2022 WTS SD Annual Awards & Scholarship Gala

WTS San Diego Chapter TEXT FOR TITLE

Annual Awards & Scholarship Gala

2022

explore. innovate. create.

WTS San Diego Chapter

President’s Message Lima Saft, PhD, PE, PMP

Innovation Manager, Caltrans, District 8

Welcome to the WTS San Diego 29th Annual Celebration of achievements in the Transportation Industry! We are excited to see you in person again!

Our collective commitment to advance mobility and access for all is now stronger than ever. We embrace change, continue to learn, appreciate and support one another, and celebrate professional and personal victories. Being a part of WTS empowers us to take on leadership roles within the organization, inspires us to pay it forward and teaches us how rewarding it is to give oneself to a greater purpose. The new professionals have many career opportunities, and we continue to see hiring, promotions and advancements in our industry. I hope that many of them are women, in alignment with WTS mission to attract, sustain, connect, and advance women’s careers to strengthen the transportation industry.

Our theme this year is Explore – Innovate – Create.

Each one of us is a treasure trove of ideas, solutions, new ways to tackle ongoing problems. How great would it be if we were empowered to take educated risks, think outside the box, and there were fewer obstacles to the experimentations and implementations?

And what a year it has been! As we are witnessing an economic and transformative boom in the transportation industry, there is a lot to be grateful about. Still, supporting the mission of our Organization is more vital in light of legal challenges that chip away at Women’s right to choose, which may result in obstacles in obtaining proper medical attention and accessing quality medical care. I am grateful to be living in California, one of a handful of states with an easy reach to clinics.

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The world events make us realize the fragility of life, peace and a certain future. The ongoing war in Ukraine, my country of birth, unified the righteous Ukrainian warriors not only to defend against the attacks of the malicious bullies, but also to protect their motherland’s right to exist, their children’s future, and the world’s stability and peace.

Great Britain’s longest reigning Monarch Elizabeth II, a woman of remarkable character, commitment to her people, and the air of decency, has passed away on September 8, 2022. She came as close as there is to having it all – ruling the empire, having a family, and serving her people. She was a great role model to many, and her legacy will live on.

Tonight, we celebrate Award Winners and Scholarship Recipients who embody the professional excellence and represent WTS’s values. We are so impressed with this year’s nominees that we had a hard time choosing just one in each category. This shows the caliber and quality of our region’s professionals, projects, and organizations!

Congratulations to the winners, and to the nominees – we look forward to your applications for next year’s awards!

I am very thankful to our WTS San Diego County Chapter board, the true stars of our organization!

Each one of them volunteers their time and talent for our chapter’s success and improving the impact of WTS for our members and partners! Thank you to our corporate sponsor who provide invaluable service to the people of our Region. Your support allows us to continue providing innumerable benefits to our members and the industry at large.

Please enjoy celebration!

networking

and

this

evening’s

WTS San Diego Chapter

President

Lima Saft, Caltrans Vice President

Cecily Taylor, SANDAG Secretary

Julie Froelich, Jacobs Treasurer

Melissa Gomez, Wood Rodgers

Annual Awards

Mentorship

Dawn Wilson, Michael Baker Intl.

Diane Vermeulen, Caltrans

Heather McGuffin, Fehr & Peers

Board Nominations

Debbie Leung, IBI Group Book Club

Seana Urquhart, Caltrans Communications

Immediate Past President

Marissa Twite, Katz and Associates Annie Merritt, AECOM

Brianna Pilkinton, ERM

Corporate Sponsorship

Director at Large

Chris Wahl, HNTB Aki Ghebre, Caltrans

Sunnie House, Sunnie House Strategies Director at Large

Eleanor Gonzalez, Caltrans Director at Large

Lorraine Ahlquist, Rincon Regional Council Liaison

Nensi Lakrori, SDSU

Programs

Nicole DePuy, Parsons Professional Development

Stacy Williams, Twining, Inc. Recognitions

Amy Restelli, Kimley Horn and Associates Claudia Brizuela, City of San Diego Scholarship

Marissa Thomas, TY Lin Jenny Vick, HDR

Diversity & Inclusion

Small Business Liaison

Kena Teon, SD MTS Danielle Zhang, Caltrans

Michelle Balk, Balk Biological, Inc. Ann Fox, Caltrans

Historian

Student Chapter Liaison

Lisa Madsen, Port of San Diego

Flavia DePlachette, City of San Diego

Membership

Morgan Wolfe, AECOM Carolyn Crull, AECOM

Transportation YOU

Eric Meisgeier, MCTC Shannon Gonzales, Kleinfelder

2022 WTS San Diego Chapter Board

Annual Awards & Scholarship Gala

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Welcome.

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6:00 – 6:15

La Jolla Taiko

6:15 – 6:30

Welcome & Toast

6:30 – 6:45

President’s Address

6:45 – 7:00

Intermission / Raffle

7:00 – 7:20

Keynote Speaker

7:20 – 7:45

Scholarships Presentation

7:45 – 8:00

Intermission / Raffle

8:00 – 9:00

Annual Awards Presentation

9:00 – 9:15

Closing Remarks / Raffle

Nensi Lakrori, Master of Ceremonies

Lima Saft, WTS San Diego Chapter President

Coleen Clementson, SANDAG

Marissa Thomas & Jenny Vick, Scholarship Chairs Eric Meisgeier & Shannon Gonzales, Transportation YOU

Claudia Brizuela & Amy Restelli (Jackson), Recognitions Leads Kena Teon & Danielle Zhang, Diversity & Inclusion

WTS San Diego Chapter

2022 Award Winners.

Member of the Year Award

Cecily Taylor, SANDAG Honorable Ray LaHood Award

Mark Kaems, Caltrans Employer of the Year Award

Parsons Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award

Caltrans District 11, Small Business Unit Innovative Transportation Solutions Award

Fourth & Fifth Avenue Bikeways Project Alternative Modes & Active Transportation Award

Mid-Coast Extension of the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley Pursuit of Excellence Award

Amy Restelli, Kimley-Horn Woman of the Year Award

Sharon Humphreys, SANDAG Lifetime Achievement Award

Patricia McColl, HNTB

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Honorary Speakers.

Keynote Speaker

Coleen Clementson Coleen Clementson is the Deputy CEO for the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) overseeing the work on a transformational transportation plan for the region as part of the 2021 Regional Plan and plans for a Grand Central Station that will connect to the San Diego International Airport.

SANDAG is the Metropolitan Planning Organization responsible for planning and developing the San Diego region’s multimodal transportation network. The region serves nearly every mode of freight between its two commercial land ports of entry, an international airport, major interstates and arterials, freight rail lines, and a seaport. The region is also home to the largest concentration of military assets in the world, which rely heavily on our goods movement system so critical to national security and resiliency. As a member of the California-Baja California megaregion, SANDAG brings the influence of cross border travel and bilateral trade to the CAGTC Board of Directors and champions binational cooperation, equity, climate, and air quality, as well as economic competitiveness in discussion with our federal partners.

Coleen’s work includes oversight and implementation of the Regional Plan, which sets forth a strategy for the region’s future growth and development that will provide more housing and transportation options while preserving important open space and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with California Climate Change legislation. In addition, she leads work to integrate health, housing, social equity, sustainability in regional transportation efforts along with on-going performance monitoring.

Coleen has more than 20 years of experience in the public sector land use and transportation planning in the San Diego region. She has extensive experience in public involvement through preparation and implementation of several large-scale long-range planning and policy documents and smaller-scale neighborhood revitalization plans.

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WTS San Diego Chapter

Master of Ceremonies

Nensi Lakrori

Nensi Lakrori is a full-time lecturer in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at San Diego State University (SDSU). For nearly ten years Ms. Lakrori worked in project design and delivery on both transportation and rail-related projects in Michigan, Indiana, and Southern California. She began her career as a highway design engineer in Michigan before moving to California to work on the I-15 Managed Lanes and the SR-73 Toll Road widening projects.

Ms. Lakrori holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University, where she also served as Chi Epsilon chapter president for two years, and an M.S. in Transportation Engineering from SDSU. She is a registered P.E. in California, holds a LEED AP Building & Construction accreditation as well as OSHA 10 certification. Since 2015 she has taught civil design, construction, and construction management courses and continues to help students acquire the skills necessary to reach their fullest potential upon graduation.

In 2019 Ms. Lakrori was awarded both the “Most Influential Faculty Award” in the SDSU Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Department as well as “Most Outstanding Engineering Educator” by the San Diego County Engineers Council.

In addition to teaching, she acts as Faculty Advisor for the San Diego State chapters of WTS, Tau Beta Pi, and the American Concrete Institute (ACI). She also serves as the Pacific West Region Council Chair for WTS. Outside of the classroom her two young and energetic boys are continuously helping her fine-tune the work-life equation.

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Thank you to our Event Sponsors This event would not be possible without your generous support.

Registration

Dessert

Party Favor

Centerpiece

Cocktail Reception

Champaign Check-in

Audio-Visual

Photographer

Entertainment

Raffle

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WTS San Diego Chapter

REGISTRATION AD – FULL PAGE

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Scholarship.

Jury Panelists

Denella Morgan

Caltrans

Denella Blount is the Deputy District Director of Administration for Caltrans District 11 serving San Diego and Imperial Counties. She oversees the administrative business functions for District 11 and actively promotes the Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals of Caltrans.

She serves as the Chairperson for both the Equity Committee and the Transportation Engineer Rotation Program. She has found that career success is linked to clear communication, networking with peers and partners, and being open to new opportunities through mentoring (formal and informal) and training. She believes it is important to invest in your professional future by having a willingness to learn, finding ways to stay motivated, and fostering strong partnerships. In her free time, she loves hanging out with family, dancing, and working with her sister in their efforts to support the local midwifery community with outreach, services, and education to combat the high mortality birth rate for the Black and Indigenous People of Color and underserved communities.

Patrick Harder Nossaman

As Chair of Nossaman’s Infrastructure Group, Mr. Harder offers the benefit of his more than 30 years of legal experience managing cutting-edge procurements for public agencies. He is widely known for leadership in the field of public construction, including the use of P3s and other innovative project delivery methods. Mr. Harder’s deep private sector background broadens his perspective in assisting public clients. Before joining the Firm, he served as general counsel for two of the world’s largest construction and engineering firms, both based in Japan. Patrick has advised on numerous innovative procurements for projects, including DesignBuild, P3s, lease/lease-back and construction manager/general contractor transactions. He led the Nossaman team that advised the University of California on the UC Merced 2020 Campus Expansion Project and Los Angeles World Airports on their $2 billion ConRAC and $4.9 billion APM projects. He has also served as lead advising the Florida Department of Transportation on the Port of Miami Tunnel and the I-4 Ultimate project.

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WTS San Diego Chapter

Mimi Morisaki SANDAG

Ms. Morisaki is a Senior Corridor Planner at SANDAG. She has eight years of experience in community, city, and regional planning in the San Diego region where she is currently serving as a Project Manager for several Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plans (CMCPs). Ms. Morisaki was a previous WTS San Diego scholarship recipient and served as a Scholarship Co-Chair. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration with an Emphasis in City Planning and a master’s degree in City Planning from San Diego State University.

Briana Pilkinton

ERM

Ms. Pilkinton has nearly 20 years of experience leading multidisciplinary teams for a wide variety of public and private infrastructure projects. Her expertise includes environmental and regulatory permitting, public outreach, preparation of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents, Regulatory Permitting and Compliance, Environmental and Social Justice, and Sustainability.

Ms. Pilkinton’s interests span from Seaports to Airports and everything in between. Her work supporting autonomous electric vehicle infrastructure and alternative & renewable fuels technologies has earned her recognition in SD Metro Magazine and Engineering News Record (ENR California). Ms. Pilkinton is also a dedicated volunteer and passionate about transportation and women in STEM careers. She has served on the board for several years and is the Immediate Past President of WTS San Diego County. She is currently supporting WTS San Diego’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee as the Executive Board Liaison.

Brian Riley San Diego MTS

Mr. Riley is the Superintendent of Transportation for the Rail Division of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and currently serves as the Chairman of two committees: the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Operating Practices Working Group (OPWG) and the Mid-Coast Extension Rail Activation Committee. Mr. Riley's education includes Bachelor of Science, Business Administration in Management, ENO Center for Transportation Leadership, San Diego State University, Professional Certificate in Management and Leadership Transit Safety Institute, Transit System Safety Program Certificate, The Railway Education Bureau, and Basic & Advanced Principles of Track Maintenance.

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HDR AD

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WTS San Diego Chapter

FLATIRON CONSTRUCTION

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Transportation YOU What did you want to be when you grew up? Was your first thought something in the transportation industry?

“Wait, let me guess. It wasn’t, huh?” The hope of the WTS Transportation YOU program is to change that, so that maybe kids in the next generation do start thinking of transportation careers at a younger age.

In the words of Marian Wright Edelman, “you can’t be what you can’t see.”

Transportation YOU is a hands-on, interactive, mentoring program that offers students ages 13-18 an introduction to a wide variety of transportation careers. The mission of the Transportation YOU program is to develop the next generation of the transportation industry by growing the involvement and interest of girls and young women in STEM studies.

In WTS-San Diego, 2022 was the year of rebuilding. We focused our energy and resources on reaching out to county schools and school districts to see ways we could get involved in career fairs, presentations, or other school events. We were more successful than we ever thought possible. This success was particularly made possible through our partnership with the Poway Unified School District Career Technical Education (CTE) program and our corporate sponsor Wood Rodgers Inc. To reframe Marian Wright Edelman’s quote, children cannot be what they cannot see. Our hope is that through the Transportation YOU program, children do see us.

If you are interested in participating in the Transportation YOU program or know of an organization, school, or program that may be interested in connecting with us please reach out to Shannon at sgonzales@kleinfelder.com or the committee co-chair, Eric Meisgeier, at emeisgeier@mctcjv.com.

The outstanding Transportation YOU programs this year would not have been possible without the help of our sponsor, Wood Rodgers Inc. From having a representative in attendance at every career fair we participated in, to ordering an informational board that breaks down four different transportation engineering career paths, to providing funding for our roadway board visual aid, to providing a scholarship to one lucky high school student. It is safe to say that Wood Rodgers Inc. understood the assignment. Thank you Wood Rodgers Inc. for supporting the WTS-San Diego Transportation YOU program!

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WTS San Diego Chapter

Emily Stevenson, Lead CTE Counselor Transportation YOU connected with Emily Stevenson, the Lead Career Technical Education (CTE) Counselor for the Poway Unified School District. Thanks to Emily, between January and June of this year we participated in three career fairs (ranging from elementary school to high school), a career panel discussion, and two elementary school presentations within PUSD. Emily was a huge help in getting the Transportation YOU program an opportunity to flourish and get the transportation industry exposure to the next generation. Emily, thank you for this partnership, we look forward to continuing our involvement with the PUSD CTE program.

High School Scholarship Recipient Chase Brown,

Point Loma High School (Northeastern University) Growing up in a world of constant evolution in communication and technology, Chase wants to be part of the next generation, willing to find innovative ways to take on the business world. Growing up with parents in the finance and marketing industry, Chase often found herself examining these fields behind the scenes. While observing the strategies and executions of well-organized plans via a system of operations, she naturally questions how executing these systems can be done differently and more efficiently by adopting evolving technologies such as cloud computing technology and artificial intelligence. A recent graduate from Point Loma High School, Chase is a first-year student at Northeastern University pursuing a degree in Business Administration with a focus on Supply Chain Management.

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Undergraduate Scholarship Recipients Anica Deche,

San Diego State University

Anica attends San Diego State University, pursuing her undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering, and is an Engineering Intern at Dokken Engineering. As a firstgeneration immigrant from humble origins, Anica always believed hard work and dedication would lead her to where she needed to go. Financially independent from her family since the age of 19, Anica has created for herself a foundation of fortitude and self-reliance as she proceeds to build her future career as a civil engineer. As a member of various organizations, including the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and WTS SDSU chapter, she dedicates her time to creating inclusive environments by advancing women's participation in engineering, specifically transportation engineering. Anica finds these communities represent individuals like her and believes all people have a right to belong.

Imerda Mokili, San Diego State University

Imerda is a 3rd-year civil engineering student at San Diego State University (SDSU). Wanting to pursue her career in transportation, she has taken advantage of a few of the young professional and engineering clubs offered at SDSU, notably the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and WTS. Through the opportunities provided by these school clubs, Imerda has developed her leadership style through volunteering in officer positions and gained a more holistic understanding of the transportation industry.

She has also taken advantage of the network opportunities resulting in two competitive internships. Through her current internship with TYLIN International, Imerda has found her focus for a future career in Rail and Transit.

Inayah Morris, San Diego State University

Inayah is a first-generation American who attends San Diego State University and is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering. She developed an interest in engineering while attending a STEM-focused high school in the Bay Area. Throughout her academic career, she has always strived to be a leader. In the first year back to in-person attendance since the pandemic, Inayah served as President of the Society of Women Engineers (SDSU Chapter).

Under Inayah's leadership, not only did her organization have a successful year with an increase in their membership, but her executive team issued their organization's first member scholarship. Passionate about the future of transportation innovations, Inayah intends to pursue a career in transportation, with a focus on rail. She recognizes climate change and reduction in carbon emission are a critical issues for California. Inayah hopes to be a part of the changes in our transportation infrastructure by helping implement more efficient rail transportation systems.

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WTS San Diego Chapter

Jillian Arthur,

San Diego State University

Jillian is a 4th-year civil engineering student at San Diego State University (SDSU).

Wanting to understand more about engineering and her career goals, she has taken advantage of a few of the young professional and engineering clubs offered at SDSU, notably Chi Epsilon, Tau Beta Pi, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and WTS.

WTS was her introduction to the transportation profession, and after attending meetings and hearing from guest speakers, Jillian knew transportation was the discipline of civil engineering she wanted to pursue. Her internships at AECOM and now Kimley-Horn reaffirmed her decision to pursue a career in the transportation industry through her hands-on experience in the design process of roadways, pipelines, and land development. Once she graduates, Jillian aims to pursue her career in transportation, seeking to become a licensed engineer and eventually a project manager.

Julianna Quinn,

San Diego State University

Julianna is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Structural Engineering at the University of California in San Diego (UCSD). An active volunteer and leader for organizations like SHPE, Julianna has organized student programs like Night of Engineering (Noche de Ingeniro) targeted at underserved communities in San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. She also volunteers as a mentor in the SHPEtines program, where she connects with incoming women first-year students in the structural engineering major. Using the skills developed from volunteer opportunities at UCSD, Julianna has showcased her natural leadership abilities with her current engineering internship at Kitchell Contractors Inc. As a Project Engineer Intern, she has had the opportunity to explore the fundamentals of the construction industry, where she finds construction management engaging. She plans to continue building her professional career, challenging herself as a woman, proud Latina, and engineer through continual learning as a structural engineer in the transportation and construction industries.

Nicole Gee,

San Diego State University

Nicole Gee is a San Diego State University (SDSU) junior pursuing her B.S. in Civil Engineering. Inspired by her father's career as a Senior Bridge Engineer for Caltrans, she grew up learning the importance of civil engineering in the transportation industry. Two years of coursework into her chosen degree and her current internship at Dokken have furthered her passion for transportation. Through her internship, Nicole was exposed to roadway design and construction projects within the San Diego Community. In addition to her internship experience, Nicole has developed her leadership skills through two executive board positions with Engineers without Borders at SDSU. Once she graduates, Nicole aims to be a professional engineer licensed in California and New York and build a career roadway design firm focused on sustainable solutions that can impact and improve both the built environment and the community.

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KIMLEY HORN AD

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Graduate Scholarship Recipients Alexis Morris,

San Diego State University

Growing up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Alexis' only commute options were walking, biking or public transit, which weren't easy or safe sometimes. Visiting places like New York City and London, she found herself both frustrated and amazed at the differences in available transportation options, especially non-motorized, compared to California.

Traveling helped solidify her decision to pursue a career in planning. The most significant takeaway from her travels and studies is that there are opportunities to achieve a transit-oriented system that is safe and efficient for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit riders. As she pursues her Master's in City Planning, Alexis works as a research assistant under a San Diego State University (SDSU) professor, studying bicycle and pedestrian traffic counters in San Diego County. She is also a student assistant at the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), focusing on active transportation, assisting with projects like Active Transportation Program grant applications and research and data analysis emphasizing Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping.

Bita Etaati,

San Diego State University

Raised in Iran, Bita was always aware of the impacts of traffic safety and active transportation fatalities on in her country. Active transportation can be an excellent mechanism for promoting health benefits, reducing traffic congestion, and improving the quality of the local environment. Currently a graduate student at San Diego State University, Bita became interested in the application of data analysis in traffic safety. As a research assistant for the Smart Transportation Analytics Research (STAR) Lab at San Diego State University (SDSU), Bita works alongside four faculty members researching pedestrian and bicycle safety in Chula Vista, focusing on Safe Routes to School. After graduation, she plans to continue furthering research in this area, focusing on pedestrian and bicycle accidents and how to improve traffic safety through artificial intelligence.

Gretchen Eichar,

San Diego State University

In late 2020, with a career spanning two decades, Gretchen's supervisor closed a holiday meeting by saying they would discuss her personal goals for the future.

Assessing her role, she was happy with her success in reaching a senior planner position with the City of San Diego, but felt she had more leadership skills to offer.

After reviewing employment opportunities, Gretchen realized she was well-qualified for multiple leadership positions. Still, a graduate degree in public affairs would give her a competitive edge when seeking a more advanced leadership position. As an environmental planner with the City of San Diego since 2015, Gretchen has been involved with environmental assessment and compliance, leading to permitting capital projects. She previously worked at Caltrans, handling environmental assessment for transportation infrastructure. She has also worked in Lake Tahoe in regulatory permitting and environmental compliance as a consultant and for a nonprofit focused on environmental conservation. Not planning to retire early, Gretchen intends to continue her career and further professional growth.

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WTS San Diego Chapter

Ioana Tcholakova,

University of Oxford

Ioana discovered her passion for transportation as an environmental studies undergraduate at the University of San Diego. Experiencing the frustrations and inefficiencies associated with public transit, she realized the detrimental impacts to our climate and social justice issues for marginalized communities dependent on public transit for daily needs. A transportation professional, Ioni has taken advantage of opportunities to work in various west coast communities, including the County of Hawai'i and the County of San Diego. Using her unique public transportation perspective, Ioana has provided critical input while participating in regional partnerships with local stakeholders to support better, creative solutions for increasing access to mobility in the regions where she has lived. Ioana is pursuing a master's in Sustainable Urban Development at the University of Oxford while living in San Diego and maintaining full-time employment as a transit planner at NCTD.

Ivett Luna,

University of California San Diego

At 16, Ivett immigrated from a small town in Mexico with no knowledge of English and very few plans to pursue a career. It was on that journey, at the back of a Greyhound bus, that she saw the San Diego Coronado Bridge for the first time.

Having only ever seen two-story buildings and homes, Ivett was not only amazed but wanted to understand how something as incredible as the Coronado Bridge could be built. Once she gained proficiency in English, she began taking courses at Palomar Community College and eventually transferred to the University of California San Diego (UCSD) to pursue a bachelor's in structural engineering. Ivett not only views transportation systems as an integral aspect of efficient infrastructure but as a necessity for a thriving community and for moving. Ivett's goal is to become a leader at a fully integrated engineering firm that forefronts innovative solutions for safe and efficient transportation systems. Ivett is currently a candidate for the Master's program in Structural Engineering at UCSD.

Jacqueleen Weeden, San Diego State University

Growing up in San Diego as a Mexican-American, Jacqueleen frequently visited Tijuana, waiting up to 8 hours to cross one of the busiest international borders. It wasn't until her early academic career that she made the connections between the impact to the border communities from idling vehicles, locals working at the border to sell goods, and greenhouse gas emissions damaging our environment. As an undergrad studying Sustainability at San Diego State University (SDSU), Jacqueleen joined the WTS SDSU Chapter and began an internship in the Sustainability and Climate Action Planning department at Caltrans. Through these opportunities, she learned how transportation and climate change go hand in hand when implementing ethical initiatives in our transportation systems and values to enhance our local communities. Passionate to learn more about her Chicana heritage, Jacqueleen is interested in combining her passion for sustainable communities and transportation in local communities she and her family call home in Mexico and San Diego. Jacqueleen currently works full-time as a fellow with the City of La Mesa, leading projects to implement Climate Action Plan measures in local municipal facilities.

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Graduate Scholarship Recipients Marina Montijo,

San Diego State University

As a first-generation college student and second-generation Mexican American, Marina has always been interested in community-oriented work that aims to better the lives of those who come from underserved communities. After taking an environmental racism course at UC San Diego, Marina was fascinated by the issues of race and space and how these topics affect the development of cities and neighborhoods over time. The connection between politics and public opinion, the environment and space, socioeconomic and gender inequalities, and housing policy became increasingly apparent, and urban planning seemed to be at the center of them all. With her experience as a planning intern for the City of Poway and her academic studies in city planning at San Diego State University, Marina discovered a relationship between housing and transportation and the importance of supplying adequate transit options close to people's homes.

Marina plans to continue her academic exploration into the discrepancies in the experience of people using transportation systems, becoming an advocate for equitable transportation planning practices. Having earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science-Data Analytics from UC San Diego, Marina Montijo is pursuing a Master of City Planning (MCP) at San Diego State University (SDSU).

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WTS San Diego Chapter

Parsons

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Annual Awards. Jury Panelists Bethany Garretson

Mott MacDonald

Ms. Garretson has focused the last 17 of her 23 years of experience on the planning, design, and construction of transportation infrastructure throughout the San Diego region. In addition to serving as Engineer of Record, Project Manager, and Project Principal on some of the region’s most significant projects, she has served multiple roles on the WTS San Diego Chapter Board and has hired and/or mentored dozens of young women who contribute to the excellence and diversity of our industry.

Les Hopper

Michael Baker International Mr. Hopper currently serves as the Western Region Transportation Leader for Michael Baker International. He has 40 plus years of hands-on experience in the management, planning, permitting, and design of both public and private projects from inception through construction. He brings specialization in the coordination of owner, multiple agencies, and stakeholders on large scale complex projects - with an emphasis on gaining approvals through each process milestone. Les is a prior board member for both the San Diego and Nevada WTS chapters, and he is also the past chair of the SANDAG/ ACEC liaison group, as well as a past president of the San Diego Transportation Development Association (SDTDA). He is currently serving as a member of the Independent Taxpayers Oversight Committee (ITOC) for SANDAG. Outside of work Les enjoys competing in Hawaiian outrigger and standup paddling events as well as mountain biking.

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WTS San Diego Chapter

Danielle Kochman SANDAG

Ms. Kochman has been with the San Diego Association of Governments since 2016, initially joining the transit planning team. In 2018 she moved to the Mobility & Innovation team, which in 2022 merged with the Regional Planning Department, where she serves as Manager of Strategic Partnerships managing the group responsible for planning and deploying new programs, services, and pilot projects that leverage emerging mobility services and technology to expand personal mobility and improve access to transit. She received her undergraduate degree in Economics at UC San Diego, completed a certificate program at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, and began her career as a Regional Planner at the San Joaquin Council of Governments.

Alyssa Muto

City of San Diego

Ms. Muto joined the City in early 2016, as the Deputy Director of Planning, where she worked on many long-range planning initiatives around housing and mobility, as well as new citywide policies for parks and open space. In 2017, Ms. Muto oversaw the City’s successful adoption of citywide residential parking reform, removing parking minimums within transit areas, and requiring transportation amenities to support alternate modes of transportation, and most recently brought forward a companion ordinance for parking reform for non-residential uses. She has been a leader in the City working cross-departmentally to strategize new mobility technologies and identify methods to increase safe mobility options for residents of all ages and abilities. Ms. Muto recently accepted the position of Director for the newly merged Sustainability & Mobility Department within the City of San Diego. The new department is comprised of three pillars of initiatives Climate Action, Mobility, and Energy – all of which are closely connected and have clear linkages for creating a more sustainable and resilient City.

Ms. Muto received her Master’s degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in City Planning from San Diego State University and has 20 years of planning experience in San Diego in both the public and private sectors.

Phuong Nguyen

CR Associates

Mr. Nguyen, a Senior Traffic Engineer with CR Associates, has dedicated his professional career to improving multimodal transportation safety and efficiency. His interest in the field stems from the diverse transportation systems he has experienced through world travel and growing up in Vietnam. As a City Heights resident of over 20 years, Phuong is passionate about providing equitable transportation solutions and involving underserved communities in mobility planning processes.

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Caridad Sanchez Caltrans

Ms. Sanchez is the Chief of Public and Legislative Affairs for Caltrans District 11 covering San Diego and Imperial Counties. She is the Chief of Public Relations, Communications and Public Information and legislative advisor to the District. Ms. Sanchez also serves as the District focal point for providing products and services to the Caltrans External Affairs Division in Sacramento, the California State Transportation Agency and the Governor’s Office. Previously, she served as the San Diego and Imperial Counties regional Director for United States Senator Barbara Boxer, where she oversaw the day-to-day operation of the San Diego office.

Ms. Sanchez’s interest in public affairs developed from her experiences growing up in San Diego's toughest inner-city neighborhoods. She remembers her mother, a housekeeper, working hard to improve their quality of life. She and her mother, Cristina, actively participated in political campaigns and organized voter registration drives. Through these life experiences, Ms. Sanchez developed an understanding of and deep commitment to improving her community and country. She graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in History and Political Science. She previously worked as a senior community representative in the office of United States Congresswoman Susan Davis in San Diego. She serves as the Chair of the City of San Diego Ethics Commission and member of the Our Lady’s School Parent Teacher Organization. Ms. Sanchez and her husband Nicolaz Portillo remain active in school and civic organizations. They live in Southcrest, with their sons Nicolaz, Jr. (12) and Cruz (7) and dog Ira.

Bruce Urquhart

Retired | SDSU Adjunct Professor Mr. Urquhart has over 37 years of experience in the land surveying and management disciplines. His last position at Caltrans was the Division Chief for Land Surveys in District 11 (San Diego). For the past 30 years, he has also been an adjunct professor at San Diego State University (SDSU) teaching Surveying for Civil Engineers. Since retirement, Mr. Urquhart’s focus has been on teaching at SDSU. In addition, he’s been an active member of the San Diego Chapter of WTS for the past eleven years. He’s been a mentor in the Mentor Program, served as a judge for the WTS Annual Awards and Scholarships, and continues to participate in WTS activities and events on a regular basis. As a faculty member at SDSU, he is a strong supporter of the Student Chapter of WTS.

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WTS San Diego Chapter

2022 Corporate Sponsors.

Platinum HDR, Inc. HNTB IBI Group Jacobs Kimley Horn MCTC TYLIN

Gold AECOM CDM Smith Dokken Engineering Michael Baker International Mott MacDonald NV5 Parsons WSP

Silver Fehr & Peers ICF STC Traffic Twining Wood Rogers, Inc.

Small Business Balk Biological Blue Lake Civil Centric CR Associates Katz & Associates Annual Awards & Scholarship Gala

KTUA LLG Engineers Paradigm Mechanical Corp.

VRPA Technologies 29

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Diversity & Inclusion Committee 2022 Mission Statement: Enhance the benefits of our Chapter by ensuring diversity is always at the forefront of all members, program panels and topics in an inclusive and accepting atmosphere. WTS San Diego County is a professional organization chapter whose membership includes all transportation industry professions, representatives of public, private, and academic organizations, and people of various backgrounds; whose programs cover diverse subjects and panels, and whose recognition awards and scholarships reach diverse applicant pool.

Achievements: In 2022, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee hosted and/or participated in Programs, Events, Memberships and WTS Board/Committee meetings to ensure equity and inclusion within the SD Chapter was impartial and at the forefront of this Chapters objectives.

Committee Members:

Top Row Left to Right: Danielle Zhang, Melina Pereira, Latosha Hardage, Thet Tyke, Carla Perez Bottom Row Left to Right: Kena Teon, Brianna Pilkinton, Annie Merrit, Aki Ghebret, Olivia Lincoln WTS San Diego Chapter

Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award

Caltrans District 11 SBU

The Caltrans District 11 Small Business Unit (SBU) implements and ensures that the District has an effective Small Business (SB), Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (DVBE), and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. SBU is responsible for the District’s full compliance on all Federal and state laws, rules, regulations, goals, and policies. Senate Bill 103 required Caltrans to develop an outreach plan to increase by up to 100% of the dollar value of contracts awarded to SB, DVBE, and DBE certified firms.

The SBU’s outreach efforts are coordinated at a local, regional, and statewide level with external and internal partners. In 2021, in addition to recurring events and meetings with various agencies and associations, SBU has participated in 30 Statewide Small Business Committee and Council Meetings, hosted 15 District 11 Small Business Committee and Council Meetings, and facilitated a 700 plus-attendee annual procurement fair to further help support the procurement and contract needs of the SB, DVBE, and DBE community.

SBU also develops training courses, as well as provides training and workshops to encourage the community to consider working with the government and to educate firms on how to do business with the District. SBU acted as a team facilitator for the Calmentor Protégé Program to assist architectural and engineering start-up or emerging firms to be successful in government contracting. SBU is a member of the Public Agency Consortium, which is a partnership of regional agencies heavily focused on increasing the diversity of business participation on public agency contracts and procurement.

To further support this effort, the D11 SBU has established its own Small Business Council (D11 Council) which is held bi-monthly to provide forums in which interested SB, DVBE, and DBE firms can offer suggestions from their unique perspective in an advisory capacity on Caltrans’ practices and procedures. D11 Council has been a valuable, positive, and safe meeting environment to allow women and minority groups to be heard and discuss issues related to procurement and contracts. In a Statewide Council meeting which is hosted by the Office of Civil Rights, the D11 SBU presented a video to the council highlighting the 2021 partnerships and successful long-standing professional relationships the District has created and maintained. In this presentation, SBU highlighted a minority-owned contractor and a women-owned contractor who have been doing business with the District for decades, showcasing how much the District values the relationship with our SB, DVBE, and DBE community.

The SBU has also maintained partnerships, as well as participated in hosting and exhibiting in events with the National Society of Black Engineers, Black Entrepreneurs Leaders and Learners, Young Black & ‘N Business, California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, and National Association of Minority Contractors.

Annual Awards & Scholarship Gala

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Member of the Year

Cecily Taylor

When Cecily was a graduate student at UCSD, she discovered a passion for transportation, and she pivoted her career. While obtaining her PhD at UCSD, Cecily served as the president of the Graduate Women in Science and Engineering, and she co-founded and led Graduate Women in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Currently, Cecily is a Senior ITS Planner at SANDAG who is passionate about promoting alternative modes of transportation and finding sustainable solutions for the San Diego community.

Cecily has been a member of WTS since 2015 and a board member since 2017. She currently serves as the Vice President of the San Diego Chapter having previously served as Treasurer, Membership Co-Chair, and Programs Co-Chair.

Since joining WTS, Cecily has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to the organization. Because of her passion and commitment, Cecily has rapidly ascended to major leadership roles within the chapter, much earlier in her career than is typical for a member.

As a board member, Cecily volunteers countless hours to the success of the San Diego Chapter. She supports each committee in all facets, including event planning, speaking at various programs, participating in the mentorship program, attending the annual conferences, and leading board meetings. As Vice President, she helped each committee set attainable goals that were structured around WTS International's core values and strategies, including diversity and inclusion, outreach and growth, and membership value and networking. As a board member liaison to the Communications Committee, she routinely checks in with the committee to offer support and advocate for the goals of the chapter and WTS International.

When Cecily was the Membership Co-Chair in 2018, the San Diego Chapter saw a 15% increase in overall membership.

This achievement was a result of Cecily's commitment to the growth of the chapter. Thanks to her detailed tracking systems, the membership committee was able to reach out to expiring members personally and increase membership retention.

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Cecily continually supports other board members by frequently checking in on progress and moving things forward when needed. She is passionate about gender equality and diversity within the transportation industry and is a wonderful advocate for WTS. She is always on the lookout for people to join the board or volunteer with WTS and has recruited several board members that currently support the San Diego Chapter.

She also frequently volunteers at both WTS events and community events. For example, Cecily volunteered at the MTS Mid-Coast Trolley Extension opening and reached out to colleagues and peers from several companies to recruit more volunteers.

As Membership Co-Chair, Cecily took the lead on planning and locating speakers for Thunder Talks, one of the member networking activities. These events were very popular and increased WTS's exposure within the transportation industry. Cecily maintained contacts at UCSD after graduation, which has allowed the SDSU WTS student chapter to connect with UCSD's Young Urban Planners professional organization.

Through her various roles on the board of WTS, Cecily has promoted the success of the San Diego Chapter. Because Cecily has served in four positions on the board over the course of 6 years, she has a detailed understanding of all chapter operations, offering elegant solutions and suggestions for improvements and advancement of the San Diego Chapter.

WTS San Diego Chapter

Honorable Ray LaHood Award

Mark Kaems

Mark Kaems is a graduate of San Diego State University (SDSU) and has over thirty-three years of experience working for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Mark began his career in District 11 Structures Construction in 1989, becoming a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in 1992, and transferred to the Department of Land Surveys in 2007. Since joining the department, Mark has created an informal program for all levels of engineers, giving them the direction and guidance to learn the necessary skills needed to be successful in their transportation careers.

As an important member of Caltrans, Mark understands the characteristics essential for advancement in the organization.

From crafting a resume tailored to a specific position to the importance of passing the Professional Engineering (PE) License exam, and always being open to “out of class” work opportunities, Mark generously shares his experiences with the women he mentors.

Since joining Caltrans in 1989, Mark’s career path has been remarkable. The one constant about Mark is his unselfish desire to share his knowledge with interns and civil engineers.

Women who have worked with Mark can attest to the counsel he has provided and the interest he has personally shown in their careers. Many women have started their professional careers under Mark’s mentoring in the Caltrans Surveys Department, most of whom have become licensed Professional Engineers and now work in various departments within the agency. Over the past ten (10) years, he has trained fourteen (14) women with a 100% placement rate securing careers as civil engineers.

Before coming to the Surveys Department, Mark was a Structures Representative (first-line supervisor) on many highprofile projects in Caltrans. One of the most prominent included the State Route 15/40th St. project in San Diego. This project had numerous bridges connecting the communities of City Heights and Kensington and included the construction of Teralta Park, a city-block-size capped bridge that connects the communities. There were many challenges with construction of the park and other bridges on the project, and all were handled by Mark and his staff.

Annual Awards & Scholarship Gala

During his time in Structures Construction, Mark played a major role in developing his staff to become well trained in the elements of inspecting bridge construction. Since he left Structures Construction and joined the Surveys Department, he has maintained these relationships. It is not uncommon for the bridge department staff to contact him whenever they need complex drawings done in various computer programs. Due to Mark’s strong background in bridge construction, design, and falsework review he is prepared to guide and direct his engineers on what products to produce to fulfill the needs of specific bridge tasks.

Mark’s greatest contribution to the transportation industry is that he’s developed and mentored all levels of women engineers. He shows a genuine desire to assist women in becoming successful in their careers, and genuinely cares about their success. In short, he wants to be part of making a positive difference in their professional careers and inspire them to reach their highest potential as civil engineers and leaders.

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Employer of the Year

Parsons

Parsons Corporation provides a wide range of Transportation solutions across Southern California, delivering projects to city, county, transit agency, port, and federal clients. In multiple distinguished ways, Parsons has demonstrated their commitment to supporting women and fostering diversity within all aspects of its company. Parsons prioritizes opportunities to increase skills and advancement opportunities for their employees by encouraging continuing education and professional development through in-house training, a tuition reimbursement program, and paying for professional licensing incentives and participation in professional organizations, conferences, and seminars. In 2021, Parsons launched CARE (Cultivating a Responsible Enterprise) to enhance revenue, recruiting, retention, operational excellence, and shareholder value.

The company is a longtime sponsor of WTS International (currently at the Advocate level), and sponsors over 20 chapters annually, including San Diego, Orange County, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, and Bay Area. They encourage women and men in all offices to be members of WTS, participate in programs, volunteer on committees, and join chapter boards. Parsons fully reimburses employees for membership and WTS events. In 2021, Parsons sponsored an inaugural scholarship of $2,500 through WTS Los Angeles. The scholarship will be awarded to a high school student involved in the chapter’s Adopt-aSchool program.

In 2022, Parsons was ranked as a Top 50 Employer by Minority Engineer (#35) and Women Engineer (#21). Ethisphere Institute named Parsons one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the 13th consecutive year. In 2021, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation recognized Parsons on their Corporate Equality Index for active support and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community.

Parsons’ San Diego office comprises 35% women engineers, including several women in leadership roles. They have created a fostering environment for women to excel and succeed within Parsons and they look forward to continuing their growth in the years to come.

For these reasons and many others, WTS San Diego is pleased to select Parsons as our 2022 Employer of the Year.

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WTS San Diego Chapter

Technology for Transportation Award

Regional Digital Equity Strategy & Action Plan

The San Diego Association of Government’s (SANDAG) Regional Digital Equity Strategy and Action Plan (Digital Action Plan) seeks to address the many barriers that prevent cities and municipalities from getting communities online, resulting in missed opportunities to improve transportation efficiency, increase safety, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Lack of permitting standards leads to slow and costly deployment of essential infrastructure needed to provide internet service. The lack of public broadband data leads to the overreliance on self-reported information from internet service providers (ISPs), grossly misrepresenting a community’s ability to connect.

The Digital Action Plan addresses these discrepancies by creating a roadmap for build-out of broadband infrastructure, access to broadband, and technological adoption. It sets near- and longterm solutions that bring together stakeholders from the industry and all levels of government. Since its adoption in 2021, SANDAG has begun implementing many identified solutions. For example, the Regional Digital Infrastructure Taskforce (ReDIT), led by two women at SANDAG, has initiated a multi-jurisdictional group seeking to build consensus on permitting challenges and solutions. The Broadband Master Plan, also led by women at SANDAG, has begun inventorying broadband infrastructure, allowing cities to be more competitive in their pursuit for State and Federal funding.

Krystal Ayala, Senior Partnerships Strategist, served as the project manager of the Digital Equity Strategy and Action Plan. She was faced with building a knowledge base on broadband and advocating for public agency involvement in this important matter, a topic that is critical but relatively new for several public agencies. She successfully tracked and led the agency’s response to evolving and distinct State and Federal policies that influence regional broadband deployment and funding. She has since continued to develop long-lasting relationships with partners that will support implementation of the plan including Caltrans, CA Department of Technology, CPUC, local jurisdictions, tribes, San Diego Housing Commission, 211 San Diego, and several other key partners.

Since the adoption of the Action Plan, there has been a spur of initiatives to accelerate the implementation of broadband infrastructure for smart city applications and to bridge the digital divide. To accelerate the deployment of this infrastructure in underserved areas, SANDAG has partnered with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) to pre-qualify industry partners that are ready and willing to partner with the San Diego and Southern California region to pursue grant funding for broadband projects. Partnerships pursued through this collaborative effort will support data sharing and expand access to reliable and affordable internet infrastructure in several communities.

The Digital Action Plan’s influence and impact are just beginning.

Annual 35 Awards & Scholarship Gala

Major project components: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

11 miles of double-tracked light rail 7 miles of at-grade light rail adjacent to the LOSSAN railway 4 miles of aerial viaduct 8 bridges 1 cut-and-cover tunnel 2 freeway overcrossings 4 at-grade Trolley stations 5 aerial Trolley stations 2 parking structures 5 Park-and-Rides 13 traction power substations 2 LOSSAN heavy rail double tracking projects 1 Class I bikeway

Innovative Transportation Solutions Award

Mid-Coast Extension of UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley The Mid-Coast Extension of the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley is the largest transportation infrastructure project in the San Diego region’s history. The project adds 11 miles and 9 stations to the existing Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) light rail system. The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) delivered the project on time and within budget in November 2021.

The Mid-Coast Trolley Extension increases the San Diego region’s light rail system by 20 percent and provides improved transit connections to jobs, schools, hospitals, shopping centers, and recreation areas. The project also provides an effective alternative to congested freeways and roadways for travelers, leading to fewer vehicle miles traveled and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The project directly serves San Diego’s University Community, which is considered the region’s “second downtown.” The community is a major employment center and houses UC San Diego, one of the region’s largest trip generators due to its number of faculty, staff, students, and visitors. The community is also home to the San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where the project constructed a Trolley station to serve the region’s veterans and healthcare professionals.

Led by SANDAG, the project successfully employed and provided growth opportunities for dozens of women in the transportation industry, including project managers, construction managers, engineers, skilled tradespeople, environmental specialists, project controls specialists, and public affairs specialists.. Sharon Humphreys led with a “project first” approach, a CM/GC concept that prioritizes the good of the project and its schedule above all else Early innovative work on the project’s critical path elements expedited construction of a new control point to direct active train traffic around major construction, resulting in a 6-12-month savings in the project delivery schedule. Quick analysis of critical situations, timely decisions, win-win solutions among stakeholders, and willingness to take risks on difficult workarounds protected the project schedule and budget on multiple occasions, effectively securing an on-time and under-budget delivery.

Over 500 consulting and contracting firms contributed to the project including Disadvantaged Business Enterprises and small businesses. Employees from partner and funding agencies also worked on the project and included representation from MTS, Caltrans, UC San Diego, and the Federal Transit Administration.

The Mid-Coast Trolley Extension required precise engineering, design, and construction.

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WTS San Diego Chapter

Alternative Modes & Active Transportation Award

4th & 5th Avenue Bikeway Project The SANDAG Fourth and Fifth Avenue Bikeways project is one of the most extensive and transformative urban bikeway projects in the state of California. The project includes 4.5 miles of median and parking-protected bike lanes in the urban mixed-use neighborhoods of Downtown, Bankers Hill, and Hillcrest in the City of San Diego. The Fourth and Fifth Avenue Bikeways project completes a key connection in the Regional Bike Network and transforms the existing streets to make biking and walking more comfortable for all ages and abilities.

This project is a result of the exemplary leadership, collaboration, planning, and engineering of more than 25 women across the San Diego region. The Fourth and Fifth Avenue Bikeways project was led by women who are passionate about both improving transportation mobility in the San Diego Region and mentoring the next generation of engineers and planners. Linda Culp, the SANDAG Principal Planner of Active Transportation and Rail (until her retirement in 2021), and Megan Ulery, the Kimley-Horn project manager, led the project team and facilitated extensive interagency coordination between SANDAG, the City of San Diego, Caltrans, and MTS. Overcoming complex challenges throughout the planning, design, plan review, and construction phases due to the existing built-up urban environment and regionally innovative features, Linda and Megan’s creativity, coordination, and proactive communication were critical factors in the bikeway’s success.

Annual Awards & Scholarship Gala

The project is a shining example of how thoughtful leadership and innovative engineering solutions can improve quality of life. Ten community workshops were held, and more than 100 presentations were made to community groups to discuss project details and gather community input for the project. The project’s construction phase coincided with COVID-19 and associated restrictions for businesses along the project corridor. SANDAG and the Kimley-Horn design team worked with several local business owners that had temporary outdoor dining parklets within the roadway and bike lanes to reduce impacts on their operations. The project includes regionally innovative features, like floating bus islands, dedicated intersections, and bike signals, and is the first bikeway project of its type (due to the length, improvement intensity, community context, and bikeway separation features) to be constructed in San Diego County.

The SANDAG Fourth and Fifth Avenue Bikeways project improves safety and mobility, increases the number of bicycling and walking trips, and helps achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions in support of Active Transportation Program goals. This project transformed the streets to make biking and walking more comfortable and convenient while increasing mobility options and access to community destinations including Balboa Park, local restaurants, businesses, and employment centers.

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WTS San Diego Chapter

Annual Awards & Scholarship Gala

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Pursuit of Excellence

Amy Restelli Amy Restelli (Jackson), P.E., has 11 years of experience in transportation planning and engineering design projects with a passion for creating active, healthy communities through equitable access to mobility options. As a registered Professional Engineer, she offers a unique perspective on a variety of planning projects throughout the region, including multi-modal corridor plans, community plan updates, active transportation plans, safety plans, and campus circulation plans.

Amy cares deeply about the communities she serves and is motivated by the success of her clients. She is known for her outside-the-box ideas and solutions and is not afraid to suggest something unique to instigate a creative conversation that leads to a successful design idea. She thrives on collaboration and is quick to give credit where it is due. Amy currently leads a wide array of projects including traffic studies, bikeway design, corridor studies, and community plans, all of which have a cumulative budget of more than $500,000, annually. She is currently project manager for the San Vicente Comprehensive Multi-Modal Corridor Plan, the Mira Mesa and University Community Plan Updates, as well as various safety and active transportation design projects for UCSD and UCR. To deliver these projects, Amy co-manages a team of 18 staff (11 of whom are women) and serves in a leadership role within the Kimley-Horn San Diego office as the Office Production Coordinator, in addition to her practice responsibilities.

Amy has promoted the ideals of WTS from the momentshe entered the transportation industry and has consistently led by example throughout her career.

As a board member of the WTS San Diego chapter since she arrived in 2016, Amy has helped plan and implement numerous events and initiatives to promote the WTS mission. One notable example while she served on the Membership Committee was an event she spearheaded which allowed members (mostly women) to speak in front of an intimate audience to practice public speaking.

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Amy moderated lively discussions following the presentations, making people feel comfortable, empowered, and confident.

Mentoring women is also something Amy has shown a devoted commitment to. For the past 5 years, Amy has served in the Career Compass Mentor Program at Villanova, mentoring college students to identify their vocations and supporting them as they enter the professional world. She has also presented to SDSU transportation classes and participated in high school events to introduce or promote the field of transportation engineering.

Finally, Amy has relentlessly empowered other women to ask for what they deserve, providing statistics about things like the percentage of men that are asking for promotions versus women. She is constantly inviting her younger team members to sit at the table, speak at the table, and feel validated in their ideas at meetings. She is constantly looking for opportunities for her younger team members to be in front of clients and members of the public. It is clear - anyone who Amy comes in contact with is better off from the experience, and she is a shining example of all WTS ideals.

WTS San Diego Chapter

Woman of the Year

Sharon Humphreys

Being intentional while distinguishing herself in every role she has ever taken on, Sharon Humphreys has risen through the ranks promoting women all along the way.

She is known for opening doors for up-and-coming rising stars to walk through. She is a true leader, values community involvement, is passionate about mentoring, and puts the recognition where it is deserved. Sharon is a dedicated supporter of women- and minority-led firms. She meets with leaders from these firms routinely and appreciates their visibility on large teams. She is a dynamic and inspiring presenter and often shares industry knowledge and wise advice as a featured speaker at WTS and Asian American Architects/Engineers Association (AAa/e) events. Sharon has also served as a panel judge for WTS scholarships.

Sharon has made major contributions to the transportation industry in San Diego including her work on the Bayshore Bikeway, the Superloop, and San Ysidro Rail Yard projects.

Most recently, she served as one of the Deputy Project Directors for the Mid-Coast LRT Extension Project. This 11mile, $2.2 billion investment was San Diego’s largest public infrastructure project in its history and SANDAG’s first project using a CMGC delivery method. During the years Sharon was involved, she advanced from Design Manager for Segments 1 and 2 to Deputy Project Director. As one of the Deputy Project Directors, Sharon was tasked with ensuring the project was environmentally compliant, onschedule and within budget. She exceeded in all her goals, as the project cleared all environmental hurdles and was opened for revenue service on-schedule and within budget.

In addition to her assigned obligations, Sharon supported many areas including right-of-way acquisitions, design, construction, and construction management. Sharon was a true team player and could be counted on to contribute to any role required – including public involvement and outreach. During the six-year construction project period, Sharon was the voice of SANDAG as she effectively coordinated directly with the FTA. A huge part of the project’s success can be attributed to Sharon’s involvement, focus on technical excellence, and total commitment

Annual Awards & Scholarship Gala

Sharon’s 25-year career advancement is inspiring. Not long after joining SANDAG, Sharon was promoted to become the first female principal engineer at SANDAG. A historic moment. Recently, Sharon became SANDAG’s first female Director of Engineering and Construction. This critical role was earned through her own credibility in delivering the work while collaborating with the approving agencies, stakeholders, and the private consultant industry. Sharon climbed the ranks by being detail oriented, budget and schedule focused, very inquisitive, and loves learning from experts every day.

Sharon is proud of the projects at SANDAG and often leads tours. Recently, she coordinated a tour of the Elvira to Morena Double Track and Mid-Coast Trolley Extension projects for students from Southwest High School interested in STEM careers after graduation. There is no doubt that the young women on that tour walked away excited about the field of transportation due to Sharon’s passion and contagious spirit.

Sharon’s superpower is knowing how to drive and lean on technical experts to produce great projects, within budget and on schedule, of course. She continues to focus on the advancement of women – with more women serving as project directors and project managers at SANDAG. Through her leadership she is charting this path as the new normal!

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TEXT FOR TITLEAchievement Award Lifetime

Patricia McColl 42

WTS San Diego Chapter

Patricia McColl has focused her 42-year engineering career on infrastructure in the San Diego region. As a woman entering the profession in 1980, she had many firsts in her career. She became a partner at age 28 and started her own firm at age 35, which she owned and managed for over 20 years while raising two children. She expanded into public works and grew her team to over 30 staff, with 60% women and minorities, focused on teamwork and technical competence.

Her team was recognized for “Excellence in Engineering” by professional organizations and agencies on major infrastructure projects. After selling her firm, she joined HNTB as the Rail Group Director where she manages the LOSSAN Corridor Rail Team. She continues to promote small businesses through a variety of mentoring programs.

Reputation and credibility are based on technical excellence and performance. With a land development background in her early career, she developed strong technical and communications skills to navigate community outreach, environmental and environmental permitting, while working closely with contractors in the field. Over her impressive career, she has worked on some of the largest infrastructure projects in the region including the Olivenhain Dam, San Vicente Dam Raise, Mission Valley East LRT, Mid City Rapid, Del Mar Bluffs and LOSSAN Corridor Double Track Projects, Santa Ana Streetcar, Xpress West high-speed rail, Escondido Avenue Sprinter Grade Crossing, I-15 BRT Stations and the University Avenue Mobility Study. Through her involvement in these projects, she regularly participated in numerous committees to promote disadvantaged and women-owned businesses.

Patricia has been an active member of WTS, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) throughout her career. The San Diego Report Card was updated during her second term as president of ASCE and successfully shared with local political leaders and the media. Tricia now serves as ASCE Region 9 Governor where she continues to promote education and advancement of women in the profession, and influence public policy in support of innovative, sustainable transportation and infrastructure solutions. In this role, Patricia oversees the state Government Relations Committee supporting funding and monitoring legislation. She is working with local committees in efforts to train and organize younger engineers to become active in engaging our local legislators.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) brings more funding to transportation than any other time in history, but lack of transportation resources challenges our ability to deliver projects. Patricia is leading a group of local leaders to brainstorm new approaches that will help move projects forward more quickly and efficiently, and ultimately attract more talent to the profession who will continue to meet the demands of improving our transportation system.

Patricia has been an active member in the community outside of the engineering profession. Tricia has participated in a variety of non-profit organization roles including Board Member/Chair of Noah Homes, a care facility for developmentally disabled adults for 15 years. She currently serves on the All Hallows Social Justice Committee providing assistance to underserved members of the community. As one of the first women engineers in San Diego, she has always taken the opportunity to speak to women’s groups, on panels and one on one, to promote women in the profession.

Patricia served on the Industry Advisory Board at United States International University (USIU) and served on the Board of Saint Stevens School in Barrio Logan. Congratulations Patricia McColl for receiving the inaugural WTS San Diego County Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Thank you to the Annual Awards Gala Committee Committee Chairs Dawn Wilson Diane Vermeulen Executive Board Liaison Julie Froelich Recognitions Claudia Brizuela Amy Restelli Scholarship Marissa Thomas AV Half page Ad Jenny Vick Communications Annie Merritt Marissa Twite Diana Barreto Registration & Hospitality Liza Galon Historian & Registration Assistance Lisa Madsen Event Volunteers Mariam Shamon Melina Pereira Yadira Whitney Kim Magee Heather McGuffin

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Anita Draa Michael Orieo James Dreisback-Towle Megan Cunningham Justin Nelson

Helen Wagner-Maggitti Alex Balce Ashley Bides Diana Barreto Amanda Olgeirsson

WTS San Diego Chapter

Annual 45 Awards & Scholarship Gala

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WTS San Diego Chapter