“As women, we shouldn’t feel fortunate to progress in our careers, we should feel empowered.”

6 March 2026

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Kendal Sefton, Senior Public Affairs Manager at Avanti West Coast, talks about how essential women are to the public affairs sector and how important it is for them to feel valued within the rail industry.

Throughout my career, I’ve been the only woman in the room more times than I can count – I’m often the youngest too – but I am an advocate for reminding myself and other women that you’re in that room for a reason. If you’ve been invited to a meeting or event, your perspective is already valued, so don’t second guess it.

Public affairs can be a fast-paced and sometimes high-pressure environment, but it’s also one where there are some incredible people who support women and want to see them thrive. The sector is becoming more diverse – there is a growing awareness around the importance of inclusive leadership, with more women stepping into senior roles and shaping political conversation, but there is still more that needs to be done.

My role as Senior Public Affairs Manager at Avanti involves a lot of relationship building with stakeholders from across the rail sector. Collaboration is a huge part of working for the railway – many of the projects I work on are cross-industry and rely heavily on liaising with groups and organisations across the West Coast Main Line, so having confidence in your ability to engage with others is vital. The power of forging connections is something I think women throughout our industry excel in.

Alongside my day-to-day role at Avanti, I was recently elected as Co-Chair of the Women in Public Affairs network – a community that champions and supports women at all stages of their career in the sector. Being elected to this role has proved to me that there is so much value in building inclusive networks where everyone feels like they can contribute. Forward-thinking ideas are brought to life when people with different backgrounds and experiences sit at the same table.

“The power of forging connections is something I think women throughout our industry excel in."

I’m optimistic about the future of women working in both public affairs and the railway. I think International Women’s Day is an important reminder of what we can achieve when we are supportive of one another.

To me, this year’s theme ‘Give to Gain’ means sharing knowledge, time and networks – something that I am fortunate to benefit from, working alongside a number of inspiring females at Avanti West Coast. Our workplace culture means everyone is able to positively bounce ideas off one another with the confidence that they will be heard. 

As women we shouldn’t feel fortunate to progress in our careers, we should feel empowered. If I could tell my younger self one thing, it would be to back yourself earlier – you don’t need to have every answer before you put your hand up. Trust that you’re capable, smart and deserving of the opportunities in front of you.

Pictures:

Main image - Kendal Sefton at Liverpool Lime Street station hosting the arrival of rail industry stakeholders to the 2025 Labour Party Conference.

Embedded image - (L-R) Ben Curtis (Communications Lead at West Coast Partnership Development), Kendal, Richard Braham (Head of Stakeholders at Avanti West Coast) and Jo Bird (Communications Director at Avanti West Coast) attending an event in Parliament.