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For forty years, the WTS Greater Chicago Chapter has championed the advancement of women in transportation and built a powerful community dedicated to connection and leadership. Since our founding in 1986, our chapter has grown into one of the most active in the region, bringing together public and private sector leaders, emerging professionals, and lifelong advocates. We honor the vision of our founding members and the dedication of our past presidents, whose leadership created the foundation for four decades of impactful programs and networking opportunities.

Throughout our history, WTS Greater Chicago has proudly hosted some of the most impactful programs in the region, including speaking events featuring President Barack Obama and Senator Tammy Duckworth; regional conferences with national leaders such as Shailen Bhatt and Ray LaHood; and receptions celebrating women in agency leadership roles across Illinois. Our chapter has brought together national voices like Former Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg at a WTS Board networking event and hosted memorable gatherings such as the Nuria Fernandez happy hour during her time at FTA. Most recently, the chapter delivered an outstanding Central Region Conference that showcased Chicago’s role as a transportation hub and innovation center.

As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we look forward to a year of honoring our past and looking to how we can grow into the future. This year’s Recognitions Event will feature a new venue and a new mentorship award to commemorate four decades of achievement. We will be sharing photo archives capturing our chapter’s history and introducing a storytelling progressive dinner highlighting women in transportation leadership. In recognition of our continued commitment to professional growth, we are launching a new stipend sponsored by longtime WTS advocate, Noreen Ellis, to support members’ ongoing learning and development within the storytelling space.

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg once said, “Great infrastructure isn’t just built with concrete and steel; it’s built with vision, collaboration, and courage.” As a structural engineer, I beg to differ. The concrete and steel help quite a bit. Jokes aside, he is right about one thing: meaningful progress takes people who are committed to lifting the industry forward. An organization is only as strong as the sum of its parts, and our members are the ones who make WTS Greater Chicago so impactful by driving change, elevating one another, and shaping a more inclusive transportation future. As we celebrate 40 years of progress and look ahead to the next 40, we honor the partnerships, the passion, and yes, the reinforcement that have made our chapter stronger than ever.

Sincerely,
Mary Lou Kutska, WTS Greater Chicago President

 

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