WTS International

ASLRRA SVP, Law and General Counsel Sarah Yurasko (pictured far left) has been sworn in as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar; she is shown here at the Supreme Court with her sponsoring attorney Susan Warshaw Ebner of ASLRRA member Stinson (ASLRRA Photograph). MBTA Deputy Director of Administration Katie Kalugin (pictured far right) has earned the WTS 2024 Claire Barrett Member of the Year Award. (MBTA Customer and Employee Experience Department Photograph).
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People News: ASLRRA, MBTA

Sarah Yurasko, Senior Vice President, Law and General Counsel for the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), has been admitted to the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. Also, WTS International and its Boston Chapter have selected as member of the year Katie Kalugin, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Deputy Director of Administration.

Pictured, left to right: Railway Association of Canada Board Chair Janet Drysdale (CN Photograph); HNTB’s Jeff Watson (HNTB Photograph); and HNTB’s Dominic Spaethling (HNTB Photograph).

People News: RAC, HNTB/WTS

Railway Association of Canada (RAC) appoints Janet Drysdale of CN as Board Chair, succeeding Jeffrey J. Ellis of Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC). Also, HNTB’s Jeff Watson earns the WTS Man of the Year Award, and WTS Utah names HNTB the Employer of the Year.

People News: WTS, NS

WSP National Transit and Rail Market Leader Jannet Walker-Ford is the first recipient of a new WTS International award named in her honor. Also, Norfolk Southern’s (NS) Richard Scott is selected for the 2024 Employee Veteran Leadership Awards presented by Military Friendly.

Pictured, left to right: Marlon Taylor, New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA Photograph); Tom Tulley, North County Transit District (NCTD Photograph); Peter Schwartz, HNTB (HNTB Photograph); Joy Riley, HNTB (HNTB Photograph); and Erin Slayton, HDR (HDR Photograph)

People News: NYA, NCTD, HNTB, HDR

Anacostia Rail Holdings (ARH) elevates Marlon Taylor to President of New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA). Also, California’s North County Transit District (NCTD) hires Tom Tulley as Chief Operations Officer of Rail; HNTB appoints Peter Schwartz as Railroad Development Practice Lead and Vice President, and announces that Senior Project Manager Joy Riley has been named WTS South Carolina Chapter’s Member of the Year; and HDR’s Transportation Program Management Services Director Erin Slayton has been elected to the Executive Committee of WTS International.

Authority Northern California Deputy Regional Director Morgan Galli, with WTS Chapter President Jasmin Mejia, accepts the Employer of the Year award at the SF Bay Area Chapter’s annual gala on Sept. 20.
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CHSRA Recognized as Employer of the Year by WTS

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) recently announced that it has been recognized by the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS)–San Francisco Bay Area Chapter as the 2023 Employer of the Year for its “work, efforts and initiatives in fostering success for women and minorities.”

Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner earlier this month received the Honorable Ray LaHood Award for 2023 at WTS International’s annual conference in Atlanta, Ga. (Amtrak Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, LACMTA, Maryland DOT Maryland MTA, SMART, TTC

WTS (Women’s Transportation Seminar) International recognizes Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner for his commitment to advancing women in transportation. Also, the TAP fare card program for 26 Los Angeles County transit agencies, including LACMTA, expands its vendor network; Baltimore (Md.) Metropolitan Council issues a long-range regional transportation plan, which includes capital projects for Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration; Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART) in California is launching an on-demand microtransit shuttle to the airport; and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) in Ontario, Canada selects SNC-Lavalin to provide enterprise asset management services.

CHSRA Deputy Director Beverly Kenworthy (center) accepts the Employer of the Year award from WTS International. (Photograph Courtesy of CHSRA)

CHSRA Earns WTS Employer of the Year Award

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) on May 12 reported receiving the 2023 WTS Recognition Award–Employer of the Year from the international chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) for “exemplary efforts to encourage advancement of women’s careers.”

WTS International President and CEO Sara M. Stickler (left) and Eno President and CEO Robert Puentes (right) sign a formal MOU on Sept. 8.
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Association Briefs: WTS International, ASLRRA

The Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) International and the Eno Center for Transportation (Eno) sign memorandum of understanding (MOU). Also, from the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s weekly Views & News: A Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) report discusses results of Onboard Broken Rail Detection (OBRD) system research; ASLRRA congratulates industry colleagues on their retirements; and registration opens for first ASLRRA training seminar in 2023.

People News: Keolis Group, WSP USA, STV, Operation Lifesaver

Keolis Group makes Executive Committee appointments; WSP USA National Transit and Rail Leader receives Woman of the Year Award from the Northeast Florida Chapter of WTS International (WTSI); STV appoints Vice President; Operation Lifesaver, Inc., (OLI) announces new members of the Board of Directors and National Advisory Council.

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WTS International Adds Hammond, Arens to Board

WTS International has elected a new board of directors, led by Paula Hammond, Multimodal Market Leader for WSP USA, as its chair, as well as Barbara Arens, WSP SVP, to serve on the WTS Foundation Board of Directors.