Past Events

The California State University Transportation Consortium organizes or participates in numerous transportation-related events each year. Details about past events, including links to presentations and other relevant resources, when available, are listed below.

Dates Events
October 27, 2023 Fresno International Transportation Innovations / PEDAL 2023 Summit  -  Fresno, CA

The Fresno International Transportation Innovations Summit / PEDAL 2023 12 a regional and international conference aimed at gathering transportation professionals, policymakers, and other active and multi-modal transportation proponents around the world to promote safe and sustainable transportation design, planning, and policy through urban diplomacy and continued partnership.

PEDAL 2023 Summit was sponsored by the City of Fresno, the Fresno State Transportation Institute, and the Fresno Sister Cities project in collaboration with the City of Münster (the “bicycle capital” of Germany) and other local community-based organizations such as the Fresno County Bicycle Coalition and US Green Building Council. "PEDAL" was dubbed as this year's focus, representing the region and international partners' advancement of active transportation development through Planning, Education, Design, Advocacy, and Lifestyle (P.E.D.A.L.).

The objective was to promote and encourage sustainable transportation in the greater Fresno region and beyond, which suffers greatly given its geography, and the health burdens of air pollution generated by fossil-fuel-based transportation and agricultural systems, as well as climate-related wildfire smoke. Through a regional and international effort of shared best practices in a variety of cities throughout the United States, Germany, and other countries, the PEDAL 2023 Summit aimed to foster newfound relations within the industry of city planning and transportation.

View the Program.

*MTI-led California State University Transportation Consortium was a proud Platinum Sponsor.

October 24, 2023 to October 26, 2023  2023 “Research to Practice” Transit Symposium  -  Online

As the transit industry is poised to take advantage of the largest transit and rail investment in our lifetimes, the symposium provides a platform where transit experts share insights on how evidence-based research is being or can be, used to make the most of these opportunities in a changing environment. This year’s symposium focused on the following topics:

  • Practical applications of transit data
  • Transit fare policy
  • Transit equity
  • Transit marketing and outreach strategies
  • Transit-centered multimodal integration (e.g., MaaS)
  • Transit apps and digital payments
  • Microtransit and automated shuttles
  • Bus fleet electrification
  • Post-COVID ridership recovery strategies
  • Opportunities and challenges to transit research implementation

 

The Symposium was convened by a partnership between APTA, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), University of Florida Transportation Institute, the T-SCORE University Transportation Center, and the Mineta Transportation Institute. 

October 19, 2023 to October 21, 2023  ACSP2023 Annual Conference  -  Seattle, WA

The Mineta Transportation Institute, with SJSU's Department of Urban and Regional Planning, participated in the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning 2023 Annual Conference in Chicago. As one of the largest events of the year for planning academics and professionals, the ACSP Annual Conference attracts faculty, researchers, and students from across the United States and from 30+ countries worldwide. The ACSP Annual Conference is known for furthering the success of the academic planning community. Attendees had the opportunity to visit the Community Connection Café and learn more about MTI/SJSU authors.

*MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this event.

October 11, 2023  Empower Girls, Amplify Young Voices: International Day of the Girl  -  Bill, San José, CA

This event is an annual and internationally recognized observance on October 11th. Like its adult version, International Women's Day (March 8), International Day of the Girl acknowledges the importance, power, and potential of adolescent girls. At the same time, this day is designated to eliminate gender-based challenges that little girls face around the world. By empowering girls through education, skills training, and mentorship, we can dismantle barriers and create a world where every girl can flourish. Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley celebrated the entire week of October 10th-15th and observed the 11th with an event.

"When I was younger, I wanted to be a scientist - but I had stopped that dream because I just hadn't seen a lot of women scientists. 

But today, I met a lot of amazing women with amazing careers. I met engineers, I met lawyers - I met scientists! I really needed this."

To learn more about the movement, visit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley's website

*MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this event.

September 26, 2023  Perfecting Your Scholarship Application  -  Online

Scholarship season is here!

MTI Student Association hosted a free virtual event to learn tips for perfecting students' scholarship applications for a better chance at funding their education. Speakers joined from transportation associations such as the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), California Transportation Foundation (CTF), and Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS). Attendees learned about each association's scholarship programs.

*MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this event.

View Recording.

September 21, 2023  Best Practices in Disaster Public Communications

When disaster strikes and an emergency notification is issued, people are often unsure how to act. They may spend time “milling,” checking in with friends and neighbors, scrolling through sources and social media—trying to decide whether the alert applies to them. Research has shown this can be life threatening. Looking at how community members responded to alerts during the SCU and CZU complex wildland fires in 2020, experts Dr. Frances L. Edwards and Dan Goodrich examine disaster public communications best practices. How can public agencies collaborate with social media organizations to get the right messaging out? How do we ensure messaging engenders immediate, life-saving action? The researchers have also proposed an app that could assist in eliminating time spent milling by speeding up social media investigation by sorting messages via GIS coordinates, time, and more to ensure community members are reading the messages most relevant to them. This webinar, presented during National Preparedness Month, helped viewers gain valuable insights and explore innovative solutions in disaster communication.

View Recording.

View Slide Deck.

View & Download PDH Certificate.


About the Panelist

Frances L. Edwards, PhD
Deputy Director, National Transportation Security Center

Frances L. Edwards, MUP, PhD, CEM, is professor emeritus of political science at San José State University, following 17 years as the Director of the Master of Public Administration program. She is the Deputy Director of the National Transportation Security Center at the Mineta Transportation Institute. A Certified Emergency Manager with over 20 years’ professional experience in California, she has served as acting assistant fire chief for the San José Fire Department, as Budget Analyst for the Irvine, California Police Department, and as Assistant to the City Manager in Florham Park, New Jersey. 

 

Dan Goodrich
Senior Transportation Security Scientist

Daniel C. Goodrich, MPA, CEM, MEP is a Senior Transportation Security Scientist with the Mineta Transportation Institute at SJSU, and the instructor for “Security Issues for Transportation Professionals” in the Master of Science in Transportation Management program. He is a Certified Emergency Manager, a Master Exercise Practitioner, a Professional Continuity Practitioner and a Certified Security Specialist. He provides emergency management planning and training support to Caltrans and Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority. 

Presenters: Frances L. Edwards, PhD and Dan Goodrich
September 20, 2023  Garrett Morgan Sustainable Transportation Competition: Information Night

MTI was joined by eager middle school students, dedicated parents, and passionate educators at the Garrett Morgan Sustainable Transportation Competition Information Night. This event served as a gateway to an extraordinary national STEAM competition crafted to educate and engage students by solving our nation’s critical transportation issues. Participants learned how they can participate in the competition, and win prizes as we revealed this year’s #VisionZero2030 competition prompt. 

Learn more about the competition: https://transweb.sjsu.edu/workforce-development/garrett-morgan-program

View the Recording.

View the Slide Deck.

View the 2024 Competition Prompt.

July 10, 2023 to July 28, 2023  Mineta Summer Transportation Institute (MSTI) 2023  -  San José State University

MTI's 2023 MSTI was held weekdays, July 10-28, 2023, M-F 9am-3pm at San José State University. While engaging in stimulating hands-on STEM activities and venturing on exciting local field trips, students learned about transportation innovation and earned 3 transferable college credits in Environmental Studies from San José State University. This program was completely free and open to high school students. 

This program was delivered in partnership with Caltrans and is a crucial step toward building the transportation workforce pipeline. 

View the Program Page

View 2023 Calendar of Activities

June 28, 2023  Light Rail to Lunch

Light Rail to Lunch encouraged local San José youths to get familiar with VTA’s public transit system. At this event, Catalyze SV, Mr. Barricade, and VTA led participants on a tour around the newly developed area in North San José to highlight features that support the community. The event also included a career panel with VTA.

*MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this event.

June 25, 2023 to June 29, 2023  2023 WTS Capital Summit  -  College Park, MD

The WTS Capital Summit, a signature program of Transportation YOU, offers students an opportunity to meet transportation industry thought leaders, government and administration officials, and college students beginning their own career journeys in the industry. Historically, the Summit brings high school-aged mentees and transportation professional mentors to the Washington, D.C. area for a 4-day summer program of tours, lectures, and interactive experiences showcasing careers in transportation. Students register to attend the Summit through WTS Chapters.

The Summit provides participants experience in engineering challenges, professional development and leadership skills development, networking events, local tours, and opportunities to learn about core transportation development components, such as accessibility, livable communities, and urban planning. Tours may include the U.S. Department of Transportation; the U.S. Capitol and U.S. Congress, local airports, highway research facilities, the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro), live engineering projects, port operations, and other transportation hubs. The Summit also encourages student attendees to consider a wide variety of future undergraduate and advanced degree opportunities... STEM, engineering, and beyond.

*MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this program.

June 24, 2023  31st Annual Awards Banquet and Convocation Celebration  -  San José, CA

To ensure the efficient movement of people and products, we must prepare a new cohort of transportation professionals who are ready to lead a diverse, inclusive, and equitable transportation industry. To that end, MTI held its 31st Annual Banquet and Convocation Celebration at San José State University on June 24, 2023. Joined by our distinguished Board of Trustees, we celebrated our 2023 MSTM graduates, alumni of the year, the winners of the Garrett Morgan Sustainable Transportation Competition, and much more. 

This exciting MSTM celebration included individualized recognition of each graduate and award presentations.

June 2, 2023  Getting to Zero Deaths on Our Roadways: Is the IIJA up to the Challenge?  -  Online

14th Annual Mineta National Transportation Policy Summit

The United States faces a public health crisis on its roads. In 2021 alone, almost 43,000 people died in traffic crashes and millions more suffered serious injuries. Secretary Pete Buttigieg calls the situation a preventable crisis—one for which we must take responsibility by recognizing that human lives are not a price to pay for modernity. New funding available through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides a significant opportunity to reduce crashes through infrastructure redesign. The Mineta Transportation Institute and a panel of national experts discussed the role of infrastructure redesign in achieving a national goal of zero traffic fatalities.

See here for more information and recordings from past events in the series.

View Program

View Recording

View & Download PDH Credit

CM Credit

   
Featured Speaker Fireside Chat Moderator
Robin Hutcheson Karen Philbrick

Robin Hutcheson

Administrator
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Karen Philbrick, PhD

Executive Director
Mineta Transportation Institute
   
   
Keynote Speaker Keynote Speaker Q&A Moderator
Jennifer Homendy Paula Hammond

Jennifer Homendy

15th Chair
National Transportation Safety Board

Paula Hammond

Multimodal National Market Leader, WSP
Chair, American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Board of Directors
   
     
MTI Safety Survey Presenter Panelist Panelist
Asha Weinstein Agrawal Mayor Ravi Bhalla Beth Osborne

Asha Weinstein Agrawal, PhD

Director
MTI National Transportation Finance Center

Ravinder S. Bhalla

Mayor
City of Hoboken

Beth Osborne

Vice President for Transportation and Thriving Communities
Smart Growth America
     
     
Panelist Panelist Panel Moderator
Emily Schweninger Tony Tavares Beth Osborne

Emily Schweninger

Senior Policy Advisor, Transportation Health and Safety
U.S. Department of Transportation

Tony Tavares

Director
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)

Selika Talbott

MTI Research Associate;
Founder and CEO
Autonomous Vehicle Consulting
 
     
May 25, 2023  Cycling Past 50  -  Online

Most people learn to ride a bike as a child, but when do they stop cycling? May is National Bike Month, and MTI is investigating the habits of older adults who cycle with the nationwide 50+ Cycling Survey. Carol Kachadoorian, an MTI Research Associate and founder of dblTilde CRE, Inc., initiated the survey in 2018, and it has since examined the cycling habits and preferences of thousands of adults ages 50 to 85-plus. Year 5 of the 50+ Cycling Survey will begin soon, and you can be a part of it. How can our growing understanding of older cyclists affect policy, programs, design, and practice? Join us to discuss health and mobility and to dig into ways this information can be used by engineers, planners, advocates, and more.

*0.5 PDH credit available

View & Download PDH Certificate

View Recording

View Slide Deck


About the Panelist

Carol Kachadoorian
MTI Research Associate; Executive Director, dblTilde CORE, Inc.

Carol has a breadth of knowledge of and expertise in transportation planning and operations, working at both the city and regional levels, including school- and community-based active transportation plans and older adult mobility. She recognizes the importance of both big data and personal experience to determine feasible changes that make travel by all modes safe, accessible, and comfortable for all ages and abilities.

Carol has spoken nationally and regionally on the need to revise long-standing perceptions of older adults through words and images. She developed a typology of older adults’ physical activity levels that can help encourage mobility and wellness. The Mineta Transportation Institute published her pioneering work, Cycling past 50: A Closer Look into the World of Older Cyclists, and hosted the 50+ Cycling Survey Year 4. Results from the survey will be available in the Fall 2023.

Presenters: Carol Kachadoorian
May 18, 2023  2023 MSTM Capstone Showcase  -  Online

Students from the Master of Science in Transportation Management program at San José State University presented their final capstone research projects. This interactive event provided opportunities to meet with the students and learn about their research and key issues in the field of transportation.

May 16, 2023 to May 17, 2023  US High Speed Rail Conference 2023  -  Washington, D.C.

Members of Congress, government and elected officials, business leaders, and investors came together with the world's top experts to bring state-of-the-art high speed rail to America. The conference included discussions on critical topics, such as:

  • America's High-Speed Rail Revolution: Fast-Tracking the Tipping Point
  • The Biden Administration's Vision for High-Speed Rail
  • Silver Bullet Solution: Elected Officials Roundtable on High-Speed Rail
  • The Global High-Speed Rail Revolution and China's Bullet Train Empire
  • Accelerating the U.S. High Speed Rail Program and Project Delivery
  • California High-Speed Rail: America's Game-Changing Megaproject
  • Building Integrated Rail Networks: Linking to Amtrak and Regional Systems
  • World-Class Station Design and Transit Oriented Development
  • Decarbonizing the U.S. Transportation System with High-Speed Rail
  • Projects of National Significance: Ready for Major Funding
  • Pathways Toward a National High-Speed Rail Network
  • Made in America: An Industrial Strategy for U.S. High-Speed Rail
  • Scaling Up Private Sector Participation and Investment
  • Leveraging High-Speed Rail to Address the Cost of Living Crisis
  • Transforming the Politics of High-Speed Rail
  • Next Steps Toward America's High-Speed Rail Revolution

*MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this event.

May 1, 2023 to June 7, 2023  SVBC's Bike Month and Bike to Wherever Days

Whether you bike to work, school, shops, parks, libraries, or just wherever, biking is fun, and good for you and our environment. Bicycling is one of the biggest ways you can reduce Climate Change as well as improve your health!

May was Bike Month and May 18, 19 and 20 were Bike to Work/Wherever Days!

We want as many people as possible to get in the habit of bicycling for transportation rather than driving a car. Did you know that it’s possible to move more stuff using your bike than most people can fit in a car? Check out Carrying Things by Bike. And did you know if you choose to bike rather than drive you can save 1 million dollars?  See below for many fun things you can do during Bike Month and Bike to Wherever Days!

*MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this event.

Major Bike Month Events

  • 4/6 — Bike Commuting (Online class).

  • 4/11 — Smart Cycling (Part 1 - Online class). Learn how to ride just about everywhere from busy streets to crossing the US.

  • 4/19 — Smart Cycling (Part 2 - In person) - Turn classroom learning into muscle memory and practice on real streets under expert supervision.

  • 4/23 — Viva Calle San Jose — A super Open Street event for all that is not to be missed.

  • 4/26 — Basic Bike Maintenance (In person) — Get your bike ready for Bike Month!

  • 5/1-31 — Bike Month — All month.

  • 5/1 — Biking Basics (Online) — Learn the essentials to keep you safe when bicycling.

  • 5/13 — Volunteer BTWD bag stuffing.

  • 5/15 — Volunteer BTWD bag distribution to energizer stations.

  • 5/16 — Basic Bike Maintenance (In person).

  • 5/18 — Bike To Work Day. With Energizer Stations across San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Concludes with Bike Bash events.

  • 5/18 — Bike Bash party.

  • 5/19-20 — Bike to Wherever Days. With Energizer Stations across San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

  • 5/19 — San Jose Bike Party.

  • 5/24 — Smart Cycling (Part 1 - Online) Learn how to ride just about everywhere from busy streets to crossing the US.

  • 5/28 — Smart Cycling (Part 2 - In person) - Turn classroom learning into muscle memory and practice on real streets under expert supervision.

  • 6/7 — Family Biking (Online).

April 28, 2023  Transport and the Triple Bottom Line Summit 2023: Transit Lessons Learned from the Pandemic (So Far)  -  Online

The Transport and the Triple Bottom Line Summit sought to explore the concept of 'sustainable transport,' leaving attendees with a fuller understanding, and most importantly, a definition for the term. Panelists and speakers included an array of national experts, practitioners, and scholars on social equity and transport, the environmental impact of transport, financial mechanisms for secure and continuous operations, as well as, decision-makers currently involved in California's notable public-private partnerships. Further, conference panelists included leaders in the advocacy, public, private, P3, and nonprofit sectors. Integrating existing discourse and studies on sustainability and Elkington's and Savitz's Triple Bottom Line, attendees leave with a holistic and objective definition of sustainable transport, allowing all parties the ability to confidently and equally assess and explain such transport.

View Agenda

*MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this event.

April 27, 2023  Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation (2023 Caltrans Safety Awareness Week)  -  Online

Human trafficking, a form of modern slavery, is the recruitment, transport, and/or transfer of persons using force, fraud, or coercion to exploit them for acts of labor, services, or sex. It is the fastest growing organized crime with approximately $150B in annual profits. Because trafficking relies on the transportation network to recruit, move, and transfer victims and to move goods produced by forced labor, the transportation industry plays a critical role in preventing and combating human trafficking.  Transportation can also be a gateway for survivors to leave their trafficking situation and obtain aid to rebuild their lives. 

For 2023 Caltrans Safety Awareness Week, the Mineta Transportation Institute hosted a one-hour webinar featuring expert panelists to showcase efforts to combat human trafficking in the United States. Experts discussed these critical questions: How can industry employees protect loved ones & our community? How can we learn to identify risk factors and signs of human trafficking when in the transportation system? 

Watch the recording to learn more about the role of transportation industry stakeholders in facilitating effective prevention training programs and increasing accurate victim identification, as well as putting in place survivor-centered and trauma-informed response protocols.

View the Recording 

View the List of Resources

View & Download PDH Certificate


About the Panelists

  • Paul Chang, Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator, US Department of Labor – Wage and Hour Division

Paul Chang serves as the Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator at the U.S. Department of Labor – Wage and Hour Division. In his 28+ years with the agency, Paul worked on some of the most celebrated cases as an investigator and Assistant District Director. He developed numerous training materials and programs, including the Enterprise Model that focuses on strategic approaches to prosecution, protection, and prevention of forced labor. Paul served as the National Co-Chair of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) Regional Network. Paul is also a lecturer at Cal State LA’s MPA program and Vanguard University on Human Trafficking. He is the recipient of numerous Secretary’s Awards and community honors, including the 2019 Global Center for Women and Justice Diamond Award.

  • Evelyn Chumbow, Operations Manager and Survivor Advocate, Human Trafficking Legal Center (HTLC)

Evelyn Chumbow is a survivor of child labor trafficking turned anti-trafficking activist and public speaker. Chumbow has been invited to brief several government agencies about human trafficking from a survivor’s perspective, including the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the State Department, and the Department of Justice. She was appointed by President Obama to serve on the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. She has been invited as a speaker to international events and has been awarded many honors for her work. Chumbow serves as an advisor to human trafficking NGOs and on the Board of Directors for Free the Slaves. Chumbow hopes to leverage her unique position as a former child slave to end human trafficking in her hometown and globally.

  • Aston Greene, Chief of System Safety and Security, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)

  • Polly Hanson, Senior Director, Security, Risk and Emergency Management, American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

Polly Hanson coordinates with APTA stakeholders to develop transit security, risk and emergency management standards and policies. She serves as the Vice-chair of the TSA Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee. Previously Ms. Hanson was the Chief of Police for AMTRAK, where she led a national police department responsible for protecting over 30 million passengers and 20,000 employees. Additionally, as the Chief of the Metro Transit Police in D.C., she led a tristate police department and directed the response to the terrorist attacks in Madrid and London. She received WMATA’s Carmen E. Turner Award, and the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) named Ms. Hanson a “Woman Who Moves the Nation.” Ms. Hanson is a member of the Operation Lifesaver, Inc Board of Directors.

Dr. Yagci Sokat is an Assistant Professor of Business Analytics at San José State University and a Research Associate at the Mineta Transportation Institute with a passion for using analytics to alleviate human suffering in the areas of public health, humanitarian logistics, and human trafficking. Supported by the United States Department of Transportation, IBM, Valley Transportation Authority and San José State University, she has led various multi-disciplinary anti-trafficking projects and has served on several local anti-trafficking committees. She received her PhD in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences from Northwestern University and holds master’s degrees from Georgia Institute of Technology with a Fulbright scholarship.

Presenters: Paul Chang, Evelyn Chumbow, Aston Greene, Polly Hanson, Dr. Kezban Yagci Sokat
April 23, 2023 VivaCalle @ SJSU

Viva CalleSJ was a free program that temporarily closes miles of San José streets to bring communities together to walk, bike, skate, play, and explore the city like never before. Attendees could enter through any of the side streets to join thousands as they wander through activity hubs, watch live art being created, see demonstrations of BMX specialists, purchase food from local food trucks, stop at a bike maintenance tent, grab water from one of the many water stations, hang out to watch a band or two, or play a few games. 

This year, SJSU was an official activity hub! At the SJSU Activity Hub, attendees all kinds of fun activities, including

  • Join the SJPL Makerspace[ship] Bus
  • Enjoy dancing from many cultures with Mosaic America
  • Speak with Council Member Omar Torres' office
  • Build a new city with SJSU Urban Planning
  • Learn how to say greetings in one of San José's many languages
  • Play games with SJSU Athletics
  • Learn about and take a selfie at the Cesar Chavez Arch
  • Dance to the marching band
  • Make some art
  • Participate in exercise demos
  • Win some swag from prize wheels
  • Purchase food from on-site food trucks

MTI was a proud co-sponsor of the SJSU Urban Planning's activity hub. 

March 21, 2023  When Women Lead: Strategies to Advance Equity

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) and the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) hosted a conversation with a diverse panel of women transportation leaders representing academia, public and private industries, and the nonprofit sectors as they shared personal stories from their careers and lessons learned as they rose to the top. 

Moderated by April Rai, CEO of COMTO and a member of the MTI Board of Trustees, this webinar delved into a critical issue faced by the transportation industry: How are we prioritizing women and other traditionally underrepresented voices to build the most inclusive and effective transportation workforce for our future? What can their success stories teach us about the values of empowering women? 

Speakers:

  • Melissa Figueroa, Chief of Strategic Communications, California High-Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA)

  • Dr. Karen Philbrick, Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI)

  • Kimberly Slaughter, CEO, SYSTRA USA

  • Lynda Tran, Director of Public Engagement & Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)

Moderator: April Rai, President & CEO, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)

This event was co-sponsored by COMTO and WTS San Francisco Bay Area Chapter.

PDH Certificate

View Recording


About the Panelists

  • Melissa Figueroa, Chief of Strategic Communications, California High-Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA)

As the Chief of Strategic Communications, Melissa oversees the communications branches for media, stakeholder engagement, special projects, and outreach. Melissa previously served as CalSTA’s Deputy Secretary of Communications and Strategic Planning; Deputy Secretary of Communications and External Affairs at the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency; and Deputy Secretary of Communications at the State and Consumer Services Agency. Before beginning work in the state’s executive branch, Melissa worked within the Legislature as Press Secretary for California State Senator Joe Simitian. Figueroa graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2002 with a degree in Journalism. She served as a student representative on the department’s advisory board and now serves on the Cal Poly Journalism Advisory Board.

Karen Philbrick is the executive director of the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at San José State University, a position she has held since 2014. MTI leads three multi university competitively selected consortia: the Mineta Consortium for Transportation Mobility (MCTM) funded by the US Department of Transportation, the California State University Transportation Consortium (CSUTC) funded by the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (CA Senate Bill 1) and the Climate Change and Extreme Events Training and Research Program funded by the Federal Railroad Administration. 

Dr. Philbrick has received many prestigious awards for her leadership excellence and outstanding contributions to her field. She received the CUTC Administrative Leadership award, the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) named Dr. Philbrick a “Woman Who Moves the Nation,” the Silicon Valley Business Journal named Dr. Philbrick 1 of the 100 Women of Influence in Silicon Valley.

Kimberly Slaughter has been involved in the development of mobility solutions for over 30 years and has a wealth of experience in the transportation industry, working for planning, architecture/engineering consulting firms and public transportation providers. She is a graduate of the University of Texas in Austin with an MSc in Community and Regional Planning. Kim was appointed to head the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) subcommittee for the Mobility Restoration & Recovery Task Force. Kim has also served on the APTA Board of Directors and Business Members Board of Governors, Business Council of the African American Mayors Association, Women’s Transportation Seminar, and Conference of Minority Transportation Officials.

  • Lynda Tran, Director of Public Engagement & Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)

Lynda Tran serves as Director of Public Engagement and Senior Advisor to the Secretary. A longtime organizer and communicator with over two decades experience in policy, advocacy, and campaigns, Lynda returns to DOT after co-founding 270 Strategies, where she developed public engagement strategies for clients across the globe – including the Environmental Defense Fund, Oxfam America, United Way Worldwide, FAMM, the Black Economic Alliance, and the Economic Security Project. Recently, she was a senior strategist for Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy and served on the Board of Advisors for Higher Ground Labs and Battleground Texas. A CBS News Political Contributor through the 2020 cycle, she previously led teams for Organizing for America, then-Governor Tim Kaine, and SEIU.

  • (Moderator) April Rai, President & CEO, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)

April joined COMTO in December 2021 as President and CEO with nearly 20 years of experience managing private, public sector and non-profit organizations. Previously, April served as Deputy Executive Director for Women’s Transportation Seminar International (WTS), leading the management of operations, staffing and program management for 65 chapters across North America. Prior to joining WTS, April served as the CEO for the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS), a coalition of over 100 organizations and agencies dedicated to youth health and safety education. April’s current appointments include Board Member, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Board Member, Mineta Transportation Institute and numerous transportation related advisory boards.

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Contact Us

SJSU Research Foundation   210 N. 4th Street, 4th Floor, San Jose, CA 95112    Phone: 408-924-7560   Email: mineta-institute@sjsu.edu