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SUMMER2010 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
Advancing Women in Transportation
Advancing
Women
inBATransportation
SANSAN
FRANCISCO
Y AREA
CHAP
TER
FRANCISCO
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CHAPTER
SA N FRAN CISCO BAY AREA CHAPTE R
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SUMMER 2013 WTS BAY AREA CHAPTER NEWS
IN THIS ISSUE
Letter from the President .........................1
Oakland Army Base Redevelopment........2
Transportation YOU Sizzles.....................3
Interview with Annual Event Speaker........4
Mentoring Program Creates Bonds...........6
In Loving Memory...................................7
Recent Events..........................................8
Upcoming Programs................................10
Job Bank................................................11
Membership Initiatives.............................11
WTS Students and Younger Members.......11
Diversity Committee................................11
A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
2013 has been a busy year so far with the Chapter showing strong presence at the WTS International Conference in Philadelphia, planning a
highly successful Annual Scholarship Event in May and facilitating several other programs. We are so proud to have our Chapter recognized by
WTS International with Presidio Parkway receiving this year’s Innovative Project Award. The Annual Scholarship Event, held at the Julia Morgan
Ballroom in San Francisco, had over 300 in attendance. Congratulations to all our award winners! We were honored to have Amy Rein Worth, the
Chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, as our keynote speaker. WTS International Board Chair Dana Hook and WTS President and
CEO Marcia Ferranto also joined us for the evening.
This year marks the second year of our Transportation YOU program and the beginning of our TYOU Mentor Program. This summer, WTS hosts
the second annual TYOU Summit in Washington, D.C. It is designed to increase awareness in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and
Math (STEM), thereby encouraging students to pursue careers in related fields. Look for more details in this issue of our newsletter regarding the
July summer internship program for middle and high school female students.
Our Programs Committee is working hard for the Chapter by hosting programs that are interesting and reasonably priced. We look forward to
hosting a joint reception on July 25 for key transportation leaders Andre Boutros (CTC), Karla Sutliff (Caltrans) and Sandy Wong (San Mateo
CCAG). Our Professional Development Committee hosted a half-day training seminar focusing on personality traits in leadership. We also held
our annual strategic planning session focusing on enhancing the Corporate and Agency Partner Programs, Membership and the Advisory Board.
We have still many exciting programs planned for the year. Please visit our website for updates on activities (www.wtsinternational.org/
sanfrancisco).
Corporate Partners.................................12
On a personal note, the last few weeks have been especially difficult with the recent passing of my
husband Chip Moore. I want to extend my gratitude to the WTS family, friends and colleagues for
the outpouring of support. Your friendship and kindness mean a great deal to me. Thank you from the
bottom of my heart.
Public Agency Partners............................12
Charissa Frank
2014 Sponsorship Program......................12
Board Roster..........................................15
(pronounced Cha-reese’-ah)
WTS San Francisco Bay Area Chapter President
cfrank@fmgarchitects.com
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SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
OAKLAND ARMY BASE REDEVELOPMENT
By: Loretta Meyer, CH2M HILL, in association with the Port of Oakland
Following several decades of planning,
the Port of Oakland recently broke ground
on the first phase of the Oakland Army
Base redevelopment, located in West
Oakland near the confluence of Interstates
80, 880, 580 and the Bay Bridge Toll
Plaza. The Oakland Army Base, a supply
depot built and used to support the Pacific
Theater of military operations during
World War II, was permanently closed in
1993 under the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Act and then transferred
to the City and Port of Oakland from
2003 to 2006.
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The Oakland Army Base presents a
unique opportunity for the Port and the
City to enhance maritime cargo logistics
capabilities in Oakland by expanding
intermodal rail capabilities and developing cargo warehouse and distribution
infrastructure to capitalize on increased
regional and west coast growth in goods
movement. This opportunity also is
aligned with the Port’s recent completion
of a 50-foot deepening of the navigation
channel that allows the Port to accommodate larger maritime container vessels and
continue to phase in the Vision 2000 program, which increased the Port’s seaport
holdings by 500 acres with the redevelopment of the Naval Fleet Industrial Supply
Center Oakland in 1995.
The first phase of the Port’s overall development consists of a rail yard adjacent
to the existing Union Pacific Intermodal
Rail yard. The rail yard will consist of
a new lead track from the Union Pacific
mainline and a new storage yard for unit
train and manifest car storage. Subsequent phases will include development
of intermodal rail facilities to support the
overall cargo and bulk goods logistics and
distribution center.
The primary goals of the Oakland Army
Base project are to:
•
•
Aggressively grow new cargo activity, jobs and revenue through the
Port of Oakland, while improving the
environment
Plan new logistics and intermodal
facilities to attract major customers
to Oakland serving both regional and
inland markets
•
Work with key cargo owners, railroads and ocean carriers to attract
more cargo to/from points east of
Denver
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Maximize utilization of existing assets prior to full development
Oakland Army Base
The Oakland Army Base Redevelopment Plan is a public-private partnership
between the City of Oakland, the Port
of Oakland, local developer California
Capital & Investment Group (CCIG) and
Prologis, an international warehouse developer headquartered in San Francisco.
In addition to city, port, state (in the form
of Trade Corridor Improvement Fund
funding) and private investment, the
federal government has also contributed
funding (in the form of TIGER IV grant
funds) to match the California Transpor-
tation Commission (CTC) funds for the
$500 million project.
In order to reach this project implementation milestone, the Port and the City
worked collaboratively over several years
on a joint Oakland Army Base master
redevelopment plan that will replace 380
acres of underused and obsolete infrastructure into a modern trade, cargo and
bulk goods center with new logistics facilities, improved rail access and a marine
bulk terminal. These new features will
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increase the export volume of California’s products and delivering more goods
inland. The project also will lower air
emissions and improve highway safety by
moving more goods on to trains and by
reducing truck trips per cargo shipment.
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through the state’s ports, making goods
movement more timely and reliable,
improving roadway safety and reducing truck air emissions by moving more
cargo by rail.
The City of Oakland, supported by
CCIG, led the joint planning efforts
among a multi-disciplinary team of engineers, architects, planners and scientists.
The environmental review and approval
process was completed in June, 2012 and
was adopted by the Oakland City Council
and then subsequently by the Board of
Port Commissioners.
On May 6, the San Francisco Chronicle
endorsed the Oakland Army Base project
by writing that, “The proposal should be
a natural fit: a million-square-foot freighthandling center that allows shippers to
empty and fill containers close to massive
trans-Pacific ships. The plan will diminish trucking costs, pollution and freeway
congestion and over time could lure business away from other West Coast docks.”
The Oakland Army Base redevelopment
project reached another major milestone
on May 7, 2013 when the CTC voted 8-0
to allocate $176 million in state matching
funds for the project. Along with approximately $76 million awarded to the
Port of Oakland late last year, the project
is the CTC’s largest funding allocation in
Northern California. The CTC’s funding
criteria focused on increasing the speed
and volume of cargo and goods traveling
CH2M HILL supported the Port of
Oakland in the multi-disciplinary environmental team that acquired CEQA
approval of the Oakland Army Base redevelopment in June of 2012. In addition,
CH2M HILL prepared an Environmental
Assessment in compliance with NEPA to
assist the Port in securing a $15 million
TIGER IV grant in support of Phase 1
of the new rail storage yard, now under
construction.
INTERESTED IN GETTING MORE INVOLVED WITH WTS?
The San Francisco Bay Area Chapter has a number of committees that are actively involved in
moving the WTS mission forward. If you have any interest in becoming more involved, please
contact our Membership Chair Tam Tran at trantb@pbworld.com. Consider participation
in any of these Committees: Programs and Special Events, Membership and Student Outreach,
Communications, Chapter Leadership, Transportation YOU, Fundraising, Annual Scholarship and
Awards and the Glass Ceiling Task Force. This is a great opportunity to meet the WTS community
and get a closer look at how the Chapter operates.
SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
TRANSPORTATION YOU SIZZLES
Special thanks to ALL WTS members who make our TYOU activities sizzle,
especially our TYOU committee members Kathryn Magee and Jennifer Mayer; our
mentors Michele Johnson, Michele DiFrancia and Serah Hersom; and many others
listed below who offered their time as volunteers on our many activities. Kudos
goes to Danielle Stanton, GIRLS Inc. Eureka Program InnovateTE^3 Coordinator,
for her continuing liaison efforts with our Chapter.
Below and on the following page is a sample of recent and upcoming events.
TYOU Visits the BART Oakland Airport
Connector Project
On May 24, the TYOU Committee
hosted a field trip to the BART Oakland Airport Connector (OAC) Project
for about 25 girls from GIRLS Inc.
Special thanks to Nathan Hood, Community Relations Liaison of the OAC
project, who coordinated our visit with
the OAC staff. The afternoon started at
the project field office with an overview of the program over lunch with
Nathan Hood and Dan Elshire, OAC
Construction Manager (Flatiron/Parsons
JV); Yvonne Chen, Scheduler (URS);
and Amber Ferrari, Project Engineer
(Flatiron). After the presentation, Mr.
Hood and Mr. Elshire led the group on a
project field visit to see the BART OAC
construction first hand.
mation, the girls heard about STEM careers associated with construction of the
OAC project and how women can work
successfully on such transit projects.
We were all impressed with the sizzling
questions that the girls asked like Why
does it take over 20 years to develop a
transit project? Has this technology been
used elsewhere? Why would it cost more
to take the OAC than the current bus
shuttle to the airport? Yes, the girls were
paying attention.
Information provided to the girls included an overview of the project history,
need, technology, construction schedule
and project costs. Beyond project infor-
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Girls Inc. Family Day
On June 8, eight WTS members served
as volunteer judges for the GIRLS Inc.
Family Day Activities. In the morning,
Camille Williams, Lorraine Lerman,
Rajlaxmi Guhagarkar-Vyas and Alok
Vyas served as judges for several Green
Community Building projects developed
by Rookies (first-year participants). In the
afternoon, Lin Pei, Becca Homa, Michele
DiFrancia and Shirley Douglas served
as judges for seven sizzling alternative
energy projects developed by the Vets
(second-year participants).WTS provided
30 $5 Jamba Juice gift cards to the team
members whose STEM projects got the
highest scores from the judges.
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Washington D.C., Summit
The Chapter is sponsoring two mentors,
Michele DiFrancia and Sarah Hersom
(both at HNTB), and their mentees,
Nadia Rawlins (rising junior at San
Leandro High School) and Mirna Barraza (rising junior at the Life Academy
of Health and Bioscience High School
in Oakland), to attend the second annual
WTS Washington, D.C., Summit. The
week-long Summit, beginning June
26, is designed to increase awareness
in the areas of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math (STEM), thereby
encouraging students to pursue careers
in related fields.
Girls Inc. Summer Internship
The following WTS members have
signed up to host an intern from GIRLS
Inc. for one month this July: Alicia
Gonzalez at Towill, Inc.; Margaret
McCarthy at the San Francisco Bike
Coalition; and Sherria Parker-Johnson at
AECOM. Stay tuned for the next newsletter to learn more about the sizzling
STEM contributions of these interns.
SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
INTERVIEW WITH ANNUAL EVENT KEYNOTE SPEAKER
AMY REIN WORTH
Amy Rein Worth is chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. She
was first appointed to MTC’s governing
board in 2007 and has served for the
past two years as the Commission’s vice
chair. Amy has served on the Orinda
City Council since 1998, with terms
as mayor in 2000, 2005 and the current year. She is also a former chair and
current ex-officio member of the Contra
Costa Transportation Authority and a
board member of the County Connection Transit Authority.
After she gave the keynote speech at the
Chapter’s Annual Event in May, WTS
spoke to Amy in this first of an upcoming series of profiles of transportation
professionals in the Bay Area.
How did you get involved in transportation?
I got involved in transportation when I
joined the City of Orinda’s City Council.
My predecessor had been the transportation representative for our city on the
Contra Costa Transportation Authority.
On the City Council, I was the mayor’s
alternative to the Authority and came
to represent the southwest region of the
county for the Authority and eventually
chair of the Authority. Before that, I
had been chair of the county’s regional
Library Commission, where I saw the
importance of regional cooperation. It
was a very natural transition for me to
become involved in regional transportation, as cooperation and collaboration
are very important in transportation. My
father and brother are engineers, so I
have transportation in my DNA as well.
What do you think is the most critical
issue facing the SF Bay Area transportation industry today?
I think we are facing two important
issues. First, there is a critical need to
maintain our existing transportation system. We are at risk of not being able to
keep our roadways in the condition we
need them to be in or to maintain our existing transit services. Second, we need
to be able to expand services for our
residents, especially as our population
evolves. We need to evolve with them to
meet their transportation needs as well
as be more efficient with what we have.
For example, one challenge I see facing
people is the long distances commuters
are driving. That challenge ties in to our
Plan Bay Area work, where we are linking housing and transportation in a way
that will help us maintain and build the
region’s economic prosperity.
I also see a great opportunity with the
next generation. Young people want to
be mobile, but they want to bike and
walk as well as live closer in (to city
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centers) and work closer to home. We
need to be able to respond to the next
generation and what kind of mobility options they want.
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In the end, it’s about creating options
for people – creating a system where
people have choices that work for them.
There’s a real cost to maintaining what
we have as well as building on what we
have. We need to move in a direction
that responds to both pressures and start
positioning our investments to meet both
needs. There are several key initiatives
in the Bay Area to help address these issues. For example, I’m excited about our
emerging express lane network which
is about making our freeways more
efficient. We can build them in such a
way that we can put express buses in the
commute corridors, which is more costeffective than a rail extension. We can
also use technology in a way to make
corridors more efficient, especially using
technology that is in people’s hands and
that they are using more and more often.
What would you like young women
interested in a career in transportation
to know?
There is a tremendous amount of opportunities in transportation for women,
whether their interest is in engineering,
planning, land use, psychology, human
behavior, or policy. Transportation has a
lot of different dimensions to it, but it is
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so closely tied to our lives. Women are
good at all of these, especially getting to
the heart of complex issues. Transportation is complicated and never blackand-white. Women are good at solving
complicated problems, especially when
it comes to people’s lives, the choices
they face and the decisions they make.
Who do you get inspiration from?
I have been in awe with the other women
I’ve worked with in transportation. I’ve
learned from them and from my mother
that an individual can make a difference, even though we are in a state of
37 million people. Working through
institutions, you can make a difference in
society.
Every field should have an organization
like WTS that provides opportunities for
both networking and mentoring.
What book(s) are you reading right
now?
I always have a couple of books going. Right now, I’m reading Lean in
by Sheryl Sandberg. What I like about
this book is that it’s reinvigorating the
women’s movement and talks about what
SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
we need to do for women my age as well
as those of future generations. It discusses creating a place for all of us, how we
make decisions and providing support
for one another. I’m also reading a book
called A Place in the World written by
a friend of mine, Cinda McKinnon. It’s
about a young woman who lives in Latin
America and is trying to make a life for
herself and her son during the 1990s.
I was really moved by the women I
met and saw at the (Chapter’s Annual
Event) dinner, from senior managers
like Darlene (Gee) to award winners to
the young scholarship winners who will
be our next leaders. It was great to hear
their remarks and see that they are really
interested in the field they’re pursuing
and interested in contributing to society.
I was also impressed with the number of
men present. Men are open to working
more collaboratively with women. Yes,
challenges in the workplace will always
be there, and we must continually work
to address them. But there is an openness, a receptivity from men to working
with and supporting women.
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Our Chapter’s Keynote Speaker at the 2013 Annual Event - Amy Rein Worth
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SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
CHAPTER’S MENTORING PROGRAM CREATES STRONG BONDS
The WTS-SF Chapter Mentoring Program began its sixth year in January with
six mentor-apprentice pairs. While the
program hosts group events for all of its
current participants for a year, the relationships built during the program continue long after the program ends. Mentor Linda Rhine and Apprentice Julia
Chan, who participated in the fourth-year
program, are one such mentor-apprentice
pair who have continued their mentoring
relationship and have formed a strong
connection with each other.
When you were starting the program
what were your expectations?
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Linda: I expected to be paired with a
talented young planner for one year
to exchange ideas and perspectives on
transportation planning, share our experiences working in the public and private
sector and discuss emerging trends in the
planning field.
Julia: I understood the program would
offer two unique mentoring opportunities. I would be matched with a seasoned transportation professional for
one-on-one mentoring sessions, and all
participants would attend group sessions
focused on professional development
topics relevant to our industry.
How has your relationship with each
other exceeded your expectations?
Linda: The relationship I have developed
with Julia has far exceeded my expectations. After the one-year mentorship
program ended, I felt we had developed
a strong foundation and I wanted to con-
tinue our relationship to further explore
professional goals and strategies for
achieving them as well as discuss how
to develop a balance between work and
personal life.
Julia: Our mutual interest in maintaining our mentoring relationship after the
program has well surpassed my expectations. Our informal meetings continue
to serve as a meaningful way to share
our perspectives on the industry and
to discuss approaches in establishing,
evaluating and achieving both short- and
long-term goals.
What has been your favorite part of
fostering your mentoring relationship?
Linda: The most enjoyable part for me
has simply been getting to know Julia
who continues to impress me with her
insights, motivation and practical approach to her planning practice. Since
Julia and I both like to get out of the
office and enjoy all the lovely walking
opportunities in the Financial District,
we now regularly meet up and take long
walks along the Embarcadero. It is a
wonderful informal way to get together,
talk and get our daily exercise.
Julia: My favorite part of our mentoring relationship is that we make a point
to meet on a regular basis, such as over
lunch or dinner, a cup of tea, or a stroll
after work. Linda is a fantastic sounding board, offering invaluable insight
and encouragement that help shape my
approach to creating a better work-life
balance. I always enjoy my time with
Linda, and I feel inspired and energized
after our meetings.
What would your recommendations be
for future mentor-apprentice pairs?
Linda: I know the committee puts a lot
of effort into pairing up mentors and
mentees to get the “right fit.” Regardless
of the pairing, I think it is important to
make the time to get together for faceto-face interaction on a regular basis. For
some pairs, scheduling a regular monthly
time may be a good strategy while for
others a more flexible schedule works
better. Besides meeting regularly, I think
it is important to develop a personal relationship that goes beyond professional
development to foster a deep and lasting
relationship which I believe we have
established.
Julia: In addition to one-on-one meetings, the Mentoring Program’s facilitated
group sessions offer an excellent forum
Mentor Linda Rhein and apprentice Julia Chan
to gain insight from the other mentorapprentice pairs. I highly recommend
participants use these gatherings as an
additional opportunity to share their
questions, ideas and experiences with the
cohort. Given the variety of perspectives
and professional backgrounds around the
table, one should consider everyone in
the group a resource.
Editor’s Note: Reading through Linda’s
and Julia’s responses makes me realize
how similar my experience has been
mentoring (and receiving tremendous
feedback from) Tiffany Batac over the
past 1.5 years. We also participated in
the fourth-year program and have continued meeting every 4-6 weeks. I consider
the Chapter’s Mentoring Program one
of the most valuable resources available. Big kudos goes to the Mentoring
Committee for having established and
continuously improving this program. /
Jessica ter Schure
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SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
IN LOVING MEMORY
JAMES “CHIP” ESCAR MOORE
BIMLA GILL RHINEHART
served, and did it with a leadership style
that included humility, compassion and
grace.
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We are saddened to share that we’ve lost
a cherished WTS member and friend,
James “Chip” Moore, suddenly and unexpectedly on April 8, 2013 in Oakland.
Chip leaves behind his wife of almost
20 years, Charissa Frank, WTS SF Bay
Area Chapter President.
James “Chip” Escar Moore, Jr. was
born on April 22, 1959 in Longview,
Texas where he completed high school
at Longview High. He continued his
education in College Station, graduating
from Texas A&M with a B.S. in Engineering Technology. After beginning
his career in Galveston, Chip moved to
the San Francisco Bay Area. He built
his career over the past 30 years as a
highly respected engineer, wise diplomat
and trusted advisor. He implemented
key improvements at the companies he
For the last 10 years, Chip was a
Principal at ENGEO Incorporated, a
leading geotechnical engineering firm.
His expertise in construction materials testing and inspections was utilized
both domestically and internationally.
Throughout his working career he
was responsible for countless projects,
including roadways, bridges, schools,
hospitals and high-rise structures. He
embraced his career with a commitment to excellence in service to others,
whether they were clients, employees
or service providers. Chip was also very
committed to WTS. He was also an
advocate for women in transportation
careers and encouraged many to pursue
their dreams.
He will be remembered as a wonderful
husband, son, brother, uncle and friend
who had a remarkable sense of humor,
an effortless charm, a quick smile and a
contagious sense of optimism. He loved
life. He was a gentle soul who was always eager to help others. His light will
forever burn brightly in our memories.
Bimla moved with her family to Yuba
City from Punjab, India in 1967 and
attended Barry Elementary, Yuba City
High School and Yuba College. She
obtained her B.S. from CSU Chico in
1984 and later attended graduate school
at UC Davis. She began her occupation
with Caltrans in 1986 and built a highly
successful career while earning the
friendship and admiration of everyone
she came in contact with.
Bimla Gill Rhinehart, 51, of Jackson,
CA, passed away March 5, 2013 in Yuba
City, CA. She was born on September
4, 1961 in Punjab, India. Prior to being
the Executive Director of the California
Transportation Commission, Bimla had
27 years of experience with the California Department of Transportation.
She served for four years as the Division Chief of Right of Way and Land
Surveys, and previously served as the
Acting Division Chief of Budgets, and
Deputy Director of External Affairs and
Special Projects Manager.
One of Bimla’s recent achievements was
being a member of the review committee overseeing the Bay Bridge project.
She was looking forward to participating
in the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the
opening of the Bay Bridge.
Survivors include her husband of 24
years, Vernon Rhinehart; parents Jagtar
and Gurmeet Gill; sister Jasbinder Atwal; brothers, Balbir “Buzz” Gill, Kashmir “Kash” Gill, Jorawar “Joe” Gill; and
fifteen nieces and nephews.
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SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
RECENT EVENTS
High-Speed Rail and Caltrain Modernization Program
Ben Tripousis, Marian Lee and Rebecca Kohlstrand
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The Chapter’s first technical program of
the year, held on March 28, involved a
discussion of the intersection of Caltrain’s electrification and the California
high-speed rail program. Marian Lee, the
Executive Officer of the Caltrain Modernization Program, and Ben Tripousis,
the Northern California Regional Director for the California High-Speed Rail
Authority (CHSRA), spoke about their
respective agency’s projects in a soldout lunch-time talk at the San Francisco
County Transportation Authority moderated by Rebecca Kohlstrand of Parsons
Brinckerhoff.
Caltrain and CHSRA’s partnership was
borne out of mutual needs and interests.
Since at least 1999, Caltrain has wanted
to electrify its rail service along the Peninsula but lacked sufficient funding to do
so. The CHSRA, in turn, needs an electrified corridor to bring its service from the
South Bay to San Francisco and has fund-
ing from the voter-approved Proposition
1A. These overlapping objectives resulted
in a vision for a blended system that
would consist of a primarily two-track,
partially grade-separated system with
electrified trains traveling up to 110 miles
per hour. The service plan would include
six Caltrain trains per peak hour in each
direction as well as up to four high-speed
rail trains per peak hour in each direction.
Investment in this system would be incremental, with early expenditures going to
an advanced signaling system and positive train control. Full electrified Caltrain
service is anticipated by 2019 followed
by high-speed rail service by 2029.
The policies for the blended service are
outlined in the CHSRA’s 2012 Revised
Business Plan, a regional nine-party funding memorandum of understanding, and a
new agreement in 2013 between the Joint
Powers Board and CHSRA. Integral to
the partnership between the two agencies
would be that the blended system accommodates both Caltrain and HSR trains.
Professional Development Workshop – Enneagram Personality Type
Identification
Halla Ayla conducted a 6-hour interactive seminar on the Enneagram process
for WTS participants in Oakland on April
27. The 17 participants were asked to take
a brief (free) Enneagram personality test
prior to attending the seminar. The Enneagram is a theory of personality types
that is complex and sophisticated and yet
is a sensible and easily understood tool
Ms. Ayla and the Enneagram workshop.
For more information about Enneagram
and Halla Ayla, please visit www.hallaaylaseminars.com.
The Nine Enneagram Personality Types
for self-discovery. The Enneagram is a
circle enclosing nine equidistant points
connected by nine intersecting lines. The
nine points of the Enneagram represent the
ways in which the nine different personality types perceive and define their realities.
Practitioners of the Enneagram believe
that it is a profound and comprehensive
tool to harness and transform selfdefeating behavior into life-enhancing
personal empowerment and that through
self-discovery one can create and sustain
meaningful and lasting relationships. It
is a useful tool in determining personal
patterns of relating to and understanding
differing styles of communication. Ultimately, the Enneagram is an invaluable
tool that defines nine distinct life strategies which, when understood, can give
crucial insight into developing critical
self-awareness.
Ms. Ayla introduced the Enneagram and
then helped participants understand their
personality types, career progression and
self-defeating behavior and roadblocks
typical of each type. The participants provided very positive feedback regarding
Complete Streets Panel
On Tuesday, April 30, almost 80 people
assembled to hear about Complete Streets
implementation in various jurisdictions
throughout the Bay Area. Facilitator David Parisi of Parisi Transportation Consulting introduced the concept of Complete
Streets, or streets that accommodate users
of all modes, ages and abilities. Mike Sallaberry of SFMTA discussed the improvements made to Valencia Street and the
extended planning process to engage the
community around a road diet on Cesar
Chavez Street. Mill Valley’s Public Works
Director Jill Barnes presented the history
of Miller Avenue, which required substantial public involvement for that street’s
various design considerations. Finally,
Iris Starr discussed barriers to implementing Complete Streets in Oakland and the
policy changes that need to be overcome
to make those projects happen.
APA-ITE-WTS-YPT Joint Happy Hour
On May 22, the WTS Students and
Younger Members Group participated in
an alphabet soup of a happy hour with the
American Planning Association, Institute
of Transportation Engineers and Young
Professionals in Transportation. Over 100
transportation professionals attended and
completed get-to-know-you bingo cards
to win a Clipper Card.
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SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
Annual Scholarship & Awards Event
The Chapter’s Annual Scholarship & Awards Event, held at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco on May 23, had over 300
participants in attendance and will be fondly remembered as a great success. WTS International Board Chair Dana Hook and WTS
President and CEO Marcia Ferranto were among the impressive crowd who joined us for the evening. Chair of the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission Amy Rein Worth did a wonderful job as keynote speaker and our special guest Lisa Vorderbrueggen
from the Bay Area News Group brought tears to many participants’ eyes with her superb “Sisters of the Span” video. Congratulations to all our award winners!
Carolyn Gonot, Woman of the Year
Scholarships Chair Iris Yuan with the Chapter’s
2013 Scholarship Winners Lauren Seyda, Audrey
Koh and Shanna Hurley
Member of the Year – Tam Tran
Darlene Gee, WTS San Francisco/Bay Area Vice
President
Keynote Speaker Amy Rein Worth, Chair of Metropolitan Transportation Commission
Winner of 1st Place Raffle Price – 2 Southwest
Airlines Tickets
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Dana Hook, WTS International Board Chair
Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award - Ellen
Torbert, Southwest Airlines
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Due to popular demand, here are this year’s Annual Event
Trivia Questions. Answers are provided on the bottom of
this page.
1.
Which Bay Area City is the most dangerous place
for pedestrians?
a)
Berkeley
b) Oakland
c)
San Francisco
d) San Jose
2.
When is the 4th bore of the Caldecott tunnel going
to be completed, and what is its current cost?
a)
Fall 2020; $1 Billion
b) Winter 2013; $402 Million
c)
Fall 2010; $120 Million
d) Winter 2016; $300 Million
e)
Summer 2025; it was free – the Government
paid for it
3.
Of the current voting members of the CTC, how
many are women?
a)
3
b)
1
c)
4
d)
5
e)
All of them
4.
On a per capita basis, which county has the largest
per capita road maintenance need according to
MTC’s Transportation 2035 plan?
a)
San Francisco
b) Marin
c)
Alameda
d) Napa
e)
Sonoma
5.
Funding from which organization triggers setting
UDBE goals?
a)
City of San Francisco
b) Caltrans
c)
USDOT
d) ACTIA
e)
Wal-Mart
6.
What was the Bay Bridge toll 33 years ago?
a)
$0.50
b) $0.75
c)
$1.00
d) $1.50
e)
Unsure – Caltrans never kept a record of these
things
7.
When did the first High Speed Rail system in the
world open (and is still in operation today)?
a)
1939
b) 1952
c)
1964
d) 1973
e)
1981
8.
Which Bay Area Bus Line has the highest ridership?
a)
AC Transit: 1/1R Telegraph/International/
E/14th
b) VTA: 22 Eastridge – Palo Alto – Menlo Park
c)
SF MUNI: 30 Stockton
A R E A
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
d) SF MUNI: 38 Geary
What was the first trolley bus line in San Francisco (1935)? What street did it run on?
a)
R – Howard Line
b) E – Union-Howard
c)
33 – 18th & Park
d) Market Street
How many women report directly to Secretary of
Transportation Ray LaHood?
a)
1
b) 4
c)
2
Which of the following Bay Area agencies has the
most women on their governing Board or Commission?
a)
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
b) Metropolitan Transportation Commission
c)
Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District
d) Alameda County Transportation Commission
e)
San Francisco Municipal Transportation
Agency
On which route was the first WETA ferry put into
service?
a)
Alameda
b) Vallejo
c)
Tiburon
d) South San Francisco
Who was the first Bay Area agency to get an approved diversity study?
a)
BART
b) MUNI
c)
Caltrans
d) MTC
Which toll bridge can bicyclists ride across?
a)
Bay Bridge
b) Benicia-Martinez
c)
Richmond San Rafael
d) San Mateo
Which California bridge implemented an All Electronic Tolling system in March of this year?
a)
Carquinez Bridge
b) Forest Hill Bridge
c)
Golden Gate Bridge
d) Ambassador Bridge
e)
Tie Breakers
Who was the special guest at the dedication of the
first Oakland Airport in 1927?
a)
Amelia Earhart
b) Jack London
c)
Charles Lindbergh
d) Mayor John L. Davie
WETA Plans to establish new ferry service in what
area?
a)
Santa Cruz to San Francisco
b) Larkspur to San Francisco
c)
Berkeley to San Francisco
SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
Innovative Parking Programs Panel
Location: SFMTA, One South Van Ness, 2nd Floor
Atrium, San Francisco
Date: Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Time: 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
AICP CM | 1.0
This panel event will explore innovative
demand-based parking programs in Berkeley and San Francisco. Panelists will
discuss motivations behind the parking
programs, as well as the challenges and
successes of implementation. Bringing
together City agencies and private enterprise, the panel will also address how the
latest parking technology tools serve as
an integral part of these pioneering programs. Panel members include Willa Ng
(City of Berkeley), Jay Primus (SFpark)
and Thomas Valley (Fybr).
Reception for Karla Sutliff (Caltrans),
Sandy Wong (San Mateo C/CAG) and
Andre Boutros (CTC)
Location: Lake Chalet, 1520 Lakeside Drive,
Oakland
Date: Thursday, July 25, 2013
Time: 5:30 pm
Please join WTS San Francisco Bay Area
to celebrate the appointment of three key
officials to local and regional transportation agencies. In March 2013, Andre
Boutros was appointed as the California
Transportation Commission’s Executive
Director. In December 2012, Caltrans
appointed Karla Sutliff as the agency’s
chief engineer - the first woman to be appointed to the position, and Sandy Wong
was appointed as C/CAG’s (San Mateo)
Executive Director. Join us in congratulating them at this reception.
Silicon Valley Employer Commute Programs Panel
Location: Ristorante Don Giovanni in Mountain
View (directly served by Caltrain/VTA)
Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Time: 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (program starts at 6:00
pm)
This panel of Silicon Valley employers will discuss employee commute and
transportation programs, which are effectively managing traffic demand on Bay
Area roadways.
Professional Development Workshop Intuitive Leadership
Location: TBD
Date: Thursday, August 22, 2013
Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
This professional development event will
be facilitated by Shelley Row, an expert
on leadership decision-making through
intuition. She has delivered hundreds of
interactive, inspirational and informative
keynotes, seminars and workshops.
Annual Event Trivia– Correct Answers
1 - c; 2 - b; 3 - c; 4 - d; 5 - d; 6 - b; 7 - c; 8 - d; 9 - c; 10 - b; 11 d; 12 - c; 13 - c; 14 - b; 15 - c. Tie breakers: 1 - c; 2 - c
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JOB BANK
SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
DIVERSITY COMMITTEE
Looking for that perfect employee? Looking for a new job? Just wondering what is out there?
The WTS San Francisco Bay Area Job Bank can help.
We’re pleased to offer a cost-free job bank service to the San Francisco Bay Area transportation
community. To advertise the position, send an email to sfwtsjobs@gmail.com, and include a
job title and short description, a closing date, desired qualifications, and application information.
We’ll promptly post the job on the website & remove it once it expires.
If you’re looking for a new opportunity, just log on to
www.wtsinternational.org San Francisco chapter page, and
click the “Job Bank” link to start browsing!
WTS’ Diversity Committee is looking for ideas and events to increase participation by diverse
transportation professionals in WTS, including high-profile transportation leaders and young
members. Planned activities include additional programs focusing on strategies for developing
and maintaining a successful diverse workforce; encouraging greater awareness of transportation as a career choice among under-represented student groups, and outreach to small,
minority and women-owned businesses to optimize opportunities for public sector contracts
with Bay Area transportation agencies. The Diversity Committee continues working with the
Newsletter Committee to provide periodic articles of importance to a diverse audience and
continues coordinating with the Scholarship Committee to ensure diversity in WTS scholarship
applicants.
MEMBERSHIP INITIATIVES
From networking opportunities to forums on various issues affecting the transportation industry, the
benefits of being a WTS member are immense. See Kate Miller’s opening remarks in this issue to learn
how she benefitted by being a member.
2
As an international transportation organization, WTS strives to support, promote, and advance women
in all facets of transportation. We want to reach out to our colleagues and provide them the opportunity to benefit from WTS networking and professional development events, scholarship programs, and
mentoring activities.
WTS Listing for DBE Firms
WTS champions small women-owned businesses and is dedicated to workforce development in transportation through the advancement of women. One of our organization’s greatest assets is our spirit
of diversity, community, and inclusion. This is why WTS offers a special directory listing of DBE firms on
our web site.
Becoming a member of WTS International is an avenue that can help grow your company’s business and
your career with this special benefit and additional programs and events.
Membership Special for Veterans
WTS International is proud of our country’s veterans, and we want to support their efforts to find a
career path in the transportation industry. Starting on July 1 through the end of 2013, we offer veterans
a free one-year membership* to WTS because we believe that a successful career begins with the right
resources. WTS would be proud to have you as a member.
* Free for one year for veterans, both men and women, who are new members. Offer valid for applications processed through December 31, 2013.
If you are interested in joining the committee please contact Camille Williams, Diversity Committee Chair, at Camille_Williams@vta.org.
WTS STUDENTS AND YOUNGER MEMBERS GROUP
The WTS San Francisco Student and Younger Members group is a fun and low-pressure way to get to know your peers in the transportation industry. Events are open to
all and will take you behind the scenes for a look at transportation in the Bay Area. Our
events have included a guided tour of the Oakland Airport Connector, a tour of the Bay
Bridge (sold out to the general public for the next year!), skills-building programs, and
several happy hours.
Upcoming events include a joint happy hour with other local transportation organizations; networking how-to’s; and a bicycle tour of Oakland. Details will be posted on
our chapter’s website (wtsinternational.org/sanfrancisco). Or join our mailing list!
For more information or questions, please contact Tam Tran at trantb@pbworld.com.
FOLLOW US
For membership information or questions, contact Tam Tran at trantb@pbworld.com.
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SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
GOLD PARTNERS
We shape a
better world.
Infrastructure | Consulting | Buildings
2014 CORPORATE AND AGENCY
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS
The HNTB Companies
Infrastructure Solutions
WTS-SF will be developing an Agency Partnership Program
for 2014 that is similar to the very successful new Corporate
Partnership Program that we launched earlier this year. Information will be available for new and renewing Corporate Partners
and prospective Agency Partners toward the beginning of the
fourth quarter of 2013. To learn more about the program and its
benefits, please contact Catherine Lewis, Corporate Partnership
Chair, at clewis@engeo.com.
12
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WTS SF Bay Area would like to thank the following Corporate Partners for supporting our Chapter.
TBG022213232132DEN
CORPORATE PARTNERS
Proud to be a
WTS Strategic Partner
For more than 50 years,
California clients have trusted
Parsons Brinckerhoff to provide
transportation solutions that are
ahead of their time and keep
California moving forward.
www.pbworld.com
Click on the ads to find out more about each of our
partners on their websites.
Helping California move forward
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SILVER PARTNERS
Providing infrastructure services for
tomorrow’s transportation needs
Jacobs is proud to support the WTS
San Francisco/Bay Area Chapter
SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
BRONZE PARTNERS
CREATE.
ENHANCE.
SUSTAIN.
AECOM is proud to support the Women’s Transportation
Seminar and its San Francisco Chapter.
www.aecom.com
San Francisco | Oakland | Concord
Stantec, serving the transportation
industry with winning solutions and
on time projects since 1954.
Offices Nationwide www.jacobs.com
901 Market St. 6th Floor
San Francisco, CA
94103
(415) 882-9500
Parsons has 11,500 employees engaged in delivering more
than 2,200 projects in 50 states and territories and 30 countries
around the world.
2
Our markets include:
• Transportation
• Enviromental
• Communications
• Facilities
• Education
• Government Services
•SyStemSengineering
•civilengineering
•intelligenttranSportationSyStemS
•trafficengineering
•tranSitplanning
• Energy
• Healthcare
• Life Sciences
• Vehicle Inspection
• Infrastructure
• Water/Wastewater
Smart Ideas. Loyal Client Service.
• WaterResources
• Traffic
• Roadway
• Aviation
• Landscape
Architecture
• ITS
• Planning
• Parking
• Transit
• Land
Development
•
•
•
•
•
•
Program & Project Management
Construction Management
Inspection
Resident Engineering
Storm Water Pollution Programs
Staff Augmentation
Highways, Roadways, Streets, Utilities & Bridges
www.valicooper.com
www.kimley-horn.com
offices nationwide
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Northern California Office Locations
Emeryville * Sacramento * Lathrop * Murphys
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COPPER PARTNERS
SUMMER 2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
IRON PARTNERS
7 Freelon Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 762-8388
425 E. Fourth Street, Unit C
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 733-3637
www.aetypic.com
Architecture
Construction Engineering + Inspection
Structural Engineering
Technology Integration
Civil Engineering
Sustainability
Geotechnical + Environmental
Making A Difference
Transportation
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DBE and SBE Certified
Local, State and Federal
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Infrastructure Projects
(510) 451-4180
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www.gray-bowen.com
500 12th Street, Suite 330
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(510) 208-0200
T: (925) 937-0980
F: (925) 947-3177
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www.cordobacorp.com
PROUD
SUPPORTERS
OF
14
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Creating value by delivering
innovative and sustainable solutions for
infrastructure and the environment.
Transportation Planning
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Traffic System Design & Analysis
Intelligent Transportation Systems
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■
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■
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415-956-5211
www.fmgarchitects.com
San Francisco | Oakland | Los Angeles
DBE and SBE Certified
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■ Construction Management
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Jesús M. Vargas, Principal
JVargas@vsceinc.com
827 Broadway Suite 340 Oakland, CA 94607
t: (510) 835-5001 * f: (510) 899-0799
Certified: DBE, SLBE, SLEB, GSA-SB
PUBLIC AGENCY PARTNERS
800.479.3808
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SUMMER2013 WTS CHAPTER NEWS
BOARD ROSTER
EXECUTIVE BOARD
COMMITTEES
President
Charissa Frank, FMG Architects
Annual Event
Morgan Galli, Office of U.S. Senator
Dianne Feinstein
cfrank@fmgarchitects.com
Vice President
Darlene Gee, HNTB
dgee@hntb.com
Secretary
Ursula Vogler, Metropolitan Transportation Commission
uvogler@mtc.ca.gov
Annual Event Co-Chair
Olga Rodriguez, CH2M Hill
olga.rodriguez@ch2m.com
Awards
Megan Wessel, ICF International
megan.wessel@icfi.com
Treasurer
Christina Grossenbacher, Stantec
Chapter Leadership
April Chan, SamTrans
Past President
Kate Miller, NCTPA
Mentoring
Laura Wolfgram, CH2MHill
Professional Development
Meghan Mitman, Fehr & Peers
oconnorte@cdmsmith.com
christina.grossenbacher@stantec.
com
2
morgangalli@gmail.com
kmiller@nctpa.net
LIAISONS & INITIATIVES
Diversity
Camille Williams, VTA
camille.williams@vta.org
Glass Ceiling Task Force
Tiffany Batac, Parsons Brinckerhoff
batac@pbworld.com
Advisory Board Liaison
Darlene Gee, HNTB Corporation
dgee@HNTB.com
chana@samtrans.com
laura.wolfgram@ch2m.com
m.mitman@fehrandpeers.com
Terri O’Connor, CDM Smith
Communications
Etty Mercurio, URS
etty.mercurio@urs.com
Job Bank
Margaret Rhee, Jeffrey A. Parker &
Associates
Historian/Website
Melissa Reggiardo, STV
Incorporated
melissa.reggiardo@stvinc.com
Programs Co-Chair
Hannah Kapell, Alta Planning + Design
Newsletter
Jessica ter Schure, Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates
South Bay Programs
Brandi Childress, VTA
Margaret Simmons-Cross, HMM
margaret.simmons-cross@vta.org
Special Events
Arash Monsefan Moffett & Nichol
jterschure@nelsonnygaard.com
Social Media
Laurel Poeton, Alameda CTC
lpoeton@alamedactc.org
Fundraising/Corporate Partners
Dina Potter, CH2MHill
Dina.Potter@ch2m.com
Corporate Partners
Catherine Lewis, ENGEO
Corporate Partners Co-Chair
Linda DeBolt, Redwood Consulting Associates
clewis@engeo.com
hannahkapell@altaplanning.com
brandi.childress@vta.org
amonsefan@moffettnichol.com
Scholarships
Iris Yuan, HNTB
iyuan@hntb.com
Transportation YOU
Shirley Douglas, SDouglas Consulting
sdouglasconsulting@yahoo.com
linda.debolt@redwood-ca.com
Membership and Student Outreach
Tam Tran, Parsons Brinkerhoff
trantb@pbworld.com
Programs
Shannon Cairns, Arup
shannon.cairns@arup.com
mr@japarker.com
Special Advisor - Programs &
Special Events
Bernardo Hernandez, HNTB
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bhernandez@hntb.com
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