Yorkville, Ill. – Marcia Ayala, president of Aurora Specialty Textiles Group, Inc., has been selected as a panelist to speak at the International Fabrics Association International (IFAI) Women in Textiles Summit 2020, which is being held February 19-21, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee, USA .

IFAI’s Women in Textiles Summit is a networking and educational forum for both men and women in the textile industry and explores how women are contributing to the success of their organizations and the evolution of the industry at large.

Ayala is an engineer and textile manufacturing executive with experience in fields as diverse as nuclear energy, carbon materials, coatings and textiles. She was originally hired by Aurora Specialty Textiles Group as Director of R&D and in the 14 years since has been promoted several times – most recently to company president. In that role she now leads one of North America’s major textile coaters and finishers.

She will speak Friday, Feb. 21 on a panel titled “The Next Generation: Attract, Mentor and Develop Future Leaders.” The panel discussion will focus on recruiting future leaders, navigating career paths and mentoring to build the next generation of leaders in the textile industry.

Through her various roles at Aurora, Ayala has supported several programs that encourage today’s college students to pursue manufacturing careers. She also sits on the Board of Directors of the Valley Industrial Association, the industry association that supports the manufacturing industry in Northern Illinois, including greater Chicago.

“I am very excited to be included on a panel with so many talented women in our field and to have the opportunity to share my own experiences with others,” said Ayala. “I’m also looking forward to the networking opportunities at the Summit and the chance to learn from others.”

Additional information on the Summit and the speakers is available on the IFAI Women in Textiles website.