Moving Arizona: Recent Episodes
Melissa Boyles
Moving Arizona is a podcast hosted by Melissa Boyles, a 20+ year professional in the Arizona transportation industry and a self-described “transportation geek.” Join her for interviews with industry influencers from across Arizona and the United States.
In this episode it was my privilege to talk to Katie Gentry. Katie is the Regional Homelessness Program Manager for the Maricopa Association of Governments. Her role within the Human Services Division of MAG is to work with communities and organizations across the Valley to understand how we address homelessness through existing programs and resources as well as new collaborations. Homelessness is a growing challenge for our communities and it’s one that knows no boundaries. Many who are homeless are employed full-time but cannot afford housing. The homeless include families, youth, veterans, elderly, and many others. Affordability of housing is part of the equation but as the Valley continues to grow, the cost of transportation also has to be considered. Access to affordable, reliable, public transportation is a key to helping many maintain a balance that allows them to stay housed. Our industry has a significant role to play in helping alleviate homelessness and Katie helps explain how.
In this episode Phil Gershkovich, President and owner of Cooper Aerial Surveys, joins me to share his perspective on the geospatial industry, how he came to be the owner of Cooper Aerial, and his plans for the future. Cooper Aerial has been a part of the Arizona transportation industry since the sixties with Phil taking ownership in 2016. Since then, he’s grown the company in both range of services as well as geographic markets. He’s one of the few people I know who can pivot from technical, to personable, to big picture seamlessly. You’ll hear that in this interview as he talks about business, growing his team and company, and engaging youth to foster careers in the geospatial industry.
In this episode I caught up Jennifer Pyne. Jen spent twenty-five years in the Valley starting with the completion of her graduate program at Arizona State University and ending as part of the leadership team at Valley Metro. In 2021 she left Arizona to join the Austin Transit Partnership to help build a team and guide the delivery of their multi-billion Project Connect Program. Today she serves as Executive Vice President of Planning & Risk Management.
While the two communities are very different, they also share some similarities. One being that Austin too is embarking on transformational change using an investment in public transportation as the catalyst, just as we did over twenty years ago. Jen takes many lessons learned from her time in Phoenix not the least of which is learning to trust her instincts and transitioning from a “doer” to a leader.
In this episode I’m excited to share that I have officially begun my new role as Chief of Staff at Valley Metro and I’m celebrating by interviewing someone I started my career with, Alexandra Albert. Alex and I worked together in the early days of light rail planning, design, and construction; she was in public involvement and I was in program management. Over the past twenty-plus years, our careers have taken very different paths. Alex focused on communication, taking on more and more challenging projects, took a hiatus to focus on her three children, and is now an Assistant Vice President of Communication and Public Involvement at WSP.
In this interview, Alex shares her insights regarding effective public involvement, her professional journey, and what she’s most excited about when thinking about the future. She has a passion for public transportation from her youth in New York and she’s brought that to a career of service in the Valley. Alex is a consummate communications professional with a wealth of information to share.
In this episode, I got to interview kindred spirit, LaShondra Mercurius. LaShondra is the President and co-founder of JLM Talent Partners. Together with her partner and husband, Jayson, they identified a niche market in staffing solutions for the AEC industry. Leveraging the cyclical nature of large-scale infrastructure projects, LaShondra and her team employ a community-centric approach to creating prosperity from policy. Though the current Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act emphasizes equity, JLM has drawn from these principals from the inception of their business. Unlike many other staffing firms, LaShondra and Jayson have created a training and on-boarding process that focuses on honoring the dignity of individual candidates, very often from high-risk communities, and setting them up for success.
LaShondra shares her passion for empowering entrepreneurial women and people of color. She is also an advocate for jobs creation through infrastructure investment and serves on the City of Los Angeles Workforce Development Board. The work of JLM spans California, Arizona, the Pacific Northwest, Texas, the Washington DC area, and numerous other communities across the country. Here in Arizona, they support the I-10 Broadway Curve reconstruction project, both the South Central and Northwest II light rail extensions, I-17 Flex Lanes, and have worked on numerous other large-scale projects. They’re growing their Arizona presence and bringing a passion for workforce innovation. I’m excited to work with LaShondra and her team and can’t wait for you to get to know her better.
In this episode I was joined by Amy Ritz, Project Manager for ADOT’s first major urban freeway reconstruction project, the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvements Project. Amy brings a unique background and perspective to managing an undertaking as significant as redesigning and rebuilding one of the Valley’s busiest freeway corridors. With Amy’s educational background in Political Science, extensive experience working with elected officials, and deep understanding of the utility relocation and project delivery process, ADOT definitely picked the right Project Manager.
Learn how Amy made her way from working with the California State Legislature back home to her roots in Arizona. Once here she began working with Salt River Project where she coordinated closely with municipalities and regional agencies on roadway projects. This led her to a seventeen-year career with the Arizona Department of Transportation where she is now leading a team of professionals on one of the most complex projects the state has ever undertaken. Amy’s one of the most competent project delivery professionals in the industry and her story is fascinating.
In this episode I’m thrilled to interview Catherine Alonzo. Catherine is the CEO and one of the founding partners of Javelina. Javelina is a marketing, communications, and branding firm focused on advancing equality and human dignity through social, political, and economic change. They’re tagline is, “Bring your story to life. Change the world.”
Catherine shares that a changemaker’s job is to tell the story of what’s possible, not what’s missing. She and her team help their clients tell the stories that create inspiration, vision, and hope for making a difference. Their efforts transected the transportation industry through their expertise in developing the branding and communications for transportation initiatives. This includes the successful passage of the T-2050 plan for the City of Phoenix as well as the robust engagement process for Momentum, the plan for which the extension of Proposition 400 (or 400E) is the vehicle.
Catherine shares how to develop communications and engage your audiences with authenticity, relevance, and consistency to make your brand the main character in your story. I hope you enjoy learning more about Catherine and why we are so fortunate to have her and her team of innovators helping to shape our industry.
In this episode Quinn Quihui Castro, Transportation Engineer for the Maricopa Association of Governments, shares information about her background and how she got her start in transportation. With her passion for construction, where she feels you truly see the heart of transportation, one would have thought she would be working for a contractor or capitol programs division of an agency. But no, she’s a leader working with our local MPO and at MAG she applies that builder’s mindset to her role managing the planning and development of our freeway program.
Another of her passions is the Metro Phoenix Chapter of WTS. Quinn is the Vice President of the Chapter and looking forward to becoming President starting in 2024. The call for interest will be coming out soon and Quinn wants to encourage anyone with a passion for our industry or desire to learn and grow, to consider applying for a role.
I hope you enjoy learning more about Quinn and why WTS is such an amazing organization to get involved with!
In this episode my good friend Vincent “Vinny” Gallegos flips the script, as a condition of me interviewing him, and interviews me. Vinny and I volunteer together on the Arizona Transit Association Board of Directors and he recently celebrated his two-year return to the Central Yavapai Planning Organization. I wanted to commemorate the occasion with an interview discussing the exciting work they’re doing, so to do that…. Here I am with Vinny in the driver’s seat.
I’m often asked when I will let someone interview me. I like showcasing other people’s careers and accomplishments but with a lot of trust and a little bravery, Vinny convinced me to take the leap. There are probably some things most people didn’t know, or wouldn’t have guessed, about my background and journey toward a career in transportation. I hope sharing my story will help others decide to pursue their goals and accept the support of the amazing community of professionals we find ourselves a part of.
Welcome back to Moving Arizona. I'm so excited about the lineup of transportation rockstars I'm interviewing! Upcoming guests include thought-leaders implementing equity programs that could be game changers for our industry nationally, to champions for transportation in the southern part of our state, and incredible leaders here in the Valley.
Up first, is my dear friend Vinny Gallegos, Executive Director for the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization. Vinny just celebrated the two year anniversary of his return to CYMPO from Lake Havasu where he was serving as their Executive Director. He brought some great lessons learned from his experience in Havasu and has implemented some terrific programs and projects in the greater Prescott area. Our chat ranges from DEI, to micro transit, and the implications of 400E for greater Arizona.
In this special collaboration, I had the great pleasure of guest hosting on the Commuter Rail Coalition's Commuter Rail Conversations for an interview with Sam Sargent, Caltrain’s Director of Strategy and Policy. We had an awesome conversation about taking leaps. First, Sam's big leap from Austin Texas to California’s Bay area and then Caltrain's leap into electrification of its commuter rail service. Sam brings Caltrain a fresh perspective from his many years working with the greater Austin community as CapMetro’s Director of Government Affairs. He recently joined Caltrain, just five months ago, and has hit the ground running!
In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Founding Partner of Policy AZ John MacDonald. John has been part of the fabric of our industry for decades, working behind the scenes with stakeholders as they navigate Arizona’s political landscape. That has never more true than it is today as he and his partner Dana Pashcke assist organizations like MAG and AzTA as they attempt to advance transportation policy and funding.
John and Dana have been front and center during this past legislative cycle which ended shockingly in a veto from Governor Ducey on enabling legislation to take Proposition 400E to Maricopa County voters. In this interview, John shares not only his background but also the history behind why we need enabling legislation to begin with, what transpired this legislative session, and what we can do now.
In this episode, I had the pleasure of finally connecting with Tracy McMillan for our interview. Tracy is an Associate Principal at Nelson Nygaard which is a transportation planning and policy development firm. She returned to the Valley in 2020 as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. Over the past two years Tracy has stayed involved with national, regional, and local projects as well as engaged the Arizona transportation industry. Tracy shares perspective on active transportation, safety, and we discuss the then recent veto by Governor Ducey and potential impacts that decision may cause.
In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kevin Robinson. Kevin is running for Phoenix City Council to represent District 6 which encompasses my home area, Awhatukee, but also the Biltmore and Arcadia communities. His background includes serving as a City of Phoenix police officer for over thirty-six years. After retiring, Kevin has taught full time for the past five years and is now looking to expand his public service to the Phoenix City Council. He knows our communities, understands the challenges we face as such a rapidly growing metropolitan area, and he’s a consensus-builder. In other words, he can help us get things done. I hope you enjoy learning about his background and what makes him our best candidate for Phoenix City Council District 6.
In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing April Trevett, Capital Programs Business Manager for Valley Metro. April has been with Valley Metro for over twenty years and has seen a lot of changes, including the installation of the agency's first female CEO. That is particularly impactful to April as one of our local advocates for women in transportation and the President of the Metro Phoenix Chapter of WTS. We hear from April about balancing work, home, school, and leading a dynamic association chapter as well as her goals for both her career and her WTS Presidency.
Suzanne Lansford has had a fascinating professional journey. She started her career in Arizona, traveled the country working on nuclear facilities and somehow became an expert on the impacts of lighting on sea turtles. Along that journey she made her way back to Arizona, is now the First Vice President of the Sonoran Section of the American Society of Highway Engineers, and is serving as the Chair of the upcoming ASHE Southwest Summit. Suzanne makes a career in engineering sound like an adventure!
In this episode I welcome back AZTA President Chris Bridges to discuss our once in a lifetime opportunity to leverage the new infrastructure bill to advance intercity rail between Tucson and Phoenix. We hope to the end the AZTA Rail Conference with the beginnings of a coalition that can bring this opportunity to life. I hope you’ll join us next week in Tucson not only for this critical intercity rail conversation but to also learn about the vision of rail from our Mayoral panel including Phoenix, Tucson, Tempe, and Gilbert; rail policy considerations from City of Phoenix LRT Administrator Markus Coleman; and leveraging transit investment to build ridership for potential future rail corridors from BRT subject matter expert Mike James. Register today and let’s get movin’ to the beautiful southern part of our state to share in creating the vision of rail for Arizona!
Have you ever wondered what the heck is happening on the Broadway Curve? Well, me too. So in this episode I spoke with MOT subject matter expert, Mike Washkowiak. Mike is an Associate Vice President for Iteris and professional engineer. He shares information about building a practice in Arizona for his company, the incredible work they're doing across the country, how his career started right here in Arizona, and the role he’s playing on this major reconstruction project. Mike explains the Broadway Curve team’s plan for completing this project. They'll be adding capacity while never reducing lanes and to help make that a possibility, Iteris has deployed its leading edge ClearGuide software for traffic management.
In this episode Kammy Horne, Senior Vice President for Via Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio Texas, talks about the intersection between reputation and brand. Kammy spent a critical chapter of her life and career right here in Arizona, and she shares her perspective on why it’s so important to be intentional about authenticity and ensuring that what you’re presenting to the world, professionally and personally, reflects who you really are. Kammy gets real about her career, decisions she made regarding work life balance and being home with her children, and how she handled some challenging feedback she received as a result of participating in the Eno Foundation Executive Leadership Program.
In this episode Sabrina Drago, Executive Director of the Sacramento Regional Transportation Authority shares her experience in shifting from private to public sector and how following her personal priorities has shaped her career, which started in Arizona, and taken her to where she is today.
We talk about evolving transportation policy, the challenges associated with gas tax dependency, social equity in infrastructure investment, and balancing work and home through COVID19. Sabrina's 90-degree turns professionally have resulted in an unanticipated career path which, while challenging, has resulted in a unique perspective from working for a small disadvantaged business, large AECs, and the public sector.
In this week’s episode, Audra Koester Thomas, Transportation Planning Program Manager at the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), shares insights of the challenges and progress of formulating the plan for Proposition 400E. Audra and her team have spent the last two years supporting the region’s mayors and member agencies in developing a plan that balances the need for specificity and flexibility with accommodating the rapid growth and emerging technology of transportation for the Valley. MAG is in the home stretch of gathering public input regarding that plan and will be carrying it forward, with final comments, later this year. Audra shares what is included, what was left out (for now), and how they’ve crafted the plan to take advantage of future funding opportunities and new programs from Washington.
In this week's episode Sam Sargent from beautiful Austin, Texas joins us to talk about Project Connect and the Austin Transit Partnership. Project Connect is a $7 billion transit program for the greater Austin area. This transformational program will connect communities, spur transit oriented development, and provide one of the country's largest equity investments to ensure access to affordable housing along its high capacity corridors. Austin Transit Partnership has followed the successes and challenges of implementing light rail transit for the metropolitan Phoenix area and is applying lessons learned from our system. They've been joined recently by local transit rock stars including Alvin Livingstone and Jennifer Pyne and Brian Buchanan has been leading HDR's efforts as their program manager. Sam shares a wealth of information about how they achieved success at the ballot, what they've been doing since the initiative passed, and what's ahead for this exciting new program!
This week's guest was such a joy to interview. Brad Hagen, Airport Manager for Phoenix Goodyear Airport clearly loves aviation, his role with the City of Phoenix, and their team. Phoenix Goodyear Airport is a general aviation airport that houses flight schools, private aircraft, dormitories for those in training, and everything in between. From hosting Air Force One and a rally of over ten thousand people to ensuring everyday operability, they do it all! I hope you enjoy this episode and getting another glimpse into the awesome world of aviation.
In this episode, I'm joined by Ed Faron, Airport Manager for the Phoenix Deer Valley Airport. Ed shares what it's like to run one of the world's busiest airports with over 400,000 take offs and landings each year. He shares just what they're doing out at Deer Valley Airport to generate that kind of air traffic and how he and his team accommodate their customers. Ed also gives us some insight into his background, how he's part of an aviation legacy, and even provides some pointers for people interested in exploring a career in aviation.
In this week's episode my good friend Kent Lane shares his perspective on being a public servant, the challenges related to transitioning from an active duty to civilian mindset, and why he's so passionate about working with our local small business community. Kent recently joined the City of Phoenix Equal Opportunity Department after serving many years at the Arizona Department of Transportation in their Business Engagement and Compliance Office.
Kent explains the difference between the programs at the City versus what he and his team developed at ADOT. We also discuss ACDBE versus DBE versus SBE and SBC. If you've ever wondered about the alphabet soup of small business programs, here's your chance to learn more.
At the Town of Gilbert employees are measured by their ability to be bold, kind, driven, and humble and no one embodies those characteristics more than their City Manager, Patrick Banger. For the past decade he has led his team, Council, and the community through tremendous population growth, financial crises, and a global pandemic. Patrick’s ability to focus on creating the best value for tax payers' dollars while keeping an eye toward the present, and evolving, needs of the community has resulted in the Town's national recognition as one of the best places to live, raise a family, and work in the United States. In this week's episode he shares information about the upcoming bond election for transportation investment, how infrastructure dollars have been leveraged to date to create major destination and activity centers, and what the next twenty years is anticipated to bring to one of the jewels of the Valley. In Patrick's own words, and I couldn't agree more, the Town of Gilbert truly is a very special place!
In this episode Greg Byres explains all things MPD. The Arizona Department of Transportation's (ADOT) Multimodal Transportation Department is responsible for stewardship for everything from Federal Transit Administration grant oversight for hundreds of subrecipients to developing our long-range and five-year statewide transportation plans. Learn directly from Greg all that MPD is responsible for and how they managed to not only successfully transition to work-from-home but actually got more efficient and created new tools to streamline the development process.
In this week's episode, Kent Groh and Ryan Kelly join me to talk about The Geoholics. The Geoholics is the brain child of these two super innovative, though usually more behind-the-scenes guys, who wanted to showcase their industry and just make sure people were having fun along the way. They've grown their listener following, supporters, and now studio into quite the brand and are now embarking on the next "bigger and better" ideas for the show. The enthusiasm Kent and Ryan share, and authenticity toward engaging their audience, is hard to resist. Take a minute to check them out at The Geoholics and become a Patron to receive a Geoholics FanPack. Enjoy!
In this week's episode, I continue my conversation with Felicia Guerrero Green for a deeper dive into her research project focused on women in engineering. Felicia experienced her own career crisis and realized that her education and mentoring hadn't prepared her for the challenges of balancing being a wife and mother with a career in engineering. As a result, through her PhD program, she is studying why women stay in engineering. A great deal of research exists about why women leave but Felicia is looking at this challenge from a lens of resiliency and embarking on a process to identify why women stay. I hope you enjoy learning about her process, motivation, and what she hopes to gain by completing this important work.
In this week's episode Julie Rodriguez, Deputy Aviation Director of Public Relations/Government Relations for the City of Phoenix Aviation Department joins us to share information about all the exciting things happening at America's friendliest airport. Julie provides a wealth of information about the City's response to COVID 19 and ensuring the safety of the traveling public, expansion projects, and the many programs available at Sky Harbor to ensure world class customer service. We also hear about Julie's journey from her years in the media to assuming the role of Deputy Aviation Director and all that she and her team are responsible for.
In this episode Felicia Guerrero Green shares her story of entering into the field of engineering, becoming a mom, and how balancing the two came to be nearly overwhelming. Through a chance encounter at a conference, Felicia met a peer who shared the same struggles. They ended up forming an online forum for Engineering Working Moms. The forum now has thousands of followers and provides a space for women engineers to share, vent, and laugh about the challenges related to balancing these two demanding roles.
In Part II of our interview, Felicia shares how she has taken her passion for problem solving and embarked on a journey through her PhD program to identify what keeps women in engineering. Sharing the startling statistic that women are 300% more likely to leave engineering after having a second child, this challenge isn't just something that impacted Felicia but impacts our STEM fields as a whole.
In this episode we hear from Co-Founder and Partner of Goodman-Schwartz Public Affairs, David Schwartz. David is the mastermind behind Friends of Transit and the Support Sky Harbor Coalition. He's passionate about rallying support for transit and aviation and has been serving our transportation community for over twenty years.
In addition to leading these two critical organizations, David engages in public affairs on behalf of clients throughout the state of Arizona. His partner Stuart Goodwin, described by David as one of the hardest working people he's ever known, is more of a behind-the-scenes professional but has been keeping us all informed with COVID data from the onset of the pandemic. I hope you enjoy hearing about the amazing work of David and his colleagues.
In this episode the Executive Director of the Maricopa County Association of Governments (MAG), Eric Anderson, shares his expertise on the evolution of transportation investment in the Valley. From the first freeway bill, Proposition 300, to our current funding bill Proposition 400, and looking forward to what's next with Proposition 400E, our infrastructure has been evolving along with the needs of our community.
That community continues to grow, with no slowing in sight, and the investment necessary to ensure mobility also has to grow. This presents a number of challenges as the needs and wants of MAG member agencies far out pace available resources.
Eric and his team are leading the charge to craft the next Regional Transportation Plan, Momentum. They're also continuing to raise the question of indexing the gas tax and exploring ways to ensure that all users of our transportation system, even electric vehicle owners, are doing their part.
In this episode Reece Green shares his perspective on the evolution and application of accelerated bridge construction, how serving in the military has benefitted his career as a builder, and how our industry can step up to help veterans.
Arizona is known for innovation, our transportation industry particularly is not shy about pushing the boundaries of the accepted to explore the possible. Partnering with the Arizona Department of Transportation and FHWA, Reece and the Pulice team were able to deliver a bridge basically over a weekend. Reece provides insight into the planning and execution of that project as well as several others.
Second only to his passion for being a builder is his commitment to helping veterans. Two organizations doing amazing work for our vets are The Ripple Effect and the Semper Fi Fund. I hope you'll consider supporting these organizations and the incredible work they do.
In this episode Markus Coleman shares his perspective on what it means to be a public servant. At the City of Phoenix everyone is expected to have a mindset of serving their community. We get a peak inside the nation's fifth largest city and the measures they take to ensure job security for their employees as well as how a fortuitous shift for Markus, due to the 2009 economic crisis, set him on a path toward his role today.
We also learn what's ahead for light rail in the Valley and what may be ahead for Markus. Being someone dedicated to his lifelong community of South Phoenix, Markus believes you don't move away once you've achieved success. You stay put, investing back in the community of your youth. There may also be some broader public service in Markus' future. I hope for all our sakes, there is, he's someone who gives you a sense of hope about leadership and the future!
In this episode Karla Petty, Arizona Division Administrator for the Federal Highway Administration, shares information about the Every Day Counts (EDC) initiative. EDC has led to the formation of the Arizona Council for Transportation Innovation (ACTI) and this month ACTI is hosting a series of innovation exchanges. The exchanges will take place throughout February and they'll be recorded and posted online on the ADOT website.
Arizona takes a unique approach to its innovation council and ACTI was recently recognized, nationally, by FHWA with an excellence award for emphasizing collaboration and education. I hope you enjoy learning more about the many ways Arizona is leading innovation in the transportation industry nationally.
In this week's episode Aida Berduo Berry shares her perspective on striving for equity, celebrating diversity, and ensuring inclusion. As a nationally recognized Title VI subject matter expert, she explains the importance and purpose of Title VI, how it differs from Environmental Justice, and her personal story of inspiration.
As one of the early supporters of Latinos In Transit, Aida also shares their story of building a coalition of professionals seeking to broaden the voice of Latinos in leadership roles within the industry. Throughout her life and career Aida has always overcome challenges with humor, determination, and a healthy understanding of who she is and where she comes from.
In this episode Anita Richardson-Frijia, President of WTS Metro Phoenix, shares her experiences and observations on mentorship. January is Mentorship Month and the heart of WTS is mentorship. From formal programs, to building networks, and providing access to inspirational leaders, WTS invests in the careers of women and men in the transportation industry.
Anita has had the benefit of being mentored by some of the most accomplished women in Arizona's transportation industry; Jennifer Toth, Audra Koester Thomas, and Jenny Bixby to name just a few. She shares how formal programs, informal interactions, and observing the careers of these, and other, inspirational women have impacted her career.
In this special edition of Moving Arizona, I joined Commuter Rail Coalition Executive Director KellyAnne Gallagher in an interview with Coalition Vice Chair Mike Noland. Mike is the GM/CEO of NICTD and the South Shore Line Commuter Rail Road. He shares his personal experience working with President Elect Biden's nominee for Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg.
Scrutiny of "Mayor Pete's" non-transportation-centric background has some wondering about what he will bring to the role of Secretary of Transportation. We learn in this interview that he brings a unique perspective. One of understanding how to balance the multi-faceted needs of a community with leveraging investments in transportation to foster growth, prosperity, and equity.
In this week's episode Karim Dada shares a little bit about his journey from public to private sector, what it's like to see a project through from concept to reality, and how he and his team are growing AZTEC's reach across transportation. As Senior Vice President at AZTEC Engineering, Karim leads business development efforts regionally and nationally.
Watching the growth realized in the Valley during the course of his career has motivated him to seek out new opportunities and he's not shy about committing to the causes that will keep that growth moving. Now exploring renewable energy markets, rail transportation in many forms, and touching every aspect of transportation, Karim and his team are involved from planning and design to construction management. Their reach doesn't stop at rail though, they're working on project delivery in virtually every mode.
In this week's episode Jennifer Toth, Director of the Maricopa County Department of Transportation and County Engineer, shares her professional journey and why she chose to tackle shifting the culture of MCDOT. MCDOT is responsible for design, construction, operations, and maintenance of 9,000 square miles of unincorporated Maricopa County transportation infrastructure. With stakeholders ranging from tribal communities, farmers, and rural neighborhoods to densely populated urban communities, MCDOT is committed to its core purpose of providing connections that improve people’s lives with a team of service-minded, team builders who get it done with a smile.
Jennifer talks about the challenges stepping into her role as Director and County Engineer, how MCDOT's been able to navigate COVID19, and succession planning. Her collaborative, forward-thinking, approach has not only resulted in her success but is also contributing to the success of her entire team.
In this week's episode Dallas Hammit shares how the Arizona Department of Transportation responded to COVID 19, is prepared for safely moving forward, and is still delivering for Arizona’s residents. ADOT has been able to maintain operations and project development and delivery through the pandemic while maintaining its vision of moving Arizona to become the most reliable transportation system in the nation and mission of, "Connecting Arizona. Everyone. Everywhere. Every Day."
It was exciting to learn how ADOT is employing alternative delivery, technology, and practical solutions to make the most of our transportation investment. We also talked about some of the challenges on the horizon as we balance the need to increase capacity with maintaining what we already have.
In this episode, John Bullen, MAG’s Transportation Economic & Financial Program Manager shares information about how the Maricopa Association of Governments has approached navigating COVID 19, initiating its first major freeway reconstruction project, and innovations being piloted to ensure Maricopa County taxpayers are getting the best value for their transportation investment. It was such a pleasure to speak with John and to learn more about what’s on the horizon for formulating the plan for Proposition 400 E and how MAG and its member cities are working together to deliver the Proposition 400 program.
John has been a voice and presence of calm in a very challenging year and it was fascinating to speak with him to learn about his perspective on the financial health of transportation in the Valley. Our industry has grown to trust and depend on him and he’s sure to be influencing transportation decision-making in the Valley for years to come.
In this episode, Wulf Grote, Valley Metro's Director of Capital Service & Development, share his insights from thirty-five year's of service to the transportation industry. As Wulf looks toward retirement at the end of this year, he leaves behind a legacy of a multimodalism in the Valley that would not be where it is today without him. He's shaped thousands of careers by introducing light rail transit, and now modern street car, to the Valley and has impacted millions of residents in the metro Phoenix area.
During Wulf’s tenure first with the City of Phoenix then with Valley Metro, the Valley’s rail system has grown to 28 miles, two corridors are entering construction, and the City of Tempe will have a modern street car system before the end of 2021. He’s also preparing the next corridor for design, extending our light rail system through our State’s Capitol and into the West Valley.
In this episode, I interviewed Rebekah Morris, the founder of the Arizona Builder's Exchange. Rebekah proves that great ideas are of born of necessity. She moved to Arizona ten years ago and was looking for a resource that would identify trends and activity in the construction industry. Finding none, she decided to develop a digital magazine that has since grown to a distribution of over 4,000 people. AZBEX is now also providing additional resources in the form of their database, conferences, and weekly discussions with industry to help people stay connected and informed. Rebekah shares how her success has hinged on the Power of the Pivot in being nimble and responsive to changing needs and environments in the industry.
In this episode I interviewed Audra Koester Thomas. Audra is the Transportation Planning Program Manager for the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG). She and her team are currently developing the next Regional Transportation Plan that will serve as the basis for the extension of Proposition 400. Proposition 400, Maricopa County's current dedicated transportation sales tax, sunsets in 2025 and Our Momentum Plan will shape the future transportation investment for the next twenty years and beyond. The community engagement process is on-going with the intent of having a draft plan mid-year 2021. To learn more about the progress to date and how to contribute visit www.ourmomentumplan.com.
While leading this effort is challenging, Audra always finds the time to give back and has regularly engaged the WTS Metro Phoenix Jane Morris Mentorship Program. For this year’s program participants, Audra has some sage advice. First approach everything as if it is an opportunity and second, take up space. Take up space with your presence, your voice, and your ideas. Insightful advice from a tremendous leader. I hope you enjoy learning more about what’s happening to shape the future of transportation for the Valley of the Sun.
In this episode, Serena Unrein talks about the intersection of access to quality transportation options and healthy communities. As the Director of the Arizona Partnership for Healthy Communities, Serena serves as a voice and advocate for communities throughout Arizona that are encountering a wide array of health-related challenges. In her role, she’s responsible for identifying and engaging subject matter experts to address issues ranging from affordable housing, availability of nutritious food, access to transportation, and countless others. We also talk about her path as a professional and how she joined Arizona Healthy Communities and has been dedicated to growing their impact for the past six years.
In this episode I interviewed Mountain Line's new CEO and General Manager, Heather Dalmolin. She shares with me her professional journey from working part time "counting money" to serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Flagstaff's transit system. Hear her story of growing a career through dedication to community and under the leadership and mentorship of the former CEO. Just as Heather was appointed as the interim CEO and GM, everyone's world was turned upside down by a global pandemic. She and her team, working together, have seen how truly resilient they are and have become even stronger as a result.
In this episode I interviewed Becky Miller, the Executive Director of the Arizona Transit Association (AzTA). Becky’s been with AzTA for over sixteen years, the first ten in the administrative arm, and the last six as its Executive Director. Becky speaks with passion about how AzTA serves the most vulnerable in our communities throughout Arizona by supporting transit service providers and mobility managers. This important work has only become more critical in the midst of COVID and AzTA has had to get creative about how to provide vital resources. Join us to learn about what AzTA does, is doing, and plans to do to broaden their reach even further.
In this episode I got to interview Erik Yingling, Vice President and Area Manager for the Metro Phoenix area (and more) for my new company, Stacy and Witbeck, Inc. Erik came to the Valley fifteen years ago to chase light rail work. Since then, Erik has delivered projects, grown his career, and managed to keep a sense of adventure and humor throughout. He believes in mentorship and not just in a professional development capacity. He regularly engages younger team members at Stacy and Witbeck to help them navigate making the most of their benefits, considering major financial decisions, and definitely how to avoid mistakes in the workplace. Not only is Stacy and Witbeck lucky to have Erik on their executive leadership team, but we’re super lucky to have him contributing to the transportation industry in Arizona!
In this episode of Moving Arizona we learn about all things Active Transportation and the Maricopa Association of Government’s (MAG) efforts to explore our next evolution in multi-modalism. Jason Stephens, Planner III and Active Transportation lead for MAG, talks about finding inspiration in Vancouver, BC while at a conference with the MAG Active Transportation Committee Chair and the activities that followed resulting in the foundational principles and goals of our current plan. Not only are we striving to develop a regional system that accommodates all abilities “from eight to eighty” but one that also provides comfort, safety, and helps improve quality of life and the health of communities across the Valley.
In this episode we hear from Rob Sty, Global Director of the Technology Studio for HDR, Inc. In his role for HDR, Rob focuses on data centers and mission critical facilities. Rob shares with us his insights on technology and the evolution of transportation as well as the implications of data on decision-making. From designing facilities and systems that ensure continuity of vital services, and security, to leading efforts to evolve our industry, Rob is a leader not only for Arizona but also nationally. Considered a subject matter expert in his field, he has written articles for publications such as AZRE Magazine, ASHRAE Journal, BD+C Magazine, and recently contributed to the Spring Edition of “RISE”, the publication for the College of Engineering at his alma mater, the University of Illinois at Chicago. Rob holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Thermo-Fluid sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Graduate Certificate in Technology & Engineering Management from the department of Management Science & Engineering at Stanford University as well as a number of professional certificates in project & program management and sustainable energy conversion and applications. Thank you Rob for your sage advice and glimpse at some of the challenges we face related to data and transportation decision-making.
After taking a break last week to manage some work-life transitions, I’m back in an interview with one of my favorite Arizona leaders. In this episode Jesse Gutierrez, Deputy Director of the Maricopa County Department of Transportation, shares his background spanning over 30 years in the transportation and construction industries. He's served as a District Engineer, Deputy State Engineer, at the Arizona Department of Transportation and is now working with Jennifer Toth at MCDOT as her Deputy. Jesse brings lifelong experience working with trades, construction, and engineering. Jesse spent his youth working at his family's development company, managed street car construction for the City of Tucson, led in various roles at ADOT, and now serves as part of the MCDOT leadership succession plan. Join me to learn about Jesse's views on management versus leadership, mentorship, and self-awareness.
In this episode of Moving Arizona we get real about the impacts and challenges of an extended work-from-home environment, what it means to be named Man of the Year, and learn some lessons about work-life balance. Andrew Haines is a Jacobs' Manager of Projects, the Project Manager for Valley Metro's Northwest Phase II Light Rail Transit Extension, and the Arizona ACEC Immediate Past Chair. He shares insights about leading during a pandemic, going off-grid with a group of teenagers, and some of the incredible women who have shaped his life. Andrew is open, honest, and one of the most dedicated individuals in Arizona's transportation industry. Join me to get a glimpse of his views on industry, the importance of personal interaction, and why he's right where he's meant to be!
In this episode Jesus Sapien, Director of the City of Phoenix Public Transit Department, gives us a behind-the-scenes peek at what it’s like to grow a career in America’s fifth largest city. He discusses the logistics of navigating City and regional public transportation solutions and how he and his team are committed to providing essential service to our traveling public. COVID 19 has taken its toll on ridership but the City of Phoenix is dedicated to protecting drivers, passengers, and delivering the quality service our communities have come to depend on. Jesus’s passion for public transit stems from his youth but has grown over the years to his current enthusiasm for leading the very cool work of the Phoenix Public Transit Department.
In this episode I had the opportunity to interview Jessica Fly. Jessica is a Professional Engineer and Project Manager with WSP. She is indeed one of the famous "Fly" engineers at WSP but it's not just because she's super smart, an incredible team player, and generally awesome to be around... it also happens to be her name. We talk about what it's like on the "seller" side of the doer-seller model with regard to the array of project delivery approaches and how she spends her down time stepping backward off cliffs as she canyoneers with her husband and their "extreme hiking" team. Jessica has insights on growing your career, managing projects, serving clients and contractors, as well as being brave enough to forge your own path.
In this episode we talk about everything from bugs, to grasses, self-driving snowplows, and transforming an organization based on the work of a shame researcher. Dawn Hood is an Associate Director at the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota. While her focus area is Development and Finance, her background is in structural engineering. Her path has taken a very different turn than she originally planned while earning her engineering degree and becoming a professional engineer. Dawn and I met nearly twenty years ago as part of the second cohort of women to go through the national WTS Leadership Program. Since that time, Dawn has led major initiatives, progressed through the ranks at the Center for Transportation Studies, chaired committees at TRB, and balanced it all with being a wife and mother. Dawn’s journey also encompasses engaging in a transformational change initiative based on the work of Dr. Brene Brown.
In this episode of Moving Arizona, Chris Bridges, Administrator of the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization (CYMPO) and Chair of the Arizona Transit Association (AzTA), talks about leveraging CARES Act funding to launch a transit service for the Prescott area. He also shares insights regarding the diversity of the CYMPO region, the needs of our Northern Arizona veteran community, and how AzTA is rallying to serve as a resource for rural Arizona transit service providers. Chris leads at local and statewide levels and still finds time to help his neighbors, make people laugh, and produce a “zoom-cast” Who’s Zooming Now with his good friend Vinny Gallego.
In this week’s interview, I spoke with Tony Santana. Tony is the Project Manager for Valley Metro’s Northwest Extension Phase II light rail transit project. He’s someone who grew up in the inner city, went to ASU, saw first-hand how transportation can change communities, and decided to embark on a career of giving back. Tony is an inspirational emerging leader who gives me hope for the future as I listened to his passion and commitment to serve. He encourages young people in our industry to find their “why” and seek a career that they feel inspired by while not being afraid to fail. He is also committed to the advancement of women in the industry as he looks to his daughter’s future and the opportunities he hopes will be available to her.
This week, I spoke with Steve Boschen. Steve is the Infrastructure Delivery & Operations Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation. His approach to delivering a world class transportation system is grounded in pragmatism, optimism, a commitment to partnering with industry, and being brave enough to challenge the status quo. He encourages young people to get involved, see things from a different perspective, and learn about what’s happening in the transportation industry. He’s an inspirational leader with a style that is equal parts challenging the norms and pushing the possible.
In this episode we talk to James Barr, P.E., Vice President and Unit Manager at T. Y. Lin International. James is a native Arizonan from Tucson where he attended U of A “Go Cats - Bear Down!” James has been in the transportation industry for over nineteen years - he shares how his own career evolved as well as his views on what to invest in learning to develop your own career. James is a leader at T. Y. Lin but also in his volunteer activities with the American Society of Highway Engineers for the Phoenix Sonoran Section as well as the newly formed Southwest Region. He shares with us his goals for ASHE and what makes that association different for him.
In this week’s episode we talk to Margerie Green. Margie is the founder of Archaeological Consulting Services, Ltd. (ACS). ACS was just recognized by WTS Metro Phoenix with the Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership award. Margie has achieved diversity in her business by hiring based on qualifications only. The result? A diverse team delivering success for projects and communities throughout Arizona. Margie shares some her experiences evolving as a business owner, difficult decisions she’s made along the way, interesting and exciting archeological finds, and advice for those new to our industry.
In this episode of Moving Arizona we talk to Teresa Welborn. Teresa recently retired from her role as Administrator for the Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) where she worked with Jennifer Toth, MCDOT Director and County Engineer, to reshape the agency. Teresa’s experience includes serving greater Tucson from her work with the Mayor’s office, greater Phoenix through her work with MCDOT, and Greater Arizona from her roles at the Arizona Department of Transportation. Teresa brings insights and wisdom regarding community engagement, the value of the partnering process, and the importance of supporting one another through mentorship.
In this week’s episode we talk to April Wire and Zoe Richmond with the Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT). MCDOT was recently recognized by the Metro Phoenix Chapter of WTS with the Innovative Solutions Project of the Year award. Not only were they recognized locally but the Bell Road Adaptive Signal Project was recognized by WTS nationally for the innovative, collaborative, approach they took to optimize one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the Metropolitan Phoenix Area. April Wire is the Project Manager for the Bell Road project and Zoe Richmond is one of MCDOT’s Communications leaders.
In this episode we talk to one of the most compelling voices of Greater Arizona. Greater Arizona is comprised of cities and towns throughout Arizona including Prescott and Lake Havasu. Prescott native, Vincent “Vinny” Gallegos is the Director of the Lake Havasu Metropolitan Planning Organization. He’s taken his experience from living in, and leading infrastructure development for, Prescott and turned it toward helping Lake Havasu leverage every opportunity to address the needs of its citizens. Vinny is an AzTA Board member, adjunct Professor, mentor, vocal advocate for Greater Arizona, and tremendous inspiration.
On this episode, we talk to Stephanie Stearns. “Steph” is a Transportation Planner with the Maricopa Association of Governments where she works in programming. Join us as we talk to Stephanie about her role at MAG, navigating WFH, her history with the Metro Phoenix Chapter of WTS and how she’s making the most of great adventure of a career in transportation!
Join Moving Arizona for an interview with Patti Olds, founder and President of Kuniklo. Patti serves not only as a Mentor in the 2020 WTS Mentorship program but is also a Board Member for the Associated Minority Contractors of America. When she’s not running the successful business she founded in 2003, she’s helping fellow entrepreneurs navigate growing a business in Arizona’s transportation industry.
What does it take to leave an executive level role at the MTA to launch an organization focused on becoming the much needed voice of our nation's commuter railroads? Join us to hear from KellyAnne Gallagher, Executive Director and founding member of the Commuter Rail Coalition, to find out.
In this episode we talk to Maria Hyatt. Maria is the Chair of Friends of Transit, the Vice Chair of the Arizona Transit Association, and a self described Transit Activist. While she currently works for Gannett Fleming as a Transportation Planner, she recently left the City of Phoenix where she served for many years at the Director of the Public Transit Department. The Metro Phoenix area has seen a lot of changes over the past twenty years and even more are on the horizon. Get the inside perspective from a transportation influencer who, many times, has been the voice of transit.
In this episode we talk to Alice Bimrose regarding her role in the City of Phoenix Aviation Department. The path to aviation operations management and leadership is not a direct one! Alice shares her surprising background and how she’s learned to apply her education in social work and human resources experience to aviation operations management.
What’s it like to plan for the one of the largest and fastest growing counties in the United States? Listen in to find out as we talk to Denise Lacey, head of Transportation Planning for the Maricopa County Department of Transportation. This is the first in a series of interviews with Arizona transportation professionals who volunteer as mentors in the 2020 Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) Metro Phoenix Mentorship Program.
Arizona is one of the fastest growing, diverse, and interesting states in the United States. From the City of Phoenix, the fifth largest city in the U.S., to native nations, and some of the most breathtaking natural spaces in the world, our transportation infrastructure covers it all. The solutions to addressing the needs of our communities is often as unique as the challenges! Welcome to Moving Arizona, the podcast for transportation professionals (aka “transportation geeks”) who want to hear from the people shaping our industry.