SCHEDULE
All events are in the Sellers Ballroom unless otherwise noted.
7:30 - 8:30 SPONSORED BREAKFAST + EXHIBITS
8:30 - 9:45 CONCURRENT SESSIONS
1 | SUCCESSFUL UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS
SENSOR FUSION AND AUTOMATION FOR IMPROVING COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETY
David Bevly, McNair Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University
ADVANCING UNIVERSAL ID THROUGH DEMONSTRATION OF ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES
Andrew Martin, Program Manager, Commercial Vehicle Technology & Policy, Kentucky Transportation Center
APPLICATIONS TO ASSIST LAW ENFORCEMENT
GIS ROADWAY ANALYSIS CRASH DATA REPORTING & APPLICATIONS TO IMPROVE STATE’S PERFORMANCE IN SSDQ
Sgt. Greg Handy, Louisiana State Police
Max Bankston, Applications Development Manager, LSU/CARTS
2 | CRASH REDUCTION STRATEGIES (Birmingham Central)
REDUCING HEAVY TRUCK FRONT CRASH INVOLVEMENT WITH CRASH AVOIDANCE TECHNOLOGY
David Kidd, Sr Research Scientist, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
NORTH CAROLINA’S STRATEGIES FOR DRIVER FOCUSED ENFORCEMENT
Lt. Travis Ingold & First Sergeant Brandon Vick, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section (MCSAP), North Carolina State Highway Patrol
9:45 - 10:00 BREAK + EXHIBITS
10:00 - 11:30 CONCURRENT SESSIONS
1 | HUMAN TRAFFICKING PANEL
Moderator: Anil Mujumdar, Asst Professor of Law in Residence, UA
Kylla Lanier, Deputy Director/Senior Director of Public Sector Engagement, Truckers Against Trafficking
Troy Thompson, Chief, Ofc of CV Enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol
Trayce Hockstad, Law and Policy Analyst, TPRC, UA
Juenesse Holman, Deputy Director, Regulatory Compliance Division, Georgia Department of Driver Services
Nickolas Freeman, Assoc Professor of Operations Management & Asst Dir, Institute of Data and Analytics, UA
10:00 - 11:30 CONCURRENT SESSIONS (CONT’D)
2 | DATA ANALYTICS COLLABORATORY ROUNDTABLE (Birmingham Central)
Paul Melander, State Programs Manager, FMCSA Southern Service Center
Jeremy Pate, Director, Center for Advanced Public Safety, UA
11:30 - 12:30 LUNCH - NETWORKING + EXHIBITS
12:30 - 1:30 FMCSA APPLIED AND TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT RESEARCH
Tom Keane, Assoc Admin for the Office of Research & Registration, FMCSA
1:30 - 1:45 BREAK + EXHIBITS
1:45 - 3:00 CONCURRENT SESSIONS
1 | ELECTRIC VEHICLE PANEL SESSION
Moderator: Mike Oatridge, Exec Dir, Alabama Mobility and Power Center
Jeff Short, VP, American Transportation Research Institute
Hasin Gandhakwala, Electric Transportation Manager, Alabama Power
2 | USDOT CMV-RELATED FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES (Birmingham Central)
John Lohmeyer, Chief, State Programs Division, FMCSA
Alex Cabral, Deputy Regional Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Region 4
3:00 - 3:15 REFRESHMENT BREAK + EXHIBITS
3:15 - 4:15 CONCURRENT SESSIONS
1 | WORK ZONE SESSION
MULTI SENSOR FUSION FOR PROACTIVE COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY AT WORK ZONE
Dr. Mizanur Rahman, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, The University of Alabama
ALGO TRAFFIC & THE TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT CENTER
Ken Colvert, ALDOT West Central Region Transportation Management Center Manager
2 | TRAINING RESOURCES (Birmingham Central)
COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE SPECIFIC TRAINING FOR CLERKS OF COURT
Nick Owens, Program Manager, eScience & Technology Solutions, Inc.
OVERVIEW OF FREE CURRICULA FOR CMV DRIVERS
Jill Rybar, Associate Director, Transportation Research and Education for Driving Safety, University of California San Diego
4:15 - 4:45 CLOSE-OUT SUMMARY, Q&A + CLOSING REMARKS
Darrell Ruban, Associate Administrator for Safety, FMCSA
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
ACUSENSUS
Wednesday lunch catered by Jim N Nicks BBQ
ALABAMA TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE
Wednesday reception catered by Sweet Olive Eats
ALABAMA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION
Wednesday breakfast catered by T-Town Cafe
ARCADIS
Wednesday lunch dessert catered by Jim N Nicks BBQ
CENTER FOR ADVANCED PUBLIC SAFETY
Thursday lunch catered by Urban Cookhouse
DEREK D. BARRS, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, HNTB
Thursday lunch dessert catered by Urban Cookhouse
PREPASS SAFETY ALLIANCE
Thursday breakfast catered by T-Town Cafe
WALMART TRANSPORTATION
Weds & Thurs afternoon breaks catered by Celebrations Bakery, Inc.
Speaker BIOGRAPHIES
Speaker names are color-coded based on the entity type they represent.
GOVERNMENT
UNIVERSITY
LAW ENFORCEMENT
INDUSTRY
NON-PROFIT
JONATHAN ARCHER
On March 1st, 2023, Colonel Jonathan Archer was appointed by ALEA’s Secretary of Law Enforcement, Hal Taylor to be the Director of the ALEA Department of Public Safety. A native of Mobile, Colonel Jonathan Archer graduated from the University of South Alabama in 2002 with a bachelor’s in criminal justice and a master’s in public administration. He attended and graduated from the FBI’s prestigious National Academy, Session #265. His career in law enforcement over 19 years ago, when he joined the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Marine Police Division and was assigned to Baldwin County/Orange Beach Search and Rescue Unit. Colonel Archer has become a valued asset to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) since its consolidation. He previously served as the Chief of the Agency’s Driver License Division. Prior to that role, he held various leadership positions at ALEA, including Marine Patrol Training Coordinator, Law Enforcement Special Response Unit Commander, and Commander of both the Central and Southern Districts of the Marine Patrol Division.
MAX BANKSTON
Max received his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from Louisiana State University in 2017. Max previously worked as a student for CARTS where he developed internal applications, websites, and helped rewrite the reporting system for the Louisiana Traffic Records Data Report. Upon graduation, Max accepted a full-time position as an Application Developer with CARTS, where he continues to develop new applications and processes that play a key role in CARTS’ success. Specialized in full-stack development, Max’s extensive background in both frontend and backend technologies allows him to deliver comprehensive, end-toend solutions tailored to meet CARTS’ complex business needs.
DAVID BEVLY
Dr. David M. Bevly is the McNair Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Auburn University. He is the founder and director the Auburn’s GPS and Vehicle Dynamics Laboratory (GAVLAB) which focuses on the control and navigation of vehicles using GPS in conjunction with other sensors, such as Inertial Navigation System sensors. The GAVLAB’s research thrusts are focused towards vehicle dynamics and transportation systems, including heavy trucks, passenger cars, off-road vehicles, as well as autonomous and unmanned vehicles. Dr. Bevly received his B.S. from Texas A&M University in 1995, M.S from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1997, and Ph.D. from Stanford University in 2001 in Mechanical Engineering.
MANDY BOWDEN
Mandy Bowden is a Human Trafficking Program Coordinator for the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force, Office of the Attorney General. She serves as a liaison to state-level subcommittees of the Task Force, provides support to regional task forces in the Midlands area of the state, and implements other special projects for the state Task Force. Prior to this role, Ms. Bowden served as the Children’s Justice Act Coordinator at the Children’s Law Center within the University of South Carolina, School of Law. During this period, she coordinated the S.C. Children’s Justice Act Task Force, which is comprised of over 30 child abuse professionals across the state and facilitated accomplishment of Task Force recommendations and related training programs for the Children’s Law Center. Ms. Bowden has also served as a Child Victim/Witness Advocate as part of a special child abuse prosecution unit of the SC Commission on Prosecution Coordination. During this time, she traveled the state assisting a Child Abuse Attorney Specialist with the investigation and preparation of criminal court cases involving child victims of sexual
abuse, physical abuse, or homicide. Prior to that, Ms. Bowden was a Victim Services Coordinator for the Department of Juvenile Justice where she worked with victims of juvenile offenders and implemented a victim impact panel program. She has been an avid child and victim advocate, working or volunteering with an array of organizations that has given her a well-rounded experience in many aspects of the criminal justice system. Ms. Bowden received a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with an emphasis in Criminology, and a master’s degree from the University of South Carolina in Criminal Justice.
ALEX CABRAL
Mr. Cabral serves as the Deputy Regional Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 4 Office located in Atlanta, GA that services the Southeastern United States. Mr. Cabral has worked for NHTSA for 19 years. Mr. Cabral currently serves the Atlanta area Federal community as the ViceChair for the Atlanta Federal Executive Board. Previously, Mr. Cabral worked at the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) as the Impaired Driving, Occupant Protection and H.E.A.T. Program Coordinator for four years. Prior to working for GOHS, Mr. Cabral served as a police officer with the Henry and Floyd County Police Departments in Georgia, in which he specialized in community policing and traffic safety. Mr. Cabral helped establish Neighborhood Watch groups throughout Henry County and worked with developing community engagement and diversity outreach for the agency. Mr. Cabral is currently in his final phase as a Doctorate in Public Administration candidate at Valdosta State University, GA. His dissertation focus is on criminal justice and highway safety. Mr. Cabral holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of West Georgia and has an undergraduate degree in Psychology.
MARK COLSON
Mark Colson is a relentless advocate for Alabama’s vibrant trucking industry which is made up of more than 34,000 trucking companies and 125,000 employees representing 1 in 13 jobs in the state. Mark’s passion is sharing the amazing stories of the dedicated men and women who deliver 86% of all goods to Alabama communities. He also works to let everyone know that a career in trucking is a wonderful opportunity for job seekers of all ages from all walks of life. As Alabama’s top executive for trucking, he travels across the state building relationships that grow and foster the industry’s mission while enhancing its public image from the truck cab and shop floor to the corner office. He also works closely with policymakers in Montgomery and Washington D.C. to ensure they understand the essential part trucking plays in the global supply chain and its tremendous impact on the state’s economy and the daily lives of all Alabamians. Prior to leading the Alabama Trucking Association, Mark advocated for Alabama’s business community serving various leadership roles at the Business Council of Alabama (BCA), Alabama’s state chamber of commerce, including Interim President, Senior Vice President of Governmental Affairs, and Chief of Staff. Mark is a regular media commentator on transportation related topics. His service to the trucking industry reaches far beyond Alabama through his roles on the American Trucking Associations Strategic Priorities Committee and TRUCK PAC Board of Directors as well as with the American Transportation Research Institute’s (ATRI) Research Advisory Committee.
KEN COLVERT
Ken Colvert currently serves as the ALDOT West Central Region Advanced Traffic Systems Center Manager. He began working in this position in April 2019 after a successful career in the fire service, where he dedicated 25 years to serving as a firefighter paramedic. For 21 of those years, he had the honor of serving with the
Birmingham Fire and Rescue in Birmingham, AL. Following his retirement from the fire service, he transitioned to a career in transportation. Ken holds certifications in Emergency Management and Incident Command, and he is also one of three Traffic Incident Management Master Trainers in the State of Alabama.
BRETT FABBRI
Brett Fabbri is the Head of Law Enforcement Policy for Kodiak Robotics, a self-driving trucking technology company. In this role, Brett oversees Kodiak’s relationships with law enforcement agencies across the 50 states, to develop policies for, and train officers how to interact with self-driving trucks. Prior to joining Kodiak, Brett spent 30 years in law enforcement, and the last 23 years with the California Highway Patrol (CHP), retiring as Assistant Chief in the Enforcement and Planning Division. In this role, Brett provided managerial oversight of California’s Commercial Vehicle Program, and led CHP’s work on autonomous vehicle technology. Brett also served as Chair of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Enforcement and Industry Modernization Committee, which is responsible for evaluating how new technologies may impact commercial vehicle enforcement.
NICKOLAS FREEMAN
Dr. Nickolas K. Freeman is an Associate Professor of Operations Management in the Department of Information Systems, Statistics, and Management Science at The University of Alabama. He also serves as the Associate Director of Research for the Institute of Data and Analytics (IDA), the Coordinator for the Master of Science in Business Analytics program, and an Associate Editor of INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics. In the IDA, Dr. Freeman serves as a director of the STANDD initiative that focuses on the development of advanced analytics techniques for combating sex trafficking. Dr. Freeman’s expertise spans mathematical modeling, simulation, network modeling, and applied predictive modeling. Dr. Freeman’s research has been published in leading journal including Production and Operations Management, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, INFORMS Journal on Computing, and INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics. He has collaborated on several research efforts that have been selected as finalists for INFORMS Wagner Prize and Innovative Applications of Analytics Award.
HASIN GANDHAKWALA
As an experienced leader in the electric transportation industry, Hasin has spent his career driving innovation and growth in this rapidly evolving field. In his current role, he leads a cross-functional Electric Transportation team at Alabama Power, where he’s established the company’s first ET-focused team and developed strategic initiatives for electric vehicle growth. Prior to his role at Alabama Power, he led the Technology team at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama where he and his team focused on Honda’s next generation of vehicles. He holds an electrical engineering degree from Auburn University and lives in Vestavia with his wife and two boys.
BEN GREENBERG
Ben joined the North Carolina Trucking Association as President and CEO in October 2022. Prior to accepting this role, Ben served the NCTA in a variety of capacities, including the Allied Chairman position in 2020 and service on the Board of Directors as well as the SHRC Advisory Board. Ben started his professional career as an attorney servicing the transportation industry.
GREG HANDY
Sgt. Gregory Handy Jr. serves as the Data Quality supervisor for the Louisiana State Police Transportation Safety Service. His unit is responsible for the completeness, timeliness, accuracy, and consistency of State-reported crashes. Sgt. Handy has been employed by the Louisiana State Police for 17 years and has served in the Transportation Safety Service for 8 years. He has been in his current position for three years. He previously supervised the New Entrant Safety Auditors and managed the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program.
TRAYCE HOCKSTAD
Trayce Hockstad is an attorney and law and policy analyst at the Transportation Policy Research Center at the Alabama Transportation Institute. She is a member of the Alabama and Virginia State Bars and clerked for federal and state courts before joining the University of Alabama. Her main areas of research include legal issues related to cybersecurity, data privacy, autonomous vehicles, and anti-human trafficking.
JUENESSE HOLMAN
Juenesse Holman is the Deputy Director for the Regulatory Compliance Division of the Georgia Department of Driver Services. She has been with the agency since August of 2014. Ms. Holman manages teams that support the agency’s driver safety programs, including: Motorcycle Safety, Ignition Interlock, Driver Improvement, DUI and Risk Reduction, Driver Training, Third-Party Tester, Alcohol and Drug Awareness, For-Hire Endorsements and Commercial Driver’s Licensing. Under the Commercial Driver’s Licensing program, Ms. Holman manages multiple grants awarded by FMCSA, including Human Trafficking. Ms. Holman previously served as a consultant for the federal government supporting the Region IV Office of Head Start. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Albany State University.
TRAVIS INGOLD
Lieutenant Travis Ingold graduated from UNC-Wilmington in 1997 with a BA degree in Criminal Justice. He started in 1999 with the North Carolina Highway Patrol at the rank of Trooper. Ingold served Durham and Orange County for eight years as a Trooper conducting regular enforcement efforts and collision investigation functions. From 2007 to 2013, he served in Troop D (Central Piedmont area of NC) as a CVSA certified Trooper conducting roadside CMV Inspections. In 2013, Ingold was promoted into a regular field district C-3 Wake County, Raleigh, NC to the rank of Sergeant, serving until 2016. From 2016 to 2018, he made a lateral transfer to CVE HQ Section located in downtown Raleigh, NC, to serve in the MCSAP Sergeant position. From 2018 to 2024 Ingold was promoted to First Sergeant assigned to the CVE section HQ located in downtown Raleigh, NC, to serve as the MCSAP First Sergeant. Since June 2024, he has been serving as a Lieutenant assigned to the CVE Section located in downtown Raleigh, NC, serving as the MCSAP Lieutenant and is currently serving as CVSA Vice Chair for Driver-Traffic Enforcement Committee and CVSA Region II Vice President.
STEVEN JONES
Dr. Jones currently serves as a Professor, Department of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, the Interim Executive Director, Alabama Transportation Institute, and the Director, Transportation Policy Research Center. In addition to his roles with ATI, Dr. Steven Jones is an Associate Director of the National Center for Transportation Cybersecurity and Resiliency (TraCR) and the Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2), for which he also serves as the
Technology Transfer Director. Jones has over 30 years of experience in transportation engineering and planning. Before his current role, he was named the James R. Cudworth Professor of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering at The University of Alabama. During his distinguished career, Jones has been the principal investigator on $20 million in externally sponsored university projects and authored over 300 publications, including journal articles, conference papers, design manuals, and project reports. His expertise spans the globe. Jones is a charter member of the American Society of Civil Engineers Transportation and Development Institute, a former chair of its Public Transportation committee, and an active member of the Transportation Research Board. He serves on its Committee on Rural, Intercity Bus, and Specialized Transportation, and on the Institute of Transportation Engineers Standing Committee on Transit. He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Transportation Safety and Security.
TOM KEANE
Tom has proudly served the U.S. Department of Transportation for 31 years, the last 23 years with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). He currently serves as the Associate Administrator of Research and Registration, where he provides executive leadership directing the Office of Analysis, Research and Technology, as well as the Office of Registration, which oversees all motor carrier applications and insurance filings. Tom previously served as Director, FMCSA Office of Safety Programs, where he managed $400 million in annual grant programs, the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Division, which sets the nationwide testing and licensing standards for CDLs, and the North American Borders Divisions, which negotiates all medical standards and CDL reciprocity agreements with Canada and Mexico. Additionally, Tom has served as Director of FMCSA’s Eastern Service Center, Chief of the FMCSA State Programs Division and the FMCSA Analysis Division, as well as Senior Policy Advisor to the Associate Administrator for Field Operations. Tom began his federal career in 1992 with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), serving in the FHWA Offices of Policy Development and Infrastructure. Tom holds Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in applied economics from the University of Maryland, College Park.
TOM KELLY
Tom is a Program Manager within the FMCSA’s Advanced Technology Division with oversight of the Level VIII Electronic Inspections operational test, and ADS-equipped CMV inspections research. He is assigned to HQ in Washington DC, but works from his home in Auburn, ME. Prior to this position, he was the Innovative Technology Deployment (ITD) Program Manager, the FMCSA State Program Manager in the NH Division Office, and the Compliance Division Chief at FMCSA HQ in Washington DC. He was formerly with the Maine State Police from 1988-2012, retiring in January 2012 as the Commanding Officer of Troop K - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and is a past Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Vice President. He is a Graduate of the FBI National Academy and Educated at Andover College, Portland ME (Criminal Justice), St Joseph’s College, Standish, ME, the University of Virginia, and other educational institutions. He had 28 years in law enforcement at the time of his retirement and is a US Navy Veteran.
DAVID KIDD
David Kidd is a senior research scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Dr. Kidd is a recognized leader in applied research and vehicle safety whose work focuses on identifying data-driven, pragmatic solutions for prevent-
ing harm from crashes. He has developed multiple consumer safety information programs at IIHS and authored over 35 peer-reviewed papers on topics such as seat belt use, distracted driving, advanced driver assistance systems, and driving automation technology. Dr. Kidd received a doctorate from George Mason University in 2011.
KYLLA LANIER
Kylla Lanier is the Deputy Director and Senior Director of External Affairs for TAT a 501(c)3 organization that stands committed to educate, equip, empower and mobilize members of key industries and agencies to combat human trafficking. She is responsible for implementation of vision, public sector engagement, training and national promotion of the organization. She speaks on human trafficking at conferences, in the media, universities, industry meetings and makes operational decisions for TAT. She is responsible for TAT’s global expansion, implementation of TAT’s programming, including the Iowa Motor Vehicle Enforcement (MVE) model and pertinent legislation in all 50 states and conducts in-depth law enforcement trainings around the nation. She consults with international agencies that seek to replicate TAT’s model and instructs audiences on best practices for engaging with trafficking victims. Ms. Lanier has been involved in the fight against human trafficking since 2007 when she helped initiate the state coalition against trafficking in Oklahoma. In addition to her human trafficking work, she has authored a book called My Life Crazy about her experiences working with gangs in El Salvador in the mid-1990s. She was also named Broken Arrow Public Schools District Teacher of the Year in 2011.
SUE LAWLESS
Sue Lawless is the Executive Director and Chief Safety Officer for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). She assumed this role in August 2023. Previously, Ms. Lawless was the Director for FMCSA’s Office of Motor Carrier, Driver, and Vehicle Safety Standards Division where she was responsible for establishing sound safety policy for motor carrier, driver, vehicle, and medical programs. Ms. Lawless first joined FMCSA in 2001, and later transitioned to the private sector where she was a partner in a law firm and represented motor carriers, motor carrier drivers, and various transportation businesses. She rejoined FMCSA in 2010 and brings more than 20 years of experience in the private and federal motor carrier safety industry. She has also engaged with nearly every FMCSA program as a trial attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel, Division Chief, and Director within the Office of Policy.
JOHN LOHMEYER
John Lohmeyer is currently serving as the Chief, State Programs Division for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Prior to his current role, he was a Program Specialist. Lohmeyer received his bachelor’s of science in criminal justice and law enforcement administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.
ANDREW MARTIN
Andrew Martin is an experienced transportation researcher who is currently Program Manager of the Commercial Vehicle Technology & Policy program area at the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC). Most of Andrew’s research focuses on commercial vehicle technology deployments and evaluations; commercial vehicle data and policy analyses; IFTA, IRP, and weight-distance tax studies; facilitation of strategic planning for CMV-focused organizations; vehicle- and driver-focused research studies; and data quality investigations. Andrew has taken a leadership role in strategic planning, and facilitation for the Kentucky Transportation Cabi-
net’s (KYTC) Department of Vehicle Regulation, KYTC’s Innovative Technology Deployment (ITD) Team, and KYTC’s Kentucky CDL Advisory Committee. The Commercial Vehicle Technology & Policy program managed by Andrew also installs and evaluates existing and emerging CMV-related technologies for efficacy and safety impacts.
GARY MCCARTHY
Gary L. McCarthy is the Head of First Responder Policy at Aurora, a company building the next generation of self-driving vehicles with powerful, independent, and robust technology. After over 25 years in Law Enforcement, Mr. McCarthy transitioned to working with Autonomous Vehicles in 2020 and joined Aurora in 2021. Mr. McCarthy served the State of Arizona, beginning in 1994 as a Police Officer, promoting to Bureau Chief before his retirement in 2020. Much of his career was traffic safety focused, including investigating serious and fatal crashes and working as a DUI and DRE/HGN Instructor. Mr. McCarthy also attended Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command, class #208. Mr. McCarthy is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, International Association of Fire Chief’s, National Sheriff’s Association and a member of the Law Enforcement Advisory Board for the American Trucking Association.
PAUL MELANDER
Paul Melander is the State Programs Manager at the Southern Service Center. He has worked in the truck and bus safety area for over 40 years working as a Louisiana State Police Sergeant, Tennessee Public Service Commission Assistant Director with rail and motor carrier safety oversight, and a Safety Director for a regional motor carrier with over 300 power units. He has worked for FMCSA for over 15 years.
SHANNON MILLSAPS
Shannon Millsaps serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Thrive Regional Partnership. In this role, she manages partners and processes for Thrive’s robust portfolio of new and emerging initiatives. She stewards plans for the strategic development of the organization, as well as partnerships critical to organizational growth. Additionally, Shannon oversees programs dedicated to addressing critical transportation, infrastructure, and digital equity challenges across the tri-state, greater Chattanooga region. Before joining the Thrive team, Shannon spent 14 years in the broadcast television industry in Chattanooga, TN, and Asheville, NC. She was named to Chattanooga’s 20 Under 40 list in 2020 and is a proud graduate of the Leadership Tennessee NEXT program (Class VI), with additional leadership training through Dale Carnegie and The Poynter Institute. Shannon holds a Practitioners certificate in Strategic Doing TM from the University of North Alabama, as well as Individual and Group Crisis Intervention certificates from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. Most recently, her leadership in development of the Thrive Regional Infrastructure Portal was recognized with Chattanooga Technology Council’s Early Innovator Award.
ANIL MUJUMDAR
Anil A. Mujumdar is an Assistant Professor of Law in Residence at The University of Alabama School of Law. He teaches Introduction to Law, Poverty Law and Human Trafficking, and serves as coach to the BLSA Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition Team. For most of his career, Professor Mujumdar has concentrated his practice in white-collar criminal defense, which he learned through working in private practice with former U.S. Attorney and former U.S. Senator Doug Jones. In addition to his white-collar work, Professor Mujumdar is counsel in prison
conditions litigation brought to improve accessibility and mental health care for people with disabilities in the Alabama prison system. He has represented victims of child sex abuse and continues to litigate civil claims on behalf of survivors of human trafficking. Additionally, he has represented cities and counties in the national opioid multi-district litigation, which the Washington Post has described as “the largest civil action in U.S. history.” He is one of twelve members of the ACLU’s national Executive Committee, serves on the ACLU’s national Board of Directors and is past-President of the ACLU of Alabama. He currently serves as President of the board of directors for AIDS Alabama and serves on the boards of directors for Legal Services of Alabama, I See Me, Inc. (a local non-profit dedicated to increasing reading skills among of children of color), and the Sojourn Project (a national non-profit that organizes civil rights tours of the Deep South for high school students throughout the country). He previously has served on the boards of directors for Alabama Appleseed, the Magic City Bar Association, and as the president of the South Asian Bar Association Foundation. Since 2010, Professor Mujumdar has co-authored the LexisNexis treatise on Alabama Civil Procedure, and in 2021 he was selected by LexisNexis to serve as the new author of its treatise on Alabama Criminal Procedure formerly authored by the late Alabama Supreme Court Justice Hugh Maddox. Prior to teaching at Alabama Law, he taught as an adjunct at Stillman College, Miles Law School, and The University of Alabama in both the American Studies Department and the Department of Race and Gender Studies.
MIKE OATRIDGE
Michael Oatridge serves as the AMP Executive Director. AMP was established in partnership with Alabama Power Company and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc. as a research and workforce development center to meet the needs of the emerging electric vehicle market. Oatridge worked for Honda Motor Company for more than 30 years, retiring in 2021 as Senior Vice President of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. Oatridge joined Honda in 1989 as an engineer, taking on increasing responsibilities at its manufacturing plant in Ontario, Canada. His tenure included an assignment at company headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. He came to the plant in Lincoln, Alabama, in 2001 and became Vice President of Manufacturing Operations in 2010, a position he held until 2016 when he was promoted to Senior Vice President. In this position for five years, Oatridge directed day-to-day operations of a staff of over 6,000 employees, while ensuring the production of over 350,000 vehicles annually. He has been an Executive Board member of the Alabama Workforce Committee, Economic Partnership of Alabama and the Birmingham Business Alliance, and he has served as Chair of the Boards for the Japanese American Society of Alabama and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
NICHOLAS OWENS
Mr. Nick Owens, a Program Manager with eScience & Technology Solutions, Inc., is the Principal Investigator for the University of Cincinnati Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Specific Training for Clerks of Court project. He has over 30 years of experience in commercial vehicle operation program management and analysis at the state and federal levels of government. His prior experience includes serving as the Principal Investigator for the University of Cincinnati’s National CDL Program Assessment project, Principal Investigator for the FMCSA Automated Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspection Demonstrations and Evaluations project, and as Project Manager for the MCSAP National Review Program. He also served as a Motor Carrier Policy Analyst for the Maryland DOT.
JEREMY PATE
Dr. Jeremy Pate is the Director of the Center for Advanced Public Safety (CAPS) at The University of Alabama. CAPS is a 70-person R&D organization involving faculty, research scientists, engineers, and students - dedicated to innovation in traffic safety, law enforcement, and public safety technology, as well as research in decision support systems and data analytics. Dr. Pate has led multiple statewide traffic safety and software development projects in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, New Mexico, and Arkansas. In addition to his work on these projects, he is involved in computer science research in the areas of machine learning, intelligent analytics, and recommender systems.
MIZAN RAHMAN
Mizanur “Mizan” Rahman is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at The University of Alabama (UA), Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He is also the director of the Connected and Automated Mobility Laboratory (CAM Lab) at UA. His research focuses on transportation digital twins for proactive traffic safety and mobility. To date, he has received multiple federally funded projects from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). In 2024, he received the NSF Career Award.
DARRELL RUBAN
Darrell Ruban is the Associate Administrator, Office of Safety Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. As a senior executive leader, he has had the privilege of leading people in both the private and public sector. His efforts have resulted in exemplary measurable success in leading multiple Program and Divisions within complex organizations. It has resulted in key agency units as well as the agency becoming more efficient and effective with its services. Ruban’s expansive executive leadership experience as an Acting Associate Administrator and Director, Regional Field Administrator, Field Administrator, and Program Chief in HQ, demonstrates the characteristics necessary to lead, plan, communicate, and direct agency programs and personnel. His experience and success lead him to have continued goals to reduce crashes and save lives by strengthening our stakeholder relationships, working with FMCSA and partner organizations in collaboration, accountability, high morale, uniform processes, and organization. He remains committed to improving government services through innovation, inclusion, and accountability.
JILL RYBAR
Jill Rybar, MPH, is the Associate Director of TREDS where she oversees grant awards that aim to promote safety for all roadway users. She brings expertise in program management, training development, and research to the team. Jill serves on several committees of California’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan and is a presenter and coauthor on research projects. Previously, Jill held positions with Marin County Public Health Department and Kaiser Permanente, and she served on an advisory panel to the CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing to develop health education standards for teacher preparation. Jill received her undergraduate degree in health science from San Diego State University and her master’s in public health from the University of California Los Angeles.
TARYN SHEKITKA
Taryn Shekitka, IOM, CAE is the Director of Operations, South Carolina Trucking Association and the Chief Operating Officer, Associated Industries of South Carolina Foundation. Taryn Shekitka is a seasoned operations leader with over 19 years of experience at the South Carolina Trucking Association. As the Director of
Operations, she oversees the day-to-day activities, financials, and systems of the office, while playing a pivotal role in meeting the needs of members and partners. Taryn excels in managing educational opportunities, facilitating solutions for business operations, and building strong peer networks. Her extensive role also includes leading communications with governmental organizations, developing CTE programs, and supporting safety outreach initiatives. Taryn’s approach is centered on fostering meaningful connections within associations. She believes in the power of transparent communication, resilience, and entrepreneurial thinking. A servant leader and relationship builder, Taryn is dedicated to aligning goals, creating synergistic partnerships, and anticipating members’ needs to generate lasting value.
JEFFREY SHORT
Jeffrey Short is Vice President of the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) and is based in Atlanta, GA. His areas of expertise include transportation data management and analysis, trucking industry regulations, and alternative transportation fuels. Mr. Short is lead researcher for ATRI’s zero-emission truck and electric truck infrastructure research initiatives. He holds a BA from Emory University and an MS from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
GEORGIA STEELE
Dr. Georgia Steele is the Regional Field Administrator for FMCSA’s Southern Region, responsible for overseeing the reduction of crashes and fatalities involving large trucks and motor coach operations across multiple states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee. With over two decades of experience in motor vehicle administration, Dr. Steele’s executive journey began as the Assistant Commissioner of Licensing and Standards at the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission. She later served as Director of Georgia’s Motor Vehicle Division, where she modernized infrastructure, improved registration systems, and optimized operations to reduce errors and waste. She later held the position of Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Agency Operations, Governance, and Strategic Planning at the Georgia Department of Revenue, one of Georgia’s largest agencies. In 2018, Dr. Steele earned her Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California. She holds certifications as a Master Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a certified Culture and Leadership coach, which she leverages to drive operational success.
BRANDON VICK
First Sergeant Brandon Vick graduated from East Carolina University in 2002 with a BS degree in Electronics. He started his career with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol in 2005, serving in Franklin County for eight years as a Trooper conducting traffic enforcement and collision investigation functions. Vick served under two governors as a member of the Governor’s Executive Protection Detail from 2013-2020 and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in June of 2020. In November of 2022, he transferred to the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement section of the State Highway Patrol as a sergeant and in March of 2023 transferred to CVE Headquarters in downtown Raleigh, NC, to serve in the MCSAP Sergeant position. In June of 2024, Vick was promoted into the MCSAP First Sergeant position at CVE Headquarters in downtown Raleigh, NC, and is currently a voting member on the Enforcement and Industry Modernization Committee for CVSA.
CAPS engages in innovative, state-of-the-art software research and development, with the main purpose of helping others through knowledge and technology.
Our advancements in technology serve as an engine for enhancing interdisciplinary research at The University of Alabama.
We use leading-edge technologies to develop specialized software and services in a variety of areas, particularly traffic safety, law enforcement, and motor vehicle services. CAPS is proud to partner with over 40 federal and state sponsors including agencies such as FMCSA and NHTSA, and myriad state agencies in Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Alaska and Puerto Rico.
