WTS-DC is proud to celebrate our past Recognition Award recipients: (*Denotes award winner at the WTS International level)

2022

• WTS-DC Member of the Year Award: Cerasela Cristei, Director of Design, EXP
• WTS-DC Woman of the Year Award: Monica Backmon, Executive Director, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority
• WTS-DC Honorable Ray LaHood Award: Stephen Gardner, Chief Executive Officer, Amtrak
• WTS-DC Employer of the Year Award: Dewberry, Fairfax, VA
• WTS-DC Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Mugdha Tipnis, Vice President, WSP
• WTS-DC Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: WMATA Equity Toolkit, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

 

2021

• WTS-DC Member of the Year Award: Adrienne Ameel, Past President of WTS-DC, Senior Transportation Engineer, Kimley Horn DC
• WTS-DC Woman of the Year Award: Elizabeth Field, Vice President of Project Implementation and Construction, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
• WTS-DC Honorable Ray LaHood Award: Matt Welbes, Executive Director, Federal Transit Administration
• WTS-DC Employer of the Year Award: Jacobs Engineering Group
• WTS-DC Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Diana Mendes, Corporate President of Infrastructure and Mobility Equity, HNTB
• WTS-DC Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: Commonwealth Avenue Complete Streets Project, Alexandria, Virginia

 

2020

• Member of the Year Award: Cherie Gibson, Mid-Atlantic Communications Director, HNTB
• Woman of the Year Award: Nicole Nason, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration
• Employer of the Year Award: American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Muriel E. Bowser, Mayor, Washington, D.C.
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: Open Streets DC, Planning and Sustainability Division, District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
• Honorable Ray LaHood Award: Gerald Mrykalo, Senior Associate and Project Manager, Dewberry

 

2019

• Member of the Year: Jennifer Heilman, Communications Chair of WTS-DC and Vice President at Stratacomm
• Woman of the Year: Caroline Decker, Vice President of the Northeast Corridor at Amtrak
• Employer of the Year: WSP
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Sahar Nabaee, Diversity Chair of WTS-DC and Transportation Engineer at STV
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: The Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Framework for NOVA Regional Mobility led by Amy McElwain
• Honorable Ray LaHood Award: Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA)*

 

2018

• Member of the Year: Jasmy Methipara, Research Analyst, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
• Woman of the Year: Helen L. Curevo, Northern Virginia District Engineer, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
• Employer of the Year: Stratacomm
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Darrell B. Mobley, Former Director, Prince George's County Department of Public Works and Transportation 
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: District Department of Transportation's PaveDC Program
• Honorable Ray LaHood Award: Paul Wiedefeld, General Manager and CEO, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
• President's Award: Cerasela Cristei, Operations Manager, T3 Design Corporation 

 

2017

• Members of the Year: Neela Babu, Associate Consultant | WSP and Brittney Gick, Associate Program Officer | Transportation Research Board
• Woman of the Year: Honorable T. Bella Dinh-Zarr | National Transportation Safety Board
• Employer of the Year: Kittelson & Associates, Inc. 
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Kimley-Horn
• Honorable Ray LaHood Award: Frederick G. "Bud" Wright, Executive Director | American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
• 40th Anniversary Achievement Award: Catherine Connor, Senior Vice President, Director of Federal Government Affairs | WSP

 

2016

• Member of the Year: Iris Ortiz, Senior Associate | Cambridge Systematics
• Woman of the Year: Jennifer Mitchell, Director | Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
• Employer of the Year: T3 Design
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Veronica O. Davis, Co-owner | Nspiregreen
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: FAA NextGen Weather Processor Project
• Honorable Ray LaHood Award: Andrew Off, Assistant General Manager, Rail Services | WMATA

 

2015

• Member of the Year: Melany Alliston-Brick - Mid Atlantic Regional Engineering Director, Toole Design Group
• Woman of the Year: Therese McMillan - Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration*
• Employer of the Year: Foursquare Integrated Transportation Planning
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Representative Grace Napolitano
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: I-95 Express Lanes
• Honorable Ray LaHood Award: Mortimer Downey

2014

• Member of the Year: Avital Barnea - Policy Analyst, Office of the Secretary, USDOT
• Woman of the Year: Patricia Hendren - Consultant, former Director of the Office of Performance, WMATA
• Man of the Year: Richard Sarles - General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, WMATA
• Employer of the Year: Nspiregreen, LLC
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx*
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: moveDC Plan (Colleen Hawkinson - Project Manager)

2013

• Member of the Year: Anne Stubbs - Executive Director, Coalition of Northeastern Governors
• Woman of the Year: Deborah Hersman - Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board
• Employer of the Year: Federal Transit Administration*
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Dr. Bryna Helfer - Director of Public Engagement, USDOT
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: I-395 Air Rights Environmental Assessment (STV, DDOT, and PGP)

2012

• Member of the Year: Anja Graves
• Woman of the Year: Beverley Swaim-Staley*
• Employer of the Year: Holland & Knight LLP
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Rep. Donna Edwards
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: I-495 Express Lanes Project (Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban-Fluor)
• Lifetime Achievement Award: The Honorable Barbara Boxer - U.S. Senator from California

 

2011

• Member of the Year: Greer J. Gillis - Assistant Vice President, Parsons Brinkerhoff
• Woman of the Year: Lora Byala, AICP - President of Foursqaure Integrated Transportation Planning
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: McKissack & McKissack
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuel Initiative (CAAFI)

 

2010

• Member of the Year: Jennifer Mitchell
• Woman of the Year: Karen Rae*
• Employer of the Year: Sharp & Company
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Lorraine Greene
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: DDOT Capital Bikeshare
• Lifelong Leadership Advancing Women in Transportation: Honorable James Oberstar

 

2009

• Member of the Year: Sean Denniston - Transportation Industry Analyst, Office of Rulemaking, Federal Aviation Administration
• Woman of the Year: Mariia Zimmerman, Senior Policy Director, Reconnecting America
• Employer of the Year: Parsons Brinckerhoff
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board

 

2008

• Member of the Year: Bonnie Shepherd - Vice President, Marketing, East Region, Hatch Mott MacDonald
• Woman of the Year: Effie Stallsmith - Community Planner, Federal Transit Administration
• Employer of the Year: Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)*
• Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: District Department of Transportation - South Capitol Street Bridge Rehabilitation

 

2007

• Member of the Year: Cathy Connor - Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Parsons Brinkerhoff
• Woman of the Year: Deborah Lipman – Director, Office of Policy and Gov't Relations, WMATA
• Employer of the Year: Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Parsons Brinkerhoff

 
2006

• Member of the Year: Christie Dawson - American Public Transportation Association
• Woman of the Year: Cynthia J. Burbank - Federal Highway Administration/Federal Transit Administration
• Employer of the Year: HDR
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Bea E. Hicks - Senior Operations Manager, WMATA

 
2005

• Member of the Year: Sherry Ways - Transportation Planner, FHWA Office of Planning
• Woman of the Year: Diana C. Mendes - Senior Vice President, DMJM Harris
• Employer of the Year: Dewberry
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Linda J. Washington - Acting Assistant Secretary, USDOT

 
2004

• Member of the Year: Margaret M. Ballard - Senior Transportation Planner, HDR
• Woman of the Year: Anne Canby - President, Surface Transportation Policy Project*
• Employer of the Year: Cairo Corporation
• Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

 
2003

• Member of the Year: Leigh Smythe Merino - Manager, Tire Technical Standards, Rubber Manufacturers Association
• Woman of the Year: Mary E. Peters - Administrator, Federal Highway Administration*
• Employer of the Year: Jacobs Civil Inc.

 
2002

• Woman of the Year: Edith Boyden - USDOT Volpe Center (retired)

 
2001

• Member of the Year: Jan Balkin - Safety Consultant, North American Driver Safety Foundation
• Woman of the Year: Cynthia Burbank - Assoc. Administrator, Planning, Environment and Realty, Federal Highway Administration
• Employer of the Year: Federal Transit Administration

 
2000

• Member of the Year: Felicia Young - Team Leader of Research and Financial Services, Federal Highway Administration Office of Interstate Border Planning
• Woman of the Year: Luz Hopewell - Former Director, Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business, USDOT

1999

• Member of the Year: Wendy Klancher
• Woman of the Year: Gerri L. Hall - President, Operation Lifesaver, Inc.     
• Employer of the Year: American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

1998

• Member of the Year: Nuria Fernandez
• Woman of the Year: Linda Morgan - Chair, Surface Transportation Board  
• Employer of the Year: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

1997

• Member of the Year: Mortimer Downey
• Woman of the Year: Lana Batts - American Trucking Association         

1996

• Member of the Year: Elaine Murakami
• Woman of the Year: Susan Perry - Senior Vice President of Government Relations, American Bar Association  
• Employer of the Year: Bombardier Transit Corporation    

1995

• Member of the Year: Debra Farrar-Dyke - WMATA
• Woman of the Year: Jolene Molitoris - Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration  
• Employer of the Year: Federal Highway Administration         

1994

• Member of the Year: Elaine Dezenski
• Woman of the Year: Karen Borhaug Phillips - Vice President for Legislation, Association of American Railroads & Past Vice Chairman, Interstate Commerce Commission
• Employer of the Year: Surface Transportation Policy Project

1993

• Member of the Year: Carra Schoene and Dee McDowell
• Woman of the Year: Grace Crunican - Deputy Administrator, Federal Transit Administration & Past President, WTS National     
• Employer of the Year: Siemens Corporation 

1992

• Member of the Year: Fran Bents
• Woman of the Year: Sarah Campbell - Partner, TransManagement, Inc./First Executive Director, Surface Transportation Policy Project

1991

• Member of the Year: Roslyn Kaiser
• Woman of the Year: Gail Clements McDonald - Vice Chairman, Interstate Commerce Commission

1990

• Member of the Year: Katherine Hooper and Judy Kaplan Weiner
• Woman of the Year: Stephanie Lee-Miller - Director, Office of Commercial Space, USDOT      

1989

• Member of the Year: Mary Van Engelen
• Woman of the Year: The Honorable Barbara Mikulski - U.S. Senator from Maryland          

1988

• Member of the Year: Leslie Baldwin and Sandra Hemmingway
• Woman of the Year: Elaine Chao - Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission

1987

• Member of the Year: Cynthia Burbank and Pat Cass
• Woman of the Year: Diane Steed - Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration          

1986

• 10th Anniversary Year: All previous recipients acknowledged

1985

• Member of the Year: Cynthia Burbank and Judy Meade
• Woman of the Year (Achievement Award): Joan Bauerlein - Acting Deputy Director, Office of Budget, Federal Aviation Administration       

1984

• Member of the Year: Shirley Lloyd
• Woman of the Year (Achievement Award): Rosalind Knapp - Deputy General Counsel, USDOT       

1983

• Member of the Year: Judy Kaplan
• Woman of the Year (Achievement Award): Carmen Turner - General Manager, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority*

1982

• Member of the Year: Katherine Hooper
• Woman of the Year (Achievement Award): Sandra Spence - Amtrak               

1981

• Member of the Year: Linda Lawson
• Woman of the Year (Achievement Award): Lana Batts - American Trucking Association and Alinda Burke Page - Deputy Administrator, Federal Highway Administration

1980

• Woman of the Year (Achievement Award): Ellen Hanson - Interstate Commerce Commission