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Monthly Topics 2023

 

 

Navigating the Season with Cheers: Holiday Drink Inspirations from WITE

With the holidays right around the corner, celebrating with family and friends can be so much fun! However, just one alcoholic (aka Fully Leaded) beverage can affect a person’s driving. The importance of planning ahead and having a designated driver (DD) is critical for the safety of the vehicles passengers as well as the public at large. But even a DD wants to have a special holiday drink (aka Unleaded). Plan ahead by creating fun drinks for everyone! We have compiled a few WITE favorites of Unleaded drinks safe to take on the road and Fully Leaded drinks to enjoy at home.

Unleaded Beverages (Designated Driver Safe) 

 
Rosemary Greyhound Spritzer (made in batch)
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2 cups seltzer
  • 4 cups grapefruit juice
  • crushed ice for serving
  • rosemary sprigs and grapefruit slices for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • To make the rosemary simple syrup, heat the water (1/2 cup) and sugar (1/2 cup) together in a small pot. Don't bring it to a boil- just heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add the rosemary sprig. Allow to steep for 20 minutes to an hour. Remove rosemary stem and discard.
  • Combine the rosemary simple syrup, seltzer (2 cups), and grapefruit juice (4 cups) in a pitcher. Stir together and chill.
  • Before serving, stir together one more time. Serve over crushed ice in old fashioned glasses and garnish with fresh grapefruit slices and rosemary sprigs, if desired.
Pear & Rose Punch
Ingredients
  • 1L pear juice
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • few slices root ginger
  • 25ml raw apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp rosewater
  • 250ml sparkling water
  • ice

For the garnish

  •     rosemary sprigs
  •     thyme, leaves picked
  •     sliced red pear
  •     handful frozen redcurrants

Instructions

  • Pour the pear juice into a large pan. Add the vanilla pod, golden caster sugar, cardamom pods and root ginger, then bring to a simmer. Leave to cool completely, then strain into a punch bowl or jug.
  • Add the raw apple cider vinegar, rosewater and sparkling water. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, thyme, sliced red pear and a handful of frozen redcurrants. Add ice and serve.
Paradise City
Ingredients
  • 0.5 oz vanilla syrup
  • 0.5 oz passion-fruit puree
  • 1 oz grapefruit juice
  • 1 oz cream
  • 2 oz club soda

Instructions

  • Combine vanilla syrup, passion-fruit puree, grapefruit juice, and cream in a cocktail shaker over ice.
  • Pour club soda into a highball glass, then slowly strain the contents of the cocktail shaker over the club soda, allowing the head of foam to rise above the rim of the glass.
Non-Alcoholic Hot Buttered Rum
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup Monk Fruit In The Raw bakers bag (or 24 packets of Monk Fruit In The Raw)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
  • Boiling water
  • Half and half or heavy cream

Instructions

  • Combine the butter, sugar, Monk Fruit In The Raw, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves in a mixing bowl.
  • Beat with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined.
  • Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • To make each drink, scoop 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of the buttered spice mixture into a small mug.
  • Pour 1/4 cup of boiling hot water into the cup and stir or whisk to dissolve completely.
  • Add 1-2 tablespoons of half and half or cream, and stir once more.
  • Taste, add more water or cream, as desired.
Apple Barley Old Fashioned

Ingredients

  • 1 oz strong-brewed chilled barley tea bag (poured from 10 oz of hot water brewed with two tea bags)
  • 1/3 dropper Angostura bitters
  • 5 dashes molasses bitters
  • 0.25 oz simple syrup
  • 0.5 oz apple cider
  • Splash of club soda – optional

Instructions

  • Stir ingredients and garnish with an orange swath and two Luxardo cherries.
Cider, Thyme + Tonic Mocktail

Ingredients

  • 12 oz apple cider
  • 2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 oz thyme simple syrup*
  • 1 bottle (9.3 ounces) tonic water
  • Additional thyme and lemon slices for garnish

Thyme Simple Syrup

  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup water
  • 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme

Instructions for Thyme Simple Syrup

  • Add all ingredients to a small saucepan.
  • Turn heat to low and stir until sugar dissolves.
  • Simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until syrup coats the back of a spoon.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Take out the thyme sprigs and allow syrup to cool completely before using.
  • Store leftover syrup in a jar in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks.

Instructions for Mocktail

  • Add all ingredients except tonic water to a pitcher and stir until fully incorporated.
  • Add ice to four glasses, filling each about halfway.
  • Divide the cider mixture evenly among the glasses.
  • Top with tonic water.
  • Stir gently.
  • Garnish with a sprig of thyme and enjoy!
The Classic Shirley Temple
Ingredients
  • Ice
  • 1 (12 ounce) bottle Grenadine (see note 1)
  • 1 (2 Liter) bottle lemon-lime soda (see note 2)
  • Maraschino cherries for garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Fill a glass with ice.
  • Add 1 ounce (2 tbsp) grenadine, then top with 8 ounces lemon-lime soda.
  • Garnish with maraschino cherries if desired

**Alternative Roy Rogers: Substitute Coca-Cola for the Sprite.

Masala Chai Tea
I love making it in the winter months with ginger, fenugreek, and cardamom...tastes heavenly! It's great alongside samosas (savory pastry with spiced potatoes/peas) and jalebis (warm dessert) as an evening snack.

Method 1 (Instant Masala Chai Powder) - Ingredients

  • 4 green cardamoms
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1/2 - 3/4 inch piece of cinnamon
  • 2 pepper corn

Method 2 (Masala Chai Powder) - Ingredients

  • 1 tsp green cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • 2 1/2-3 grams cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp black pepper corn
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 petals star flowers

Instructions for Making Tea

  • 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups water
  • 1 cup full fat milk
  • 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 tsp black tea leaves
  • 2 -3 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 - 3/4 tsp ginger

Instructions for Method 1

  • Add cloves, cardamon, cinnamon sticks, and black pepper to a mortar pestle or a spice grinder. Crush or grind them into a powder.
  • Pour water into a pot. Add the tea, ground spices, and crushed/chopped ginger. (Start with a lower amount of tea and increase after adding milk.)
  • Bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to medium. Boil for three minutes until concoction turns dark.
  • Pour milk and add sugar. Bring to a boil on medium high heat. (If you are using tea bag, remove them and keep to the side).
  • Reduce the heat and simmer until the chai (tea) becomes dark (3-4 minutes). Simmer until tea reduces to 1 1/4 cups.
  • The tea is ready, there is a layer of cream on top and the milk flavor is gone.
  • Optionally, aerate or pull your masala chai for the same Chaiwallah taste. Take a soup ladle and aerate the masala chai or simply pour some chai into a measuring cup. Pour the hot tea in a slow stream, back to the chai pot from a height of 1 1/2 to 2 feet.
  • Repeat this step of pulling hot masala chai from the pot to the cup, 4 to 5 times. This will break down the layer of cream and incorporates it back to the masala tea, making it tasty and thick.
  • Strain the masala chai into serving cups and serve with breakfast, snack, or biscuit.

Instructions for Method 2

  • Clean all the spices and add to a blender jar. Powder finely. Store it in an airtight glass jar.
  • Use about 1/2 - 3/4 tsp to make two servings of tea.

 

 
   

Fully Leaded Beverages (Hand Over the Keys Please)

 
Tom & Jerry

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 1/2 lb. powdered sugar
  • Hot milk
  • Brandy or rum (optional)

Instructions

  • Separate 2 eggs, beat egg whites until stiff.
  • Beat egg yolks, add powdered sugar to yolks and beat again.
  • Then fold in egg whites.
  • To each cup add: 1 tbsp. batter, 3/4 cup hot milk, 1 jigger Brandy or Rum (optional). Enjoy!

New Years Eve Toast

Ingredients:

  • Glass of dry champagne
  • A splash of pomegranate juice
  • A sprig of rosemary
Rosemary Greyhound Cocktail (made in batch)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2 cups vodka, tequila or gin
  • 4 cups grapefruit juice
  • crushed ice for serving
  • seltzer water  optional
  • rosemary sprigs and grapefruit slices for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • To make the rosemary simple syrup, heat the water (1/2 cup) and sugar (1/2 cup) together in a small pot. Don't bring it to a boil- just heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add the rosemary sprig. Allow to steep for 20 minutes to an hour. Remove rosemary stem and discard.
  • Combine the rosemary simple syrup, vodka (2 cups), and grapefruit juice (4 cups) in a pitcher. Stir together and chill.
  • Before serving, stir together one more time. Serve over crushed ice in old fashioned glasses and garnish with fresh grapefruit slices and rosemary sprigs, if desired. Top with a little bit of seltzer water for some fizz, if desired.
Cranberry Margarita
Ingredients
  • 1.5 oz cranberry Juice
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1.5 oz Casamigos Blanco tequila
  • .5 oz Cointreau (optional)
  • .25 oz agave syrup
  • Fresh cranberries and lime for garnish

Instructions

  • Salt or sugar the rim (optional). Run a lime wedge (the juicy part) around the top rim of your serving glass. Fill a shallow bowl or plate with salt or sugar, then dip the rim until it is covered. Set aside.
  • Make the margarita mix. Add ingredients and a few ice cubes to a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
  • Fill the prepared serving glass with ice. Strain in the margarita mix, garnish, serve and enjoy.
Hugo Spritz
We fell in love with this drink on vacation a few years ago after trying (valiantly) to get into the Italian Aperitif and finding the Aperol and Venetian Spritzes too bitter.  But everyone in the group loved the Hugo - and now we make it at home all the time!  It's very refreshing and obviously a great drink during warm weather - but also a nice balance to heavy meals during cooler months... and a great way to dream of vacations!  

Ingredients

  • 1 sprig of mint 
  • 1-2 slices of lime (lemon works too in a pinch)
  • 1.5 oz. elderflower liqueur or syrup (you can find St. Germain in many places - even Target!)
  • 3 oz. prosecco 
  • 1 oz. soda/sparkling water 
  • ice

Instructions

  • Add mint and elderflower liqueur in a glass; stir or muddle gently (add a slice of lime during this step if desired)
  • Add ice (to the top!), then pour in prosecco & a splash-ish of soda water
  • Stir to combine and top with lime slice and additional mint 
Holiday Sangria
Ingredients
  • 1 (750 ml) Bottle red wine
  • 1 cup Brandy
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 2 cups Cranberries
  • 1 Orange, sliced
  • 1 Apple, cubed
  • 2-3 Cinnamon sticks
  • 4 Star anise
  • 4 Sprigs rosemary, plus more for garnish
  • 1 Bottle sparkling apple cider, chilled
  • Equal parts cinnamon and sugar, for rimming the glasses, optional
  • Maple syrup or honey for rimming the glasses, optional

Instructions

  • In a large pitcher (or punch bowl) combine the red wine, brandy, sugar, cranberries, oranges, apples, cinnamon sticks, star anise and rosemary. Mix well, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight to allow flavors to come together.
  • Just before serving add the sparkling apple cider, stir to combine. Serve over ice, in a glass rimmed** with a mix of cinnamon and sugar, garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs.
  • If you’d like to serve this sangria in a glass rimmed with cinnamon-spiked sugar, here’s how.
    • Mix equal parts cinnamon and sugar together in a small and spread it out evenly on a small plate.
    • On a second small plate, pour out some maple syrup or honey.
    • Dip the edge of your glass in the honey or syrup and then press the rim of your glass into the sugar mixture.
    • Fill the glass with ice and carefully pour the sangria without hitting the side of the glass, garnish with rosemary and serve.
Pomegranate Martini
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp. sanding sugar
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • Ice
  • 2 oz. fresh pomegranate juice
  • 1 1/2 oz. vodka
  • 1/2 oz. Cointreau
  • 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
  • Pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprig, for serving

Instructions

  • Place a martini glass in the freezer for 15 minutes, if desired.
  • Place sanding sugar on a shallow plate. Rub a lemon half around rim of martini glass, then dip into sugar.
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add pomegranate juice, vodka, Cointreau, and lemon juice and vigorously shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprig.
Moscow Mule
Ingredients
  • Ice cubes
  • 1 lime
  • ½ cup vodka
  • 1 bottle or can ginger beer
  • 2 lime wedges for garnish

Instructions

  • Fill the mugs or glasses with ice.
  • Juice the lime to get about 2 tablespoons (1 for each glass).
  • Add the vodka to each glass.
  • Divide the ginger beer between the glasses, pouring about ¾ cup into each drink.
  • Stir gently to combine and serve with garnished lime wedge.

Please drink responsibly and consider these sober ride services over the holiday season:

Encouraging the Next Generation of Transportation Professionals

By Ashley Fillback, PE, CBB Transportation Engineers + Planners

As funding opportunities for transportation infrastructure continue to increase, we’re quickly realizing our current workforce will only be able to keep up with a fraction of the demand. Now more than ever, it is important to encourage the next generation to pursue opportunities in STEM-related fields, especially those who have been historically underrepresented. It’s easy to talk about how we want more students to pursue careers in the transportation industry, but making it happen is a lot easier said than done. How do we encourage the next generation of transportation professionals to pursue these careers?

Think back to when you were five years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? Maybe a rock star or an athlete? At that age, I wanted to be a Walmart greeter so I could hand out all the yellow smiley stickers. Remember those? By the time I was in middle school, my interests switched from stickers to animals, and I wanted to be a veterinarian. Now think, what were your interests in middle school or early high school? Was a career in transportation engineering or planning on your radar yet? For me, it was my junior year of high school when I started to consider engineering.

My dad was a firm believer that I had what it takes to be an engineer and encouraged me to consider engineering when I was wavering between several different career paths. There were guys in my grade who were looking at engineering as a major, but there weren’t many girls considering it at all. It was hard to picture it as a realistic option until I had the opportunity to shadow an engineer at the local public works department. She (yes, a female engineer) spent the day showing me the local projects she was working on and answering my questions about engineering. It was after that visit that I knew I wanted to pursue engineering.

As I look back to that time, two main components stand out to me: (1) I had someone telling me I could do it and (2) I could see someone who looked like me in that career. Now think back and ask yourself, did I have one or both of these components? Pursuing a career in STEM is a lot easier when you have people encouraging you or you can see someone like you in that field.

As transportation professionals, we can encourage the next generation to pursue a career in our industry. There are so many ways we can make an impact if we choose to step up and be present. Here are a few examples:

  1. Holidays: There are several holidays throughout the year with the intention of celebrating STEM career opportunities, many of which you will find outreach activities for students. Reach out to local classrooms, science centers, or universities to see if any are hosting outreach events you could volunteer at. Below are some holidays to keep in mind:
    1. National Engineers Week (Third Week in February)
    2. Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (During Third Week in February)
    3. Pi Day (March 14)
    4. National Robotics Week (Early April)
    5. Earth Day (April 22)
    6. Take Your Child to Work Day (Fourth Thursday in April)
    7. National Bike Month (May)
    8. International Women in Engineering Day (June 23)
    9. STEM/STEAM Day (November 8)
  2. Classrooms: Give a classroom presentation to students to talk about your career, explain what engineering or planning is, or showcase some of your favorite projects and stories. Students may not remember the specific details you share, but they’ll remember the enthusiasm you had when you shared a piece of your story.
  3. Activities: Make learning fun! The ITE website offers a wide range of activities you can use to interact with students. This resource makes it easy on you to select from pre-prepared activities for pre-K, elementary, middle school, or high school age ranges.
  4. Internship Programs or Shadow Days: Offering to provide facility tours to a classroom or opening a few hours up in your schedule to allow young students to shadow is a great way to introduce the next generation to a career in transportation. Real world experiences short-term or long-term allow students to see what opportunities await them. Consider if your company or agency would be interested in launching an initiative to promote STEM careers. On the I-270 North Design-Build project in St. Louis, Missouri, MoDOT and Millstone Weber partnered to launch the Project PAVE STEM Initiative to offer hands-on learning opportunities to students from several area school districts. Be creative and consider if there are opportunities to incorporate student engagement in your projects or at the office.
  5. Scholarships: Scholarship opportunities are a great way to catch a student’s eye, but they do more than offer financial assistance. Scholarships can help spread the word about careers in transportation and it’s important that we continue to share these opportunities through student outreach. High school students may learn more about our field if they hear about scholarships like the ITE Diversity Scholars Program. Students in college might interact with the ITE student chapters more when they hear about scholarships offered by the local ITE district or section.

How do we encourage the next generation of transportation professionals? That’s always the big question. It starts with all of us. Be the person encouraging students and telling them they can be transportation engineers and planners. Be the face of your profession that shows students there are people who look like them with these careers. Most importantly, find ways to be active! You can volunteer at events, give presentations, organize activities, host job shadows, share scholarship opportunities, and much more! If you’re passionate about building up the future of our industry, consider joining one of the ITE Board Committees to find more ways to be involved. With the celebration of STEM/STEAM Day happening this month, I hope you consider how you can help encourage the next generation of transportation professionals.

Professional Dress in Today’s Engineering World

By Wendy Krehbiel, PE, RSP2I, Senior Traffic Engineer, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.

 
An Evolution in Modern Day Business Attire

The definition of professional attire has evolved drastically over the decades. Many more industries and companies have transitioned away from a daily formal suit to business casual or casual. In addition to that natural evolution, we’ve experienced a massive forcible shift induced from COVID quarantine protocols. Who hasn’t participated in a virtual meeting wearing their pajamas at least once since 2020? And some individuals that used to be office-based are still teleworking at least part time. Most office dress codes have adopted an increasingly relaxed standard and everyone in general seems more human, more tolerant, less wrapped up in the façade of a perfectly curated image. We’re taking video calls from our dining rooms with crying kids and barking dogs interrupting. Our clients and constituents are in the same boat. But professionalism in appearance still has a place. And if you want to move forward in your career, it’s important to recognize when context should impact your wardrobe choices.

Differences in Gender Expression

Traditional business dress codes originated in a male-dominated workforce. Today, men have more freedom for style individuality, women have full equivalent offerings of business wear, and there is a spectrum in between for how each individual expresses themselves that isn’t restricted to a fixed binary determination. There is much more flexibility in garment options under each category of professional attire than ever before. It can be a blessing and a curse. There are many more ways to meet the dress code while still being true to your own sense of self and remaining comfortable in your skin, yet there are also more decisions to make and more selections to whittle down, both at the shopping stage and the outfit selection stage. Whether your personal brand is more masculine, more feminine, or more androgynous, high fashion or high practicality, elder millennial or Gen Z, penny-pinching or budget-breaking, you’ve got options! There is no cookie cutter template for a professional appearance. Does wearing heels make you feel more confident and powerful? Great, wear ‘em! Do heels make you feel awkward and on display? No problem, don’t wear ‘em! Personally, blazers make me feel like I’m a child playing dress up, but I’ve seen them look fantastic on other women. Whatever you choose to wear should make you feel more competent, or at the very least it certainly shouldn’t detract from your professional self-assurance.

Since dress codes tend to lean heavily on the conventional menswear standard, it can be hard to gauge the expectation for attire if you’re in a setting with few to no other women or you’re looking for a more modern twist. Here’s a rough equivalency for reference:

Category

Traditional Menswear

Womenswear Equivalent

Business Formal

Full Suit + Tie

Suit, suit dress, tailored pants or long skirt, longer-sleeved blouse with nicer fabric or collar detail, modest neckline, blazer or cardigan optional, heels or closed toe flats, mostly dark or neutral solid colors

Business Casual

Jacket + Optional Tie

Pencil skirt, dress pants, dressier blouse or sweater/cardigan with embellishment, mild patterns and colors

Slacks + Button-Down Shirt

A-line skirts, pants in wider range of cuts, shorter sleeve tops, more colorful articles and shoes acceptable

Casual

Khakis + Polo

Khakis, colored denim, casual top, casual dress, sleeveless, nicer slip-on sneakers and boots/booties acceptable

Jeans + T-Shirt

Non-distressed denim with darker wash, casual blouse, company shirt, sleeved sundress, sandals acceptable
 
Guiding Principles to Find Your Way

Whether you’re just beginning your career after graduation or trying to navigate the traditional office culture changing from the way it used to be, here are a few suggestions to get you started:

  • Follow the lead. If your employer has a dress code, be familiar with it and be respectful. Understand that you’re representing a larger entity than yourself and find ways to express your style that fit within the boundaries. If you’re in a market area with big city corporate vibes versus a laidback rural community, match the tone. Either overdoing it or underestimating can send the wrong message to your peers, superiors, and clients. Too much seems arrogant and out of touch, too little seems disrespectful. If you’re supporting a partner at a meeting, ask what level of dress code they’d like to adhere to so the group can present a coordinated image.
     
  • Healthy balance is key. Find your equilibrium between edginess and conformity. And yes, modesty as well. If you’re choosing a skirt with above-the-knee length, shoot for a higher-coverage top and flats. With a more fitted bodysuit or an open neckline, higher-waisted wide leg pants are a complementary loose fit. The same goes for jewelry. Choose a statement piece: earrings, necklace, heels, etc; then, make the remaining pieces simpler so as not to overshadow. You can push the envelope with trendier items if you temper the rest of the outfit with more classic style. You can also take something flexible like colored denim and elevate it to business casual with the right combination of top, shoes, and accessories. This will help you fit in to the setting but still stand out as your authentic self.
     
  • Account for seasonal variations and context. Florida summer heat is nearly unbearable walking the 100 yards from the parking lot to the building. Sleeveless blouses and looser lightweight pants are more socially acceptable. Rainy or snowy geographies understandably call for more outerwear and different footwear. It’s alright to be practical! This also fluctuates by context: a presentation calls for taking it up a notch while a day of field work is an exemption to the norm. What about after-hours professional events? Office holiday party at a ping pong bar? Workplace family beach day? Professional organization happy hour or conference? Golf with a client? It should be fun and comfortable but it’s probably worth one extra cursory review. Think about not just matching your peer demographic but also upline and downline: make sure you’re content with the tone you’re setting around superiors and mentees as well.
     
  • Be self-aware and be an ally. In the same way that some language may be unsuitable for work, some clothing just isn’t appropriate for a professional setting. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it, it just doesn’t belong in this particular setting. It could be an item that puts you at risk of a workday wardrobe malfunction or is too heavily tattered and distressed. Save it for the weekend. Just like our actions and words, the way we dress is a demonstration of respect, both for ourselves and those around us. Be aware of how you present yourself depending on your audience and the impression you’re trying to make. Also, be conscious of others who could use support. If you invite a new hire to a client meeting, ask them if they have any questions about the attire. They may be too nervous to reveal a lack of experience by asking directly! If you see another professional woman out who’s style or aesthetic you appreciate, tell them! Genuine compliments form a strong connection and the positivity improves their mood AND yours. The way we dress is no indicator of the intelligence, leadership, and tenacity we harbor inside as professionals.

So don’t let attire be an obstacle or a stressor; use it as a tool to showcase both your professional dedication and your individuality.

Reconciliation Day

September 30 marks the 3rd anniversary of Canada’s newest holiday: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Reconciliation is a process that has been used to heal cultural injustices and atrocities and now in Canada, this day marks a journey towards rebuilding the rights, lives, family structures, and the self-image of the indigenous peoples in this country. 

In ITE we also talk about the importance of creating spaces that are inclusive of all our members and that is exactly what reconciliation is all about. Truth is about owning up to errors and together, truth and reconciliation can lead towards making amends and ultimately helping people shine on their own terms. Please bear with me and learn how truth and reconciliation are so important and also a lesson we can apply when it comes to supporting all circles.

A few centuries ago, settlers to Canada determined that the ways of life of “our” indigenous peoples were wrong. Totally wrong and needing to be eliminated. Eliminated. Let that sink in. 

To eliminate these cultures, our institutions built frameworks to overtly dismantle societies and dignity, which included writing racist laws and learning from allied countries, like the United States, to build an Indian residential school program where kids would be separated from their families. The methods used in these schools were horrendous, abusive, and deadly. Stories were shared by thousands of residential school survivors and one story, by Phyllis Jack Webstad, is the first reason Canadians started marking the date of September 30. In Phyllis’s story, part of what was so memorable about her residential school experience to her was having everything taken away: language, family, hair, cultural identity and a very special orange shirt. Her story inspired Orange Shirt Day, where Canadians started coming together to bring attention to the stories and hurt caused by residential schools. 

The truth of the injustices against indigenous peoples have come out in many other ways. Transportation routes have been exposed as dangerous for women. Data by professionals has shown that to be an indigenous girl or woman means a high chance of becoming missing or murdered. Indigenous men are more likely to become incarcerated. The connection between these likelihoods and how indigenous cultures have been valued is strong and unfair. 

What’s possibly hardest to think about when thinking about all of the harm that has transpired against indigenous peoples is the lag before there was action in Canada. While the links between deaths and residential schools were documented in the early 1900s, closures of the schools would not begin for multiple decades. Since students were buried in unmarked graves and news not shared with families, finding these graves of thousands of students would not be discovered until a couple of years ago. 

I doubt that anyone still reading this blog could be silent if their child were to go missing at school. It is inconceivable to lose a child. It is inconceivable that a state could not care for its children. 

Action would slowly unfurl. Churches would apologize and “share regrets” starting in the 1980s and in 2008 the federal government would make a formal apology for the treatment of indigenous people - more than 100 years following the construction of the school program. Investigations and a formal commission would shed light and develop actions to correct the harm against at least seven generations of families. Today, these 94 actions are offered to all Canadians and the layers of government as recommendations for what is impactful to restore dignity, justice and cultures that are rich and connected. 

Today I find it exciting to hear the roar of people who are again proud. But, it is also not uncommon to hear non-indigenous Canadians speak of being ‘done with apologizing’ and being ‘done with feelings of guilt’. This is discouraging and speaks to ignorance of the work still left. All Canadians should have equal opportunity to thrive. 

The treatment of indigenous people in Canada has been outrageous and wrong. Reflecting on the story of their treatment presents some similarities to discrimination within families and within companies. What we can learn is that helping people shine requires us to appreciate our differences, apologize when mistakes are made, and to commit to open listening combined with targeted actions when there is a need to restore balance. Some of the qualities needed to navigate are openness, commitment and empathy. 

I welcome everyone to help restore justice to those who continue to experience discrimination. Please be brave, compassionate and aligned. To help indigenous people in Canada, please follow the 94 calls to action, acknowledge and give support on Orange Shirt Day,  learn about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, or build empathy by reading experiences like Brandi Morin’s Our Voice of Fire, which is surely different from your lived experience. You have everything to gain by better understanding the gifts and barriers experienced by others.

As transportation professionals, we have the unique privilege to build truth and reconciliation into our infrastructure projects for better outcomes. Take the opportunity to think about how streets can balance movement and place and how we can accelerate healing through a better complete street. A better complete street can be designed through compassionate and inclusive engagement processes, focus on safety and understanding that transportation modes will always change, include renaturalization consistent with the lands, and translate cultural stories into meaningful placemaking and public art. The results can be community connections and safer mobility, which is really so amazing, isn't it?

Know Your Worth

We hope you were able to join the Women of ITE for our February Virtual Bootcamp webinar: “Building the Career You Want” – if not, the Session Video is posted on our WITE Committee page (February Bootcamp Link) .  The conversation was so good that none of us wanted it to end – including the panel! 

We’re revisiting that dialogue here in our blog after realizing a recurring theme from the panel and participants was how difficult it can be to recognize your own worth.  It can be hard to make a change, let alone ask for one, when you aren’t confident in the benefit you bring to your efforts.  If you find it difficult to articulate your worth, you are not alone!  Every member of the panel during that Bootcamp described a journey that included finding, and learning to embrace, their personal and professional capital – whether or not they were aware that was what they were doing at the time.

Knowing your worth is often discussed from the lens of proving your value to an employer.  But it’s even more constructive as a basis for understanding your personal and professional goals and building a career that aims to achieve them both. 

Finding your worth is a journey we take individually and on our own schedules – but to get started, we’ve rounded up four of our favorite blog articles below.  And we offer up a challenge – find a colleague, mentor, friend, or significant other to be your “brag buddy”.  Make a point to regularly share with them your wins – big and small – and especially to include the topics that might be considered arrogant by some (or for some) to say aloud.  It might be that you found a way to connect with a difficult Stakeholder or that you just managed to get your kids to bed on time for multiple days!  But, as you’re talking, realize that not everyone around you has the skill or patience or whatever it took to get that win – and acknowledge your value!  As you become comfortable sharing the successes that make you proud, and what made you able to achieve them, you may also become adept at knowing (and articulating) your worth.

Know Your Worth – Women And Careers, Sibongile Ngako (8 min read):
https://sibongilengako.com/know-your-worth/

What It Means to Know Your Worth & 7 Ways to Improve On It, Cara Hutto (6-min read): https://www.inhersight.com/blog/mental-health/know-your-worth

4 Ways to Know Your Worth, Tchiki Davis PhD (3-min read):
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/202201/4-ways-know-your-worth

Self-Worth in the Workplace – Indeed (5-min read):
https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/self-worth

#ITEPortland2023: ‘What Is There to Do in Portland, Anyway?’

First off, as part of a multi-modal community here in the great Pacific Northwest, we welcome you to the Rose City!

Portland is extremely walkable, bikeable and has one of the easiest and most tourist-friendly public transportation systems in the country. We are home to the 2022 National Women’s Soccer League Champions (Thorns FC), MLS Timbers, and NBA Trailblazers. I moved here almost 4 years ago and knew very little about this place I call home so after reading this blog hopefully you will know way more than I did when I arrived. I can tell you there is so much to do here it will have your head spinning. From art, theater, to music and Summer bike rides daily, Portland has something for you. Hopefully in a few minutes you will have some idea of what to do when you get here and make the most out of your visit.

Ok so you registered for the 2023 ITE Annual Conference… Congratulations! That is the first step to visiting our amazing and beautiful City!

How to get here:

For folks flying in –

  • Typically, there is light rail (Trimet Max Train) that goes directly from the airport to the Hyatt, however since the conference falls within the dates of June 18 – October 21, you will need to take the Max Line Red Shuttle Bus to the Gateway Transit Center first. Once you arrive, there should be a Red or Blue line Max train to help you continue your journey to the Hyatt. The disruption is necessary as part of the “A Better Red” MAX Red Line Extension and Reliability Improvements Project. Here’s the link to help with the transfer. Make sure you get on either a Red or Blue line train from the Gateway Transit Center to City Center. There will be Trimet employees at the transit center to help you and trust me, I’ve done it before and it’s quite easy. When you pick your luggage up on the 1st floor of PDX, proceed to the Max area at the northern end of the terminal (there will be signs for Max Line Red Shuttle Bus). I don’t believe you need to scan your phone (Hop App) or credit card as you board the bus but be prepared to in case. If you plan on using transit while you are here, download the HOP app and load funds ahead of time anyway. It’s about a 40-min bus/train ride to the hotel and you will get off at the Convention Center Max stop. Just use google map to navigate and choose the transit icon. Trimet (Transit) works great with it. There is no hotel shuttle service from the airport to the hotel and if you plan on using transit, the Max Line Red Shuttle Bus is your ride.
  • There are cabs and Lyfts/Ubers available on the 3rd platform but why spend $50 when you can spend $2.50 to ride the light rail straight to the Hyatt.

Arriving by car:

  • Parking at the Hyatt is $35 overnight or you can pay valet $45 a day. Both options include a parking garage, not a surface lot. If you arrive on Sunday, August 13th you might have a hard time getting around though. The entire downtown and part of the Central City on both sides of the Willamette River will be closed off to vehicles for Bridge Pedal, this includes interstates! Luckily the Hyatt and Convention Center are on the east side of the river (like the airport). More details on Bridge Pedal below.

Restaurant Options around the Convention Center

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of good options within a few blocks of the Hyatt. I’ve heard there’s a Red Robin and a Denny’s but if you are looking for the Portland-esc type of establishments, I have some recommendations:

  • Go north to Broadway. There’s Hele Pele, Steeplejack, Sushi Ohana, Thai Pod, Twisted Croissant and McMenamins to name a few. You can take the #77 bus for 10 mins directly to these restaurants without a transfer! Hele Pele serves popular Hawaiian style cocktails from the distant past in tiki décor and offers small bites but get there early. It’s a popular place and they don’t take reservations. Steeplejack is a beautiful brewery located in an old historic church with ornate stained-glass windows. By the way, we have over 70 breweries in Portland, 8th in the US per capita so best to take it slow!
  • Or head South along SE MLK/Grand Ave. Check out Loyal Legion, Wayfinder, or Produce Row. There’s also Hat Yai, Afuri Izikaya, and Living Haus Beer Company. From there, check out SE Belmont/SE Morrison where there’s Creepy’s a divey bar with toy clowns all around you. The PBOT streetcar or Trimet number 6 bus can get you there and is only 10-15 mins away. There’s also Grand Central Bowl and Pips & Bounce, a ping-pong drinking establishment.
  • Better yet, head East down East Burnside to Rom Tom’s, Noble Rot, or Nong’s Thai, Sizzle Pie or Matador. Laurelhurst Market for a juicy steak or Screen Door for some really yummy Southern food. It’s got New Orleans vibes. There’s also a location in the Pearl District near Powell’s. Highly recommended!
  • Lastly, you could head West to downtown via the Max on the Green, Blue, or Red line where there’s Thai Peacock, Mother’s, Grit’s N Gravy, Luc Lac, Fogo De Chao, Pine St Market, Cheryl’s, Buranko, Raven’s Manor, and food carts on the square (I recommend Fried Egg I’m in Love) and Lechon for South American cuisine.

Local Bike/Recreation/Music Events :

All week – Pedalpalooza BIKE SUMMER is all summer long. There are numerous themed rides every day from June - August. You can use the local bike share Biketown Epedal assist or rent a bike from a local shop while you are here. There are plenty of local shops eager to help you rent and Biketown is offering $5 discounts to all attendees!

Thursday, August 10

Friday, August 11

  • Queen/ABBA ride @ 7:30 pm
  • Pedalpalooza Friday Night Ride at Ladd’s @ 7:00 pm. Explore Ladd’s Addition, Portland’s Oldest Planned Neighborhood
  • Midnight Mystery Ride
  • Washington Park Summer Festival – NW Dance Project

Saturday, August 12

  • Pedalpalooza Farmer’s Market Ride @ PSU, 10 am
  • PSU Farmer’s Market
  • Portland Saturday Market, Old Town/Waterfront
  • ‘The’ Naked Bike Ride (we have multiple ones all summer during Full Moon)
  • Southerly Ladies Ride
  • Decendents, Pioneer Courthouse Square, 5pm
  • Washington Park Summer Festival – Portland Cello Project
  • Late Show of Rocky Horror Picture Show – Clinton Street Theater (since 1978)

Sunday, August 13

  • Bridge Pedal – Family friendly ride (not a race) to promote alternate ways of travel and get healthy on Portland’s bridges and interstates. There are multiple length rides for different types of cyclists and walking/jogging/running options. Registration is required and isn’t free but the cost of your ticket goes to charity.
  • Alex G, Pioneer Courthouse Square, 5pm
  • Washington Park Summer Festival – Opera in the Park
  • Monthly Overlook Ride
  • Filthiest Person Ride
  • Ambient Music Ride

Monday, August 14

  • Jinx Monsoon, Keller Auditorium
  • Dead Freeways Ride
  • Mellow Mondays
  • Lizard Ride

Tuesday August 15

  • Patti Smith and Her Band, Pioneer Courthouse Square, 5pm
  • Bleeps and Bloops Ride
  • Hill Killerz Hill Killz Ride

Wednesday, August 16

  • Tegan and Sara, Pioneer Courthouse Square, 5pm
  • Bike Happy Hour
  • Plants & Pedals
  • Pizza Ride

Travel Outside Portland

Staying for both weekends? The beautiful, rugged Oregon coast is just 80 miles away. Visit Cannon beach and stop in Astoria on route. See filming locations for the Goonies in both communities. I would recommend the Hallmark Resort in Cannon Beach. Wake up right in front of Haystack Rock and explore Ecola State Park, where the Goonies held up the medallion and aligned with the rocks as they were perched up at Fratelli’s restaurant overlooking Cannon Beach. There’s a bus that takes you there!

Or travel down the mighty Columbia Gorge to Hood River, one of the country’s top spots for windsurfing and kiteboarding. Stop off at Multnomah Falls and Vista House along the way. There’s also a bus that takes you there!

Shopping/Arts Districts

SE Hawthorne, NW 23rd, N Mississippi, N Alberta, SE Division, SE Belmont, and Pearl District

All of these are excellent places for great food, better drinks, and quirky shops. And don’t forget ice cream at Salt & Straw!

Nearby Hiking and Recreation:

Columbia River Gorge (Dog Mtn and Eagle Creek), Washington Park, Forest Park, Mt. Tabor Park, Laurelhurst Park, Marquam Nature Park, Powell Butte, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens

Quirky and Unique Bars/Clubs:

  • Wyrd Leatherworks & Meadery
  • Pink Rabbit
  • Hey Love
  • Creepies
  • Coffin Club (Formerly Lovecraft Bar)
  • Raven’s Manor
  • Hele Pele
  • Rimsky-Korsakoffee House – cash only coffee spot opened nightly
  • The Bible Club
  • Multnomah Whiskey Library
  • Darcelle’s
  • Doc Marie’s
  • Ground Kontrol

Over 500! Food Carts. These are a few Pods:

  • Hawthorne Asylum
  • Cartopia
  • Prost!
  • Pod 28 Laurelhurst
  • Third Avenue
  • Mississippi Marketplace
  • The Heist
  • Piedmont Station

Resources for Other Events:

See you in August!

Resilience: A Choice

By Victoria Trabosh, CEC, Executive Coach

Photo Credit: Victoria Trabosh

Resilience is created at the axis of vision and decision. It's more than positivity; it is a belief in an ultimate goal regardless of obstacles. It means being able to take a hit but still move on with your project or life despite any setbacks or issues that may arise. But how do you create a mindset of resilience to keep pushing forward even when things don't go according to plan? I cannot give you resilience, but I can help you focus on yours through my experience.

In 2005, I traveled to Rwanda for the first of twelve trips. In my work in Rwanda, I meet with women deeply and cruelly damaged by the 1994 Genocide Against Tutsi. Their lives were shattered beyond the pale, yet they continued to rise. Their vision? To live a life not defined by a genocide and grief but by action. Their axis of vision and decision begins again every day as they choose to go on, healing from a genocide and always remembering their losses yet focusing on their future. And the success of their intention is blinding in its manifestation. Today, many women who suffered during the genocide serve in positions of power in the government. Rwanda ranks #1 in the world for women in parliament. Women count for roughly half the world's population, yet they occupy less than a quarter of political seats. Rwanda has more women in power proportionally than any other country in the world. Women serve with a female majority in parliament, with 61.3% in the Chamber of Deputies and 36% in the Senate. (source: https://www.parliament.gov.rw/women-representation) That is resilience in action; my experience with these women also helps me focus on resilience.

The women of Rwanda are forever in my heart and mind as I set my goals, and my resilience becomes a part of my nature in facing tasks and daunting experiences. Your resilience is necessary for your work. Building resilience requires understanding your strengths and weaknesses. Knowing what you're good at and what you need help with will make it easier for you to recognize when it's time to step back or ask for help from others.

Resilience is critical for success because, personally and professionally, life brings unexpected challenges that require problem-solving skills and a willingness to persevere even in difficult times. Choose resilience, and you choose success.

Tools to Create Work-Life Balance

All of us make decisions related to work-life balance on a regular basis, whether or not we’re conscious of it. It’s not specific to women, or parents, or any particular sub-set of the population.  It’s ingrained in the daily decisions we make, whether those decisions are about physical fitness, care for pets, personal health and wellbeing, children’s activities, or social engagements. When there is pressure on those daily decisions, it can create stress or burn-out. Each of us utilizes different tools to manage these pressures, so we surveyed friends and colleagues both inside and outside of ITE to populate a list of tools and strategies that may be helpful to others.  The survey responses illustrate the differences in opinions on this topic and the varied approaches we take as individuals. 

If you could give a peer (or mentee) one strategy to balance work and home life, what would you suggest and why?

  1. Schedule time for yourself at least twice a week to go to the gym, go for a walk, meditate, read a book…. whatever helps you with your mental health and relaxation… and commit to it.
  2. Work life balance is a dynamic thing: more like riding a bicycle than standing still, and it works best when you're moving.
  3. Some seasons require more time on personal things, but they are not that long in the grand scheme of things. Once those days are gone, they don't return. Staying involved professionally at the scale you can manage means not losing career progress, even when family requires the lion's share of investment.
  4. Define your schedule as a boundary from work and stick to it. Every day cannot be an urgent, asap work matter.
  5. Volunteer for as much as you can while still unapologetically prioritizing your family first, with the understanding that sometimes family life is more demanding than other times. With an understanding that careers can change, but time with loved ones is limited, you will be more deliberate in the time you do spend at work, ensuring you put your best effort in all endeavors. When your family foundation is strong, the rest falls into place.
  6. It will never balance. One will always outweigh the other. Whichever needs you more at the time, focus on that. And also take care of yourself!
  7. We always try to have a sit-down family meal at the table. It may be a late meal depending on all our schedules, but it gives us all time to sit and chat about our day. With teens, it is hard to limit cell phones, but I find if I leave mine away from the table and actively engage with them, they will leave theirs as well.
  8. I scheduled gym sessions in advance and treat them like I would with any client meetings. That way, I plan my workday to accommodate the sessions and step back to work after if needed.
  9. Work life balance is not one size fits all. You need to set priorities and work toward what makes the most sense for you. If your current employer or position isn't meeting your needs make a change. The right fit is out there.
  10. I recently learned from a teaming partner who would say "I will join the call at 8:10 after dropping off my daughter at school" or "I can only stay until 5:20 when I will take my son to his soccer practice". I thought it was so "brave" of her to admit to... gosh, having kids and spending time with them. She said she did that on purpose. I've started doing that too now.
  11. Find a company/team that gives you the flexibility to be home and work adjusted hours. There's only so much you can do for yourself, but if your team has your back on this, you'd be far more successful.
  12. Recognize that there will be different seasons in your life where your needs and what you can contribute to your career will change. You may not always be able to work overtime, attend evening meetings, or move up the corporate ladder depending on the needs of your family. Be flexible and accept that there is a time for everything, but it may not be right now. It's ok to say "no" to extra work or even extracurriculars if they get in the way of your inner peace.
  13. Don't be afraid to turn off the notifications. Now that everything can be connected to your phone, it can be hard to not be distracted by work at any time of the day.

What has allowed you to be successful with these strategies?

  1. By limiting the distraction of seeing notifications, I've found I can focus better on non-work items in my life. 
  2. Organization is absolutely critical. You have more time in a week than you think, but you need to know where the time gets wasted.
  3. Figure out what you need from your job to achieve a better work/home life balance and discuss it with your employer. Don't be afraid to request more flexible hours, less hours, work-from-home, etc.
  4. Fill up your work calendar as unavailable for times where urgent or asap matters cannot be addressed. 
  5. Understanding that work and life are both priorities and acknowledging that that means missing out on some kid things for work and some work things for kids. 
  6. I make a point during the day to tell everyone what time we will have dinner and what will be served. This allows everyone to voice a schedule conflict and/or make themselves available. 
  7. My team consists of people who are equally career- and family-driven, who also seek work-life balance. Having their support has been invaluable. Our team supports people who choose not to work/email/respond outside of normal work hours, but also provides the flexibility to work at night to make up for childcare hours.
  8. Having a manager that is not a micromanager has been immensely helpful. It means fewer frivolous calls/emails. I'm trusted that I'll get my work done in the working hours that I establish, and there is no expectation for me to work more than 40 hours.

Owning my own business. I've had to work really hard, but I also get to set my own schedule. 

How The City of Tampa is Reaching for Vision Zero

Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate roadway fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful across Europe - and now it’s gaining momentum in major American cities.

The City of Tampa is one of those cities, and over the course of the last several years has been laying the groundwork for transformational safety improvements across the city through proactive planning efforts, and successful grant applications.

The Vision Zero Approach

Tampa, Florida’s Vision Zero program is founded on the following beliefs and practices: 

  • Loss of life on our roads is unacceptable and preventable;
  • Focus on deadly and life-altering injury crashes, and eliminate inequities;
  • Responsibility is shared through a safe system that prioritizes the most vulnerable users; 
  • Anticipate that people will make mistakes; therefore we must design roadways to be more forgiving; 
  • Cross-collaboration is imperative; 
  • Implement outcome-driven, strategic investments that are based on data and equity;
  • Proactively and systemically address problems before deadly and life-altering injury crashes occur.

Transforming Tampa’s Tomorrow

Vision Zero is a key component of Mayor Castor’s Transforming Tampa’s Tomorrow initiative. Mayor Jane Castor announced the City of Tampa’s commitment to Vision Zero in October 2019 at the National Safe Routes to Schools Conference, a recommendation that came from the Mayor’s Transforming Tampa’s Tomorrow effort. Since then, the City joined the Vision Zero Network, established a Vision Zero Team, and developed the City’s first-ever Vision Zero Action Plan. The City of Tampa is dedicated to achieving Vision Zero by working collaboratively across all Departments and with partner agencies and organizations to implement the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan. This effort is being led by the City’s Mobility Department, in partnership with other Departments.

Tampa’s Vision Zero Action Plan

The Vision Zero Action Plan is the City’s road map to reaching the goal of zero. The Vision Zero Action Plan was developed over the course of 2021 through a data-driven and collaborative approach with the help of a multi-disciplinary Vision Zero Task Force and community input. The Action Plan focuses on the short-term -- what the City can do over the next five years to embed Vision Zero throughout all City departments and champion this effort with our partner agencies, organizations, and the community at large. The Vision Zero Action Plan is intended to be a living document that is continually tracked and updated as the city implements and evaluates the Vision Zero program.

The plan is organized around the Safe Systems approach, which is the method adopted by the Vision Zero Network and promoted by the Federal Highway Administration. The Safe Systems approach includes five elements: Safer Streets, Safer Speeds, Safer People, Safer Vehicles, and Safety Data and Post-Crash Response.

The Safe Systems elements provide a layered approach that creates redundancies and shared responsibility across the entire roadway system. This is a move away from the traditional roadway safety approach that is centered on the 3 E's (engineering, enforcement, and education), which perpetuates a siloed strategy to address roadway safety efforts.

Tampa’s Safe Streets for All Grant Award 

The recent bi-partisan infrastructure bill established the new Safe Streets for All program, that provides $1 billion over the next five years to support local efforts to eliminate roadway deaths and serious injuries. In order to be eligible for construction project funding communities were required to have a safety action plan in place. The groundwork laid by Tampa’s Vision Zero Action plan allowed Tampa to tap into this funding and receive the maximum award amount.  

The City of Tampa submitted a grant application, Tampa Systemic Applications for Equity (T-SAFE), requesting $20 million with a $5 million local match to rapidly deploy low-cost, systemic safety countermeasures, build multi-jurisdictional partnerships, and curb the deadly epidemic of traffic fatalities in our City.  74% of the funding will be spent on projects in underserved communities, which carry a disproportionate burden of deadly and life-altering injury crashes.

The projects included in this grant award are focused on increasing safety for the City’s most vulnerable roadway users through physical safety improvements and a collaborative planning effort. Physical safety treatments generally include filling sidewalk gaps, adding more safe crossings, traffic calming features, high visibility crosswalks, school zone flashers, bicycle lanes, and lane repurposing with resurfacing projects. The projects included in this grant are organized into the following three categories:

High Injury Network Safety Improvements

Grant funds will provide systemic safety improvements on City-owned roads on Tampa’s High Injury Network (HIN). The HIN was developed as part of the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan, and consists of the network of roads where the majority of Tampa’s deadly and life-altering crashes occur. The HIN represents 24% of roadway miles, but 73% of the city’s traffic fatalities.

Safe Routes to Places Improvements

The project will also fund safe routes to places projects that will provide safe and comfortable access to major destinations including schools, parks, and transit.

Comprehensive Pedestrian Safety & Equity Action Plan

The project also funds development of a Comprehensive Pedestrian Safety & Equity Action Plan. The Plan will include data collection, inclusive stakeholder and public engagement, and actionable strategies

"Saving lives and reducing the tragic impact of traffic deaths is our top priority. We're taking action by investing in cost-effective measures to make our roads safer and working closely with our community partners,” Mayor Jane Castor said. “And because we know that certain areas are affected more severely, we're making sure to direct a significant portion of our resources, 74 percent, toward those communities. We won't rest until we see fewer people being hurt or losing their lives on our roads." 

Congresswoman Kathy Castor helped to establish this grant program and bring these dollars back to Tampa Bay.  

“Safer streets are on the way to Tampa Bay! Safer streets will save lives as we upgrade and connect neighborhoods for students headed to school, drivers headed to work and families enjoying a bike ride. I am thrilled that the landmark Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that I championed in Congress is delivering resources to our hometown. Mayor Castor, the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, and neighborhood advocates have worked hard to develop plans like Vision Zero to improve our neighborhoods. Their hard work is paying off – as few communities attracted more federal Safe Streets grant dollars from the Biden Administration than the Tampa Bay area.  Tampa is on the move, and together we are building a safer and healthier community,” said Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14). 

About the Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program

The Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant program is a competitive grant program, established by President Biden’s historic infrastructure law. It provides $5B over five years for regional, local, and Tribal initiatives — from redesigned roads to better sidewalks and crosswalks — to prevent deaths and serious injuries on the nation's roadways. The City of Tampa is one of 37 local governments receiving grants under this program in this round of funding.

Content credit: https://www.tampa.gov/visionzero/action-plan and https://www.tampa.gov/news/mayor-jane-castor-rep-kathy-castor-announce-major-transportation-improvements-114926#

Women in Transportation Making History

In honor of Women’s History Month, our March blog celebrates women within ITE who are writing their own history as female entrepreneurs.  We interviewed several ITE members across North America who own their own Transportation firms – read on to meet our panel and see what they had to say!

Alison Catarella Michel, PE, PTOE, PTP, RSP1
President,
Urban Systems, Inc.
New Orleans, LA, U.S.
Carrie Falkenrath, PE, PTOE, PTP, RSP1
Principal,
T2 Traffic & Transportation, LLC
St. Louis, MO, U.S.
Donna Howes, P.Eng., FEC, PTOE
Director,
Howes Technical Advantage Ltd.
North Vancouver, BC, Canada

 

Yung Koprowski, PE, PTOE, RSP1
Principal,
Y2K Engineering, LLC
Mesa, AZ, U.S.
Julia Salvini
President,
Salvini Consulting
Kitchener, ONT, Canada
Jennifer Toole, ASLA, AICP
President,
Toole Design
Silver Spring, MD, U.S.
 

 

Women in ITE: How long have you been in business and are you the original owner?

Alison Catarella Michel: 49 years, but I’m not the original owner.

Carrie Falkenrath: I opened the firm 7 years ago this June.

Donna Howes:  I established my business in 2010 (so 13 years) and I am the original owner.

Yung Koprowski: I founded Y2K six years ago in February 2017.

Julia Salvini: 10 years in business and yes, I’m the original owner.

Jennifer Toole: We’ve been in business for 20 years.  I am the original owner.

Women in ITE: Do you have any employees other than yourself?  How many?

Alison Catarella Michel: Yes. There are currently 9 additional full time and 5 part time employees.

Carrie Falkenrath: I am the only full-time and licensed employee, but I sometimes pull in help for field work.  The last time I came very close to hiring another engineer, covid hit two months later – so I try hard not to entertain that idea.  Although someday I’d love to offer someone else who needs it the same flexibility.

Donna Howes:  I am the only employee of my company. My business model is to retain experts as I need them for specific work. I have standing arrangements with specialist consulting firms and individuals, and I partner with them on many projects.

Yung Koprowski: Y2K has a staff of 20, including 10 licensed professionals and seven technical support staff. We have offices in Mesa, Arizona and Denver, Colorado.

Julia Salvini: There are no other employees besides myself.

Jennifer Toole: Yes – we have 275 employees.

Women in ITE: How long were you thinking about owning your own firm and was there a specific thought or event that finally made you jump in?

Alison Catarella Michel: I wasn't thinking about it at all.  After Hurricane Katrina, I was the only licensed engineer and company ownership offered me the opportunity to buy in.

Carrie Falkenrath: I never intended to own a firm.  However, there came a time when I really, really, just wanted to work from home.  I have a kiddo who has health issues that required a lot of school absences and doctor visits.  I (luckily) had a flexible job, but wanted to be able to do what was needed for my family in the moment and not have to explain myself.  I had a supportive partner and felt that traffic and transportation planning was a perfect niche for a small, flexible firm – but I was still very nervous to go at it alone.  Then company leadership threw me under the bus on a project and I started the paperwork that week!

Donna Howes: I always wanted to be more in control of my own destiny. I am a firm believer that being at your desk in an office for 8 hours a day does not necessarily mean you are productive. Long before COVID where working from home became acceptable, it was extremely difficult to get flexibility in work hours especially in the engineering world. There was such a strong focus on being present face to face for meetings and client work at all times. As a parent, I found it very challenging. Eventually, I knew my children needed some balance at home, so I resigned and started my own company.  

Yung Koprowski: I knew that I wanted to be an owner at a firm for most of my career, and was always drawn to employee-owned firms. I had only thought about owning my own firm for a couple of months. I had interviewed with a large firm and was considering a career change when I reached out to senior advisors in the industry. They were the ones that told me that they always thought I was going to start my own firm. The seed was planted and with the support of my spouse, took the leap.

Julia Salvini: When my family moved to a new, smaller City, I saw a need for transportation consulting in the local area and decided to create the kind of company that does the work I’m passionate about and aligns with my values. But it took me two years to get there.

Jennifer Toole: I never expected or set out in my career to own a company.  But about 10 years into my career, I looked around and saw that there weren’t many women in leadership roles in the companies I worked for, or in our industry in general.  That was really disappointing to me.  I was ambitious and felt like I could do a good job running my own company, and even more importantly, I knew there was a marketplace for the type of work I wanted to do (though it was underappreciated at the time) – making cities better for bicycling and walking.  Those two factors – my passion for this field and frustration at opportunities for advancement – are what prompted me to start Toole Design.

Women in ITE: What is your favorite thing about owning your own business?

Alison Catarella Michel: The flexibility of not having to ask anyone when I have to attend to kids or personal things during business hours.

Carrie Falkenrath: I love being in control of my day.  Of course, there’s plenty of calls & emails that may throw a wrench in my plan, but I still get to decide when and how I address them.  It’s even better when I get to make those decisions in PJs.

Donna Howes: I love the fact that there are less meetings and that meetings have a defined purpose; there is less red tape; and you don’t have to ask for permission to take a break or go on vacation.

Yung Koprowski: I love creating a company that I want to work at that is nimble enough to adapt to modern workplace culture. Owning a company is by no means a part-time job. It takes constant attention and multiple people to function well, but it’s also so rewarding.

Julia Salvini: My favorite thing is being able to say no! It’s about being able to focus on the work I’m most passionate about with people I really enjoy collaborating with.

Jennifer Toole: My favorite thing about owning my own business is not having to ask permission to go in a direction I feel is right for us.  That is not to say that I don’t work with my partners to make the right decisions – I have fantastic partners who are incredibly smart and help me guide the company.  But I really love the fact that once we make a decision, we can make it happen.  Of course, that means we don’t have anyone else to blame when things don’t go as planned!

Women in ITE: What is your least-favorite thing about owning your own business?

Alison Catarella Michel: The stress associated with being responsible for so many families' income, especially when coping with events outside my control like storms, power outages, covid...

Carrie Falkenrath: Setting boundaries is very difficult.  As an owner, you have the opportunity to say no – but you never want to. (Or maybe that’s just me?!)  And as a subconsultant, most of my project timeline is out of my control.  I try to approach my projects with the same level of flexibility my company provides me, but that means I am juggling tasks most every day. 

Donna Howes: No extended medical benefits – it is hard to get coverage for a small business as most of the medical insurance companies design their plans for large companies.

Yung Koprowski: The DBE certification renewals and paperwork are burdensome and take quite a bit of time. Growing from 13 to 18 employees felt the most challenging from the company administration side of things. As a business owner, it’s very difficult to disengage or disconnect for more than a few days. Initially, our vacations were limited to long weekends or trips where I could work remotely so I could be available to sign a contract or work on a proposal that would inevitably be due no matter how much I planned ahead. I’ll be testing out a longer, unplugged vacation soon so wish me luck!

Julia Salvini: Bookkeeping and accounting, hands down.

Jennifer Toole: When things don’t go as planned.

Women in ITE:  Can you tell us about a recent "win" or project you are excited about?

Alison Catarella Michel: We are working with the Corps of Engineers on a Lock and Bridge replacement project and I'm learning this whole new language about the shipping industry. From the vehicles they can cross when the bridge is down (open to vehicles), to the vessels that move when the bridge is up.  It's a different perspective.

Carrie Falkenrath: Over 20 years ago I helped a bit with a Tier 1 EIS study to improve Interstate-70 across Missouri.  5 years later, I got to be more involved in the Tier II EA for a 36-mile segment of that same project.  Now, 16 years later, Missouri is hoping to finally fund improvements to I-70.  Not only was my former employer awarded the Tier II Reassessment “their” segment, but they hired me to do all the traffic operations analysis.  I am so excited to get to see this project through with that team!

Donna Howes: I have been involved in the development of Cypress Village in West Vancouver – a new sustainable community. I have been working on it for many years and it has been a very a challenging but rewarding project as we have moved through many phases as a team with architects, planners, landscape planners, designers, environmentalists, etc. It is finally going to be presented to Council this year.

Yung Koprowski: We have been so lucky to work on several amazing projects over the years. I’m particularly excited about a recent win, where Y2K was a subconsultant to a large prime firm. Our team member shined in the project interview, fielding a question about road safety that the rest of the team was unable to answer. We just got word that the team was selected. We’ve also had several other recent wins in Colorado as a Prime. The team member leading these efforts joined Y2K in the first year as an EIT, then opened our Denver office 3 years ago, and I’m just beyond proud of her professional growth and success.

Julia Salvini: I do a lot of work with affordable and supportive housing providers, and I get excited about every single one.

Jennifer Toole: We are involved in so many cool projects, it’s really hard to pick one.  But I’m personally excited about one in Havre de Grace, Maryland, to revitalize their downtown.  The City got an ARRA grant and decided to use it to replace the 100+ year old stormwater pipes beneath their downtown streets, and in the process, to re-envision what those streets should look like in the future. The result will be one of the most exciting, walkable, accessible downtowns on the east coast, with a healthy and consistent street canopy, curbless streets, plazas, linear parks, and wide sidewalks.  Toole Design led the charettes with the community to develop the concept plan for the downtown and is now moving towards final design for the first phase of work.

Women in ITE:  Is there anything else you'd like to share about being a Transportation Entrepreneur?  (any other questions you find yourself frequently answering or advice you frequently give to others who may be considering owning their own business?)

Alison Catarella Michel: I love this profession and believe we are impacting quality of life for our communities.  The engineering is the easy part, human resources is the hardest part – and in school I didn't learn about financials, or anything related to running a business, so I'm learning as I go.  My best advice is to seek out educational opportunities about leadership and business management, examples - Leadership ITE, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business courses, CEO Roundtables, etc.

Carrie Falkenrath: Know what you want from your company before you begin.  People are often amazed that I am not trying to grow – but building a big firm is not my goal.  And know that, even with a tiny business, all the other things take up lots of non-billable time: sales, bookkeeping, IT – be prepared to spend more time on your business than you may expect, even if you pay experts to help (and I DO recommend finding experts to help!  especially in the areas where it may matter most).  Finally, be prepared to be very, very flexible.  If constantly shifting gears is difficult, you may get burned out pretty quickly.

Donna Howes: Stay connected and current in your profession. It is important to engage and get out in the Community. I am a member of ITE and have enjoyed studying for and getting my PTOE during COVID. I have volunteered to both EGBC and ACEC-BC over the years which has been invaluable in helping me stay grounded and up to date. Don’t be afraid to reach out to other entrepreneurs as most business owners are more than happy to share experiences and pay it forward. I have met and developed friendships which stand me in good stead for checking in on issues and celebrating achievements. Most of all I have a close group of women engineering friends who are always there for me both professionally and personally.

Yung Koprowski: I often get asked how much it cost to start Y2K. I bootstrapped the company with $30,000 and didn’t pay myself for 6 months. My family relied on my husband’s income and benefits during this time. I had 10 years of experience in the industry and was amazed at the support I was given in early years to succeed. Our team matched that support with responsiveness, dedication, and quality work. It seems like each year we had a major project that helped the company succeed and grow. Setting up proper legal documents, file organization, accounting, and cloud computing in the beginning has allowed the company to be nimble and grow quickly.

Julia Salvini: People ask me a lot about the logistics of starting and running a business – the legal, the financial, the governance, the insurance. I’ve found success by relying on other experts to advise me in these areas so I can do the part that I’m good at. If you’ve worked in this business for any length of time, you already know how to get and do the work, so let others help you with the parts you need to learn and jump in!

Jennifer Toole: There are lots of benefits to starting your own company – I’ve described some of them above.  It’s also a lot of hard work and requires a great deal of support.  I don’t think it’s possible to start a successful company on a 40-hour work week – you will need to be prepared to invest a lot of extra hours, and you need a supportive family who is similarly invested in the success of the company. Also, my advice is to find some partners who are likewise able to invest their energy in your success and reward the ones who help you build the business.  Finally – owning a company is not an either/or scenario.  You can have a life and own a company.  Don’t forget to pay attention to the “having a life” part.   

ERGs - How to Create a Safe Space at Work

 Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), Business Resource Groups (BRGs), and Communities of Practice (CPs) are all forms of employee engagement aimed at strengthening workplace relationships and fostering a sense of belonging to establish a diverse, inclusive workplace. Employee Resource Groups date back to the 1960’s. Some are very specific, targeting a small group and some are more broad, representing general demographic groups. They all share a commonality to advocate for an underrepresented group, foster inclusivity, develop allies, provide support and work to create a positive environment.

This month we asked for valuable feedback from some employers with successful programs. Here are their responses.

What BRG/ERGs does your organization have?

Alina Cheng, P.Eng., City of Vancouver, BC - The City of Vancouver has several ERGs and Communities of Practice (CPs), including: Black Staff, Caregivers, IBPOC Connect (for any staff that identifies as Indigenous, Black or Person of Colour), Indigenous Staff, K-ERG (for any staff who identifies as Korean, Korean Canadian and/or has Korean ancestry), Muslim Staff, Staff with Disabilities, Trans, Gender diverse, Non-binary Employees, Queer Change Makers, QTBIPOC Network (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour), Women in Operations (for women who work in operations or outside field roles), Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Women Planning in Colour, Equity and Decolonization of Data, Racialized Settlers Take Action, White Settlers Accountability, Decolonizing Grants Together – Grantmakers CP

Tamika Gunn White, MS, SHRM-SCP, PSTA – Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority  (PSTA) has the following groups:

  • Veterans: The goal of the Veterans ERG is to provide access to resources, services, and community engagement. They will help fellow veterans in need, promoting job opportunities, recruiting veterans, and assisting other veterans at PSTA.
  • Multicultural Magic: Multicultural Magic is an inclusive group where they learn about the different cultures of PSTA employees and have fun while doing it!
  • PRIDE: The Pride ERG provides a safe space where anyone can discuss and learn more about LGBTQ+ issues in the community and at PSTA. This ERG also participates in community events, most notably St. Pete Pride.
  • Working Parents: The Working Parents ERG offers a way to increase peer support at work and reinforce a supportive caregiving culture within the organization. They hope to encourage and advocate for inclusive caregiving benefits for employees.
  • Disability Accessibility: Helps PSTA staff learn how to be allies for persons with disabilities in our workplace and community.

Edie Adams and Karla Diaz-Corro, Olsson - Olsson currently has three ERGs supporting women, LGBTQIA+ staff, and veterans. These are called the Women’s Employee Resource Ensemble (WERE), Prism, and VERG, respectively.

 

How does your organization select a particular BRG/ERG? or what is the process in selecting what fits into a new BRG/ERG?

Alina Cheng, P.Eng., City of Vancouver, BC - ERGs at the City of Vancouver are proposed and championed by staff and are self-organized, employee-led groups that come together around shared identities and experiences.  They need to foster inclusive and supportive work environments, and advance equity and decolonization in the workplace.  Each group determines its mandate, scope and criteria for membership.

Tamika Gunn White, MS, SHRM-SCP, PSTA – Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary employee-led groups that foster a diverse, inclusive workplace. They promote community building, valuing differences, professional development, and teamwork. ERGs center on historically underrepresented backgrounds, experiences, or demographic factors such as gender, gender identity, race, disability, nationality/culture, sexual orientation, age, parental status, veteran status, or other shared characteristic. Membership in all ERGs is open to all employees.

ERGs must align with PSTA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Mission Statement:

At PSTA, we intentionally make inclusion a priority. Diversity is what drives us. No matter who you are, where you are from, how you think, or who you love. We connect all people to places, to opportunities, and to chances. We always strive to be better. We pledge this to everyone.

ERG applications are reviewed based on PSTA’s ERG Guidelines, business considerations and support capability.

Edie Adams and Karla Diaz-Corro, Olsson - ERGs are completely employee-initiated and led at Olsson. If someone wishes to start one, they reach out to our DEI council for support and guidance, including getting the word out, drafting goals, and schedule. This ensures that we have interest and momentum for each group.

How do BRG/ERGs at your organization benefit the employees?

Alina Cheng, P.Eng., City of Vancouver, BC - ERGs benefit City of Vancouver employees by:

  • Having a place to be oneself at work, to be understood and problem solve common challenges
  • Gaining exposure and visibility to City leadership and channels for elevating ideas from the margins
  • Developing leadership, new sets of skills and knowledge
  • Having the opportunity to network, find mentors and mentor others
  • Having the opportunity to positively impact one’s work environment

Tamika White, MS, SHRM-SCP, PSTA – Employee Resource Groups provide a valuable opportunity for employees to connect and support each other personally and professionally. ERGs strengthen an environment here at PSTA where all employees can contribute to their fullest potential.

Edie Adams and Karla Diaz-Corro, Olsson - These groups provide a safe place for employees to discuss relevant topics and challenges in the workplace, and they also exist to educate allies on ways to support these groups and move our industry towards more inclusive practices. Networking across offices, disciplines, and life experiences is also a benefit that many people have experienced through our ERGs.

What type of formal structure is required for your organizations BRG/ERGs?

Alina Cheng, P.Eng., City of Vancouver, BC - At the City of Vancouver, each ERG has 2-3 facilitators that plan and organize meetings and events on roughly a monthly basis.  They are supported by the Equity Office who provides administrative and basic financial support, training for facilitators, and offers co-learning opportunities.  The Equity Office also oversees the Equity Council, on which each ERG has a seat.

Tamika Gunn White, MS, SHRM-SCP, PSTA –

  • Formation and participation in an ERG is voluntary and initiated by employees.
  • Every ERG will request or be assigned a senior leader sponsor from the Leadership Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council to:
  • Provide input and mentoring regarding charter development, activities, budget, etc.
  • Advocate for the ERG without taking away ownership or autonomy from the group members.
  • The senior leader sponsor will provide routine updates to the entire Leadership DEI Council.
  • Each group is responsible for developing its own charter within the first 90 days to be approved by their senior leader sponsor and Leadership DEI Council. The Charter should align with PSTA’s mission, vision, and guiding principles.
  • ERGs will operate independently while maintaining communication with their senior leader sponsor.
  • Communications, materials, and events initiated by ERGs should serve to strengthen PSTA's diverse and inclusive workplace. All communications, written and verbal, must follow PSTA’s Communications and Marketing branding standards and be approved by their senior leader sponsor before distribution. As a public entity, all PSTA communications are subject to public records law, including ERG communications.
  • Group meetings should be scheduled to allow the greatest number of members to attend. Group membership, meetings, and activities are to be announced and open to all employees.
  • ERGs may meet for a total of one hour a month during paid work time. Additional meetings and activities may occur outside of work hours at the group’s discretion. Employees can be a member of only one ERG at a time.
  • ERGs are not permitted to promote a particular religion, promote or represent a political point of view, engage in lobbying, or represent employees with respect to terms or conditions of employment.
  • ERGs do not represent employees in their relationship with PSTA or grievances that an employee may have with PSTA. ERGs may not perform any function limited by law to the union. Complaints of an individual nature, such as complaints relating to alleged illegal discrimination, are best pursued by individual employees to maintain confidentiality and facilitate effective investigation. However, any such complaints brought forward through an ERG will be heard and considered by PSTA, which will then proceed as appropriate.
  • There are no advantages or disadvantages in conditions of employment at PSTA for employees who choose to participate or not participate in an ERG.
  • PSTA reserves the right to decide on a case-by-case basis which ERGs will be approved.

Edie Adams and Karla Diaz-Corro, Olsson - We require three basic elements – a leader, a senior-level sponsor, and a minimum of ten members. From there, the structure can be tailored according to the size of the ERG. WERE has several hundred members, Prism has about 70, and VERG has about 20, and while they all have similar goals of supporting underrepresented and excluded communities, they all run programming and content according to their own resources and member interest.

What activities have your organizations BRG/ERGs hosted?

Alina Cheng, P.Eng., City of Vancouver, BC - City of Vancouver activities have included networking and community building within ERGs, bringing in guest speakers, undertaking deeper learning sessions such as the Fundamentals of Anti-Oppression, and volunteering at local events, as well as social activities such as going to an escape room.

Tamika Gunn White, MS, SHRM-SCP, PSTA – Here are just a few examples from last year:

  • Veterans: celebrated Veterans Day by encouraging staff to wear their respective military hats while working, created and distributed “this bus is driven by a veteran” buttons, decorated the bus operators lounge with flags, veterans day décor, and baskets of snacks, created a Prisoner of War memorial table display, and hosted a Memorial Day breakfast and employee celebration at the PSTA flagpoles.
  • Multicultural Magic: Held 21 meetings, 13 events/activities, including Virtual Panel for Black History Month featuring the Courageous 12 and St. Pete’s Jordan Park Nostalgia Association, Lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant for Asian American Pacific Islander Month with employees sharing their stories, hosted an End of Summer employee BBQ celebrating diversity and recruiting new members.
  • PRIDE: Held 6 meetings, hosted a social at Big Storm Brewing, created a float and marched in the St Pete PRIDE parade, conducted a drag bingo fundraiser for Metro Inclusive Health.
  • Working Parents: Held 13 meetings, hosted a Virtual Panel event for Women’s History Month featuring Cassandra Borchers and Deb Prato, conducted a back-to-school clothing drive for women and youth and donated items to Alpha House of Pinellas County, which aims to prevent the cycle of homelessness and child abuse by providing a safe residence and supportive services to homeless pregnant women and babies.
  • Disability Accessibility: PSTA Staff Celebrated the ADA Anniversary with a cake and by hearing from USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg about what the struggle and progress has been in public transportation, and award-winning innovations for even better access in the future. 

Edie Adams and Karla Diaz-Corro, Olsson - We are still early in our development, so most of our ERG events are regular virtual meetings that are open to all Olsson employees, and the topics vary from practical advice to education to Q&A panels. When Prism launched, we reached out to office leaders to encourage them to set up Pride Month “watch parties” to get into the spirit of things. WERE has also spearheaded several more practical efforts, such as ensuring menstrual products were put into all Olsson office bathrooms.

What is your biggest piece of advice/lessons learned when forming BRG/ERGs?

Alina Cheng, City of Vancouver, BC - Allow staff to create their own ERGs and to meet without senior management present so that participants can speak freely and openly within the safety of the group.  Also provide ERGs with a channel to senior management if there are any policies, practices, processes, systems, or behaviors that need to change in order to advance equity and decolonization.

Tamika Gunn White, MS, SHRM-SCP, PSTA – Support from upper management is critical for these initiatives to thrive. Hearing managers promote the value and importance of the ERGs helps the employees to buy-in and know that what they are doing is important to the organization. Both the employees that run these groups and the HR professionals overseeing them must be backed up with strategy and resources to help them remain sustainable. Also, it is very helpful to collect data, as well as track engagement and membership. These numbers help to prove the ROI of these groups and garner additional support and resources moving forward. We also leverage feedback from the ERGs to help us create and improve employee policies.

Edie Adams and Karla Diaz-Corro, Olsson - You don’t have to do this alone! Stay in lock-step with your senior/executive leadership team, as well as HR. Both will lend your group credibility and momentum, and you will also be more successful ensuring your actions and programming are in line with the goals of your organization so things flow more smoothly. Remember to lean on other internal groups as well – we coordinate regularly with our Communications team for social media posts and writing; our Volunteerism team to coordinate firm-wide efforts; and HR to support us if sensitive issues arise. And it’s always helpful to talk with others involved in the DEI/ERG space outside of your organization. Lean on what others have already done and you will have a lot more energy to put towards how you want your ERG to work.

Alina Cheng, P.Eng

Alina Cheng is the Manager of the Parking Management Branch at the City of Vancouver.  Her branch manages all on-street parking policies and regulations in the city, such as permit parking, pay parking and loading zones.  She has over 15 years of experience in the transportation industry, and her background ranges from planning, data collection and analysis to safety, sustainability and development review.

At the City of Vancouver, she is a member of the Women in STEM ERG and Engineering’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee.  She has been involved with ITE for over 20 years and is a member of the Women in ITE committee.

Tamika Gunn White, MS, SHRM-SCP

Tamika Gunn White is the Senior Organizational Development Manager at Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) in St. Petersburg, Florida.  Her current role involves leading the management and implementation of the agency’s training and professional development programs and strategic organizational initiatives, with a focus on driving innovative change, improving workplace culture, and increasing employee engagement.

In addition, Tamika is the facilitator of Leadership PSTA, the agency’s year-long leadership development program for high performers. She is passionate about teaching and helping employees adopt a growth mindset and apply learnings to elevate their performance and achieve their career goals.

Tamika has a Master of Science degree in Business Management and Leadership. She is also a Certified Personal & Executive Coach.

Tamika is one of the Lead Facilitators for FDOT’s Transit Immersion Leadership Experience (TILE) professional development program for emerging transit leaders across the state of Florida. She currently serves as the Vice Chair for APTA’s Workforce Development Committee and is a 2019 graduate of APTA’s Emerging Leaders Program. Tamika is also the Co-Chair of the National Emerging Leaders Committee for the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO). 

Edie Adams

Edie Adams, is a Marketing Senior Coordinator and Secretary of the D&I Council at Olsson. Edie is dedicated to driving the firm’s mission, vision, and goals through the implementation and facilitation of D&I strategies that align with our organizational values. Edie has nearly ten years of experience in editing, proofreading, and generating various media forms, including technical reports and memoranda, proposals, and project descriptions. As a Marketing Coordinator Edie organizes proposal efforts for multiple disciplines to produce quality documents for client review. In this interview, Edie shares insights on Olsson ERG’s.

 

2022 in Review

By Jodi Godfrey, Erica Myers, Karla Diaz-Corro, and Alina Cheng

The year 2022 was an exceptional year for the Women in ITE Committee, as we have been more active, productive, and collaborative in many of our endeavors. We are so proud of the amazing volunteers that we are blessed to get to work with on this committee. One of the best approaches to ensuring we have the necessary momentum to be as successful as we have been, is in our planning ahead. Recognizing this need, we, as a committee determined that we would develop a quarterly bootcamp style set of deliverables that would not only be valuable to our Women in ITE members, but would also be valuable to all ITE members, and may even attract some new ITE members.

This inaugural quarterly bootcamp started in 2021 with a typical webinar titled Finding Your Voice: Getting Involved with Local ITE Leadership. Following the webinar, we hosted a series of short videos asking ITE District Rising Stars and 2021 Young Leaders to Follow about their Student to Young Member Transition into the workforce. The third of the quarterly events was a panel discussion with Words of Wisdom for the Next Generation. The final session of the Women in ITE inaugural bootcamp series was a live Zoom panel on Keeping Women in the Workforce. Each of these series were led by a different volunteer on the committee, and the results are a culmination of incredibly valuable resources.

The Finding Your Voice: Getting Involved with Local ITE webinar that occurred on July 19, 2021, included three astonishing women that have been incredibly active in various roles of ITE-- Kirsten Tynch, Suzanna Set, and Erin Eurek. These women shared their stories of how they got involved and how they entice others to get involved. They talked about how all someone has to do is volunteer and there will be plenty of opportunity afforded to them. The webinar left quite an impression on the audience and encouraged us all to be more involved in our local chapters, sections, and districts.

The WITE committee collaborated with the Student to Younger Member Transition Task Force to address questions students frequently have as they enter the work force and begin their careers. The 2021 Young Leaders to Follow and District Rising Stars were interviewed and asked a variety of questions related to career options, importance of certification, interviewing, ITE involvement and membership, job benefits, and skills needed. These interviews were produced as short videos, available here on the ITE webpage, and were organized by topic and question for ease of reference. The intent of this boot camp session was to give students and young professionals different perspectives on topics they often consider when they graduate and select a career path.

On February 15, 2022, WITE hosted a webinar on Words of Wisdom for the Next Generation.  During the webinar, 5 women in leadership roles were interviewed to assist young professionals navigating the early stages of careers in transportation.  They were interviewed on a variety of topics such as their first job, career plans, challenges in their careers, and hopes for the future.

The interviewees were:

  • Alyssa Rodriguez, Director of Information Technology with the City of Henderson, Nevada, and immediate past president of ITE;
  • Dr. Beverly Kuhn, Division Head and Regents Fellow of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and current international president of ITE;
  • Rosana Correa, Project Manager with Jacobs in Tampa, Florida, and current international vice president of ITE;
  • Dr. Jeannette Montufar, Founding Partner and CEO of MORR Transportation Consulting in Winnipeg, Canada and a past president of the Canadian District of ITE; and
  • Jenny Grote, Principal of GroTrans Engineering in Phoenix, Arizona, the second woman to serve as international president back in 2002 and an Honorary Member of ITE.

Watch the interviews and see what these amazing women had to say!

The Women in ITE Committee and ITS America partnered to bring the Women in the Workforce webinar to the public. This webinar, held on April 27, 2022, was created to provide a platform for women to discuss new ways of learning and developing in the workplace. The webinar was specifically designed to discuss new ways of learning and developing that provide a supportive environment for women in the workforce.

The Women in the Workforce webinar’s mission was to inspire and empower women to lead in their workplaces and communities. The webinar featured a panel of experts who discussed topics such as succession planning, deliberate retention policies, flexible work environments, and removing barriers to promotion.

Our panel of experts featured four distinguished female professionals from the transportation industry, who discussed the importance of creating a supportive environment for women in the workplace. They also provided advice on how to develop leadership skills and how to foster a culture of inclusion and diversity. Additionally, the panelists shared their personal experiences and strategies for success in the workplace.

The webinar also provided a platform for attendees to ask questions and share their own experiences. The panelists provided valuable insight and advice to help attendees develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed in the workplace. A few highlights from the session are:

  • Provide people with what they need to not only do their work, but to support their mental health and other needs. Not only the IT support, financial and benefit compensation, but also flexibility with schedules, benefits and being attentive to the employee’s well-being
  • Work from home is allowing time with elderly family. Examples of retaining someone in the workforce while allowing living and caretaking
  • Leaders have a responsibility to lift women up and instigate change in their organizations – have policies in place to ensure people of different backgrounds are accepted and respected
  • Male mentors are important – they can also often learn something about themselves when they mentor women
  • How to gently disrupt a microaggression – ask them a question. “Are you aware of how that landed?” explain how it landed for you. It’s not easy to do but if you practice disrupting microaggressions it becomes easier over time
  • Be part of culture change – training is a tool to ensure workplace civility and respect are expected

The webinar concluded with a call to action for all attendees to become active advocates for women in their respective fields. For more information about this webinar, the discussions were recorded and archived, and you can view on the ITE Website.

The Women in ITE then took some of the best parts of its bootcamp series, and we showcased a phenomenal workshop at the ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibition in New Orleans in 2022. We invited many of the previous professionals we collaborated with throughout the year, and had an interactive workshop that included icebreaker activities, a panel of speakers, and roundtable discussions. It was so fun to get to know so many fellow ITE members and learn about their passions and interests.

With such an amazingly successful inaugural bootcamp series, the Women in ITE Committee has decided to take on this endeavor again. Starting early in 2023, we will hold a webinar on Leading in a Hybrid World, followed by a panel discussion in the spring of Pivoting Career Choices: How to Create your Desired Job Description. The last two sessions will be a set of short videos with Interview Support Services, and a series of breakout rooms in a virtual Speed Dating for a Mentor.

We are excited to see what the new year has in store for us, and we hope that you will continue to remain engaged.