Dear WTS Members, Partners, and Stakeholders,

I am thrilled to join a distinguished group of leaders for what is certain to be a remarkable and powerful organizational evolution. As your 2022–2024 Board Chair, I am excited to share my vision and priorities for my upcoming term, embracing the dedicated WTS community that continues the mission set by previous leadership: to attract, connect, sustain, and advance the future of a diverse and innovative transportation industry.

As transportation professionals, we are charged with making important decisions that impact society. An equitable, diverse, and inclusive group of stakeholder voices are vital for the road ahead. We can acknowledge past indiscretions that actively harmed communities, especially communities of color and other disadvantaged people, while choosing better alternatives that will actively help rectify the standing outcomes of these choices.  I look forward to the activities of our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, now a standing committee of WTS, and encourage you to be involved- there is a lot of exciting and critical work to do.

Similarly, our future workforce can both reflect and assist our communities in these changes. WTS has the power to set up a new generation of leaders for success in careers that need their talents – whether that is engineering, community engagement, design and planning, data, transit, rail, maritime, aviation, and all other modes. I hope that together, WTS members can vow to instill a sense of excitement and potential for students curious about our industry – meeting them where they are, and then bringing them along, because it’s a great ride. This includes funding additional scholarship opportunities, increased engagement with academic institutions, and expanding our student programming in partnership with the WTS Foundation.

Additionally, establishing a strong voice in this administration and on Capitol Hill must be prioritized. We are the leading representatives for a variety of important issues, and we have a valuable opportunity to have our voices heard. Workforce funding that will arises from the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) should especially consider gender equality, and who better than us to advocate?

I look forward to continuing the valuable and important work of previous leadership, and stand committed to our 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, prioritizing a One-WTS model, with a focus on:

• organizational excellence,
• member and organization engagement,
• access, equity, and opportunity,
• education, programming, training, and advocacy, and
• being data-informed.

In addition to being laser focused on implementing this strategic plan, I also pledge to stay committed to ensuring that we, as an ever-changing and growing industry, continue to reflect the diverse communities we serve. We will develop and implement a legislative agenda that informs policy makers on equity and access. We will ensure this organization remains a premier partner in the diverse transportation space. And we will be forward-thinking, strengthening membership in all modes, including emerging technologies. I look forward to connecting with our members, industry partners, and stakeholders, and getting to know you all.  I look forward to working with the full Board of Directors and with our President and CEO, Sara Stickler, and her incredibly talented staff to implement this vision.

Thank you for your continued commitment to WTS International – I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.

 

Respectfully yours,

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Jannet Walker-Ford
2022-24 WTS International Board of Directors Chair

Top Priorities of the 2022-24 WTS Foundation Board of Directors Chair, Karen Good

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