2026 Award Recipients
Woman of the Year - Leta Huntsinger
Dr. Leta Huntsinger is a Senior Vice President with WSP with over 38 years of experience spanning multimodal systems planning, systems analysis, and strategic leadership. She is also a Professor of Practice at UNC Chapel Hill in the Department of City and Regional Planning where she engages in her passion for teaching and mentoring. Leta is recognized for her expertise in travel modeling, scenario analysis, performance measures, and process improvement. She is a results-driven leader with a passion for communicating complex ideas, engaging stakeholders, and advancing transportation solutions that benefit communities.
Leta is a dedicated volunteer, serving as a member and mentor with WTS, an institutional leader with ONE Wake, advisor to the UNC ITE Student Chapter, and a board member for the Zephyr Foundation. She has participated in advisory boards for the Town of Cary, served on the UNC-Wilmington Board of Visitors, and contributed to multiple Transportation Research Board committees.
She holds a PhD and master’s in civil engineering from North Carolina State University, a bachelor’s in physics from UNC-Wilmington, and advanced coursework in Public Administration. Dr. Huntsinger is a licensed Professional Engineer in North Carolina and Texas, and a Certified Public Manager.
In her time away from work she enjoys cooking, running, biking and kayaking.
Member of the Year - Jessica Luther
Jessica Luther is currently a Staff Engineer with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, where she supports the Preconstruction Division through operational planning, digital delivery advancement, organizational readiness, and clear, consistent communication with both internal and external partners.
Before joining NCDOT in 2024, Jessica spent five years as a Transportation Analyst at VHB, preparing NEPA documentation, leading community studies, and conducting stakeholder engagement. She began her career as a Roadway Designer at Summit Design & Engineering Services, where she was first encouraged to get involved with the WTS NC Triangle Chapter. She jumped in wholeheartedly and went on to serve on the executive board from 2016 to 2025.
A proud NC State Civil Engineering alum, Jessica brings strong communication skills, curiosity, and community‑minded energy to everything she does. She is passionate about improving transportation across the state and helping strengthen the profession for future engineers. Outside of work, she is proud to call Sanford home alongside her husband, Will, and their “B crew,” two dogs and four cats, and she loves thrifting, gardening, hosting parties, and attending community events.
Rookie of the Year - Alexa Kennedy
Alexa Kennedy is a Transportation Planner with WSP, specializing in multimodal transportation studies and NEPA compliance. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2018 with a degree in Environmental Science and moved to Raleigh in 2019. In her current role, she serves as the NEPA Lead for several exciting multimodal projects in North Carolina, including the Wake County Bus Rapid Transit Western corridor and the Wilmington Downtown Trail project.
Alexa is deeply engaged in professional and community leadership. She served on the board of the Triangle Young Professional Civitan Club for five years, where she organized community service and social events for a network of more than 40 young professionals. She currently serves as Chair of the NEPA Users Group for NCSITE, where she hosts quarterly meetings highlighting emerging NEPA topics, best practices, and updates in the field.
Alexa has been an active member in WTS for three years, serving on several committees and volunteering at chapter events. She is currently the Chair of the Chapter's Professional Connections Committee, where she relaunched small-group networking events that have helped over 80 members connect and build meaningful professional relationships. She also serves as the Co-Chair for the Events Committee, helping plan the Chapter's breakfast and luncheon events.
Outside of work, Alexa enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 senior dogs, traveling to new countries, working on craft projects, and practicing yoga.
Innovative Transportation Solutions Award - New Bern Ave BRT
The New Bern Ave BRT is the first bus rapid transit corridor to be implemented in the state of North Carolina. As with any first-of-its-kind project, it comes with unique challenges. “First” does not mean easy or seamless, it requires problem solving, critical thinking, and navigating unexpected obstacles along the way.
As of 2026, the project has reached construction, marking a major milestone not only for this effort but for transit advancement across North Carolina. Once complete, New Bern Ave BRT will deliver 5 miles of high-capacity transit service to Raleigh, including 3.3 miles of fully dedicated transit lanes.
The system is designed with rider comfort and convenience in mind. Each station will include covered waiting areas, real-time arrival information, and off-board fare payment options. Just as importantly, the project will introduce much-needed pedestrian infrastructure along a corridor that has lacked safe accommodations for decades.
Led by: Aya Aldais | Senior Project Manager – City of Raleigh, Roadway; Melanie Rausch I Transportation Planning Manager – City of Raleigh, Bus Rapid Transit Design & Construction Division
Honorable Ray LaHood Award - Reggie Scales
Reggie Scales is a North Carolina native and community builder with more than 40 years of experience helping state and local governments plan, design, and deliver the transportation systems people rely on every day. He began his career in local government, where he developed a practical, solutions-oriented leadership style grounded in public accountability and collaboration.
Since transitioning to private consulting in 2000, Reggie has led major transportation projects across the country, including GoRaleigh Station, the American Tobacco Trail Bridge over I-40 in Durham, the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston, and the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C.
Most recently, Reggie served as Managing Director of VHB’s Raleigh office, leading a multidisciplinary team delivering infrastructure solutions across North Carolina and beyond. Throughout his career, he has been a committed advocate for advancing women and underrepresented professionals—mentoring leaders, expanding access to opportunity, and ensuring women are positioned for key roles.
Reggie firmly believes diverse teams deliver stronger project outcomes and better financial performance. He has consistently built inclusive organizations that drive innovation, improve decision-making, and better serve clients and communities. He is an active civic leader, having served as President and Foundation Chair of the Cary Rotary Club and as a board member of ACEC North Carolina. Reggie is a graduate of Appalachian State University and serves on its College of Arts & Sciences Advisory Committee.
He lives in Cary, North Carolina, with his wife, Lisa, and is a proud father of two daughters, Sinclaire and Lydia.
Employer of the Year - Kittelson & Associates
Kittelson & Associates, Inc., established in 1985, provides comprehensive transportation engineering, planning, design, and research services to government and private organizations. With 30 offices nationwide, including locally in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Wilmington and more than 400 employees, their team offers decades of progressive research, technological innovation, and a diverse portfolio of industry-leading work. Their staff brings extensive project management and transportation planning capabilities, deep experience in multimodal safety and design, strong communication skills, and robust community engagement and consensus-building expertise. They have built a strong reputation for applying innovative technology, using efficient processes, and maintaining a clear focus on client service. Kittelson is particularly adept at taking a performance-based approach to planning and design, developing cost-effective solutions that serve all transportation users, improve safety, promote sustainability, and garner public support. They are highly responsive to client and project needs, proactively identifying and engaging with partners including community leaders, schools, transit agencies, and NCDOT.