Her Story
About Danielle
Danielle Yaeger is a product compliance professional with more than seven years of experience in the manufacturing sector, specializing in global substance regulations and emerging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks. She currently serves as a Product Compliance Specialist at Bobcat in New London, Wisconsin, where she interprets evolving regulatory requirements, builds processes for collecting supplier data, and ensures timely, accurate reporting to regulatory agencies. Prior to joining Bobcat, she spent a decade at Kohler Co., progressing from Engineering Assistant to Compliance Analyst and ultimately Senior Compliance Analyst, where she developed and directed compliance programs, conducted audits, and aligned global policies across the organization. Yaeger's path into compliance work was far from linear. She began her career as a cosmetologist for five years before moving through banking, sales, and marketing roles, eventually settling into project management and capital equipment coordination involving contracts and budgets. While working and raising a family, she returned to school part-time, earning an Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies from Lakeshore Technical College and later a Bachelor of Applied Studies in Organizational Leadership from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, with an emphasis on environmental policy and planning. That combination of legal training and policy-focused education laid the foundation for her transition into product compliance roughly eight years ago. Throughout her career, Yaeger has been recognized with spot bonuses for streamlining capital equipment processes and improving contract and installation procedures, along with a lighthearted trophy from engineering colleagues honoring her contributions. Outside of her formal role, she has contributed her time to fundraising efforts, including the Road America Cancer Walk Committee and a former employer's Fun and Effective Committee, where she served as treasurer. Guided by a commitment to continuous learning and science-based decision-making, she encourages other women in manufacturing to build alliances, stay persistent, and let logic and evidence lead the way through an industry where regulatory change often moves slowly.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Danielle
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to continually pursuing education and expanding my knowledge, and to doing it for my children — showing them that learning never has to stop.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I'd encourage young women not to get frustrated or overwhelmed by workplace politics, especially in manufacturing, where regulatory change tends to move more slowly than in other industries. Find allies, make your presence known, and lean on logical, science-based arguments when advocating for compliance priorities. Regulations will only continue to grow, so persistence paired with evidence-based reasoning is essential, and it helps to weigh the pros and cons carefully before implementing any new measure.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field is managing global compliance requirements as regulations, particularly around PFAS and EPR, continue to expand — sometimes driven more by public sentiment than by science. My role is to translate that regulatory momentum into practical, safe solutions, which requires educating regulators along the way. Manufacturing environments can be slow to adapt, so achieving real progress usually depends on securing top-down support and strong cross-functional collaboration.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Continuous improvement, lifelong learning, compassion, wholehearted effort, and putting family first are the values that matter most to me, both professionally and personally.
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