2026 ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP & AWARDS GALA
Purse Raffle Donors
Transcend
KarenCoopersmith
LisaMcMichael
UES
DelynnHenry
RonkeOsibajo
WTSHoustonBoard
BarbaraKoslov
RobPowers
Silent Auction & Gala Game Donors
AshleyJones
CaitlinTimoney
IanRichard
StephanieGuillot&AngelaMcMurray
RonkeOsibajo
AECOM
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AtkinsRéalis
Axelerad
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FairytalePhotographyStudio
FleetFeet
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HDR
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HoustonBallet
IceatTheGalleria
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MainStreetTheater
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TheBurgerJoint
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TheatreUnderTheStars
TotalWine&More
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Thank you!
Onbehalfofthe2025-20
ommittee,thankyou foryourcontinuedcontributionstotheWTSHoustonChapter.Wearecommittedtoadvancingthe careersofwomenintransportationthrougheducationandprofessionaldevelopment.Withyour support,theWTSHoustonChapterisabletoencouragewomenpursuingcareersintransportation byawardinglocalscholarshipstostudentsatthehighschool,undergraduate,andgraduatelevels.
Our Scholarships
HELENEM.OVERLYMEMORIALSCHOLARSHIP
Thescholarshipisawardedtowomenpursuinggraduatestudiesintransportationorarelatedfield.Thisawardisfor $7,000
BRIDGETTEBEATOLEARDERSHIPLEGACYSCHOLARSHIP
Forgraduatestudentswhoarethefutureleadersoftransportationandwhodemonstrateinterestinadvancing transportationinnovation.Thisawardisfor$1,000.
SHAROND.BANKSMEMORIALUNDERGRADUATESCHOLARSHIP
Fostersthedevelopmentofwomeninthetransportationfieldbyencouragingbrightnewprofessionalsto undertakecareerintransportation.Thisawardisfor$6,000.
MOLITORISLEADERSHIPSCHOLARSHIP
Forundergraduatestudentsintransportationorrelatedfieldwhodemonstrateleadershipskills,ability,andinterest Thisawardisfor$1,000
G2XENDOWEDSCHOLARSHIP
GX2standsforGRIT&GRACE thefoundationofstrongfemaleleaders.Wemustberesilient,tenacious,and gracefulallatonce.Thisawardisfor$1,200.
COMMUNITYCOLLEGE/TECHNICAL/TRADESCHOOLSCHOLARSHIP
Fostersthedevelopmentofwomeninthetransportationfieldbyencouragingbrightnewprofessionalsto undertakecareerintransportation Thisawardis$3,500
TRANSPORTATIONYOUHIGHSCHOOLSCHOLARSHIP
Fostersthedevelopmentofwomenandgirlsintransportationfieldbyencouragingbright,newprofessionalsand studentstoundertakecareersintransportation.Thisawardisfor$3,500.
COMMISSIONERBRIONESENDOWEDSCHOLARSHIP
Fostersthedevelopmentofwomenandgirlsintransportationfieldbyencouragingbright,newprofessionalsand studentstoundertakecareersintransportation.Thisawardisfor$1,000.
ASCEINWEDENDOWEDSCHOLARSHIP
Celebratestheachievementsofwomeninengineeringandpromotesgreaterinclusionintheprofession This scholarshipaimstoempowerwomentobeleadersintheengineeringprofession Thisawardisfor$1,000
WTS Houston scholarships will be presented by our 2026 Titanium Sponsors.
WTS Houston Scholarship Winners
TRANSPORTATIONYOUHIGHSCHOOLSCHOLARSHIP
AerinCartensen StratfordHighSchool
AdeleForrest EnergyInstituteHighSchool
COMMUNITYCOLLEGE/TECHNICAL/TRADESCHOOLSCHOLARSHIP
Oluwaseyi(Maggie)Ogunnoiki
AssociateofScienceinMechanicalEngineering HoustonCityCollege
SHAROND.BANKSMEMORIALUNDERGRADUATESCHOLARSHIP
NancyMartinez
BachelorofScienceinCivilEngineering RiceUniversity
WTSMOLITORISLEADERSHIP&G2XENDOWEDSCHOLARSHIP
MajdaChakib
BachelorofScienceinSupplyChainandLogisticsTechnology UniversityofHouston
BRIDGETTEBEATOLEARDERSHIPLEGACYSCHOLARSHIP
NeginSoltani
MasterofScienceinTransportationPlanningandManagement TexasSouthernUniversity
HELENEM.OVERLYMEMORIALSCHOLARSHIP
ErinWilson
MasterofScienceinTransportationPlanningandEngineeringTechnology TexasSouthernUniversity
COMMISSIONERBRIONESENDOWEDSCHOLARSHIP
NancyMartinez
BachelorofScienceinCivilEngineering RiceUniversity
COMMISSIONERBRIONESENDOWEDSCHOLARSHIP
IndraniMaitra
CivilEngineeringUrbanInfrastructure&Management RiceUniversity
WTS Houston Award Recipients
YoungEngineeroftheYearAward YoussairaBelmokadem,PE
BridgeProjectEngineer,ProjectManager GannetFlemingTranSystems
MemberoftheYear
TaniaAcosta,EIT
GraduateEngineer RabaKistner,Inc.
SaraCoffey,PE
SeniorProjectEngineer Pape-Dawson
RosaParksDiversityLeadership
CourtneyCunningham,PE,ENVSP
SeniorEngineeringProjectManager,SpecialProjects HarrisCountyPrecinct4
InnovativeTransportationSolution
JessicaWiggins,AICP ManagerofCommunityPlanning PlacemakerP4!|Gulfton/SharpstownPlan HarrisCountyPrecinct4
EmployeroftheYear Pape-Dawson
HonorableRayLaHood
MichaelY.Ereti,PE Director,Development&Infrastructure HarrisCountyPrecinct1
WomanoftheYear
KellyWoodward ChiefOperatingOfficer HoustonAirportSystem
Aerin Carstensen is a 2026 Texas First Scholar graduating with distinction from Stratford High School in Houston, Texas. An early graduate ranked first in her class, she is an active participant in National Honor Society, Student Council, and Women in STEM. Aerin has been a Senior Team swimmer with Dad’s Club Aquatics for five years and is an American Red Cross certified lifeguard. Inspired by global travel experiences and her personal love for the water, she developed a strong interest in the maritime industry and its role in international trade She is excited to attend Texas A&M University at Galveston this fall to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Maritime Business Administration and Logistics Aerin is honored and grateful to the Houston Chapter of WTS for selecting her as their 2026 recipient of the Transportation YOU High School Scholarship
Adele Forrest Aerin Cartensen
Adele is a senior at Energy Institute High School who plans to pursue an aerospace engineering degree in the fall and is passionate about leading across STEM and community service. As Project Manager of the Energy HEROs FRC Robotics team, she oversees an 80-member organization and started a STEM outreach program mentoring middle school students Her commitment to community impact extends to her service on the City of Houston Mayor’s Youth Council and her 300+ volunteer hours with the Houston Food Bank, experiences that inform her interest in using engineering and transportation systems to expand access and opportunity for underserved communities
Oluwaseyi (Maggie) Ogunnoiki
Margaret is a Mechanical Engineering student with a lifelong passion for transportation, particularly aviation. Originally from Lagos Nigeria, she moved to the United States to pursue higher education and create better opportunities for herself. From a young age, she dreamed of becoming an aerospace engineer, but financial constraints led her to redirect her path toward mechanical engineering a field that allows her to build a strong technical foundation while still supporting her long-term career goals in transportation Beyond her love for aerospace engineering and automobiles, Margaret genuinely enjoys connecting with people and speaking with them Her journey has been shaped by resilience, determination, and perseverance. Receiving this scholarship represents more than financial support, it is an opportunity to continue transforming her aspirations into reality and moving closer to achieving her career goals in transportation!
Nancy Martinez
cy Martinez was raised in Houston by two loving immigrant ents who instilled in her the values of perseverance, service, and mmunity With their unwavering support and her hard work, she eloped a passion for improving transit and transportation ems in all communities. She is currently a junior at Rice versity pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering with a minor in rgy and Water Sustainability and Latin American Studies. In the mer of 2025, she interned with the Metropolitan Transit hority of Harris County, where she gained hands-on experience ublic transportation planning and infrastructure and fell in love with transit even more Nancy is deeply grateful to her professors, mentors, and peers for their guidance, and especially to her parents for their sacrifices and encouragement Sí se puede
Majda Chakib
Majda is a Supply Chain Management student with a strong commitment to leadership, collaboration, and creating meaningful impact Having lived in Germany for eight years and being fluent in
Liana Awe
Liana is a Civil/Environmental Engineering major at Rice University. For her final project, she led a team to analyze hydrogen refueling infrastructure, delivering a visionary final analysis that showcases her ability to problem-solve for modern transportation challenges Her dedication to exploring innovative solutions to today’s sustainability challenges reflects her strong work ethic and passion for the cause. Outside the classroom, she enjoys arts and crafts as well as recreational activities.
Negin Soltani
Negin Soltani is a master's student in transportation planning and management at Texas Southern University She earned her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Shiraz University, where she developed a strong foundation in infrastructure systems and transportation engineering.
She is deeply interested in research-driven transportation planning, infrastructure strategy, and analytical modeling Her graduate work focuses on transportation electrification and data-driven decisionmaking, with an emphasis on developing quantitative frameworks that support long-term system performance and sustainable mobility solutions. Her research has been presented at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.
In addition to her academic work, Negin has gained industry experience through engineering internships and professional collaboration, strengthening her ability to connect analytical research with real-world infrastructure challenges. She is passionate about advancing resilient and innovative transportation systems through both research and practice
Erin Wilson
Erin Wilson is a graduate student at Texas Southern University pursuing a Master of Science in Transportation Planning and Engineering Technology She serves as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Transportation Department, supporting research focused on innovative and sustainable mobility solutions.
Erin earned her undergraduate degree in Maritime Transportation with a concentration in Civil Engineering, which shaped her strong interest in multimodal infrastructure, freight systems, and port operations Her academic research centers on the feasibility and integration of Urban Air Mobility networks in Houston, with an emphasis on equitable access, safety, and connectivity to existing public transportation systems.
As a member of WTS Houston and an active participant in professional organizations including the Institute of Transportation Engineers and the American Society of Highway Engineers, Erin is committed to advancing the transportation field through leadership and service Looking ahead, she aspires to strengthen mobility across highway networks and improve freight efficiency for major port systems, particularly along the Gulf Coast She is passionate about building resilient, forward-thinking transportation infrastructure that supports economic growth while expanding access for communities
Indrani Maitra
Indrani Maitra is an undergraduate student at Rice University studying Civil Engineering with a major concentration in Urban Infrastructure and Management. She is passionate about applying her academic experience to the field of transportation engineeringgrowing up in the city of Houston, she has witnessed firsthand the inextricable relationship between transportation networks and the way a city functions The past two summers, she interned with the traffic departments for AECOM and WSP in Pittsburgh, PA and New York, NY respectively After graduation from Rice, she plans to return to AECOM as an Entry-Level Traffic Engineer in their New York, NY office
Youssaira Belmokadem, PE
The Young Engineer of the Year Award is given to a leader who demonstrates leadership, technical contributions to the engineering profession, and community service. Youssaira exemplifies these qualities through her technical expertise and leadership within the transportation community. She is a Bridge Project Engineer and Project Manager at GFT, with a decade of experience spanning the design, construction, and maintenance phases of transportation projects She has worked on a diverse portfolio of bridge and overpass projects, including design-build delivery, and has designed specialized structures to address unique engineering challenges
Youssaira has been an active member of the Houston Chapter of WTS, serving in many roles supporting scholarship, student outreach, and mentorship efforts prior to joining the Board in 2026 as Secretary. In addition to WTS, she currently serves as VPTechnical for the ASCE Houston Branch.
Tania Acosta, EIT
Tania Acosta is a Graduate Engineer for the Geotechnical department at Raba Kistner, Inc She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Tyler and is currently pursuing her Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Tania is active within TSPE where she serves as Director 2, WTS as a mentorship program co-chair and as chair of the volunteering and fundraising committees at Raba Kistner’s Houston Office. Outside of work, she en nights, baking, volunteering and knitting
Sara Coffey, PE
Sara Coffey is a Senior Project Engineer at Pape-Dawson in the Community Infrastructure group Her primary focus is roadway projects for local communities but has also worked inutilities After being a mentee, Sara became the WTS Mentorship Co-chair to lead the mentorship program and is starting her third year with the program. Outside of work Sara enjoys photography, playing with her dog, and traveling and trying new restaurants with her husband.
Courtney Cunningham, PE, ENV SP
Courtney Cunningham is a Senior Engineering Project Manager overseeing Signature Projects for Harris County Precinct 4. Her portfolio includes the reimagining of Burnett Bayland Park, Bayland Park, and the Tracy Gee Community Center, along with management of CDBG-MIT grant projects A licensed Professional Engineer with over 12 years of experience, she brings strategic leadership, technical expertise, and a strong community-focused vision to high-profile initiatives across the Precinct She is actively involved in professional and civic organizations such as WTS International, the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, NSBE Houston Professionals, and Houston Engineers Week, where she mentors emerging engineers and supports community initiatives Courtney has received multiple honors, including Young Engineer of the Year (2020–2021) from NSBE Houston Professionals and selection to the National Society of Professional Engineers’ Emerging Leaders Program A Chicago native and University of Mississippi graduate, she is a former Division I volleyball athlete and was recognized in the SEC’s Title IX 50th Anniversary celebration Now a longtime Houston resident, she values the city’s diversity and stays connected to her Latino and African American roots.
Jessica Wiggins, AICP
The Innovative Transportation Solution Award recognizes a leader who achieves project goals through an innovative project, initiative, or policy that addresses community needs Jessica demonstrated this data-driven, community-championed effort to communicate roadway improvements
She addressed funding needs by leveraging an unconventional source and turning it into a forward-thinking framework centered on transportation equity, safety, and environmental comfort. She then empowered a diverse team of women professionals, fostering a collaborative environment that shaped the plan’s design. Finally, the transportation concepts she developed, rooted in the philosophy of “approachable and intuitive” design, proved so effective that they are now included in the Texas Department of Transportation manual
The Employer of the Year supports WTS through membership, sponsorship, and employee involvement, and the company’s structure includes women in key leadership roles. In addition, the company provides career development and succession programs that advance women and provides opportunities for women to enter the transportation industry This year’s recipient, Pape-Dawson, exemplifies the WTS mission by creating an environment where women are empowered to lead, innovate, and provide their technical expertise to major infrastructure initiatives across Texas and the United States Women represent one-third of the executive roles in Houston, more than fifty percent of managerial roles, and represent fortytwo percent of all employees nationwide. Programs, including PD Women, provide tools, including training and leadership development, and mentorship to encourage the retention of talented women, while also encouraging them to grow their own careers.
Pape-Dawson supports the WTS Houston Chapter through continued sponsorship and employee participation Yanfen Zhou, Senior Project Manager, is Chapter Treasurer; Allison Schaub, Senior Project Manager, is Finance Co-Chair; and Sara Coffey, Project Engineer, is the Mentorship Program Co-Chair Pape-Dawson Leadership has participated as mentors for our Mentorship Program
Michael Y. Ereti
He is a first-generation immigrant from Ethiopia who c United States at age 17 while in high school. He briefly pla tennis at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, an licensed Professional Engineer in Texas and Arizona married to his wife, Ciara, and together they have six c one grandson A self-described traffic engineering “geek,” devoted fan of the Washington Commanders and Liverpo
With over 29 years of experience, Michael is a seasoned leader in both municipal and private public works. His c the design, construction, and planning of diverse in projects, along with more than a decade of national involv ough Transportation Research Board panels. He has held key roles including City Traffic Engineer for San Antonio and multiple leadership positions within Houston Public Works, ultimately serving as Director of Capital Projects. He currently serves as Director of the Development and Infrastructure Division for Harris County Precinct 1, where he leads efforts to deliver roadway, drainage, and park infrastructure that bring the Commissioner’s vision to life
Kelly Woodward
Kelly Woodward is the Chief Operating Officer for the Houston Airport System, bringing more than 20 years of aviation management experience across the public and private sectors. In her role, she leads strategic initiatives, drives 5-Star performance at Bush and Hobby airports, improves efficiency across all divisions, collaborates with stakeholders, and ensures operational excellence systemwide Most recently, she served as a Managing Director with AvAirPros, supporting the IAH Terminal B Transformation
Woodward previously spent over two decades with Houston Airports in various leadership roles, including Interim General Manager of Bush Airport and Assistant Director of Operational Readiness. She holds both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, is an FAA-certified commercial pilot and flight instructor, and a Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives. She is also a wife and mother of three who enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends
