Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) International has elected its two boards of directors for the next two years.
The WTS International Board of Directors is the governing body of the organisation, delivering strategic direction, setting policy, and providing governance and oversight for WTS International.
Chair-elect Bridgette Beato, founder and CEO of Lumenor Consulting Group, says: “Our mission of attracting, sustaining, connecting, and advancing women in the transportation sector is more important than ever, and I look forward to the growth and continued success of WTS during my term.”
Yvonne Lopez-Diaz, chair-elect of the 2024-26 WTS Foundation board of directors, is vice president, National Workforce Strategist at HNTB.
“Developing the next generation of transportation leaders is my professional and personal passion,” she says. “I am beyond excited to continue the great work of our previous Foundation board, utilise the incredible skills of our 2024-2026 board members, and build upon the WTS continued strategy of educating, attracting, and retaining women in our industry.”
WTS International Board of Directors:
• Chair, Bridgette Beato, CEO, Lumenor Consulting Group
• Vice Chair, Erin Slayton, Transportation Program Management Director, HDR
• Secretary, Karen Philbrick, PhD, Executive Director/CEO, Mineta Transportation Institute
• Treasurer, Inez Evans, Senior Vice President, National Bus Practice, WSP USA
• Immediate Past Chair, Jannet Walker-Ford, Senior Vice President & Principal Director, WSP USA
• Director, Monica Backmon, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority
• Director, Alexa Gangemi, Associate Vice President, Senior Project Manager, HNTB
• Director, Debra Johnson, General Manager & CEO, Regional Transportation District, Denver
• Director, Karen Kitsis, Deputy Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation
• Director, Emmanuella Myrthil, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, SEPTA
• Director, Leanne Redden, Executive Director, Regional Transportation Authority
• Director, Malika Reed Wilkins, PhD, Chief Strategy Officer & Chief External Affairs Officer, Atlanta Regional Commission
• Director, Alanna Strohecker, Senior Vice President- Global Market Sector Leader, Surface Transportation and Goods Movement, AECOM
WTS Foundation Board of Directors:
• Chair, Yvonne Lopez-Diaz, Vice President, HNTB
• Vice Chair, Odessa Phillip, President & CEO, Assedo Consulting, LLC
• Secretary, Kelly Kaysonepheth, Marketing Director/ Associate Vice President, AZTEC Engineering Group, Inc.
• Treasurer, Danielle Smith, Central Region Director, Triunity, A Lochner Company
• Immediate Past Chair, Karen Good, Specialty Services Supervisor, City & County of Denver
• Director, Avital Barnea, Senior Executive Officer, Multimodal Integrated Planning, Los Angeles Metro
• Director, Jennifer Duval, Vice President, Rail & Transit Leader, Jacobs
• Director, Patricia Macchi, National Director of Infrastructure Economics and Grants Advisory, Senior Principal, STV
• Director, Melissa Mullinax, Chief of Staff and Chief Administrative Officer, MARTA
• Director, Emmanuella Myrthil, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, SEPTA
• Director, Mandy Putney, Urban Mobility Office Strategic Initiatives Director, Oregon Department of Transportation
• Director, Christi Skinner, Retired
• Director, Adrienne Williams, Director, Diversity and Community Outreach- Southern Region, McCarthy Building Companies
“I am looking forward to the strategic direction our new governing body of both WTS International and the WTS Foundation will continue to provide to our organisation and our membership,” said Sara Stickler, president & CEO of WTS International.
“I am thankful for these transportation leaders’ commitment and dedication to the mission, vision, and values of WTS.”
