During the month of March, we’re inviting women at L&P to share about work and what makes them proud to be women in the workforce.

We’d like you to meet Carey Zuidema-Gray! Carey has been with L&P for 16 years and serves as Quality System Engineering on our team in Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada.

Tell us about work.

I report to the Quality Manager in Lakeshore and provide support to the L&P Automotive branches in North America. I’m always continuing to learn and grow, even after 16 years.

I really enjoy working with our L&P family to maintain and improve our management systems and celebrate our success. I enjoy these rewarding opportunities and experiences. 

What makes you proud to be a woman in the workforce?

I am proud to be part of a dedicated and professional team where I am valued and appreciated for the individual that I am!

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? 

This day gives me the opportunity to focus on, acknowledge, and appreciate women and their achievements. What would we do without our esteemed colleagues, beloved mothers, daughters, and wives, dear sisters?

And, I want to note that when it comes to sports, women and girls have got it all. I think women’s sports are thriving, and there are many reasons for this. Most notably, it’s because of the success of women’s teams and athletes in tournaments globally!

During the month of March, we’re inviting women at L&P to share about work and what makes them proud to be women in the workforce.

We’d like you to meet Damaris Velazquez! Damaris has been with L&P for almost seven years and is a Senior Programmer Analyst based in San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico.

Tell us about work.

I’m a Senior Programmer Analyst for the iScala team. In this role, I develop new LPscala projects, and I support current programs to help users do their daily work.

On a typical day, I work on projects that are assigned to me, and if a user reports an issue or has questions about LPscala or iScala, I research and find the solution to their request.

I really enjoy the opportunities to talk with people around the world, learn new things every day, and challenge myself to find better solutions for users.

What makes you proud to be a woman in the workforce?

It makes me proud to find solutions that make user activities faster or easier within different branches.

Also, I am proud of being able to match my work, family, and personal roles to achieve my professional and personal goals, and I am proud to be an inspiration to my daughters.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? 

Women’s Day shows us how strong and capable we are. It teaches us that gender is not decisive for standing out in the world and that the most important thing is to have determination, drive, and desire.

This day is a constant reminder of the motivation and drive that all women have to get ahead, grow, create, motivate, and evolve.

During the month of March, we’re inviting women at L&P to share about work and what makes them proud to be women in the workforce.

We’d like to introduce you to Laiza Cardoso! Laiza recently joined L&P as a Plant Accountant for our branch in London, Ontario, Canada.

Tell us about work.

My day is full of numbers, spreadsheets, forecasts, and balancing accounts. I work with other departments and people from different branches to ensure our numbers are correct.

What I like most about work is that while I do my job and complete my activities, I can count on a team who is available to help one another.

What makes you proud to be a woman in the workforce?

I feel honored to be part of a great company. I believe that I have this opportunity, not only because I sought to study, work, and learn, but also as a result of the fight for equality.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? 

International Women’s Day represents the strength, beauty, and sensitivity of women who, from the beginning, have fought for their families and for their positions in society.

During the month of March, we’re inviting women at L&P to share about work and what makes them proud to be women in the workforce.

We’d like you to meet Rajeswari Subramani! Rajeswari joined L&P in 2008 and is currently a Human Resources Business Partner for our branch in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Tell us about work.

For me, a typical workday involves recruitment, managing staffing, attending management meetings, completing reports, and addressing compliance and employee concerns.

Fourteen years at L&P makes me feel at home, and engaging with employees for their professional and personal betterment is something I enjoy the most.

What makes you proud to be a woman in the workforce?

I am proud to work as the only female manager among nine male managers. I’m also proud of helping to maintain a safe workplace environment.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? 

Women should be embraced—day in and day out. However, in this fast-moving life, we don’t pay attention to our achievements or to other women’s achievements. It’s good to have a day to appreciate and celebrate women alongside other strong women.

During the month of March, we’re inviting women at L&P to share about work and what makes them proud to be women in the workforce.

We’d like to introduce you to Beth Rocheleau! Beth has been with our team in Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada, for 24 years and has been a Manufacturing Engineer Manager for eight years.

Tell us about work.

I spend a lot of time in meetings where I work with cross-functional teams on future projects for my branch. I work with manufacturing engineers on daily production issues and getting equipment ready for new projects. I also work with equipment suppliers on obtaining new equipment for my branch.

What I enjoy most about my job is the team in the Manufacturing Engineering Department. They are a great group of people, and half of our department has worked at L&P for more than 10 years! Everyone respects one another, celebrates each other’s accomplishments, and volunteers to help one another when needed.

What makes you proud to be a woman in the workforce?

I have worked in the Manufacturing Engineering Department for more than 20 years and am proud of what we’ve accomplished. When we launched the first automation line 20 years ago, the equipment in the plant was very manual. Our team has introduced many new processes, technology, and types of equipment. Now, our branch has 15 automation lines, approximately 35 robots, and six laser welders.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? 

I am grateful to have had opportunities to enter any career. Previous generations did not have those options. When I was in high school, wondering what to take in university, I never considered engineering. When my guidance counselor suggested it, I had no idea what engineers did. The next generations of women are being exposed to engineering in grade school, which is wonderful.