Celebrating 2015 25 years Top TDM Professionals Under 40
Congratulations to GVF s second annual top TDM professionals under 40 recipients. GVF is thrilled to present these awards to these ambitious leaders in our industry that are working to find creative solutions to improve our quality of life through engineering, planning, marketing campaigns and the development of commuting alternative programs that are shifting behavioral change. Transportation Demand Management affects everyone and the diverse backgrounds of these professionals is a true testament of the ever evolving role it plays in all of our communities. In order to have a vibrant and successful 21st century region we need these type of professionals propelling us forward. Rob Henry, GVF Executive Director, Twitter: @GVFHenry SOCIAL MEDIA LinkedIn ranked #1 as the most popular form of social media among this group. 42% Close to 42% of recipients have received masters and doctorate degrees. ABOUT TOP TDM PROFESSIONALS UNDER 40 Recipients have received numerous accolades. INDUSTRIES REPRESENTED Engineering Corporation MPO Transit Municipal/County Government
4 AWARD RECIPIENTS 5 AWARD RECIPIENTS Andrew Svekla, Senior Planning and Design Analyst DVRPC Andrew Svekla has played a critical role in advancing sustainability throughout DVRPC s service area. Andrew has advanced sustainability by leading studies such as the Better Bus West Chester Pike Study, Trenton Line Access Study, a Caln Township Land Use and Design Analysis, a Haverford Road Commercial Corridor Analysis, and a Pennsauken Transit Center Impacts and Opportunities Assessment. He has also contributed his expertise on the Norristown High Speed Line Parking and Pedestrian Access Study, Norristown Transportation Center Intermodal Study, a Trails to Transit Study, the City Branch Transit Feasibility Study, and the current Gloucester County Master Plan. For each of these studies, Andrew has been able to analyze alternative modes of transportation and encourage the use of transportation demand management strategies. Cathy Farrell, Assistant Department Manager - Transportation HNTB Corporation As Assistant Department Manager for roadway and bridge replacement projects, Cathy leads a team of people with diverse technical skill sets to improve the conditions of our state s roads and bridges that allow drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists to get where they re traveling to faster and more safely. Cathy also leads HNTB s team of highway engineers. Curt Venditti, Civil Engineer HNTB Corporation Curt s current position at HNTB Corporation includes training and development for junior engineering staff. He also provides engineering support and oversight for transportation and water resource projects managed out of HNTB s Philadelphia, King of Prussia, and Harrisburg offices. In addition to his HNTB role, he is employed part time at PennDOT Engineering District 6-0 through HNTB s consultant project management contract. Curt also serves as the Vice President of The Partnership Transportation Management Association (PTMA) of Montgomery County. Elise Turner, Communications Manager DVRPC Elise Turner is a Communications Manager at DVRPC. In this role, she has worked on programs that focus on air quality, sustainability efforts, land use planning, transit-oriented development, TDM measures, RideECO, and transportation planning among other things. Her specific role encompasses social media, media relations, handling and implementing communications plans, special event planning, preparing DVRPC s newsletters and annual report, managing tabling and outreach events, public meeting logistics, and strategizing with DVRPC s many partners. She is recognized as an expert in her field by both internal and external professionals.
Elizabeth A. Smith, Manager, Long Range Planner SEPTA Emily Scholl, PE, Traffic Engineer McCormick Taylor 6 AWARD RECIPIENTS Elizabeth Smith works as a Manager of Long Range Planning at SEPTA. As an engineer, planner and project manager, she successfully adapted her previous experience both in the private sector and the public sector to her role at SEPTA. Elizabeth has demonstrated great leadership in the management of three (3) project consultant teams, working on developing a complex alternatives analysis, and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) as part of the Federal Transit Administrative (FTA) process which is governed by the rigorous requirements of the Federal New Starts Program. Additionally, she manages the KOP Rail Extension project, as well as a planning study that focuses on the extension of the Broad Street Line to the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia. Emily has been involved in a number of projects ranging from traffic studies and traffic operations to the preparation of final design plans. She regularly takes a leading role on a variety of projects and mentors younger staff. She is currently the lead engineer for the Philadelphia Signal Retiming project. She is also the lead engineer for the Bustleton Avenue South Project for Philadelphia which includes the final design for the installation of transit signal priority and signal upgrades for 31 intersections. Erica Weekley, Assistant Borough Manager Borough of Pottstown 7 AWARD RECIPIENTS Erica s leadership experience includes overseeing the Pottstown Area Rapid Transit bus system, Pottstown Municipal Airport, and community and economic development initiatives. Erica is also responsible for planning and administering operating and capital projects in the Borough. Erica currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Pottstown Education, a non-profit organization that promotes opportunities for children to engage in scientific, cultural, and recreational programs. Erica also serves as the President of the Pottstown Parks and Recreation Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting diverse, accessible recreational opportunities in the Borough of Pottstown. Jesse Buerk, Senior Transportation Planner DVRPC Jesse is a leader in understanding and using TDM and sustainability strategies. He has helped to integrate a range of strategies into PennDOT s work on I-95, including the complex coordination needed to display next train information north of the Cornwells Heights park-and-ride lot for commuters headed into the work zone. His efforts have improved the region s Congestion Management Process.
Joseph A. Platt, Jr., P.E., Senior Project Manager Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. Joseph currently serves as a Senior Project Manager at Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. (TPD). He serves as the Township Traffic Engineer for numerous municipalities throughout the Delaware Valley. In that role, Joseph works with local officials to identify grant opportunities, prepare capital improvement plans, and develop project prioritizations for municipal capital improvement projects. In addition to his work with TPD, Joseph is a member of the Philadelphia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). As the current President for the Philadelphia Section of the ASCE, overseeing the Section s continuing education, governmental affairs, and engineering outreach programs. He is no less active in his local community, serving as a member of Zoning Hearing Board in Bethel Township, Delaware County. Juliann Weidenmoyer, Service Associate Vanguard Juliann graduated from Ursinus College in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Psychology. After finishing college, she began working for Vanguard as a service associate handling switchboard operations, daily management of commuter benefits and building audits. She is a member of the Global Support Center at Vanguard and she is responsible for the day-to-day inquiries and responsibilities of the commuter benefits program. For those who take public transportation, Juliann is responsible for making sure monthly SEPTA passes and RideECO vouchers are ordered and delivered to the crewmember in a timely fashion. Juliann manages the Rideshare program by staying current on all requests and distributing the tags to the crewmember. She also handles the day to day inquiries from crewmembers regarding commuter programs. 8 AWARD RECIPIENTS 9 AWARD RECIPIENTS Justin DiBiase, Civil Engineer Justin has completed several transportation studies that stress complete solutions. He has incorporated these beliefs into the SR 611 Corridor study in Bucks and Montgomery Counties as well as into other projects. He promotes multi-modal transportation to friends and family and uses the PATCO high-speed line to commute. Justin is also a member of Baker-Engineers Without Borders, ASHE Delaware Valley, and the Mid-Atlantic Section of the Institute for Transportation Engineers (MASITE). Jonathan Juricic, Assistant General Manager King of Prussia Mall Jonathan is an active participant in the 422 Coalition on behalf of the King of Prussia Mall and its retailers. In addition to that, he has been working with McCormick Taylor to promote the Norristown High Speed Line Extension and its positive impact to the King of Prussia community. He also assists in the coordination of the Holiday Shuttle Bus service provided to the King of Prussia Mall shoppers as well as the off-site parking locations for mall employees. Other sustainability initiatives he has participated in include the installation and maintenance of a Green Roof to improve energy efficiency through reduced cooling needs for the mall, the installation and maintenance of a Rain Garden to help conserve water and filter run-off pollution, as well as being the Portfolio Manager for Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square in the Energy Star Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge.
10 AWARD RECIPIENTS 11 AWARD RECIPIENTS Kathryn Russo, Senior Associate / Lead Traffic Engineer Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Inc. Kathryn leads the Traffic Department in the Philadelphia office of JMT. She is familiar with all aspects of traffic engineering, especially with performing complex traffic operational and alternatives analyses of large roadway networks. Her responsibilities include project management as well as providing conceptual, preliminary and final engineering design of signal plans, signing and pavement marking plans and traffic control plans for small and large projects in the region. Additionally, she has worked on safety and traffic studies. Her experience has resulted in an extensive understanding of the latest signal technologies such as adaptive signal. Kathryn has also utilized Philadelphia s Complete Streets Manual on projects such as the American Street Industrial Corridor Traffic. Laura Frein, Marketing and Communications Manager Laura s role allows her to promote transportation demand management initiatives throughout the industry and community. Utilizing social media allows her to reach a greater audience outside the traditional GVF partners. Additionally, it allows her to connect with individuals, including political decision makers, throughout the region and statewide. Laura s desire to investigate new ways of outreach and communication will help GVFTMA and the transportation industry bring greater awareness to transportation demand management and the current need for national transportation infrastructure funding. Kenneth Starr, Director of Assets and Infrastructure Montgomery County Kenneth Starr oversees the County s 75 miles of roads, 131 bridges, and 90 miles of trails. In addition, he has developed an aggressive infrastructure improvement program, totaling $38 million that is set to reduce the County s 62 structurally deficient bridges by 25 percent by 2016. As head of all county facilities, Starr has worked with the IT department to implement new office technologies that allow for telecommuting. Under his purview, the County s Juvenile Probation Department office building is undergoing a multi-million rehab that will reduce the individual offices in that building by 95 percent. Finally, he has also worked with a bike share company to pilot a program for rentable bikes at two trail locations along the Montgomery County trail network. Megan Krusi, Information Systems Manager TransNet Megan oversees the efficient operation of TransNet s automated scheduling and dispatching software, managing more than 280 vehicles and 3,000 demand response trips daily. During TransNet s Pilot implementation of the Ecolane DRT (Demand Response Transportation) software for PennDOT in 2012, Megan s project management expertise led the Pilot to success for TransNet and PennDOT, and paved the way for many other agencies within the State. Megan constantly analyzes the available real time data and makes necessary adjustments in order to improve system productivity, scheduling efficiency and on time performance. She also assists TransNet in Transportation Demand Management in Montgomery County by facilitating a coordinated, efficient shared ride transportation and employee shuttle system.
12 AWARD RECIPIENTS 13 AWARD RECIPIENTS Michael John Thomas, Civil Engineer Michael has been working in the field of transportation for 8 years, and has been involved in various highway and development projects during this time period. He has designed storm water management facilities on many projects to help improve water quality and reduce flooding. Michael is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Peter O Halloran, Project Manager Urban Engineers Peter s impact on the Philadelphia region s transportation network is significant, ranging from project work with PennDOT District-6-0 in Montgomery County to citywide intersection modifications for the City of Philadelphia s Streets Department. As a project manager in Urban Engineers Traffic Department, he is currently working on the Public Safety Services Campus in Philadelphia in West Philadelphia. Through his leadership and proactive project management, Peter is helping Philadelphia s citywide retiming initiative, which includes signal retiming along eight major corridors. Michael W. Schneider, Project Engineer Pennoni Associates Mike s responsibilities as a project engineer within Pennoni s municipal division consists of serving as the township traffic engineer for multiple communities in Delaware County. In addition to reviewing hundreds of traffic projects, Mike has become a trusted adviser to these municipalities and every project is a reflection of his commitment and dedication to providing his clients and their communities with the best solutions possible. Holding extensive experience in state and local grant processes, Mike has been instrumental in assisting communities in obtaining funding for projects. He has made it a goal to improve the quality of life for the communities that he works with. Randy Waltermyer, AICP, Transportation Services Director Chester County Planning Commission Randy started as a Planning Aide in 2004 and was appointed Director of the Transportation Services Division in 2012. In his present capacity, he has overseen significant planning work that promotes the long-term sustainability of the transportation system of Chester County. Among his many accomplishments are the completion of a Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for Central Chester County and the development of a new Public Transportation Plan. Randy has also brought focus to transportation alternatives such as passenger rail with projects such as a new station at Atglen, promotion of intermodal connectivity at Exton, and advancement of the various phases of the Paoli Intermodal Center, including the new Darby Road Bridge.
Sara Patterson, Civil Associate 14 AWARD RECIPIENTS During her graduate research, Sara found that complete streets will not cause vehicular delays in most networks while also providing additional safe transportation options for residents. At Baker, she has designed bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the greater Philadelphia area. These facilities provide residents with non-vehicular access to local destinations and connections to transit or other trails in the Circuit. Sara continues to work well with local residents and educating the general public about the benefits of trails and sidewalks in their neighborhood. She is also a Board Member of the Partnership Transportation Management Association. Scott Cepietz, Civil Engineer 15 AWARD RECIPIENTS Scott graduated from Villanova University with his MS in Civil Engineering and currently works for as a Civil Engineer. He has been a part of a variety of projects all focused on creating more efficient and safe intersections and corridors. Scott enjoys working and managing projects that help to fix aging infrastructure and meet the traffic demands of a growing nation. He is also an ASCE Philadelphia YMF Board Member. Sarah LoGiudice, Senior Planner McCormick Taylor Sarah brings her expertise in integrated land use and transportation planning along with her practical experience from innovative planning work in Oregon to our Mid-Atlantic context for projects here in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. As a professional planner, she advocates for smart growth and smart transportation practices by describing and illustrating sustainable alternatives to our traditional quest for roadway capacity. Her diverse experience and personal style allows her to bring unconventional thinking and multi-modal solutions to a wide range of transportation problems. Scott Greenly, Associate Planner Upper Merion Township Scott is the Associate Planner for Upper Merion Township. Some of his duties include being responsible for all township-wide GIS initiatives, reviewing land development and subdivision plans, and the creation of zoning ordinances. Scott is also the staff liaison for the Planning Commission and Economic and Community Development Committee. Prior to working with UMT, Scott was the Project Coordinator for GVF. In that capacity, he managed the PA 309 and Southeastern Montgomery County Transportation Coalition and conducted GIS studies, including parking and storm water analysis.
About GVF Founded in 1990, GVF is a not-for-profit organization created to advocate and promote a viable transportation network for the region s economic vitality. To maximize awareness and develop sustainable support, we partner with public and private entities. GVF s mission is to achieve a desirable quality of life and a healthy, competitive economic environment by developing multi-faceted transportation strategies. Celebrating 1012 West Eighth Avenue, Suite A King of Prussia, PA 19406 25 years www.gvftma.com