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ACT: Tell us about your background.
Sonya: I am a proud Generation X'er, born in northeast Louisiana and now living in Texas. I earned a B.S. in civil engineering from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and an MBA from Amberton University in Garland, Texas.
ACT: How did you get involved in transportation as a career?
Sonya: As a resident of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I have experienced the effects of rapid population growth on the transportation system, and seen how congestion and air quality issues can affect our quality of life. As a transportation planner, I work to improve the efficiency of the transportation system and increase the use of alternative transportation options to reduce the demand on that system.
ACT: What is the main focus of your work?
Sonya: My career has been focused around the traffic and transportation engineering/planning fields. I am a principal transportation planner for the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The North Central Texas region is comprised of 16 counties with a population of nearly 6.5 million residents. The cities of Dallas and Fort Worth are the urban centers for the region. I manage the travel demand management and transportation safety program areas for NCTCOG.
ACT: How long have you been an ACT member?
Sonya: I joined in 2006. I attended the ACT International Conference in Boston and I've been hooked ever since. In Boston I realized the great resource that ACT is to the TDM community. Being new to the TDM industry then, I appreciated ACT's mission to support mobility management professionals and organization members in their efforts to reduce traffic congestion, conserve energy, and improve air quality.
ACT: What motivated you to seek a leadership role?
Sonya: I decided to run for a position on the national board of directors because I understood and appreciated the important role ACT plays in this industry. I wanted to be a part of efforts to introduce people to the great work that ACT has done and will continue to do within the TDM industry. I want to see ACT grow in both membership and relevance.
ACT: What do you want to achieve while you're on the board?
Sonya: My top two goals and priorities in this role are to increase ACT membership through recruitment and retention efforts, and continue efforts to bring more professional development opportunities to ACT members.
ACT: Anything you'd like to share from your personal life?
Sonya: My two-year-old daughter, Gamiya, is my brightest joy. Her name means "to stand proud and strong; to lead," and she's definitely living up to her name already. She keeps mommy and daddy on our toes. My favorite night of the week is Thursday. Why? Because it's T.V. night in America. I'm a Scandal Gladiator and proud of it.
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