highlighted rather than covered up, and that people should take accountability for their roles, decisions, and actions.
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