Victoria Watlington
BSME '09 | Charlotte, NC
TITLE: Equipment Innovation Director/Councilmember
COMPANY: The Coca Cola Company/City of Charlotte
INDUSTRY: Food and Beverage
As an Equipment Innovation Director, Dr. Victoria Watlington, PE, PMP, leads the global innovation strategy for Cold Drink Equipment in the Freestyle Innovation Center at The Coca-Cola Company. Throughout her consumer products career, she has led new product development, manufacturing, operations, and delivery for some of the world’s most iconic brands.
After graduating from UF, Dr. Watlington joined The Procter & Gamble Company in Charlotte, NC. She found her passion as a neighborhood association leader, taking an engineering approach to tackling policy issues in her community. In 2019, Dr. Watlington was elected as the District 3 Representative on the Charlotte City Council, and is currently serving her second term. As the Housing, Safety, & Community Committee chair, she has spearheaded citywide public safety reform, economic mobility initiatives, and infrastructure investment. In addition to her role as a local elected official, she was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the North Carolina Building Code Council in 2019.
Dr. Watlington earned her PhD in Infrastructure and Environmental Systems, as well as her Masters of Science in Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, and a graduate certificate in Public Policy Research and Analysis from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In addition, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida.
Dr. Watlington has been recognized for her contributions in public service and industry as the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association Outstanding Young Alumna, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Young Professional, and Pride Magazine’s Outstanding Millennial. In addition, she has been honored as a member of Elevate Lifestyle’s 30 Under 30, The Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, The Mecklenburg Times’ 50 Most Influential Women, and Who’s Who in Black Charlotte.
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