Covestro employee receives national ‘Women in Manufacturing’ leadership award

In recognition of her leadership and contributions to the manufacturing industry, Covestro LLC employee Diana Kelley was selected as a recipient of the “Women MAKE Awards,” presented by The Manufacturing Institute (MI).

The Women MAKE Awards (WMA) is the nation’s marquee program designed to close the gender gap in manufacturing and honor women and their achievements at all levels of the manufacturing industry – from the factory floor to the c-suite. WMA works to foster a 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research and leadership, as well as by motivating alumnae to pay it forward by mentoring the next generation.

On April 20, the MI recognized 130 recipients of the Women MAKE Awards in Washington, D.C. The evening highlighted each Honoree and Emerging Leader’s story, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing.

“Diana is a great ambassador for Covestro, both within the company and through her engagement in the community. She has made significant contributions to the success of our business, while simultaneously helping shape the future for other Covestro employees,” said Covestro LLC chairman and president, Haakan Jonsson. “Diana is well-deserving of this national recognition, and we are proud of her leadership and its impact on the next generation of women that we want in our workforce.”

Kelley is a globally-recognized, senior research and development scientist, working at Covestro’s North American headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA. Her work in emissions testing contributes to navigating and managing climate change, and her support of emission quality control for product formulations has led to expanded collaborations with key customers, yielding increased sales. Kelley’s expertise and leadership also extends into her relationships with Covestro colleagues, as well as her Pittsburgh community. She helps teach leadership skills and public speaking to members of Covestro Toastmasters, and ignites young women’s passion for STEM through various volunteer programs including Greenlight for Girls, Carnegie Science Center, local elementary schools and during the Lending Hearts 4th Annual Kites Take Flight for Childhood Cancer event.

“The biggest challenge facing manufacturers continues to be the growing workforce crisis, and women are the industry’s largest talent opportunity; bringing just 6% more women into manufacturing would fill all open jobs in the sector today,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee. “That is exactly why the Women MAKE Awards are so important and powerful. These are the women who will inspire our next generation of female talent to pursue a career in this industry.”