Kelly LaMarca: A Quest to Always Have a Voice

In today’s episode of the Women of American Manufacturing, we are featuring Kelly LaMarca, National Account Manager at NTMA. If you know NTMA, you know Kelly LaMarca. She has been helping members and partners of this association, viewed by many as the pinnacle association of American job shop manufacturing, thrive and help each other for over 8 years. But not many people know what’s behind her larger-than-life personality. It was long overdue for me to dig in with her and lift the curtain!

Why Kelly is a Woman in Manufacturing Worth Knowing

She has helped to grow the membership and partner support of NTMA immeasurably since joining the Association as an executive assistant. She demonstrated her value early and has climbed into management by confidently expressing her opinions and guaranteeing she is always a part of the conversation rather than being held back or down. I love this gutsiness and assuredness. Know your value and and offer it!!!

A Surprising Thing That Came From The Conversation

Her advice for working from home? “Don’t.” As an extrovert, I can relate to this– while it can be convenient from a personal perspective, and more productive on the professional front, I completely understand how it can bum her (and us) out. We need to be around our people!!

Also, she is left-handed, but bowls and uses scissors with her right hand. Can someone please look into this phenomenon for me? Wild!

Key Takeaway: Being a woman in manufacturing means being a role model.

Kelly recognizes that being a woman in any industry where women are underrepresented means you are automatically a role model for other women and young girls. And, it shouldn’t end there. Kelly reminded me of how being the representation is one thing, and an important one, but communicating to girls and women how crucial it is to also have a voice, be a part of a team and be looked at as an equal. That is the real work. We cannot just be in the industry if we want to change it– we have to speak up and contribute, often more than our male counterparts.

Favorite Rapid Fire Answer

She has three dogs which she refers to as “the get along gang.”