Webinar: Demystifying the DBE Interim Final Rule: A Deeper Dialogue with the Experts
Join us on October 28 at 1:00 p.m. for an essential panel discussion on the recent court rulings that prohibit the use of race and gender in awarding contracts — and what this means for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) in transportation. Many states and DOTs are reevaluating their DBE programs, leaving businesses and partners with questions about the path forward. Our panel of experts will unpack the new legal landscape, clarify misconceptions, and discuss the potential impacts on women- and minority-owned businesses. This session will help you understand the facts, navigate upcoming changes, and prepare for what’s next.
Free for members; $50 for non-members.
Panelists & Moderator:
Taria Barron – American Public Transportation Association
Taria Barron is the General Counsel for the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Barron comes to APTA from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation where she served as Attorney-Advisor in the General Law and Ethics Division. Previously, she spent 10 years in specialized roles within the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of the Chief Counsel. Her distinguished career includes a prestigious two-year fellowship with the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation in Tokyo, where she fostered U.S.-Japan cooperation on transportation initiatives. Barron holds a JD from George Washington University School of Law and a BA in History from Vanderbilt University.
Angela Berry-Roberson – ABR Advisory Consulting LLC
Angela Berry-Roberson, Esq. is the Principal Advisor/CEO of ABR Advisory Consultants, which provide small business, equity and civil rights compliance advisory services. Angela is a licensed attorney and civil rights practitioner with approximately 30 years of experience in the transportation industry. She has worked in the public sector in addition to the private sector in every mode of transportation- transit/rail, aviation, and highway especially on alternative delivery procurements. Prior to her recent appointment as the Senior Advisor in the USDOT Office of the Secretary Office of Civil Rights, Angela worked at WSP USA as the Senior Vice President who led and developed the company’s Civil Rights Advisory Services and Compliance practice. Angela is a native of Dallas, Texas and is a graduate of Rice University as well as Georgetown University Law Center.
Michael Bryant – Texas Department Of Transportation
Michael D. Bryant serves as director of the Civil Rights Division. Bryant joined TxDOT in 2012 as an attorney in the General Counsel Division where he worked on various matters related to the Civil Rights Division, and HUB and DBE issues. Prior to his current role, Bryant worked at the Office of Governor Rick Perry, serving as counsel to the Trusteed Programs within the office, including the Economic Development & Tourism Division, the Texas Music Office, and the Texas Film Commission. Bryant is the immediate past Chair of the Committee on Civil Rights for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. He is an alumnus of Morehouse College and The University of Texas School Of Law.
Subash Iyer – Kaplan Kirsch llp
Subash brings a significant depth of legal and public policy experience to the firm Kaplan Kirsch. As Acting General Counsel of USDOT, he served as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s top legal advisor, overseeing a 500-person legal team, leading the Department’s rulemaking agenda, streamlining processes to expedite project delivery, and defending landmark transportation and environmental policies. As Chief Counsel at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Subash worked to implement the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and oversaw all FTA legal matters, including on Buy America compliance and safety and labor regulations. Prior to joining USDOT, Subash served as Special Counsel for Ethics, Risk, and Compliance at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York. Subash also brings a strong litigation background from private practice in Washington, D.C., where he helped deliver multiple Supreme Court and court of appeals victories for his clients. Subash began his legal career with three prestigious clerkships – serving at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Vince Malone – WeGo public transit - Nashville
Vince Malone, Chief of Staff and Administration, previously served as Director of the Civil Rights Division with Tennessee Department of Transportation. He is appointed to serve on the U.S. Transportation Research Board (TRB) Standing Committee on Contracting Equity and serves several executive committees with AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials). He was Chief Compliance, Risk, and Human Resource Officer for SRS, Inc. of Hendersonville. Malone holds a J.D. in Law from the University of Florida and a B.A. in Political Science from Lipscomb University. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Sumner Development Corporation and as a Commissioner and Chairman of the Gallatin Housing Authority. He is also an officer and board member with 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee.
Shayna van Hoften – Hanson Bridgett LLP
Shayna chairs Hanson Bridgett LLP’s Public Transit & Transportation Practice Group. An engaged, knowledgeable legal advisor, she provides strategic, practical counsel to government agencies in sensitive legal and political environments. Shayna helps clients identify and mitigate government ethics and governance challenges. She works with them to adopt and implement local revenue enhancements, negotiate intergovernmental agreements, and undertake major programs and projects. Clients rely on Shayna to ensure they comply with disability access and other civil rights laws, and to develop and abide by public agency administrative, financial and risk management best practices. Shayna also drafts all forms of legislation and regulation, and pens written and oral comments on state and federal statutory and regulatory proposals. Shayna also serves as Vice Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee of the American Public Transit Association. She earned her B.A. in Politics/Public Policy Analysis from Pomona College, her J.D. from U.C. Berkeley School of Law, and her M.P.P. from U.C. Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.
Moderator: Dr. Malika Wilkins Reed – WTS International
Dr. Wilkins, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, brings more than 25 years of leadership in nonprofit management, public policy, and strategic marketing and communications. She joins WTS International from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), where she served for over eight years, most recently as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief External Affairs Officer. In this role, she oversaw enterprise strategy development, government affairs, marketing and communications, creative and digital media, and corporate engagement for the 11-county metro Atlanta region.
Her distinguished career also includes leadership roles at the Georgia Department of Human Services, the State Road and Tollway Authority—where she helped launch the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank—and in the nonprofit sector, where she spent more than 13 years at the Southern States Police Benevolent Association.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Wilkins brings a deep and personal connection to WTS International, shaped by years of dedicated service and leadership within the organization. She served as President of WTS Atlanta, where she led the chapter to receive the first WTS International Chapter of the Year Award and the Gold Circle of Excellence Award, increased sponsorship revenue by 50%, and initiated impactful partnerships with organizations like Dress for Success and Habitat for Humanity. After many years of chapter service, she joined the WTS International Board of Directors in 2024.
Her academic background reflects the same dedication to public service and leadership that has shaped her career. Dr. Wilkins holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications from The University of Georgia, a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University, and a PhD in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University.