YPN Member Spotlight: Allison Steinebrey
MHI’s Young Professionals Network (YPN) is a constantly growing community dedicated to supporting the next generation of leaders in the material handling industry. Through meaningful conversations in coffee chats, webinars, and networking opportunities, YPN helps professionals connect, collaborate, and stay inspired. The network continues to thrive thanks to members who bring curiosity, ambition, and fresh perspectives to every interaction.
This month, we’re excited to spotlight Allison Steinebrey, Digital Marketing Specialist at Tawi – a brand by Piab Group. Allison has been an active YPN member for about two years and has become a vibrant part of the community. With a background that spans teaching, sales, and marketing she brings a thoughtful perspective to conversations about the future of our industry.
YPN Spotlight Q&A
Allison Steinebrey, Digital Marketing Specialist at Tawi – a brand by Piab Group
How long have you been a part of YPN? Around 2 years
What motivated you to get involved in YPN? I’m always interested in learning new things and growing as a professional, so when I first learned about YPN at work, I was excited to get involved. From the coffee chats to the book club meetings to MHI trade shows, I’ve met such a great group of people from YPN. I really enjoy connecting with people that work at different companies and have different roles around the country and hearing from diverse perspectives.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in getting involved in YPN? A great way to get started is the monthly coffee chat. There’s no prep work and no pressure to talk, so you can come and just listen if you want. It’s a fun way to meet new people, and you gain valuable insights from the discussion that you can apply to your job. Plus, it shows you that other people have similar questions and are experiencing similar situations. YPN gives you a supportive place to learn from other young professionals’ experiences, and you have the opportunity to become part of a wonderful community.
What is special about the material handling industry that gets you excited about your future career? I enjoy working in an industry that is full of innovation and consistently evolving. It’s exciting to see new solutions that are being created in areas like automation and AI that improve operations and reimagine what’s possible. Also, the material handling industry plays such a valuable role in the supply chain. I appreciate that the work we do solves important real world problems and has a positive impact on how other companies operate in important areas like efficiency, safety, and optimization.
Which topics—pertaining to our industry—are you especially passionate about and do you think we will all need to focus on in the future? I’m interested to see how technology will continue to progress. There is new automation changing how manufacturing & warehouses operate, and AI has already started changing office work. Things might look very different in 10 to 15 years as new technology becomes available and people use it to improve processes and increase productivity in ways that weren’t possible before.
What challenges has YPN faced? How could YPN improve your experience in the future? YPN is a large group with members across the United States, which comes with benefits and challenges. It’s wonderful to have an opportunity to talk to people around the country you might not otherwise get a chance to meet. But a challenge is that most meetings have to be virtual. A way to improve the experience is having more in-person events. I’m excited about the local events YPN has started hosting because it’s a great chance to meet other industry professionals near me.
What professional or community accomplishments would you like to highlight? I transitioned into sales/marketing after teaching for a few years. I started my business career as an inside sales rep to support the US sales team at TAWI and was honored to become part of the global marketing team after a year. Getting the opportunity to work with people around the world is incredibly rewarding.
Also, transitioning to a different career is a big change, and I’m grateful to work for a company that supports employee growth. I worked hard to understand our CRM and email marketing system in-depth and am proud to be certified as a Salesforce Administrator and as a Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Specialist.
Get Involved with YPN
Whether you’re new to the material handling industry or looking to expand your professional network, YPN is a place where your voice matters. Reach out to Chelsea Liston or visit the YPN website to learn more about upcoming events and opportunities to connect.
