WTS Hampton Roads Chapter Newsletter - Fall 2024

Our Chapter has been busy building houses, exploring tunnels and taking boat rides all over Hampton Roads so we have a lot to pack into this Fall Newsletter! THANK YOU to everyone involved in making our 14th annual reception a huge success where our Chapter was able to raise about $2,500 towards the WTS HRC Scholarship Foundation!

- WTS HRC Communication Committee

Letter from Leadership

The Hampton Roads Chapter has had an amazing year! I would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of the board and committee members. There are many moving parts to this professional organization, with monthly meetings of planning and coordination, and it couldn’t have been done without their dedicated team effort! As President of the Chapter, it was a privilege to lead the organization. With my two-year term coming to a close, I am immensely proud of this Chapter and its board members, committee chairs, members, sponsors, and attendees.

In May, I had the honor to represent our Chapter and attend the WTS International conference in New Orleans where we embraced connecting cultures and connecting communities. There were over 1,200 attendees representing 71 Chapters. I attended many empowering sessions where I learned leadership, career advancement, and technical skills. Also in May, our Chapter hosted our Annual DEI Panel Luncheon at the HRTPO office. Leadership from Hampton Roads took part on the panel to discuss DEI topics and answer DEI related questions.

Throughout the summer and early fall, we held many wonderful luncheons and tours. In June, Sean Jessup from Moffatt & Nichol gave a luncheon presentation on Offshore Wind. In July, we learned about the Long Range Transportation Plan with Dale Stith from HRTPO. In August, Kathy Falk from Kimley-Horn provided an update on the latest MUTCD. Also in August, we were given a Behind the Scenes tour of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel construction project. In October, we volunteered our time and enjoyed Habitat for Humanity Eastern Shore Build Day. Also in October, we had a gorgeous day on the water riding and learning about the HRT Ferry.

In November, we hosted our 14th Annual Transportation Reception and Silent Auction at Waterman’s Surfside Grille. We had a beautiful evening celebrating our scholarship and recognition award winners, hearing from our keynote speaker, networking, and bidding on the silent auction donations benefiting the WTS scholarship fund. Our chapter was able to raise over $2,300 for the scholarship fund! As a reminder, Scholarship and Recognition Award Nominations are due December 13th! The second November event included a Joint Chapter ED&I Virtual Event on November 19th featuring Desiree Wood, Founder and President of REAL Women in Trucking. Desiree spoke to multiple chapters about delivering highway safety using leadership, mentorship, education, and advocacy through REAL Women in Trucking.

Closing out the year, we will be hosting our charity blanket making event on December 4th at ODU Innovation Research Park! This year, it will be a joint event with the local COMTO Chapter. We will be donating the blankets to Mercy Drops Dream Center who do frequent visits to low-income neighborhoods to deliver food, supplies, clothing, transportation needs, etc.

With the new year just around the corner, now is the perfect time to make a resolution to stay committed to your career and professional development by getting involved in our Chapter! Please join us on January 23rd for our first event of the year, where we will be hosting a luncheon on electric vehicle deployment presented by Michael Baker. On February 7th, we will be hosting our Annual Strategic Planning meeting to game plan the year. This is a great opportunity to learn about our Chapter’s committees and become more involved. On March 13th, we will be hosting a luncheon featuring an all-female local dive team presented by Marine Solutions.

All these elements mentioned above help us strive towards our mission of advancing women in transportation. We are looking forward to a great 2025. Hope to see you next year! We are all extremely excited to have Jennifer Riddle as the next Chapter President!

-Carly Goldsborough, PE

WTS HRC President

Thank you 2023-2024 Board & Committee Chairs...

As the year comes to an end, we want to give a special thanks to the 2023-2024 board and committee chairs. None of the events from the past 2 years would have been possible without their dedication to our chapter!

Vice President: Kodi Berger

Secretary: Noelle Pinkard

Treasurer: Pavithra Parthasarathi

Past President: Emily Hinkson

Programs Committee Chairs: Jamie Kiser and Jennifer Riddle

Recognition Chair: Carley Brierre

Membership Chair, Stacey Higgins

Corporate Sponsorship Chair: Sara Keranakis

Communications Chair: Celene Exume and Niki Russo

Scholarship Chair: Angela Gregory

STEM Outreach Committee: Karen McPherson, Grace Shen, and Mae Kimsley-Kern
Southeast Region Council Representative: Debbie Cooley
Directors at Large, Deanna Nevling: Claudette Lajoie, and Paula Miller.

...And Welcome 2025-2026 Board Members!

As the two-year term comes to a close at the end of the year, our chapter recently held elections for the next term. We are excited to present to the 2025-2026 Board! Congratulations to all!

President: Jennifer Riddle

Vice President: Noelle Pinkard

Secretary: Jamie Kiser

Treasurer: Pavithra Parthasarathi

Past President: Carly Goldsborough

And Directors at Large: Deanna Nevling, Claudette Lajoie, and Paula Miller.

Scholarship and Recognition Award Nominations

Scholarships

The deadline for applications for the Hampton Roads Chapter 2025 Scholarship Program is December 13th. Scholarship recipients will be notified and announced in the New Year!

There are six scholarships available. Please consider distributing these applications to any potential applicant you may know. Click on the links in light blue below to download the applications.

GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS:

UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS:

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP:

Transportation YOU High School Scholarship

CERTIFICATE/ASSOCIATES DEGREE SCHOLARSHIP:

Junior College/Trade School Scholarship

If you have any questions concerning the applications or materials, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. We look forward to receiving your application!

Recognition Awards

Each year, WTS recognizes members, women, and employers who embody the WTS pursuit of transportation excellence through the achievement and success of women. Submit applications to [email protected] for 2025 recognition awards prior to December 13th

Please consider nominating someone or distributing these applications to any potential applicant you may know for any of the categories listed below (click on links to download nomination forms).

Event Highlights

Below are a few highlights from some of our biggest events of the year. Thank you to all who attended, sponsored, and presented at our events this year. If you or your company has any interest in sponsoring one of our 2025 events, please contact our Corporate Sponsorship Chair, Sara Keranakis, PE.

May: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Panel Luncheon

Our annual DE&I panel luncheon was a great success. A meaningful dialog was facilitated by WTS HRC Board Member and Organization Advancement Officer of Hampton Roads Transit Noelle Pinkard, Esq. A huge thank you to our panel members Dr. Jonny J. Garcia, Georgia Marquez, Kia Moten, MA, MBA and Cortley West for sharing their stories, incites and strategies for DE&I in the industry.

June: Harnessing the Power of the Sea: Navigating the Future of Offshore Wind

Our Chapter hosted a luncheon led by Sean Jessup, PE who has grown Moffatt & Nichol's offshore wind business development efforts since 2015. Sean covered a history of offshore wind on a global scale and gradually honed in on specific metrics and goals on nation and local levels. The attendees were given an overview of the installations process with lots of reference photos showing the massive scale of turbine components. Sean also discussed advantages and limitations of the current technology and the progress towards meeting statewide and national goals.

July: The LRTP: Charting the Course of Hampton Roads Mobility

Our members were invited to enter the HRPTO board room to learn about how the Long-Range Transportation Plan shapes the mobility of our region through a presentation lead by Dale Stith, AICP,GISP, who serves as a Principal Transportation Planner at the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO). The current LRTP for the region covers a planning horizon of 2021 to 2045. The plan update, currently underway, will cover 2026 to 2050.

August: MUTCD 11th Edition - Behind the Scenes on Development and What's Inside

Kathy Falk, who has over 30 years of experience in traffic engineering and transportation planning, gave our Chapter a behind the scenes look into the making of the 11th Edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices that was issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in December 2023. She highlighted some of the most notable changes regarding signs, signals, and pavement markings and the impact that these changes will have on traffic control plans for future projects.

August: Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Project Tour

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is actively involved with Phase II of the Parallel Crossing with the construction of the Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel. Our Chapter got to take a “behind-the-scenes” tour of the the four working ventilation buildings, and getting an up-close peek at #1 Island and the construction site of the Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel project. We had a great turn out for this event with long time members and newcomers joining to explore this engineering marvel!

October: Eastern Shore Habitat House

Our Chapter partnered with Eastern Shore of Virginia Habitat for Humanity whose goal is to build simple and affordable homes for hardworking families. "I got to meet and work with some cool women, learned how to put siding on a house, and spend the day outside! The environment was supportive and all the people working there were great teachers! During our lunch break we got to hear from the family we were helping and it really made the work we were doing feel that much more meaningful." - Braileigh Modica, Kimley-Horn

October: HRT Ferry Tour

In late October, a few of our members got to enjoy a BEAUTIFUL day on the water during a guided tour of the ferry that connects Norfolk to Portsmouth from HRT. This tour was led by HRT’s Amy Braziel, who shared a lot of cool insights about the ferry system and HRT’s transportation network as a whole. Our tour started and ended at the Waterside Festival Marketplace in Downtown Norfolk, stopped at the North Landing and High Street ports in Portsmouth along the way. During one of our stops, we were also able to meet the ferry’s boat captain, Annabelle Wax, who was able to tell us even more about the boat and her many years as a female boat captain across the world!

Highlights from the 14th Annual WTS HRC Transportation Reception

The Fourteenth Annual Transportation Reception was held on November 7th at Waterman’s Surfside Grille in Virginia Beach. The event was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on a year of events and progress for our WTS chapter, as well as an opportunity to recognize the contributions of our chapter’s leadership and award recipients. The event was also a great opportunity to look towards the future by honoring scholarship recipients and raising money for the WTS Foundation through donations and a Silent Auction.

The keynote speaker was Sherri L. Dawson, the Director of Transit Development for Hampton Road Transit. She discussed how her goals and career have evolved over her 15 years in the transit and transportation planning industry. She emphasized the importance of mentorship and how connections from early on in a career can be impactful.

The award recipients for the evening included Jamie Kiser as Member of the Year, for her dedication to the chapter since 2014 and commitment and service to the chapter as the Programs Co-Chair. Captain Janet Days was honored as Woman of the Year, for her leadership, contribution and advancement of the reputation and credibility of women in transportation. Elizabeth River Crossing was named 2024 Employer of the Year for their representation of women in executive and senior roles and professional development support for women. Ryan Banas was the recipient of the Honorable Ray Lahood Award for his collaboration with prominent female leaders and providing opportunities for his team to excel. My Lan Tran was awarded the Rosa Parks Diversity Award for dedicating her entire career to promoting diversity, inclusion and multi-cultural awareness across various organizations.

Thank you to our speaker!

Sherri L. Dawson, AICP

Director of Transit Development, Hampton Road Transit

Congratulations to our 2024 Scholarship Winners!

S Helene M. Overly Memorial Scholarship

Bridgette Davis

Bridgette studied at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA where she graduated with a bachelors degree in Civil Engineering and minors in Engineering Management/Environmental Engineering. Bridgette started her engineering career with ECS Mid-Atlantic in Chesapeake, VA in early 2022 and now holds a position of a Geotechnical Project Manager. Bridgette has worked on many interesting projects such as the Hampton Roads Express Lanes on I-64, Combat Support Facilities for the Navy, Interstate Improvements on I-264 and I-464, and projects for NASA on Wallops Island. As she advances in the field, she has decided to expand her geotechnical knowledge by pursuing a Master Degree. Bridgette is currently a graduate student at Missouri Science & Technology studying Geological Engineering.

Sharon D. Banks Memorial Scholarship

Paige Laning

Paige is a senior at Old Dominion University, graduating in December 2024. Her focus is in Transportation related Civil Engineering. Her plan is to return to the Baltimore area upon graduation. She is a member of the ODU Student Chapter of ASCE and she has been a member of the Philadelphia Chapter of WTS since she was in middle school as a part of their TrYOU program and is now a student member of the Philadelphia and Hampton Roads WTS chapters.

Congratulations 2024 Recognition Award Winners!

Member of the Year

Jamie Kiser

Jamie has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Cincinnati and has been with RK&K for eight years. Jamie’s background is in traffic with a focus on signal, signing and marking, lighting, and maintenance of traffic design. She oversees VDOT and locality projects across the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as providing traffic support to Florida projects. Jamie attended her first WTS Hampton Roads Chapter event in 2014 shortly after moving to Virginia. In 2017 she started assisting the Programs Committee, planning chapter events and is currently the Co-Programs Chair.

Employer of the Year

ERC

At ERC there is a culture of equality. ERC is proud to have a workforce that is 54% female and passionate about maintaining a diverse workforce and a diverse base of contractors and suppliers. In 2022 ERC received the "Champion of Business Diversity" award from the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce for their commitment to supporting small, local and diverse businesses. ERC has been a proud corporate sponsor of WTS since 2023 and two employees serve as members of our chapter, one of which serves as the recognition chair. In 2022 CEO Anna Bonet served as the keynote speaker for our annual reception event and in 2023 she was named Woman of the Year by WTS HRC.

Honorable Ray LaHood Award

Ryan Banas

As the Project Director for the HRBT Expansion Project, Ryan oversees the largest transportation infrastructure project in state history ($3.9 billion) and directly manages a diverse team of 110 employees. Ryan works closely with female leadership in key positions including Michelle Martin (WSP - Design Lead), Martha Gross (VDOT – HRBT Technical Director), and Paula Miller (HNTB– HRBT Communications Director) among the many other women and minorities who represent the Joint Venture (JV), Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP) team. Ryan is a WTS member who ensures HNTB sponsors at the platinum-level, encourages HNTB employees to attend WTS events, and provides donations to the annual silent auction.

Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award

My Lan Tran

My Lan Tran has spent her entire career promoting diversity, inclusion and multi-cultural awareness with various organizations. My Lan holds or has held leadership roles in prominent associations such as the Virginia International Business Alliance, National Association for Business Economics, Sister Cities Commission, Human Rights Commission, Hispanic project Colaborando Juntos, Institute of Supply Management, the White House’s Asian American Pacific Initiatives, and national think tanks (The Democracy Collaborative, Next Street, ASEAN) where she promotes diversity, inclusion, and multi-cultural awareness. She plays a central role in championing Virginia’s global leadership role in the wind energy industry as President of the Virginians for Offshore Wind, in support of clean energy. In 2022, My Lan participated as a panelist for the WTS HRC DEI panel event. My Lan shared her insight and thoughts on creating a diverse and exclusion work environment. Since appearing on the panel My Lan has joined WTS HRC and become an active member and WTS HRC partner.

A HUGE thanks to Kristin Watkins Photography for capturing the event! Check out our Chapter Photo Gallery page for more event photos.

Member Showcase

This month's spotlight is Daniela Charles from Kimley-Horn. Read below to learn a little more about Danny and her WTS journey!

Name – Daniela Charles

Company – Kimley-Horn

Position/Title at Company – Civil Engineering Analyst

Hometown – Hampton, Virginia

When did you join WTS? January 2024

Why did you join WTS? To hear more about great things other women in transportation are doing for growth and inspiration as well as mentorship.

Do you hold a position in WTS HRC or International? What is your role? Not currently

What do you like best about your job? The ability to impact communities in a positive way and to see our designs be built.

Favorite project you have worked on – Darling Stadium Improvements in Hampton, Virginia

How do you like to spend your free time? Building Lego sets while watching a great movie

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself. When I was younger, I wanted to build a series of bridges that would connect the islands of my home country, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Save the Date - Upcoming Events in 2024/2025

WTS & COMTO Joint Blanket Making Charity Event - December 4th
Annual Kickoff and Planning Meeting - February 2025
WTSI Annual Conference, Toronto, ON (First International Location!) - May 2025

Keep and eye-out for upcoming event announcements through WTS email blasts and our Events page.

Interested in sponsoring one of our next events? Contact our Corporate Sponsorship Committee.