Ms. Margaret Koprek is an Associate Director at Secretariat. As a seasoned rail executive, Ms. Koprek leverages 20 years of industry experience in the rail industry for her clients. Her work encompasses data science, railcar components, technical training, governance, strategic projects and risk mitigation.

Ms. Koprek brings leadership experience from a large Class 1 Railroad where she had responsibility for teams in the areas of operations, technology, forensic analysis of metallurgical failures, labor relations and human resources. Prior to joining Secretariat, Ms. Koprek was a consultant at a forensic engineering and consulting firm, providing technical insights and collaborating with consultants and clients through the United States and Canada.

Ms. Koprek’s technical proficiency includes locomotive and railcar wheels, axles and bearings, as well as air brake systems. Ms. Koprek has led the development, deployment and implementation of hundreds of wayside technologies to improve safety and reliability. Ms. Koprek has conducted thousands of root cause investigations into product and process failures. Her expertise in metallurgy has been instrumental in analyzing the underlying variables associated with equipment failures and implementing preventive measures. In this capacity, Ms. Koprek has provided depositions and testimony.

Throughout her career, Ms. Koprek has leveraged data visualization tools to identify trends and improve processes. Her experience in LEAN and Six Sigma methodologies has helped organizations reduce costs and enhance efficiency. For more than 15 years, Ms. Koprek successfully created business cases for multi-million-dollar projects that include capital planning, budget management, contracts and forecasting. Many of these projects advanced the physical and digital infrastructure that enabled other progressive projects.

Ms. Koprek has a strong record of collaboration with regulatory and industry agencies, associations and committees. She championed governance processes to increase uniformity and compliance. Ms. Koprek has been instrumental in advancing data protocols, training, use and access.