Past Events

The Mineta Consortium for Transportation Mobility organizes or participates in several transportation-related events each year. These include national summits, regional forums, industry conferences, or special events and broadcasts. You can find leading transportation experts at all of these events, making them an excellent resource not only for professional and research insights, but also for networking.

Dates	Events
May 20, 2026	2026 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 on critical transportation management challenges.
May 19, 2026	Trailblazer Tuesday with April Rai - Online The Mineta Transportation Institute hosted a series of virtual fireside chats featuring influential women leaders in transportation. These successful women, representing academia, public and private industries, and the nonprofit sector, shared their compelling personal narratives and leadership journeys. Audience gained valuable insights into their strategies for balancing assertiveness with emotional intelligence, overcoming stereotypes, and leading with intention. J Featured Guest: April Rai, MTI Trustee; President & CEO, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) Moderator: Dr. Hilary Nixon, Deputy Executive Director, MTI This webinar was co-sponsored by COMTO. View Recording. View PDH Credit. About the Featured Guest As President & CEO, April works to build upon COMTO’s 50-year history of ensuring transportation meets the needs of all users across 40 chapters in North America. With over 15 years of experience managing private, public sector and non-profit organizations, April’s career focus has centered on strategic partnership development, coalition building, people and project management. Under the direction of the COMTO Board of Directors Chair, Tanya Adams, April provides strategic leadership, guidance and ensures COMTO operates effectively to further the mission. Previously, April served as Deputy Executive Director for the Women’s Transportation Seminar International (WTS), partnering with the Executive Director to achieve the WTS mission and vision. In that role, April focused on the management of operations including serving as Chief of Staff, lead on project planning and execution ensuring deliverability on time and within budget. April managed several board-level committees, strategic initiatives and worked to implement growth and retention strategies for membership, chapters, public and private partners as well as build relationships with advocacy organizations, local, state and federal stakeholders. 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. In this role, April engaged with transportation stakeholders on road safety programs, injury prevention education and workforce development initiatives. April previously served as Manager & Affairs Analyst in the Office of the Dean at the University of Maryland, School of Nursing, directing government affairs and communications. In this role, April was responsible for managing the State of Maryland, Action Coalition, an initiative of AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. April resides in the Washington, DC metro area with her husband, and is based out of COMTO headquarters in Arlington, VA. Presenters: April Rai & Hilary Nixon, PhD
April 22, 2026	A Conversation with the Authors: New Tricks for Old Bureaucracies - Online This event featured a candid and insightful conversation with the authors of New Tricks for Old Bureaucracies: Joshua Schank, Emma Huang, and Marla Westervelt Berg. Drawing on their experiences inside the Office of Extraordinary Innovation at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the speakers shared practical lessons from working within one of the nation’s largest public agencies. Attendees gained behind-the-scenes perspectives on the strategies, challenges, and successes that shaped their work at the $9.5 billion agency. The discussion highlighted what it takes to drive meaningful change in complex bureaucracies—and how others can apply these insights to make a difference. Guest Speakers: Joshua Schank, MTI Research Associate & Partner, InfraStrategies Emma Huang, Principal, InfraStrategies Marla Westervelt Berg, Principal, Cityfi Moderator: Dr. Hilary Nixon, Deputy Executive Director, MTI View PDH Certificate. View Recording. View Slide Deck. About the Guest Speakers Joshua Schank is a partner with InfraStrategies, a consulting firm that works with transportation organizations across the world on strategy, innovation, and policy. He is also the Executive Director of ACES, a Senior Fellow with the UCLA Institute for Transportation Studies, and a Research Associate at the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University. Joshua joined the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) in 2015 as the first-ever Chief Innovation Officer, where he was responsible for fostering innovations that improve mobility, equity, and environmental outcomes across LA County. Before that, he served as the former President and CEO of the Eno Center for Transportation, a national transportation think-tank based in Washington, DC. He is the co-author of All Roads Lead to Congress: The $300 Billion Fight Over Highway Funding. Emma Huang is a Principal Consultant with InfraStrategies, where she helps transit agencies navigate critical challenges, from foundational strategy to implementing innovative service models and policies. She has led the development of major strategic plans including Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART) 10-year strategic plan, Point B, San Mateo County Transit District’s plan, Moving San Mateo County, and CapMetro’s Strategic Plan. Prior to joining InfraStrategies, as a Manager with Los Angeles Metro’s Office of Extraordinary Innovation, Emma spent over six years focused on advancing strategic initiatives for the agency, including the development and implementation of an innovative FTA Mobility-on-Demand partnership with Via, Metro's 10-year strategic plan, Vision 2028, and Metro’s Traffic Reduction Study exploring congestion pricing in Los Angeles County. Emma has a Master of Public Policy degree from UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies from Pitzer College in Claremont, California. Marla Westervelt Berg is a Principal at Cityfi, where she helps governments and private-sector companies - from early-stage startups to global firms - navigate the rules, politics, and partnerships that shape innovation in civic space. Marla was a founding member and Head of Research at LA Metro’s Office of Extraordinary Innovation, led global policy at the Coalition for Reimagined Mobility, and built regulatory strategy and data systems from the inside at Bird. Her work bridges public systems and private ambition to turn civic friction into real-world results. She began her career at the Eno Center for Transportation. Presenters: Joshua Schank, Emma Huang, and Marla Westervelt Berg
April 17, 2026	Autonomous Vehicles & the City: Policy, Deployment and Ecosystem Leadership - The Commonwealth Club of California Taube Family Auditorium As autonomous vehicle technology reached maturation, the most urgent challenges were no longer just technical—they were civic and systemic. The 2026 Autonomous Vehicles and the City Symposium marked its 10th anniversary and went “Beyond the Tech” to focus on building a robust automation ecosystem that worked for people and cities alike. From AI perception and roadway safety to manufacturing friction, regulatory clarity, curb and edge management, and seamless integration with public transit, that year’s convening examined how automation could reduce collisions, advance Vision Zero goals, and expand mobility choice. Featuring leading policymakers, regulators, OEMs, researchers, and innovators—and a joint USF–UC Berkeley PATH Demo Day—this two-day event tackled what it truly took to move automation from breakthrough technology to a sustainable urban system. *MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this event.
April 15, 2026	Transportation Industry & Workforce Development Symposium - Thurman J. White Forum Building,1704 Asp Avenue, Norman, OK 73072 The Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC) hosted the Transportation Industry & Workforce Development Symposium, bringing together students and industry professionals for a day of networking, learning, and connection. The hybrid event provided opportunities for attendees to engage both in person and virtually. State and federal transportation agencies, private companies, and industry organizations participated by hosting information booths and leading discussions on transportation career opportunities. Students had the chance to connect directly with potential employers and learn more about pathways into the industry. The symposium was co-sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, National Center for Infrastructure Transformation, Mid-America Transportation Center, The Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium, Center for Transformative Infrastructure Preservation and Sustainability, Mineta Transportation Institute, Innovative Bridge Technologies/Accelerated Bridge Construction University Transportation Center, and the Council of University Transportation Centers.
April 14, 2026	Trailblazer Tuesday with Michelle Bouchard - Online The Mineta Transportation Institute hosted a series of virtual fireside chats featuring influential women leaders in transportation. These successful women, representing academia, public and private industries, and the nonprofit sector, shared their compelling personal narratives and leadership journeys. Audience gained valuable insights into their strategies for balancing assertiveness with emotional intelligence, overcoming stereotypes, and leading with intention. J Featured Guest: Michelle Bouchard, Executive Director, Caltrain Moderator: Dr. Karen Philbrick, Executive Director, MTI View Recording. View PDH Credit. About the Featured Guest Michelle Bouchard has served as Executive Director of Caltrain since April 2021. She brings nearly 30 years of experience in the transit industry, with a long history of progressively senior leadership roles at Caltrain. Under her direction, Caltrain successfully completed the landmark $2.44 billion Electrification Project, which marked its one-year anniversary in September 2025 and represents the most significant transformation in the railroad’s 160-year history. The project has delivered faster, quieter, and more reliable and frequent service - benefiting both riders and the communities Caltrain serves. In 2018, Ms. Bouchard was recognized by Railway Age as one of its “Women in Rail” for her leadership, industry contributions, and community service. She currently serves as Chair of the Commuter Rail Coalition, a national advocacy organization for commuter railroads. Ms. Bouchard earned a BA in Economics from Brown University and an MSc in Urban and Regional Planning from the London School of Economics. Presenters: Michelle Bouchard & Karen Philbrick, PhD
April 2, 2026	Everyday GenAI: Your AI Writing Assistant for Transportation Professionals - Online MTI hosted the next webinar in our Everyday AI series: Your AI Writing Assistant. Participants explored how tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude can support real writing tasks, including brainstorming ideas, organizing thoughts, and drafting and refining content. The session also addressed the limitations and risks of AI and discussed how to use it thoughtfully as a tool to enhance—not replace—professional expertise. Attendees learned practical strategies for prompt engineering, selecting the right tools for their needs, adhering to organizational policies, and streamlining workflows while maintaining clarity, accuracy, and their own voice. Presenters: Ramses Madou, Planning, Policy, and Sustainability Division Manager, San José Department of Transportation Lisa Rose, Editor, Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) Moderator: Dr. Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Education Director, MTI View Recording. View Slide Deck. View PDH Certificate. About the Presenters Ramses Madou is the Division Manager of Planning, Policy, and Sustainability for the Department of Transportation in the City of San José. At the City of San José, Ramses leads a team of planners, engineers, policy specialists, data and model experts to plan the Citywide transportation system. He is leading the City’s efforts to find new and innovative transit technologies, delivery methods, and business plans. Before joining the City of San José, Ramses served as the Associate Director of Parking & Transportation Services at Stanford University for 10 years. At Stanford, he played many roles over his time there, including managing program and policy development, planning efforts, retail operations, the University’s Marguerite transit system planning and operations, and regional transportation relationships. Lisa V. Rose has served as the Mineta Transportation Institute’s Communications Specialist since 2020, where she leads the development of clear, compelling, and inclusive communications across the Institute. She also collaborates with K–12 educators to design engaging, evidence-based lessons and classroom-ready resources for MTI’s workforce development programs. Lisa’s background includes more than fifteen years in communication, storytelling, and inclusive education. While earning her MA in English and Comparative Literature at San José State University, she taught undergraduate writing and helped develop and launch Reflection on College Writing, the university’s online prerequisite course for incoming first-year students. Presenters: Ramses Madou & Lisa Rose
March 24, 2026	Championing Women in Transportation: A Panel Discussion on Leadership and Mentorship in Transportation for Women's History Month - Online The California Transit Association, in partnership with the Mineta Transportation Institute, hosted a discussion celebrating Women’s History Month. Attendees heard from a panel of industry leaders who explored the importance of mentorship and champions for women in transit and transportation. The conversation highlighted how, as female leaders strive to reach the C-suite, the industry can work collectively to empower and inspire women colleagues. Panelists shared their personal career trajectories, along with best practices and advice for advancing women’s leadership in the field. Speakers: Erin Rogers, CEO/General Manager, Omnitrans; Chair, California Transit Association Executive Committee Alicia Trost, Chief Communications Officer, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Toni Tinoco, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Communications, California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) Amanda Kahn, Senior Engineering Geologist, Caltrans Moderator: Karen Philbrick, Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at San José State University *MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this event. View Recording.
March 20, 2026	SAVI Talk: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of City Governance - Online, - Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Room 225 This hybrid event brought together leading academic researchers and municipal practitioners to explore how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of city governance. By connecting expertise from higher education with leadership from one of the nation’s most innovative city governments, the session highlighted how AI can be responsibly applied to enhance decision-making, improve mobility systems, and strengthen public services. Featured speakers Dr. Junghwan Kim (Virginia Tech) and Dr. Yongsung Lee (UC Davis) shared research-driven insights on AI’s role in public-sector governance and urban mobility. A panel discussion with Keith Hertzberg of the City of San José provided practical perspectives on implementing AI within municipal operations, including organizational readiness, policy considerations, and community trust. The discussion underscored the importance of cross-sector collaboration and thoughtful technology adoption in building more adaptive and effective cities.
March 3, 2026	Beyond the Bullet Train: Lessons from Japan’s Shinkansen - Online Japan’s Shinkansen is often described in superlatives: fast, precise, iconic. But what actually makes it work? This webinar peeled back the myth to explore the real decisions, principles, and design thinking behind Japan’s high-speed rail success—and what they mean for North American practitioners. Drawing on first-hand experience and professional practice in Japan, speakers examined the Shinkansen as an integrated system operating across multiple scales: train design and operations, station planning and passenger flow, and city-building and tourism strategy. Rather than a technical deep dive, the conversation served as a guided “show-and-tell” of observations, questions, and practical takeaways that oriented attendees to how and why the system functions so reliably. Attendees learned what makes the Japanese system so successful and how those lessons can be applied in other contexts. Speakers: Masahiro Nakayama, Managing Director, JR Central Hotels Company Bryan Wong, Associate Planner, Access Planning Moderator: Eric Eidlin, Station Planning Manager, City of San José Department of Transportation; MSTM Instructor This webinar was co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, APTA High-Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Committee, High Speed Rail Alliance, and US High Speed Rail Association. View Recording. View Slide Deck. View PDH Certificate. Presenters: Masahiro Nakayama, Bryan Wong, and Eric Eidlin