Monday, June 2, 2025
Problems and Solutions at the Local Level

12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Registration Opens

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Town Hall Plenary: The Future of the Transportation Workforce

Introduction to the TRB National Summit on the Future of the Transportation Workforce
Goals for the Conference;  How the Conference will Work; Values that Informed it

Moderators: Glenn McRae, Co-Chair, National Workforce Summit, National Network for the Transportation Workforce and Tyler Reeb, Executive Director, Center for International Trade and Transportation, and Conference Planning Committee Co-Chairs

Keynote: Welcome

• Phillip Washington, Chief Executive Officer, Denver International Airport

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Plenary: Strategic Workforce Planning at State DOTs
How are DOT and Local Agency Workforce Strategic Planning Efforts Addressing Disruptive Trends and Conditions?

Moderator: Meghan Haggerty, Chief Operating Officer, Massachusetts Department of Transportation

• Creating a Workforce Office and Increasing Engagement within an Organization, Randy Sarver, Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• Vermont Agency of Transportation Strategic Workforce Plan Development and Execution, Christine Hetzel, Vermont Agency of Transportation
• Developing a Strategic Transportation Workforce Management Plan for the Future of Transportation with Industry Partnerships, Cindy Gross, Minnesota Department of Transportation

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Afternoon Break

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Plenary: Table-Top Working Sessions
Facilitated working sessions at tables on key questions to form elements for local state success

Plenary: Keynote: Building a Workforce to Meet the Future: Developing Strong DOTs That Transcend Societal Shifts

• Carlos Braceras, Executive Director, Utah Department of Transportation

Introduced by Elizabeth McMillan, Director of Strategic Communications, Utah Department of Transportation

Plenary: Preparing for Day Two

Moderators: Glenn McRae, Co-Chair, National Workforce Summit, National Network for the Transportation Workforce and Tyler Reeb, Executive Director, Center for International Trade and Transportation, and Conference Planning Committee Co-Chairs

Dinner on your Own

Tuesday, June 3, 2025
The Big Picture

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Registration

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Continental Breakfast

8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Opening Plenary: Introduction to the Day's Work: Framing the Questions

Moderators: Glenn McRae, Co-Chair, National Workforce Summit, National Network for the Transportation Workforce and Tyler Reeb, Executive Director, Center for International Trade and Transportation, and Conference Planning Committee Co-Chairs

National Conversation on the Challenges and Opportunities in Building the Workforce
How We Can Organize Effectively at the National Level: Responding to the Local/State Needs and Opportunities

Moderator: Victoria Sheehan, Executive Director, Transportation Research Board

• Jim Tymon,  Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (invited)
• Cherise Myers,  Director – Workforce Development, American Public Transportation Association 
• Bridgette Beato,  Board Chair, WTS International and CEO, Lumenor Consulting Group 
• Tanya Adams, Chair, Board of Directors, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, and SVP, Director of Diversity and Strategic Partnerships (invited)
• Hilary Nixon, Council of University Transportation Centers Leadership Team, and Deputy Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute 

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Morning Break

Breakout A: Increasing Applicant Pools for Transportation Jobs

Moderators: Hilary Nixon, Deputy Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute and Susan Gallaher, Program Manager, Western Transportation Institute, Montana State University

• Promoting a Career as a County or City Engineer, Samuel Ricord, SRF Consulting
• Realizing the Promise of Infrastructure Federal Funding -  A Michigan Case Study, Suzie Heap, KPMG Consulting
• Retaining a Diverse and Skilled Workforce: Lessons Learned from the Southern Plains Transportation Center, Syed Ashik Ali, Southern Plains Transportation Center
• Workplace Safety Culture that Attracts and Retains, John Saturley, City and County of Denver
• Resiliency in the Public Transportation Sector: Employment Advertising Preferences for Entry-Level Applicants, Kristal Metro, University of New Mexico
• Insights from Case Studies and Other Research on Creative Recruitment and Retention Strategies, Shayna Gleason, Transit Workforce Center 
• Austin's Future Infrastructure Workforce - A Multi-stakeholder, Multi-asset Class, Regional Perspective, Suzie Heap, KPMG Consulting

Breakout B: K-12: Priming the Career Track

Moderator: Karen Philbrick, Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute

• Improving the Mobility of People and Goods: A Holistic Approach to Addressing the Workforce Shortage, Karen Philbrick, Mineta Transportation Institute
• A Tale of Two Cities: Examples of Transportation-focused High Schools in Two Urban, Freight-Centric Communities, Stephanie Ivey, Southeast Transportation Workforce Center
• Increasing Workforce Diversity Through K-12 Summer Programs, Melissa Amrhein, PacTrans Workforce Development Institute

Breakout C: Experiential Education and Apprenticeships

Moderator: Christina Currier, Program Manager, Federal Highway Administration

• Expanding Access to Transportation Planning through a Degree Apprenticeship, James DeSota, University of Minnesota
• Preparing the Next Generation through an Engineering Apprenticeship Program, Stephanie Ivey, Southeast Transportation Workforce Center
• The Growing Trend of Apprenticeship and Mentorship in Public Transportation, Karitsa Holdzkom, Transit Workforce Center

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Networking Lunch

Breakout A: Capacity of States to Deliver on Infrastructure

Moderator: Virginia Stubella, Asset Management Bureau Chief, New Mexico Department of Transportation

• Bryan Pounds, McKinsey & Company
• Chris Young, Texas Department of Transportation
• Keith Benjamin, STV
• Kelly Hutchinson, New Jersey Department of Transportation

Breakout B: Preparing the Transportation Workforce for Emerging Technologies

Moderator: Gary Vansuch, Director of Process Improvement, Colorado Department of Transportation

• Rhonda Young, Gonzaga University
• Kyla Dsa, Kimley-Horn

Breakout C: Fostering a Resilient and Adaptable Transportation Workforce: Using the Agency Capabilities Framework to Drive Organizational Change

Moderator: Amanda Holland, Principal, Holland Enterprise Resource Solutions, LLC

• Lori Richter, Spy Pond Partners, LLC

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Afternoon Break

3:30 PM – 5:00 PM

Plenary Session: Workforce Lessons from the 2024 TRB National Tribal Peer Exchange

Summary from the Tribal Summit

• Ronald Hall, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute

Highlights of What is Working

Moderator: Eric Rensel, President, Rensel Consulting, LLC
How do we attract and engage a workforce for the future?  What business models and tools sustainably support workforce needs? 

• Hillary Nixon, Deputy Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute
• Suzie Heap, Director, KPMG
• Jason Bittner, Principal, Transportation Planning and Policy, Applied Research Associates
• Chris Young, Director of Workforce Development, Texas Department of Transportation

Introduction to Poster Session

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Reception and Posters

Moderators: Lorri Economy, Utah Department of Transportation, Brian Turmail, Associated General Contractors of America, and Patrick Son, Director of Advanced Mobility Solutions, Gannett Fleming Inc.

• Creating an Effective Stay Interview Program, Sebastian Ruiz, Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• The Respectful Workplace Initiative: Strategies for Worker Retention in Highway Construction, Erin Flynn, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at Oregon Health and Sciences University
• Building a Competency Model for Diverse Work Environments, Garrett Wheat, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
• Expanding the Transportation Workforce: Resources for Local Agencies, Katherine Stanley, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota
• Entry-Level Drivers Training (ELDT) Language Access, Lance Dorris, City and County of Denver
• Local Agency Workforce Challenges and Opportunities, Jennifer Lynn Sharkey, Purdue University - Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP)
• Oregon’s Apprenticeship Related Child Care as a Model, Larry Williams, Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
• Approaches to Supporting Diverse Apprentices through Hardship Assistance, Larry Williams, Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
• Strategies to Improve the Mental Health and Wellness of our Frontline Workers, Sandy Brennan, Foursquare ITP
• Integrating Public Health Approaches to Transportation Safety: Developing New Skills and Building Multidisciplinary Teams, Kristin Blank, UNC Highway Safety Research Center
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Impact on the Transportation Workforce, Pierre Bouquet, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Moving the Next Generation: Strategies from the Maryland Transit Administration Red Line High School Internship Program, Tranell Guthrie, Kittelson & Associates
• Addressing Tomorrow's Challenges: Cultivating the Transportation Engineering & Public Works Workforce of the Future, Patrick Brady, American Council of Engineering Companies
• Recruitment and Retention of Highway Maintenance Workers, Karalyn Clouser, Western Transportation Institute, Montana State University
• Thriving Organizations in the 21st Century: Resilient Workforce Development, Jacquelyn Quan, JQ Consulting LLC
• A Model to Engage Multidisciplinary Student Talent in Transportation Problem-Solving, Susan Gallagher, Western Transportation Institute, Montana State University
• Transforming Transit Operator Scheduling to Address Workforce Shortages and Improve Retention, Reinaldo Germano, Foursquare ITP
• Incentivizing Attainment of Critical Cross-Occupational Transportation Competencies, Susan Gallagher, Western Transportation Institute, Montana State University
• Preparing the Future Workforce for the Era of Automated Vehicles (WEAVE), Elizabeth Mack, Michigan State University
• Building Future Capacity in Highly Automated Transportation Systems, Ashley Nylen, USDOT Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence
• Empathy in the Workplace, Meghan Haggerty, Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Wednesday, June 4, 2025
What Business Models and Tools Sustainably Support Workforce Needs?

7:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Registration

7:30 AM – 8:00 AM

Continental Breakfast

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Plenary: Moonshot Thinking and Beyond

Moderator: John Kaliski, Vice President, Cambridge Systematics

• Brandye Hendrickson, Deputy Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation
• Terri Slaughter, Chief Culture, Equity, & Inclusion Officer, Michigan Department of Transportation
• Kelly Hutchinson, Assistant Commissioner, Administration, New Jersey Department of Transportation

Breakout A: Changing & Enhancing Organizational Culture

Moderator: Brian Turmail, Associated General Contractors of America

• Developing the TAMP Knowledge Book to Support Workforce Success, Virginia Stubella, New Mexico Department of Transportation and Hyun-A Park, Spy Pond Partners, LLC
• MDOTs Journey to Build and Strengthen the Asset Management Workforce, David Sklar, WSP USA, Inc.

Breakout B: Embracing Innovation and Continuous Learning

Moderator: Shayna Gleason, Senior Researcher, Transit Workforce Center

• Committing to the Future: Investing in People to Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement, Gary Vansuch, Colorado Department of Transportation
• Purpose-driven and Tech-enabled: Crafting a Human-Centric Future For Transportation,  James Shaw, Arup

Breakout C: New Business Models

Moderator: Bryan Pounds, Public Transportation Advisor, McKinsey & Company

• Vacancy Rate - What it Means and How NCDOT is Tackling it, Suzie Heap, KPMG
• Public Involvement Workforce for the 21st Century, Doise Miers, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
• Structural Influence on Workforce Recruitment and Retention, Jason Bittner, Applied Research Associates

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Morning Break

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Plenary: Moving to Transformative Thinking: "Pizza Teams" Set-up

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Networking Lunch

Breakout A: Partnerships

Moderator: Garrett Wheat, Statewide Strategic Program Manager, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development

• Workforce Diversity Through Community Engagement, LaShaundra Shaw, Texas Department of Transportation
• Lessons Learned from the NSF Regional Innovation Engines Program, Kevin Heaslip, University of Tennessee Knoxville
• Building Professional Development Pathways Through Partnerships, Susan Baillargeon, Front Range Community College
• Engaging Tribal Colleges & Universities in Transportation Workforce Development Programs, Hilary Nixon, Mineta Transportation Institute

Breakout B: Metrics and Measurements

Moderator: Tyler Reeb, Executive Director, Center for International Trade and Transportation

• The Future Workforce: Exploring Transportation Employment with National Datasets, Douglas Nevins, Transit Workforce Center
• Transit Workforce Metrics: Measuring Outcomes and Progress, Michaela Boneva, Transit Workforce Center 
• Forecasting Staffing and Training Needs – Considerations and Practices, Russell Pildes, Foursquare ITP

Breakout C: Staying Ahead of the Curve: AI, ITS, C/AV and Infrastructure

Moderator: Patrick Son, Director of Advanced Mobility Solutions, Gannett Fleming Inc.

• The Impact of Connected/ Autonomous Vehicle Technology on the Roadway and Traffic Systems Maintenance Workforces, Dave Bergner, Monte Vista Associates, LLC
• Connecting the DOTs - AI, KM, and the Workforce of the Future, Amanda Holland, Holland Enterprise Resource Solutions, LLC
• Academic and Industry Partnerships for Advancing Workforce Development in Connected and Automated Vehicles and Related Technologies, Katherine Turnbull, Texas A&M Transportation Institute

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Afternoon Break

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Plenary: Bringing it All Together: Identifying Key Themes, Future Strategies, and Pathways to Ongoing Collaboration

Closing Plenary: Where to From Here and Call to Action

Moderators: Glenn McRae, Co-Chair, National Workforce Summit, National Network for the Transportation Workforce and Tyler Reeb, Executive Director, Center for International Trade and Transportation, and Conference Planning Committee Co-Chairs