Women in Supply Chain: Kait Peterson of Locus Robotics

The supply chain industry is predominantly male. According to MIT’s Women in Supply Chain Initiative, females only represent 37% of the workforce and 15% of senior vice president (SVP), executive vice president (EVP), and C-Suite positions. In our latest series, Women in Supply Chain, SC247 is speaking with women in different roles to provide insights into the realities of working in this industry. 

In this edition, we spoke with Kait Peterson, Vice President of Product Marketing at Locus Robotics, about her experience as a 14-year-old in community college, the challenges she’s faced as a woman in the industry, and her mission to amplify women’s voices through the recently-launched The Feminist Exec.

Early Life and Education
 

Supply Chain 24/7: Let’s start with your background—where are you from, and what led you into the supply chain industry?

Kait Peterson: I’m originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico. My parents were both artists—one was a photographer, and the other was a visual artist. My dad eventually transitioned into real estate because art wasn’t paying the bills. I never thought I’d go into business, but I grew up in an entrepreneurial family. My parents owned their businesses, and I’m the only one in my family with a corporate job. That stability was something different for me, but it led me to the supply chain.

SC247: You skipped high school and went straight to college at 14. What was that like?

KP: I was homeschooled for a while and then tried a few high schools at 13 or 14 but decided they weren’t for me. Instead, I started taking community college classes by riding the city bus every day. It turns out that you don’t actually need a high school diploma to get into college—just entrance exams. I tested into college-level courses and was probably the weirdo kid, but I had fun. I was always the youngest in the room—whether in school, leadership positions, or now as a VP.

I later learned that my neurodivergence played a role in this. I’m diagnosed autistic—Level 1 Support Needs, so not high—and growing up, I had a wide range of interests. One of the earliest was Egyptology. As a child, I built a mini-museum at home and created a replica of Queen Nefertiti’s crown using gold leaf. Ancient Egypt fascinated me—the hieroglyphics, the architecture, and the fact that they had powerful female rulers like Hatshepsut. That deep-dive learning style stuck with me, and I think it has helped shape how I approach work today—I absorb information quickly, focus intensely, and see connections that others might not. Those traits have helped me navigate the complexities of supply chain and robotics.

“I absorb information quickly, focus intensely, and s…

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