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New Members
WTS Minnesota welcomes the following new and returning members:
KC Atkins
Toole Design Group
Lindsay Gaines
TKDA
Elizabeth Greene
RSG
Hayley Pline
TKDA
Nelrae Succio
Hennepin County
Katie Westphal
WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff
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Save the Dates for Upcoming Programs!
Metro Transit A Line Tour
July 28th from 3-5 PM
St. Paul
The Future of Transportation Meets the Future of Public Involvement
August 9th from 4-6 PM
Visit our Events page for more information including registration soon.
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Job Postings
Help us spread the word about available positions by sending new posting information to Laura Eash.
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Corporate Partners
Thank you to our 2016 corporate partners:
AECOM
HDR, Inc.
Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc.
 Stantec
WSB & Associates, Inc.
American Engineering Testing, Inc.
Bolton & Menk, Inc.
Braun Intertec
HR Green
KLJ
SEH, Inc.
SRF Consulting Group
TKDA
WSP-Parsons Brinckerhoff
Isthmus Engineering
Pierce Pini & Associates, Inc.
Professional Engineering Services, Ltd.
Rani Engineering
Stonebrooke
The MN Transportation Alliance
Zan Associates
See your name here, and support the advancement of women in transportation! For more information about becoming a corporate partner, visit our website.
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Has your email address changed?
Please email Kathleen Mayell with your new address and don't forget to update your email address with WTS International as well.
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2016 WTS MinnesotaBoard of DirectorsPresident
Vice President
Secretary
Past President
Programs Co-Director
Co-Director
Development Director
Special Events Director
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2016 WTS Minnesota
Advisory Board
Donna Allan
WTS Past President
Laura Amundson
Parsons Brinckerhoff
Kristin Asher
City of Richfield
Gina Baas
Center for Transportation Studies
Debra Brisk
Hennepin County
Biz Colburn
WTS Past President
Sandy Cullen
University of Minnesota
Margaret Donahoe
Minnesota Transportation Alliance
Ann Johnson
University of MN
Wanda Kirkpatrick
Metropolitan Council
Connie Kozlak
Metropolitan Council
Jessica Laabs
Kimley-Horn & Associates
Scott McBride
MnDOT
Dan Meyers
AECOM
Amber Nord Isthmus Engineering
Lisa Raduenz
University of MN Parking and Transportation Services
Katie Roth
Metro Transit
Dawn Spanhake
Center for Transportation Studies
Kristin Thompson
Metro Transit
Amy Vennewitz
Metropolitan Council
Charleen Zimmer
Zan Associates
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President's Column
Happy summer, WTS Minnesota!
I hope your summer is off to a great start. I was lucky enough to kick off my summer at the WTS Annual Conference in Austin, Texas. It was my first time attending the conference and I truly enjoyed the opportunity to connect with others from across the country and get inspired by great sessions and speakers.
I also took the opportunity to explore Austin on foot, bus, bike, and Car2go - mostly on a mission of finding the best tacos in town! It's always important to experience the local flavor of a new place, right? And if I can experience the local multimodal transportation opportunities while I am at it, then I am a happy traveler.
Aside from fried avocado tacos, what was most memorable was spending time with the Minnesota contingent at the conference. Over 10 WTS Minnesota members attended and it was wonderful to get to know them better through the three-day conference. Many of the Minnesota attendees were supported by grants from our Corporate Partnership funding. Thanks again to our corporate partners! You make it possible for us to help our members access professional development and networking opportunities like the WTS Annual Conference.
Now that I am back in Minnesota, I am committed to spending as much time outside as I can. Luckily, the WTS Minnesota chapter also likes to take advantage of the warm summer months with project tours! If you missed the June opportunity to tour Blue Line Extension station areas, I hope you can make it to the A-Line BRT tour on July 28. It will be a great look at innovative new transit infrastructure in our region - and a great excuse to get out and enjoy summer with WTS Minnesota!
Wishing you a fun and relaxing summer,
Rose Ryan
President, WTS Minnesota
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Corporate Partner Spotlight: Kimley-Horn
WTS Minnesota would like to thank Kimley-Horn for being a 2016 Advocate-Level Partner. Giving at WTS MN's highest partnership level, Kimley-Horn has contributed to the success of WTS programs, scholarships, and educational opportunities in 2016. Please take a minute to learn more about Kimley-Horn in Minnesota and why they support WTS MN.
MN Office Locations
Twin Cities (along the Green Line) and Rochester
Transportation Services Offered
Planning, environmental, roadway, municipal, traffic, transit, structures, aviation, landscape architecture, and more!
Website
Why Kimley-Horn Supports WTS MN
Since 2012, Kimley-Horn has supported WTS Minnesota for their outstanding professional development, leadership, and educational opportunities afforded to our employees and this region by our local chapter. Developing leaders in the workplace, awarding scholarships, and mentoring programs like Transportation YOU, we see our investment in WTS growing tomorrow's transportation leaders. WTS provides tools and networking opportunities to connect and build a strong community working towards the advancement of women in the transportation industry.
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WTSI Executive and Mid-Career Leadership Programs - Applications Close July 1st!
Applications are now open for the WTS International Executive and Mid-Career Leadership Programs. Visit wtsinternational.org/leadership for application and other information.
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Volunteer Opportunity with CTS
The University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies is gearing up for their second National Summer Transportation Institute. CTS is looking for a few chaperones for two trips:
- Wednesday, July 13th from 11:15 AM to 3:00 PM (St. Croix River Bridge Boat Tour)
-Tuesday, July 19th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (St. Paul Airport tour and MnDOT maintenance tour)
Please email Kylie at CTS if you are interesting in being a chaperone.
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Recap: METRO Blue Line Extension Bicycle Tour (June Program)
WTS Members and friends gathered at Wicked Wort Brewing in Robbinsdale on Saturday, June 11th for a 2-hour bike tour of the METRO Blue Line Extension project in Robbinsdale, Golden Valley, and Minneapolis. Hats (and helmets!) off to Caroline Miller (Blue Line Extension Project Office), David Davies (Blue Line Extension Project Office), and Kelley Yemen (Hennepin County) for their project expertise as the esteemed tour guides.
The tour began at Wicked Wort Brewing Company, located just a block east of the Robbinsdale Transit Center and within the future half-mile station area of the Downtown Robbinsdale Station. From there, the tour traveled to the future station platform location in Robbinsdale, wound its way to Sochaki Park, and then further south into Golden Valley. Finally, the group stopped at Theodore Wirth Park and traveled back for a celebratory happy hour at Wicked Wort via the Crystal Lake Regional Trail. Historic properties, future trail connections, vertical circulation, neighborhood character, station aesthetics, Basset Creek alignment, and major utility relocation were just a few of the topics addressed throughout the six-mile excursion on summer's (potentially) hottest day. Thanks to all who participated!
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Recap: WTSI Annual Conference in Austin, TX
By Hally Turner, WTS member and conference grant recepient
WTS members attended the recent annual conference in Austin, Texas. A variety of plenaries, sessions, and technical tours covered an array of topics including autonomous technologies, shared mobility solutions, transportation funding, and innovative data collections methods to name a few. Combine these fantastic learning opportunities with evening receptions, networking events, and sightseeing and participants ended up with an exciting three-day getaway. Highlights included:
* Lilly Ledbetter shared her tireless journey for fair pay. Ledbetter took fight all the way to the Supreme Court. When the highest court in the nation denied her claim, she did not stop. The 111th United States Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009 to relax the timeliness requirements for the filing of a discrimination suit.
* WTS Minnesota member Hannah Pritchard, with Toole Design Group, presented as part of the Challenging Demographics: Demand for the 21st Century session.
* Women leaders working in transportation through the United States shared insights and stories of successes and misadventures during their climb to the top.
Front from left: Andrea Arnoldi, Kristina Nesse, Jasna Hadzic, Michelle Julius and Hally Turner. Back from left: Rose Ryan, Hannah Pritchard, Laura Eash and Pam Fincher.
On Friday morning, some WTS MN attendees grabbed B-cycles and strolled down S Congress Ave, a nationally known shopping and cultural district, in search of tacos. Jasna is on the left and Hannah is on the right.
Next year's conference will be held in New York City. Share in the exchange of ideas and learn about the latest developments in transportation in the city that never sleeps. You are sure to be in good company!
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Congratulations to Lindsay Gaines, a new TKDA employee who was featured in the spring edition of the U of MN's Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering publication. Read it here
Congratulations to Gina Mitteco, who is now the Transportation Planning Director for Metro's Multimodal Transportation Group at MnDOT!
Congratulations to Mackenzie Turner Bargen, who has joined MnDOT as the Metro District Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator!
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Have member news to share? Send in snippets about job changes, life milestones, and other accomplishments to Laura Eash so we can keep track of and recognize our colleagues!
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Care to Connect over Coffee?
WTS Minnesota offers members a chance to connect over coffee with our program designed to encourage new members to meet with existing members in a fun and relaxed environment. If interested, please contact Kathleen Mayell and she will pair you up with a new/more experienced member; the two of you can make arrangements to meet for coffee. Based on feedback from those who have already connected, this opportunity is a nice way to get even more out of your membership and make a connection you may not have otherwise.
Want another reason to give this a try? WTS Minnesota will pick up the tab!
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