There are moments in this work—especially in the last year—when I’ve wondered whether the wheels of progress had slowed to a near-halt. With so much backlash and resistance aimed at inclusion, accessibility, and equity work across the country, 2025 began like a train chugging uphill in the dead of winter. The engine was running… but the traction felt uncertain.
And then, the spark arrived.
On October 21, 2025, my team received a booking request through the website—one that immediately struck a chord. It read:
I’m reaching out on behalf of EASE, Union Pacific’s employee resource group dedicated to supporting employees impacted by disability, illness, or disease. As part of our ongoing efforts to foster awareness, inclusion, and access to resources that support the well-being of our workforce, we’re hosting a strategy session focused on enhancing the impact of our ERG.
We’re hoping to include a virtual speaker who can share insights on the benefits of disability inclusion and how Disability ERGs can maximize their impact within organizations. Your expertise and perspective would be incredibly valuable to our group as we continue to grow and refine our efforts.
Thank you for considering this opportunity — we’d be honored to collaborate with you.
Two days later, on October 23, 2025, we met, connected instantly, and booked the engagement. And on November 13, 2025, I had the honor of speaking virtually to Union Pacific’s EASE ERG—a company whose very name echoes through American history.
A Company Built on Tracks of Accessibility
Union Pacific is one of the great pillars of our nation’s economic story—a literal engine of American growth. Long before the ADA existed, long before accessibility became a defined standard, the railroads were building pathways, connecting people, and broadening access to opportunity across the frontier.
Speaking for such an institution—one woven so deeply into the fabric of our country’s infrastructure—carried a special resonance. It felt like stepping into a legacy that has been transporting resources, people, and possibilities across the American landscape for more than 160 years.
In many ways, their invitation felt like a signal:
the wheels are turning again.
And the momentum is real.
A Frontier Morning in Montana
As fate would have it, November 13th became one of those rare double-booking days, the kind that seem to pop up in my life like mile markers on an open stretch of track. I’ve had a handful (or more) of these over the years, but the story of this one is especially poetic.
That morning, I found myself in Butte, Montana, nestled in a valley carved by time and frontier grit. The town’s historic copper mines rose in the distance, quiet yet powerful—reminders of a resource that almost certainly made its way across a Union Pacific line at some point, headed to far-off destinations.
Our hotel room added to the serendipity: one of the framed art pieces on the wall was a black-and-white photo of railroad tracks. Another sign. Another nudge. Another reminder that this moment was more than by chance.
And then… came the studio setup.
Building a Makeshift Studio on the Frontier
My husband Marty—our tech team, creative director, and chief problem-solver—turned our hotel room into a frontier broadcast station.
He moved, lifted, rearranged, and reinvented nearly every fixture that wasn’t literally bolted to the floor. Lamps became softboxes. Desks became tripods. And a simple wall became a professional backdrop.
By the time the virtual event began, it felt like we had built our own little outpost studio—proof that with enough heart, teamwork, and tenacity, you can tame even the wildest West-style space into something polished and purposeful.
Union Pacific’s EASE ERG: A Community on the Right Track
From the moment the session began, the energy from Union Pacific employees was as warm and authentic as the booking process itself. Their curiosity, their engagement, and their genuine desire to strengthen their ERG was palpable.
This wasn’t a group checking a box.
This was a group ready to grow.
Ready to deepen their impact.
Ready to build a culture where people affected by disability, illness, or disease are understood, supported, and valued.
A special thank-you goes to Morgan Matya, Commercial Strategy & Experience Manager in Union Pacific’s Marketing & Sales team, whose leadership, coordination, and enthusiasm were essential to bringing this event to life. Morgan—your dedication made every step of this collaboration seamless, meaningful, and memorable.
Second Stop of the Day: Montana Youth Transitions Conference
After leaving the virtual tracks of Union Pacific, I boarded my next metaphorical train that same afternoon—heading into my second event of the day, this time for young people preparing to navigate their futures with confidence and courage.
You can read that full reflection here:
👉 Keynote Reflections from the Montana Youth Transition Conference
It was a day that stretched from corporate strategy to youth empowerment—two worlds connected by the same commitment to disability inclusion.
Gratitude as We Head Into the Holidays
As we approach the holiday season, my heart is full.
Full of gratitude for clients like Union Pacific, who continue to invest in this work.
Full of relief and renewed purpose as I witness organizations leaning back into inclusion with intention.
Full of hope that the wheels we’ve set back into motion will continue to build speed.
It feels like I’m back on the right track—moving forward, gaining momentum, and watching the landscape of progress open ahead like a long stretch of beautiful, promising rails.
Here’s to the path ahead.
Here’s to the people doing the work.
Here’s to the movement that continues—slow at times, challenged at others, but always moving toward a more inclusive future.
And that, as always…
is how we roll.