When it comes to traditional diesel-powered locomotives, could the end of the line be in sight? Like all industrial players, rail carriers face pressure to fast-track their greenhouse gas emissions reductions. As the rail industry heads high-speed toward cleaner alternatives, find out how biodiesel and renewable diesel may be the light at the end of the tunnel – and what it means for the clean fuels journey.
Breakfast service will end at 8:15.
Speakers:

Kent Engelbrecht
Chair, Clean Fuels
ADM
Kent Engelbrecht serves as director, North American Biodiesel Trade Policy, for ADM, one of the world’s leading biodiesel producers, oilseed crushers, and suppliers of soy and canola feedstocks for the renewable liquid fuels industry. In this role, which he assumed in 2024, he oversees the strategic development and execution of federal, state and provincial biofuels policy across North America.
Over the course of his 35-year career at ADM, Engelbrecht has served in a variety of commercial, marketing and sales roles at ADM locations throughout the United States, including oilseeds, exports and food oils. Most recently, prior to his current position, he was biodiesel trade manager, responsible for biodiesel marketing, sales and customer-relationship management throughout North America.
Kent has served as a Governing Board member of Clean Fuels Alliance America (formerly National Biodiesel Board) since 2013 and is currently serving as Board Chair. He is Chairman of the California Advanced Biofuels Alliance (CABA) as well as Advanced Biofuels Canada (ABFC).
Engelbrecht holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri—Columbia.

Featured Speaker - Beth Whited
President
Union Pacific
Beth Whited is a railroad industry leader and the first female president in the history of Union Pacific. Her experience includes leadership roles in disciplines that touch nearly every part of operating the world’s largest freight rail network.
Over the past 35 years, Whited has led multiple functions across Union Pacific, spanning Strategy, Marketing and Sales, Sustainability, Finance, Investor Relations and Workforce Resources. As executive vice president-Sustainability and Strategy, she helped lead the development and implementation of Union Pacific’s strategic vision as it strives to become the nation’s No. 1 supply chain logistics provider while guiding its efforts to reach net zero by 2050.
Whited’s industry-leading efforts have been recognized through a myriad of awards, including the 2021 Railway Woman of the Year by the League of Railway Women and Progressive Railroading, and Constellation Research’s ESG50 List reflecting her commitment to sustainability. Additionally,
Union Pacific was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, underscoring its environmental and sustainability efforts.
Whited graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Iowa. She and her husband Kelvin have three children.

Lisa Colicchio
Sustainability Director
Metrolink
As Sustainability Director for Metrolink, the third largest regional rail service in the nation, Lisa Colicchio is leading the path to a zero emissions future with her development of a progressive 2030 Climate Action Plan focused on advanced technologies of battery electric and hydrogen fuel cells. Building a bridge to zero, she spearheaded the bold move to eliminate all petroleum-based fossil fuels in their locomotive fleet. Metrolink is the first rail agency in the nation to power all trains with 100% recycled natural fats and vegetable oils. By removing 8 million gallons per year from the fossil fuel supply chain, air quality is improved and greenhouse gas emissions reduced by up to 80%, the equivalent of eliminating 13,900 passenger vehicles from the road for a year.
Previously as Vice President and founding member of sustainability at CBRE, Lisa developed climate strategies and CSR programs across global sites, playing a critical role integrating social purpose while aligning business strategy and operations to deliver ESG benefits for all stakeholders. She serves as Vice President of the WSLA Alumnae Board, Chairs the Women in Green committee for USGBC-LA and is also a member of the LA Community Leaders. She has been honored with multiple awards including the Top Women in Sustainability Leadership, and Los Angeles Impact Maker.

Otis Cliatt
President
Pacific Harbor Line, Inc
Otis Cliatt, II, was appointed President of Pacific Harbor Line, Inc. in 2012. He has over 20 years of experience in the railroad industry. Cliatt establishes processes for rail transportation, maintenance, and train dispatching services to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Cliatt’s expansive career includes prior senior leadership positions at Union Pacific Railroad, CANAC, Inc., and Cliatt Consulting, a rail management company.
Otis Cliatt is a military combat veteran, awarded the Bronze Star Medal for actions in Desert Storm, and a former eight-year member of the U.S. Army’s elite Special Operations Command Airborne at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He proudly served in the 112th Signal Battalion Airborne Special Forces Command while on active duty and in the 20th Special Forces Group Airborne while in the Florida National Guard.
Otis Cliatt is a graduate of Florida A&M University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics, with a minor in Labor Relations. He is also a graduate of the UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Program and has earned a Board Leadership Certification from the African American Board Leadership Institute.

Thad Call
General Director of Sustainability
Union Pacific Railroad
Thad Call has been the General Director of Sustainability at Union Pacific Railroad since 2022. He leads Union Pacific’ s sustainability function, including developing strategies to meet the company’ s SBTi target to halve its Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2030.
With Union Pacific regularly ranking among the top five U.S. companies in fuel usage for operations, Union Pacific has been instrumental in advancing the adoption of biofuels in the North American rail industry. The company has made industry-first commitments to use biofuels for 10% of its locomotive fuel by 2025 and 20% by 2030.
Over Thad’s 23-year tenure with Union Pacific, he has held diverse roles in finance, operations, public safety, corporate training, and human resources, all of which are contributing to his understanding of how sustainable practices can benefit Union Pacific’s stakeholders.
Thad holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Utah State University and an MBA in finance and supply chain management from Brigham Young University. Beyond his professional endeavors, Thad is actively involved in his community, including chairing the Governance Committee of Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, the state’s largest social services provider. Residing in Elkhorn, Nebraska, Thad and his wife, Sharon, have seven children.
Moderator:

Scott Fenwick
Technical Director
Clean Fuels
Scott Fenwick serves as the Technical Director for Clean Fuels Alliance America. Fenwick leads the advancement of core member services for technical and quality assurance support issues. He provides key support for technical aspects needed by biodiesel stakeholders including both producer members, obligated parties and fuel users to effectively position the biodiesel industry. Additionally, he educates key decision makers to help build industry credibility. In addition to coordinating the OEM and fuel quality programs under Clean Fuels Alliance America, Fenwick has also been elected to chair the ASTM D02 Committee covering all Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels and Lubricants. He also coordinates other international biodiesel and fuel activities for other standards development organizations. After serving as Chairman of the BQ-9000 Commission, he is now a liaison to the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission. Previously, Fenwick was involved with the fuel inspection industry for nearly 25 years and managed several fuel testing laboratories. After attending Purdue University, he also worked for Archer Daniels Midland Company organizing their Biofuels Technical Services.