For Maegan Ortega, human resources has never simply been about policies or processes. It’s about creating an environment where people feel supported, challenged, and connected to meaningful work. At Kenworth, that responsibility touches nearly every corner of the business, from leadership development and employee engagement to helping teams navigate change and growth across a rapidly evolving industry.
As Kenworth’s HR director, Maegan not only works closely with employees and leaders throughout the organization, she helps shape programs and workplace practices that strengthen both the employee experience and the business itself. Whether she’s developing future leaders, supporting organizational initiatives, or helping solve complex workforce challenges, Maegan approaches the role with a people-first mindset grounded in empathy, collaboration, and practicality.
“I see my role, and the role of my team, as problem solvers,” Maegan said. “When our people succeed, the business succeeds.”
That perspective has been shaped by both her upbringing and the career journey that followed. Maegan grew up in Renton, just outside Seattle, where she developed an early appreciation for hard work and teamwork. As the first person in her family to attend college, she initially imagined a future as a high school history teacher while studying at Western Washington University. But that plan changed after taking an introductory psychology course.
“I became fascinated by what motivates people and how environments and culture shape behavior,” she said.
The subject sparked an interest that eventually led her toward industrial-organizational psychology and a career focused on helping organizations succeed through people. After earning her degree in psychology, Maegan began her professional career at Seattle’s Museum of Flight before moving into recruiting with Adecco, where she gained experience working with a broad range of industries and personalities.
In 2005, Maegan joined PACCAR Financial as an HR specialist, beginning what would become a nearly two-decade career across several PACCAR divisions. Over the years, she’s held HR roles supporting PACCAR Financial, PACCAR Leasing, PACCAR Parts, PACCAR Corporate, and eventually Kenworth. Each stop along the way expanded her understanding of the business and strengthened her leadership philosophy.
“One of the unique strengths of PACCAR is the ability to grow across different business units,” Maegan said. “Every role gave me a new perspective and helped me better understand how interconnected the organization really is.”
Later in her career, Maegan earned her MBA from Seattle University, something she said strengthened her ability to support leaders beyond traditional HR functions.
“It helped me better understand the broader business and become a stronger strategic partner,” she said.
While Maegan didn’t originally envision herself working in transportation, she quickly became drawn to the industry’s sense of purpose and the people behind it. She said trucking often surprises people outside the industry because of how collaborative and grounded the industry is despite its scale and complexity.
“Trucking is truly the backbone of our economy,” Maegan said. “There’s an incredible range of people and skills required to keep everything moving.”
Today, Maegan spends much of her time focused on helping employees build meaningful careers while ensuring managers and supervisors have the tools needed to lead effectively. She believes strong leadership development starts long before challenges arise.
“Having successful supervisors isn’t just about hiring the right people,” she said. “It’s about ongoing development, mentorship, communication, and giving leaders the resources they need to support their teams.”
Several milestones stand out when Maegan reflects on her career. Among them is helping establish PACCAR’s inclusion and employee community initiatives designed to foster stronger employee connection and engagement across the company. She also played a key role as the HR lead for PACCAR’s battery cell joint venture, where she helped build an HR organization from the ground up.
“It was an opportunity to help create something entirely new,” she said. “Experiences like that push you to grow both professionally and personally.”
Outside of work, Maegan said one of her proudest accomplishments has been balancing a leadership career while raising her two sons.
That balance has also influenced how she views the trucking industry’s progress in supporting women and working families. Since beginning her career at PACCAR more than 20 years ago, Maegan has seen meaningful changes in leadership styles, workplace flexibility, and opportunities for women across the industry.
“There’s been a shift toward more human-centered leadership,” Maegan said. “Organizations are recognizing that supporting employees as whole people ultimately benefits everyone.”
Still, she believes there is an opportunity to create workplaces where employees can thrive professionally without sacrificing their family and personal priorities.
Visiting Dyancraft ~2023
For women considering careers in trucking, manufacturing, or human resources leadership, Maegan encourages persistence and openness to new experiences.
“It’s an industry filled with meaningful work and opportunities to grow,” she said. “There will always be difficult days, but resilience and curiosity can take you a long way.”
Those qualities are something she regularly sees in employees throughout Kenworth, whether they are just beginning their careers or have spent decades in the industry. Maegan said some employees arrive with a lifelong passion for trucks and manufacturing, while others develop that connection over time as they see the impact of the work firsthand.
“People take a lot of pride in the Kenworth brand,” she said. “You can feel that energy across the organization.”
Outside the office, Maegan prioritizes routines that help her stay energized and grounded. She starts most mornings with a five-mile run before work and enjoys slowing down on weekends with long walks, audiobooks, and time spent with family, friends, and her dog, Cooper. Supporting her sons at their sporting events remains one of her favorite ways to recharge.
For Maegan, leadership ultimately comes back to helping people grow professionally, personally, and collectively as a team.
“When employees feel connected and supported,” she said, “they’re able to do their best work.”
