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Monica Aleman-Smoot, Attorney
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
Mónica Alemán-Smoot is an attorney with the Texas Department of Transportation. She has worked at the department for 10 years and oversees the Risk Management and Prevention program. Mónica graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas with a Bachelor of Arts and received her Master of Public Administration from Texas State University and her law degree from the University of Texas. She is licensed to practice in the state of Texas. Prior to her work at the Texas Department of Transportation, she worked with the Texas Legislature and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. During her tenure at the Texas Department of Transportation, she drafted and assisted with the creation of the agency’s Ethic’s Policy. Mónica also assisted and implemented HB 1128 which established the department’s Cost Savings program.
Bonnie Ashley, Deputy City Attorney
City of Richmond City Attorney’s Office
Bonnie is the Deputy City Attorney of the Operations and Development Division of the Office of the City Attorney for the City of Richmond, Virginia. She also serves as General Counsel to The Greater Richmond Transit Company, a role she has held for thirteen years. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the College of William and Mary and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Richmond.
Chris Baglin, Consultant
United Against Slavery
Ms. Baglin has 25+ years’ experience in research and policy, including private practice, the US Senate, federal agencies, and business. For United Against Slavery’s National Outreach Survey for Transportation (NOST), she was Co-Principal Investigator (2021) and Senior Advisor (2021-2023), also contributing writing and editing. At TRB, she is an AJL70 member and Secretary for AJE35 Research Innovation and Implementation Management. JD & MPH Boston University, BA Wellesley College.
Susan Binder, Principal
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
As the CS Client Relationship Manager, Susan brings her "insider's" understanding of government to her CS clients based on her interdisciplinary skills and customer perspective developed during a unique public service career at USDOT, the US House of Representatives, the US Senate, and OMB. She broke the glass ceiling as the first woman to lead an FHWA field office as Division Administrator -- giving her insights into strategic management, program delivery and problem solving that are valuable to her clients. Her focus on funding and financing, performance-based needs analysis, legislation, and transportation policy analysis have been successfully applied in an eclectic portfolio of national and state clients such as TRB's Interstate Futures Study, FHWA "reinvention" of the Conditions and Performance Report, exploration of road user charging via a New Zealand study tour and analyses of education strategies for VMT strategies, and studying the implications and current use of program flexibilities under the Federal-aid Highway Program.
John Campbell, Principal Scientist, Human Factors
Exponent
John Campbell is a consultant with Exponent with over 35 years of experience examining issues related to human factors, driver behavior, roadway safety, and the contributing factors to roadway crashes. He is trained as a psychologist, with a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from the Claremont Graduate School and a MA in Human Factors from Cal State Northridge. His expertise includes the design and evaluation of advanced driver-vehicle interfaces, including navigation systems, collision warning devices, and driver assistance systems. Dr. Campbell’s on-going research for NHTSA includes projects to address the many challenges for vehicles equipped with driving automation features, including driver understanding and trust in automation, human-machine interface requirements, and the efficacy of driver monitoring systems. For TRB, he is currently leading the development of the 4th Edition of the Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems. He is also a contributor to the 8th Edition of the Green Book and the 2nd Edition of the Highway Safety Manual. He serves as an expert on legal matters involving motor vehicle crashes and driver behavior, including driver interactions with in-vehicle technology and roadway design features.
Paul Carlson, CEO/Co-owner
Automated Roads
Dr. Paul Carlson is the CEO and co-owner of Automated Roads. Automated Roads is a woman-owned small business that provides strategic research partnerships, guides the advancement of highway infrastructure policies and practices, leads the safe deployment of connected and automated vehicles through the development of road readiness standards, and strategizes with partners on physical infrastructure solutions for automated vehicle platforms, new traffic control devices and materials, and selected mobility science platform programs. Dr. Carlson works with stakeholders such as highway agencies, the infrastructure industry, and the automotive industry to advance research results, with an emphasis on evolving standards, specifications, and policies to support safe connected and automated vehicle (CAV) deployment while enhancing safety for conventional road users. Paul provides thought leadership for several national organizations working to evolve the highway infrastructure as automated vehicles become more prevalent around the globe. Paul is the SAE International Highway Infrastructure Task Force Chair, the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Device Connected Automated Vehicle Joint Task Force Chair, and the TRB Traffic Control Devices Committee CAV Liaison. Paul holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Civil Engineering from The Texas A&M University, and a Master of Science degree and a Bachelor of Science degree, both in Civil Engineering, from The Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA). Paul is also a licensed Engineer in Texas. Before joining TTI in 1995, Paul worked as a transportation researcher at the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, part of the Pennsylvania State University.
James Cownie, Deputy Chief Counsel
Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)
Jim Cownie is a Deputy Chief Counsel for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. He practices primarily in the areas of construction law and government contracts. Jim has been with MnDOT since 1999. Jim is on the section council for the Construction Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association. Jim has served five semesters as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, and he is a frequent speaker for construction and engineering groups. He earned his J.D. and B.A. from the University of Minnesota.
Matthew Daus
Windels Marx
Matthew W. Daus is the Founder and Chair of the Transportation Practice Group. His practice focuses on transportation law, counseling clients on a broad range of matters including regulatory compliance, strategic planning, procurement, litigation, regulatory due diligence, expert witness testimony and reports, administrative law and public policy. Within this area Mr. Daus coordinates representation on a wide array of legal needs and services representing ground transportation, technology and related businesses and government entities. Mr. Daus also practices in the area of employment law, advising employers concerning the hiring and discharge of employees, employment discrimination laws and general personnel and policy matters. Before joining Windels Marx, Mr. Daus served as Commissioner and Chairman of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission ("TLC") for eight and one half years, appointed by Mayors Giuliani, Bloomberg and the New York City Council. Prior to his tenure as the TLC's longest serving Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Daus served as General Counsel to the Commission and Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs since 1998, and before that, as Special Counsel to the TLC Chair - supervising over 75 lawyers and Administrative Law Judges. Mr. Daus also served as General Counsel to the New York City Community Development Agency (now the Department of Youth and Community Development), Special Counsel to the New York City Trade Waste Commission (now the Business Integrity Commission), and as a Prosecutor for the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Education: LL.M., employment law, New York University School of Law, 1997 J.D., cum laude, Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, 1992 B.A., political science, magna cum laude, Brooklyn College, 1989 Admissions: New York New Jersey District of Columbia United States District Court for the Southern District of New York United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Angel N. Deem, Chief of Policy
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
Angel Deem was named Chief of Policy at the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in January 2022. She is responsible for the agency’s policy and legislative and regulatory affairs, including the oversight of these divisions: Environmental Local Assistance Right of Way Governance and Legislative Affairs Deem held many progressive roles and responsibilities throughout her 25-year career in VDOT’s Environmental division. She began as an intern and, most recently, served as division director the last seven years. Much of her career has focused on environmental data management and the development and management of complex National Environmental Policy Act studies. She has a bachelor’s in biology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a certified business analyst and graduate of the Commonwealth Management Institute and the Virginia Natural Resource Leadership Institute.
Bernadette Duran-Brown, Partner
Nossman LLP
Bernadette M. Duran-Brown is an eminent domain and real estate litigation attorney primarily focusing on eminent domain, inverse condemnation, regulatory takings and valuation matters. She has partnered with numerous public agencies throughout California to advise them on complex property acquisition on a variety of infrastructure projects, including railways, grade separations, bus rapid transit, schools, and flood control projects. Ms. Duran-Brown has litigated issues related to entitlement to compensation, business goodwill claims, relocation issues, severance damages, pre-condemnation damages and the acquisition of personal property and intangible rights. Ms. Duran-Brown has also worked on a broad-range of real estate matters and has extensive experience assisting clients on landlord/tenant, telecommunications, unlawful detainer, quiet title, land use, water rights and contractual disputes. Among her numerous matters, Ms. Duran-Brown is advising the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority in connection with the acquisition of approximately 65 properties for the Downtown San Bernardino Passenger Rail Project/San Bernardino Transit Center, a $128 million, mile-long extension of Metrolink service in San Bernardino. She is also advising in connection with the agency’s Redlands Passenger Rail Project, a 9-mile extension of the Downtown Passenger Rail Project.
Nicolle M. Fleury, Acting Chief Counsel
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Nicolle M. Fleury became the Deputy Chief Counsel of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on January 3, 2016. In this position, she supervises and coordinates legal services regarding all aspects of the FHWA's programs. Nicolle directly advises the most senior officials in the FHWA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT). Nicolle and her staff work with State and local government transportation attorneys and other customers to enhance their understanding of Federal laws and procedures relating to transportation. From December 2011 to December 2015, Nicolle served as the Assistant Chief Counsel for Legislation, Regulations, and General Law, supervising the legal services related to delivering FHWA’s legislative program, developing and coordinating regulations, matters concerning appropriations and fiscal law, and matters related to FHWA’s internal programs. Prior to becoming Assistant Chief Counsel, Nicolle served as a Senior Attorney Advisor in the Program Legal Services Division of the Office of the Chief Counsel. She also has served as Special Counsel to the U.S. DOT General Counsel and the FHWA Chief Counsel. Nicolle started at DOT as an Attorney Advisor. Nicolle began her legal career working for the Maryland Department of Legislative Services.
Ryan Gaulke, Senior Legal Counsel
Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)
Ryan Gaulke graduated from the Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. Ryan has worked over the last 11 years for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), where he supervises the Contract Management Section in the Office of Chief Counsel. His work for MnDOT covers a wide variety of contracts, from highway construction contracts to grant agreements.
Suzanne Goldberg, Senior Director
Public Policy North America, ChargePoint
Suzanne Goldberg manages all aspects of North American policy for ChargePoint, ensuring that local and national policies support the electrification of mobility in ways that work for all. Before joining ChargePoint, Suzanne was Director of Research and Outreach for the Sustainable Transportation Action Research Team at Simon Fraser University and a Senior Partner at Navius Research, among other roles. She holds a Master of Resource Management in environmental economics and policy analysis from Simon Frasier University and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce in Business from McMaster University. She is also a Director on the board of Electric Mobility Canada.
Douglas D. Gransberg, President
Gransberg & Associates, Inc.
Douglas D. Gransberg, PhD, PE is the president of Gransberg & Associates, Inc. a construction management/project delivery consulting firm. The firm was founded in 1996 and provides RFQ/RFP development services to public agencies, as well as CMGC and DB proposal development services to engineers and consultants. G&A, Inc. has been called on to assist with projects throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as in New Zealand, Okinawa, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. The firm specializes in the development of project management services for complex mega-projects. He received both his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering from Oregon State University and his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Oklahoma, Texas and Oregon, a Certified Cost Engineer, a Designated Design-Build Professional, and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in the UK. Dr. Gransberg retired in 2017 as a professor of construction engineering at Iowa State University, where he held an endowed research chair for 5 years. He is also an Emeritus Professor of Architecture and Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, retiring from that institution in 2010. Before that he held a tenured position at Texas Tech University. Credentials Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Colorado, Construction Engineering Management option, 2004; M.S., Civil Engineering, Oregon State University, Dual Major: Construction Engineering Management and Transportation Engineering, 1979; B.S., Civil Engineering, Oregon State University, 1974; Registered Professional Engineer, Oregon, 1978, No. 9989; Texas, 1995, No. 80392; Oklahoma, 2000, No. 19876; Certified Cost Engineer, 1997, No. 1664; Designated Design-Build Professional, 2003, No. D181, DBIA. Fellow, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (UK), 2005, No. 1212087.
Timothy Haile, Executive Director
Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA)
Haile is responsible for the overall management of the Authority, including implementation of projects and programs identified in CCTA’s voter-approved sales tax Measure C and Measure J, the Growth Management Program, the Congestion Management Program, as well as policies and procedures, the board-approved budget, and all administrative functions. He previously served as CCTA’s Deputy Executive Director, Projects and has more than 20 years of experience in program management, public works, and transportation projects. Haile has been an active leader in the transportation industry and community, serving on the Transportation Research Board Managed Lanes Committee and Board Member of the California Transportation Foundation. In 2021, he was nationally recognized by Government Technology for “Innovative Leadership”.
Fatema Haji-Taki, Associate General Counsel
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Fatema Haji-Taki received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts and B.A. in Political Science from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She currently works as an associate legal counsel at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) on matters related to contract management, sustainability and public health, tribal law, cultural resources, and ADA. Before joining MnDOT, she worked at the Minnesota Department of Human Services on Medicaid policy and legislation with a special focus on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Prior to law school, she worked in the nonprofit sector on international law, human rights, UN peacekeeping, and post 9/11 civil liberties issues. Fatema Haji-Taki is a proud Muslim-American immigrant. She was born in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, of Indian East African heritage and immigrated to the United States to pursue higher education. She is married and has a seven-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old Calico.
Trayce Hockstad, Research Attorney
University of Alabama Transportation Research Institute
Trayce Hockstad is a research attorney at the University of Alabama's Transportation Policy Research Center. Prior to that she clerked for multiple federal and state courts in Virginia and the Region III Environmental Protection Agency. Education BA, Lee University, 2012 JD, Regent University School of Law, 2017 MA, University of Alabama, 2023
Erin Holbrook, Deputy Director Legal Chief Counsel
California Department of Transportation
Erin E. Holbrook was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom on May 15, 2020, to serve as the Chief Counsel of Caltrans Legal. Erin is responsible for managing a staff of 303 attorneys and investigators, paralegals, legal secretaries, district claims officers and administrative personnel. The Legal Division is the only state office that handles all its own legal affairs, including transactional work and litigation in the State's judicial forums for Caltrans. The Caltrans Legal Division was established on August 22, 1911, by a Governor's Order to handle all matters pertaining to State Highways pursuant to the State Highway Act. Carrying on this proud tradition-the Caltrans Legal Division is regarded as the nation's premier government transportation legal office with locations in Sacramento, Oakland, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Erin has been with Caltrans since 2010, where she has held several positions, including Deputy Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel and most recently, Acting Deputy Director Administration. Prior to joining Caltrans, Erin was in private practice for 10 years representing school districts and local public entities. Erin graduated from St. Mary's College of California with a degree in Economics and Business Administration and earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.
Chris Huffman, Owner
Huffman Corridor Consulting, LLC
Thirty years of experience with much of it focused upon the interaction of transportation and land use (supply and demand). Mr. Huffman created and was the first Administrator of the Kansas DOT’s Corridor (Access) Management Program. This program was the first of its kind to utilize intergovernmental agreements and public-private partnerships to implement corridor master plans through leveraging of local and private monies so that the private property impacts of transportation improvements are managed, minimized, and mitigated. Other innovations of this program included the first fully electronic policy manual for the Kansas DOT, Kansas’ first spatially enabled intersection and driveway inventory and the fully electronic Highway Access Permit System (HAPS). Since leaving the Kansas DOT for private practice Mr. Huffman has put his credentials as certified real property appraiser, mediator, and Registered Professional Engineer to work analyzing how property development connects to and impacts transportation networks and how changes in transportation networks impact highest and best use and market price of property.
Subash Iyer, Chief Counsel
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
Subash Iyer is Chief Counsel of the Federal Transit Administration. Since January 2021, he has served as the FTA’s principal legal officer and advises the Administrator on all aspects of the FTA’s programs, functions, and activities. Before joining the FTA, Mr. Iyer was Special Counsel for Ethics, Risk, and Compliance at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York, where he served as risk counsel to the largest public transit agency in North America. Mr. Iyer was previously an attorney in private practice, where he worked on trial and appellate litigation matters and provided legal and strategic advice to corporate and individual clients on a wide range of issues. Mr. Iyer previously served as law clerk to Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court, Chief Judge Robert A. Katzmann of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and Judge Jed S. Rakoff of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Iyer received his J.D., summa cum laude, from New York University School of Law and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Columbia University. Before law school, he served as policy adviser to Administrator Karen G. Mills of the U.S. Small Business Administration and worked at a large management consulting firm. He and his wife have a young son and daughter.
Ben Jones, Legal Assistant Team Lead
Mississippi DOT
Ben serves as a full-time law clerk/accountant with the Mississippi DOT Legal Division In addition to providing general day-to-day advice, assistance, and representation expected by one of the largest agencies in the State, several other agencies also availed themselves of his knowledge of non-profit and governmental accounting, information technologies, complex civil litigation, and disaster management. Prior to joining the Transportation Division of Mississippi Office of Attorney General in 2007, Ben worked with senior members of Forman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy now Forman Watkins firm in Jackson. At Forman Perry, Mr. Jones' work focused on local and multi-state litigation and trial preparation representing several Fortune 500 defendants in asbestos and silica cases. He joined Forman Perry following his private practice successes representing a variety of organizations and individuals in complex engagements before the Internal Revenue Service and various international tax administration authorities on a variety of issues ranging from VAT point-of-entry for digital downloadable products and services and G7-EU tariffs and customs to blocker corporation services to foreign nonresident asset registration and income/sales tax audit defense. In addition to serving as an adjunct professor and Federal agency volunteer resource, he is a speaker and author of several executive briefings in these fields. Ben holds degrees from Mississippi College and Belhaven College, a master’s degree from Mississippi College in History with a concentration in Economics, a graduate certificate in Paralegal Studies, and professional certificates in Emergency Management, Communications Technology, and E-Discovery. He has received several commendations and awards for his public service, volunteerism, and excellence in public relations.
Judith S. Kaleta, Deputy General Counsel
U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)
Judith S. Kaleta is the Deputy General Counsel, U.S. Department of Transportation. As the senior career attorney in the Department, Ms. Kaleta supports the General Counsel to lead the Department’s more than 400 attorneys to address a wide-range of issues impacting transportation law and policy and the Department’s more than 55,000 employees. She counsels senior Departmental leadership on extremely sensitive and highly contentious matters involving the transportation industry and the workings of the Department. Prior to being appointed to her current position in 2012, Ms. Kaleta worked on a multitude of legal opportunities and challenges in the Office of the General Counsel and in different operating administrations of the Department. She served as Chief Counsel of the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), where she initiated and implemented RSPA’s first negotiated rulemaking to set equipment standards, attendance provisions, and safety procedures for unloading liquefied compressed gases from cargo tank motor vehicles. As Acting Chief Counsel of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), she negotiated the first Memorandum of Understanding between FTA and the U.S. Department of Justice concerning the coordination of investigations of, and enforcement against, transit agencies for alleged disability rights violations, which served as a model for other DOT entities. A member of the American Bar Association (ABA), Ms. Kaleta serves in the ABA House of Delegates. She has served as a member of the Council of the ABA's Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice and Section of Dispute Resolution. Ms. Kaleta is the recipient of the 2016 Mary C. Lawton Award for Outstanding Government Service, presented by the ABA's Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice. She is also a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. A Chicago native, Ms. Kaleta is a summa cum laude graduate of De Paul University and Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.
Christopher Kramer, Partner
Nossaman LLP
Chris Kramer advises condemning authorities in eminent domain and condemnation litigation and consulting. He has spent more than 36 years working to ensure large infrastructure projects proceed by condemning a variety of properties on his clients’ behalf. He provides counsel on litigation avoidance through mitigation of impacts and damages to properties affected by public projects. He also serves as a mediator in eminent domain, property rights, and property valuation matters throughout the United States. Education: Notre Dame School of Law, J.D., 1986 Illinois State University, B.S., 1981 Admissions: Arizona California Nevada U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
David Miller, Associate
David Miller assists clients on a variety of complex land use and environment related matters, including matters dealing with the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the California Environmental Quality Act, the California Planning and Zoning Law, the California Subdivision Map Act, the California Coastal Act, and the Federal and State Constitutions. Mr. Miller has represented landowners, resource developers, and public agencies on matters involving federal and state permitting issues, local zoning issues, and environmental planning and litigation. He has also assisted with advising state and regional infrastructure authorities on environmental issues regarding large infrastructure projects.
Terri L. Parker, Attorney
Missouri Department of Transportation
Terri Parker is a 1992 graduate of the University of Missouri school of law. She has served as counsel for the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission for almost 30 years. Parker has tried numerous eminent domain and personal injury cases to jury and arbitration panels. She is presently the Assistant Chief Counsel for Project Development and works with engineers and attorney staff statewide on Project Development matters.
Sierra Redding, Associate General Counsel
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
Sierra Redding is an associate general counsel in the General Counsel Division of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). She has practiced environmental and administrative law for over 10 years, focusing on the Clean Air Act, CERCLA, RCRA, and NEPA. Prior to joining TxDOT, Sierra was an attorney at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, where she represented the Executive Director in permitting major sources, including liquefied natural gas plants, refineries and landfills, and provided legal counsel on agency regulations related to the Texas State Implementation Plan. Sierra also has extensive experience with public involvement in federal and state agency actions. Sierra received her law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law and is licensed to practice in the State of Texas and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Chris Regan, Environmental Manager
Interstate Bridge Replacement Program
Chris Regan is the Environmental Manager for the IBR program. A biologist by training, Chris received his Masters in Science studying Restoration Ecology using fire to restore Oak prairies on the local military installation, Joint Base Lewis-McChord. He has worked nearly 30 years with the state of Washington ensuring state actions are in compliance with the National, and Washington State's Environmental Policy Act (NEPA and SEPA). Chris has worked for the WSDOT for 14 years. In this capacity he has served as the statewide NEPA Manager and most recently as WSDOT's Southwest Region Environmental Manager. Prior to working for WSDOT, he worked for 16 years with the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. For fun, Chris enjoys bicycling, fishing, hunting, hiking, DIY projects and traveling with his wife and their family. Chris acknowledges that environmental justice, diversity, equity and inclusion have always been part of the environmental field. When it comes to the IBR program, these tenants are more relevant than ever, and Chris’ experience up to this point has prepared him well for the work at hand. He says it’s less about vehicles and the roads, and more about looking at the urban ecology of the Portland-Vancouver metro area, the transportation ecology and the role of transportation agencies to ensure the project takes into account the history of earlier interstate projects that negatively impacted local communities of concern.
Joshua Root, Deputy Chief Counsel
Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)
Josh has nearly 20 years’ experience working with government and private sector clients with an emphasis on eDiscovery and Privacy. Josh transitioned to public service with the tragic collapse of the 35W bridge in Minneapolis Minnesota when his firm was awarded a contract with Department of Transportation and he met the amazing staff at MnDOT. Josh is a regular contributor to the Sedona Conference and enjoys a good nerd session on electronic systems and the complications they bring to litigation.
Christine Ryan, Partner
Nossaman LLC
Christine Ryan, head of Nossaman’s Austin office, guides public agencies through the process of structuring, developing, financing and operating large, complex and high-profile infrastructure projects, as well as smaller projects delivered through alternative methods – in Texas and around the nation. A 20-year veteran of the Firm, Christine develops strategies for project development during the procurement process; drafts and negotiates public-private partnership (P3) agreements, design-build contracts and procurement documents; and advises clients regarding insurance, innovative financing and privatization issues. Her practice also includes contract administration, claims management and dispute resolution. Nossaman is special counsel to the Texas Department of Transportation for its massive design-build and P3 program. Christine has been with the program since its inception – taking the lead on many projects and providing significant assistance to the agency in drafting and modifying the state’s enabling legislation, as well as standardized procurement documents for both small and large, complex design-build projects. Education University of Southern California School of Law, J.D., 1992, Editor, Interdisciplinary Journal University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., 1988 Admissions Texas California Hawaii
Stuart Samberg, Director
RK&K, LLP
Stuart is responsible for all facets of transportation engineering, from planning and analysis to design. He has served on TRB's Access Management Committee since 2008 and brings expertise in design and optimization which balances access and mobility. Stuart oversees transportation planning and design in RK&K’s Southeast offices.
Lance Simmons, Chief Engineer
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
Lance W. Simmons, P.E., serves as chief engineer, responsible for the management and control of the Engineering and Safety Operations and District Operations. A 28-year TxDOT veteran, Simmons began his career in 1994 in the Atlanta district’s Design Office; after working three summers in the Atlanta area office. Through the Young Engineers’ Rotation Program, Simmons also worked in the Advance Planning, Traffic and Atlanta area offices. From 2001 to 2009, Simmons served as the Atlanta district’s Bridge/Special Projects Engineer before being selected as its director of operations in 2010. He was named district engineer in the Bryan district in March 2015. Since August 2021, he has served as TxDOT’s director of engineering and safety operations. In 2014, Simmons was honored with the Luther DeBerry Award at the Transportation Short Course. As a Terry Scholar at Texas A&M University, he earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1994.
Bruce Smith, Member
Apperson Crump
Admitted to Bar: Tennessee, 1974 Education: Duke University (A.B., 1970) University of Memphis (J.D., 1974) Member: Hearing Panel, Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee (1982-88) Transportation Research Board Committee on Transit and Intermodal Transportation Law (1992-Present, Chair 1998-2000, 2006-13) Transportation Research Board Group Legal Resources Council (1996-Present, Chair 2000-03) Tennessee Bar Association Fellow, Tennessee Bar Foundation Memphis Bar Association (1974-present; Board of Directors, 1983-84) Author/Lecturer: 2017 Thomas B. Deen Distinguished Lecturer, Transportation Research Board Survey of the law on tort liability caps Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Americans with Disabilities Act regulations Attorney-client privilege of public boards Department of Transportation regulations on procurement, Buy America requirements, lobbying restrictions, third party contracting, labor issues, and charter bus. Transit system security issues Initial Reviewer: Selected Studies in Transportation Law, Vol. 5, Transit Law, Paul Stephen Dempsey, Transit Cooperative Research Program, 2004 Other: American Public Transportation Association Legal Affairs Committee (Vice Chairman, 1992-94; Chairman, 1994-96) Has served on several APTA Task Forces that have successfully dealt with major regulatory issues with the U.S. Department of Transportation General Counsel, Memphis Area Transit Authority (1976-99; 2009-Present) Selected “Power Player” in the Law: Employment section of the Memphis Business Quarterly (now known as Inside Memphis Business) (2010-Present) Best Lawyers In America: Litigation – Labor and Employment, (2017-Present)
Lemuel B. Thomas, Deputy Director for Environmental Review
Council on Environmental Quality
Lem has nearly twenty years' experience practicing environmental law, beginning his career as a public interest litigator in the law firm of Terris, Pravlik, and Millian in Washington, DC. There, his practice included representing individuals and non-profits in citizen suits under RCRA and the Clean Water Act, as well as in challenges to federal agency actions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). He subsequently served as Senior Assistant City Attorney for Environmental Litigation for the City of Dallas, Texas, representing the city such matters as preemption challenges to the city's air quality initiatives. Lem joined the FAA’s Office of Chief Counsel in 2011, ultimately rising to manager of the environmental law section. At the FAA, he honed his NEPA expertise representing the agency in infrastructure development and federal grant funding matters, including high-profile projects involving airspace redesign, airport construction, and commercial space launch site licensing. In 2021, Lem joined the White House Council on Environmental Quality's as Senior Counsel for a one-year detail, before taking the position of Deputy Director for Environmental Review earlier this year. His portfolio focuses on working with federal agencies on NEPA implementation. Lem is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Tulane University Law School. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife Koke, daughter Aubrey, and several pets.
Michael Tubman, Director of Federal Affairs
Lucid Motors
Michael Tubman is the director of federal affairs for Lucid Motors, overseeing the company’s relationships with Congress and Federal government agencies, as well as engaging with the national policy community to advance transportation electrification. His prior roles include as the manager of state government affairs and public policy at Electrify America, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group of America, and director of outreach at leading climate policy think tank, C2ES. Mr. Tubman‘s government experience includes service at the US Consulate – Shanghai and in the administrations of three Alaska Governors. Mr. Tubman holds a master of arts in international policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University.