Student Award Winners

Adam Barth

Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority

American Public Transportation Foundation scholarships 2020

Lorena Bernal-Vidal

VTA

Future Leaders Development Conference 2019, Eno Center for Transportation

US DOT UTC Outstanding Student of the Year, CUTC/MTI (2018)

Girmay Beyene

Construction Oversight Program Manager

Caltrans

HNTB Spark Scholarship (2024)

Marissa Brown

Associate Transportation Planner

Caltrans (D7)

US DOT UTC Outstanding Student of the Year, CUTC/MTI (2021)

CTF Endowed Pat Weston Memorial Scholarship, California Transportation Foundation (2021)

Stephanie Bushnell 

Right of Way Agent

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)

2023 ARTBA-MTI Fellowship Award (2023)

Erica Casillas

Light Rail Power Supervisor

VTA

Latinos in Transit Scholarships (2022) 

WTS Helene M. Overly Memorial Graduate Scholarship (2024)

Yaqeline Castro

Outreach and Student Engagement Specialist

California High-Speed Rail Authority

Fran Hooper Scholarship, American Public Transportation Foundation (2022)

WTS Helene M. Overly Memorial Graduate Scholarship (2023)

Jane Duong Davaransky​

Business Manager for Transportation Operations

Meta 

CTF Graduate School Scholarship (2023) 

CTF Mobility Symposium Scholarship (2023)

COMTO WSP USA Women in Leadership Scholarship (2022)

Aaron Disman

Senior Manager, Transit Vehicle Engineering

LA Metro

AECOM Outstanding Capstone on Transportation Operations Management (2022)

Alex Eisenhart

Public Affairs Specialist

SamTrans

US DOT UTC Outstanding Student of the Year, CUTC/MTI (2021)

Ryan Fallica

Caltrans

Future Leaders Development Conference, Eno Center for Transportation (2020)

US DOT UTC Outstanding Student of the Year, CUTC/MTI (2019)

Joseph Faria-Poynter

W-Trans

Lucas Graduate School of Business Scholarship (2025)

Fernando Flores

Principal Analyst

BART

COMTO NorCal Emerging Leader (2022)

Claire Gallogly

Transportation Planner

City of Santa Cruz

WTS Strategic Partner Scholarship (supported by HNTB)

Eileen Hsu

Principal Transportation Planner

LA Metro

American Public Transportation Foundation scholarships (2020)

Sonja Johnson

Electrical Helper

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)

HNTB Spark Scholarship (2023)

Heryang Lee

Structural Engineer

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)

US DOT UTC Outstanding Student of the Year, CUTC/MTI (2025)

Timothy Lesniak

Director of Commuter Rail & Ferry Safety

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

MSTM Graduate of the Year (2023)

Michelle Louie

SamTrans

Helene M. Overly Memorial Graduate Scholarship 2020, WTS International

Paige Malott

Chair

Cascadia Rail

MTI/APTF Joint Scholarship, American Public Transportation Foundation (2021) 

Mass Transit Magazine's "40 Under 40" (2022)

WTS Helene M. Overly Memorial Graduate Scholarship (2023) 

Railway & Locomotive Historical Society Scholarship (2024)

Erlin Martinez

Grants Program Manager

Long Beach Transit

MV Transportaton/Latinos in Transit Scholarship, American Public Transportation Foundation (2021)

Lalé Moradpour

Content Manager, Rebuilding California Program

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)

Pat Weston Memorial Scholarship Award (2023)

Flore Mountsambote

Assistant Transit Planner

City of Union City

Donald Hyde Memorial Essay Scholarship, American Public Transportation Foundation (2022) 

MTI/APTF Joint Scholarship, American Public Transportation Foundation (2023) 

COMTO NorCal Norman Mineta Scholarship Award (2023)

Christina Prosperi

Complete Streets GIS Manager

Caltrans

MSTM Graduate of the Year (2022)

Iulia Panescu Quiazon

Senior Management Analyst

VTA

Jannet Walker-Ford Leadership-Legacy Graduate Scholarship (2024)

Alma Ramirez

Technical Trainer - Bus

VTA

2025 Latinos in Transit Leadership Academy

Vincent Ray

Active Transportation Planner & Sustainability Innovation Liaison

Caltrans

CTF Endowed Weston Memorial Scholarship (2023)

Lorenzo Sedival

Transportation Engineer

Caltrans (D7)

ITS California/California Transportation Foundation scholarship (2021)

Gabrielle Sefranek

Senior Transportation Planner - Regional Rail and Transit Coordinator

Caltrans

CTF Endowed Weston Memorial Scholarship (2023)

Patricia Soto

Community Relations Director

LA Metro

MTI/APTF Joint Scholarship, American Public Transportation Foundation (2022)

Myra L. Frank Memorial Scholarship, WTS LA Chapter (2022)

Merab Talamantes

Director of Administration

San Joaquin Regional Transit District

Latinos in Transit Scholarship (2024)

Diamon Tesfay

Freight Forwarder

Shipping International, Inc

ARTBA-MTI "Building Opportunities and Optimizing Success in Transportation" (BOOST) Scholarship (2024)

Josue Vaglienty

Senior Project Manager

Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA)

US DOT UTC Outstanding Student of the Year, CUTC/MTI (2023)

Aaron Vogel

VTA

Top 40 Under 40, Mass Transit Magazine (2017)

US DOT UTC Outstanding Student of the Year, CUTC/MTI (2017)

Calvin Wong

Maintenance Specialist

LA Metro

APTF Board Scholarship, American Public Transportation Foundation (2021)

Michael Wozniak

Manager, Civil Rights Programs

San Mateo County Transit District

US DOT UTC Outstanding Student of the Year, CUTC/MTI (2024)

Farhad (Fred) Yazdani

Senior Transportation Electrical Engineer

Caltrans

Allied Telesis Outstanding Security Capstone Award (2023)

Jasmine Zamora

Executive Assistant to the Director

City of Oakland, Department of Transportation

Latinos in Transit Scholarships (2022)