Gloria Steinem, the iconic leader of the women's liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s, has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for the 2013 annual conference of WTS International, the association for the professional advancement of women in transportation. The conference is slated to be held May 15 to 17 in Philadelphia.

“Each year as we plan for the conference we seek to partner with an individual that really touches on the core of our mission, and Ms. Steinem epitomizes our association’s guiding principles of diversity and inclusion and our commitment to ethical leadership, integrity and respect for all,” said Margaret Mullins, WTS managing director. “The transportation field is among the world’s most male-dominated industries, and as our members work at the grass roots level to help each other develop professionally and climb through the ranks in both the public and private sectors, we can take pride in knowing that we are helping to build the world’s infrastructure and shaping future generations of transportation leaders.”

The Annual Conference is WTS International’s flagship event, attracting more than 500 corporate and governmental industry leaders worldwide, including executives, CEOs, government administrators and leading engineering authorities. Attendees at the conference gather to network, discuss the state of the world’s transportation infrastructure, strategize on advancing professionally through glass ceilings, and explore the local city’s successful municipal and private transportation and traffic projects. For the full duration of this year’s Philadelphia conference, private corporations, public agencies and government officials invested in every transportation mode will exhibit, present, learn and network.

Gloria Steinem is a writer, lecturer, editor and feminist activist. In 1969, she wrote and published an article titled, "After Black Power, Women's Liberation," which was the tipping point that brought her national fame as a feminist leader. In 1972, she co-founded Ms. Magazine and was instrumental in the magazine’s move to be published by the Feminist Majority Foundation. In 1968, she also helped to found New York magazine.

WTS International and WTS Foundation, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is an international organization dedicated to the advancement of women in the transportation industry. With more than 5,000 members, WTS is turning the glass ceiling into a career portal through its professional programs, networking opportunities, and unparalleled access to industry and government leaders. WTS Foundation has provided more than $1,000,000 in scholarships to deserving women throughout the transportation industry, supporting the next generation of transportation professionals and advancing the principles of WTS.

WTS is committed to Advancing Women in Transportation through expanding existing scholarship opportunities to women pursuing transportation related degrees, providing and promoting more educational opportunities and career development to advance women in transportation, and initiating, sponsoring and publishing research related to advancing women in transportation.

For more information on the 2013 Annual WTS Conference, click here. 

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