TOMORROW: Transportation Leaders, Mineta Family, and Former DOT Officials Gather in Washington, D.C. to Honor Norman Mineta’s Legacy

Tomorrow, national transportation leaders, members of the Mineta family, aviation labor leaders, and former senior U.S. Department of Transportation officials will gather at the National Press Club for the Mineta Forum on Transportation Policy & Leadership: Honoring a Legacy of Service, hosted by San José State University’s Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) in partnership with United Airlines.

To mark the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, the Forum will offer firsthand perspectives on the leadership of former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta during one of the most consequential moments in American transportation history, as well as reflections on his enduring legacy of public service.

The program will feature former U.S. Transportation Secretaries James H. Burnley IV and Rodney Slater, members of the Mineta family, and former senior advisors who worked alongside Secretary Mineta.

In “In the Room That Day: Leadership on 9/11,” former Mineta senior advisors John Flaherty, Michelle Poché Flaherty, and Genie Norris Murphy will reunite to share firsthand perspectives from the team at the center of DOT’s response to the attacks and the unprecedented transportation and national security decisions that followed.

The Forum will also bring together aviation labor leaders Captain Wendy Morse, First Vice President and National Safety Coordinator of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), and Sara Nelson, International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), for “The Day the Skies Closed: Frontline Perspectives from 9/11.” They will reflect on the experiences of pilots and flight attendants on September 11 and the lasting impact of that day on aviation’s frontline workforce. 

The event’s featured panel examines the realities of today’s transportation security landscape and how it depends on ongoing collaboration that transcends agencies, modes, and political perspectives. The panel will be moderated by Former FTA Administrator Nuria I. Fernandez. Speakers for this panel include (listed alphabetically): Randy Clarke, General Manager & CEO, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; Steve Morrissey, Vice President, International Regulatory and Policy, United Airlines; and Joanna Nunan, Vice Admiral, U.S. Maritime Service (Ret.)/Rear Admiral, U. S. Coast Guard (Ret.).

Secretary Mineta’s sons Captain Bob Brantner and David Mineta will share personal reflections on their father’s life and journey from childhood incarceration at Heart Mountain to lasting national leadership. Captain Stuart Mineta and Mark Brantner will also share memories and insights during the evening’s Mineta Legacy Initiative Networking Reception.

Event Details

Date: 

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Time: 

Location:

MEDIA INFORMATION

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the Forum. Interview opportunities may be available with event speakers, members of the Mineta family, and MTI leadership.

For media attendance, interview requests, or additional information, please contact: Alverina Weinardy at alverina.weinardy@sjsu.edu or 408-924-7566.

ABOUT THE MINETA TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE

At the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at San Jose State University (SJSU) our mission is to increase mobility for all by improving the safety, efficiency, accessibility, and convenience of our nations’ transportation system. Through research, education, workforce development and technology transfer, we help create a connected world. Founded in 1991, MTI is a university transportation center funded by the US Department of Transportation, the California Department of Transportation, and public and private grants, including those made available by the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB1). MTI is affiliated with SJSU’s Lucas College and Graduate School of Business.