At POET, innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s built through collaboration, curiosity, and the drive to solve meaningful problems. This Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating the women across POET who are shaping the future through careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Their paths are different, their roles are diverse, but they share a common thread: a passion for learning and a commitment to making an impact.
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Teena Coad, Kaity McLain, and Antje Skiff
Technology that connects
For Teena Coad, Director of IT Services and Financial Operations, that journey began at home. “My interest in STEM started early, thanks to my mom,” she said. “She worked in IT and made technology a natural part of my sister’s and my everyday world. She encouraged us to learn, explore, and not be intimidated by it.”
From creating pretend checks in Microsoft Word to building neighborhood newsletters, those early experiences shaped how Teena sees technology: Not just as a tool, but as a way to create, communicate, and solve problems.
Today, her work focuses on connecting people and ideas across the organization. “Technology is often the easiest part,” she explained. “The real challenge and the most meaningful work comes from building alignment across teams, setting realistic expectations, and supporting the change management needed for initiatives to stick.” Much of her day is spent in conversations — listening, uncovering shared goals, and helping teams move forward together.
Teena sees technology as a powerful enabler of POET’s mission. “We get to partner with teams across the company to help drive meaningful, lasting results,” she said. “It’s about making sure the work we do truly makes a difference.”
One of her proudest moments comes from large-scale acquisition projects, where collaboration across the organization is key. “It’s incredible to see what can be accomplished when everyone is aligned around a shared goal.”
Her advice reflects a mindset of continuous growth: “Be a sponge. Listen, learn, and absorb everything you can. The more you invest in learning early on, the more confident and effective you’ll be when challenges arise.”
Telling a story through finance
For Kaity McLain, Financial Reporting Senior Accountant, the path into STEM was shaped by both logic and creativity. “I always knew I was good at math and science,” she said. “There’s something appealing about the structure: there’s often a right answer. As someone who tends to be a bit of a perfectionist, that really clicked with me early on.”
While she didn’t initially envision a career in accounting specifically, she knew STEM would be part of her future. Today, her role goes far beyond spreadsheets. “A big part of this field is the people,” Kaity explained. “We’re constantly connecting across teams to understand what’s happening now, how it happened, and what we can expect moving forward. That’s how we tell the financial story.”
Her work plays a direct role in guiding decisions across POET, from budgeting to external financial reporting. “I have the unique opportunity to work directly with different departments on their budgets, which gives me the opportunity to connect with non-financial-focused teams like Legal and Corporate Affairs. I support their teams’ needs and get to work with a variety of people across the business.”
One recent accomplishment she’s especially proud of is helping streamline POET’s external audit process, bringing teams together across the organization to deliver strong, timely results.
Her advice to others? “Don’t be afraid to take up space and be yourself. Each person brings a valuable perspective, so be confident in yourself.”
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Designing for impact
For Antje Skiff, Mechanical Engineering Manager, the spark for STEM began with a fascination for how things are built — and how they could be improved. “Architecture and different types of buildings always fascinated me,” she said. “I wanted to create better spaces for people with better flow and organization.”
That interest eventually led her from architecture into engineering, where she found a new way to bring ideas to life. What surprised her most wasn’t the technical complexity, but the level of collaboration required. “You have to work closely with design teams, vendors, contractors, and stakeholders,” she explained. “That collaboration is a big part of why I love my job and working at POET.”
Today, Skiff leads a team responsible for designing and executing capital projects across POET’s facilities. From new technologies to plant expansions, her work helps bring innovation to life at scale. She’s particularly proud of her work on the Shelbyville plant and its expansion, projects that reflect both technical excellence and creative problem-solving.
Along the way, she’s learned to embrace one of the most important aspects of engineering: iteration. “Good designs take time,” she said. “Failure is part of the process — and it’s essential to getting better results.”
Her advice to women considering STEM careers is grounded and encouraging: “Do not let anyone discourage you. You are stronger than you know. Seek out mentors and build a support system. Stay committed to yourself, and remember that the best destinations often come after the most challenging paths.”
Shaping the future
Across finance, engineering, and technology, these women are helping move POET forward, bringing expertise, creativity, and collaboration to everything they do. Their stories are a reminder that there’s no single path into STEM, and no single way to make an impact.
As Teena put it, “Representation matters. The more we share our stories and support one another, the more welcoming STEM becomes for the next generation.”
At POET, that future is already taking shape.
