Kayla Ann Thiry
Kayla Thiry is a dedicated people-first leader in the food manufacturing industry, currently serving as a Training Supervisor at Smithfield Foods in Sioux City, Iowa. In this role, she is responsible for on-the-job training across production shifts, helping frontline teams effectively run lines and operate machinery while maintaining strong standards for safety, quality, and efficiency. Kayla is known for her positive leadership style, emphasizing trust, connection, and collaboration to support both employees and operations. Kayla began her career in the pork industry in 2011 as a quality assurance technician and steadily expanded her expertise by learning multiple roles across the plant. She advanced into production supervision in Sioux Falls and Sioux City, managing teams and daily operations before transitioning into her current training-focused role during the COVID era to meet evolving operational needs. Her background spans quality assurance, production supervision, cross-functional training, and close collaboration with safety and ergonomics teams, giving her a well-rounded perspective on how production, quality, and people work best together. Kayla holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Performance, Health, and Physical Fitness from Northern State University, with a minor in strength and conditioning. Outside of her core responsibilities, she is actively involved in workplace and community initiatives, including Smithfield’s Ergo team, Women’s Connect, Cub Scouts leadership, and local cancer-support organizations. Passionate about developing others, Kayla is committed to building confident, capable teams that deliver safe food while fostering a culture of respect and continuous growth.
• Adult/Child First Aid, CPR, & AED Certified
• HACCP certified
• PIT training certified
• Microbiological monitoring & Listeria
• Leadership Excellence
• Trainer Certification Program
• Manufacturing Excellence
• Northern State University- Bachelor's
• R.O.I. for Operational Excellence
• Sioux Falls plant safety award
• Sioux City plant donation award
• Smithfield Women's Connect
• Pink Ladies
• CubScouts Leader
• Food bank donations
• Backpack Program
• Community relations committee
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to strong leaders and mentors, maintaining a positive attitude, connecting with people, learning multiple roles across the plant, and making good decisions under pressure.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to focus on the "end goal" and trust that I was capable, which gave me the confidence to move into production leadership.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the industry is to be personable, build trust, seek out mentors, speak up, and never equate gender with weakness.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in the food manufacturing industry today include pandemic-related staffing pressures, operational demands, and bridging the historically siloed relationship between quality and production in a male-dominated field. At the same time, there are opportunities to strengthen cross-functional teamwork, expand cross-training, and develop leaders who are ready to grow within the industry.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are balance, curiosity, and connection. I am blessed to work for a company that understands work-life balance. I can make time to spend with my family, which involves following my two boys in all of their sports and school activities. Our family also enjoys going on adventures like traveling, camping, fishing, and visiting the zoo. When I ask my boys what their favorite things to do at home are, they respond by saying, "We like hanging out on the couch, watching movies with you, and caring for our two cats."