Event: WTS Northeast Regional (Virtual) Conference
When: Fridays, February 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2026 | 9:00–10:30 AM ET (Zoom)
Format: Four-week series featuring 1.5-hour virtual sessions
Overview
The 2026 WTS Northeast Regional Conference invites abstracts for engaging sessions centered on this year’s theme: “Navigating the Northeast: Women at the Helm of Transportation Innovation.”
This theme celebrates the leadership, creativity, and collaboration of women navigating and driving change in transportation across the Northeast. We seek presentations that highlight innovation, inclusion, and impact whether through visionary projects, transformative policies, or inspiring leadership stories. Deadline extended! Abstracts must be submitted by Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
Session Opportunities
Share your expertise, insights, and experiences with peers and industry leaders. Submissions may be for:
- 40-minute sessions – Focused presentations, short panels, or keynote speakers
- 75-minute sessions – In-depth panels, workshops, or collaborative discussions
Key Dates
- Abstract submission deadline: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
- Notification of selection: by Monday, December 8, 2025
Suggested Topics
We welcome presentations that reflect the conference theme, best practices, and leadership across the region. Consider topics such as:
- Women leading cross-jurisdiction or multimodal initiatives (bridges, airports, etc.)
- Innovative funding and contracting approaches that expand opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses
- Effective stakeholder engagement strategies that drive measurable project success
- Re-engineering existing infrastructure to support evolving transportation policies
- Integrating technology and data to enhance climate resiliency, equity, safety, and economic development
- Building and sustaining the transportation workforce: recruiting, mentoring, and retaining diverse talent
- WTS Chapter success stories that strengthen communities and empower women in transportation
- Emerging topics that reflect new challenges or opportunities in the Northeast region
We’re excited to welcome a wide variety of submission styles and topics for this year’s WTS Northeast Regional Conference. Whether your idea shines as a panel discussion, a solo talk, a case study, a spotlight on a specific transportation mode or service, or a leadership or equity-focused conversation — we want to hear from you!
Innovation comes in many forms, and we’re eager to showcase the breadth of experiences, perspectives, and expertise across the region. Your session might explore a groundbreaking project, a creative funding strategy, an impactful community engagement effort, or a story of leadership and mentorship that inspires others.
We look forward to seeing your submissions and the diverse voices within the Northeast that will shape this year’s program.
Selection Criteria
- Relevance to the conference theme
- Use of creative or interactive presentation methods
- Balanced participation: ideally one presenter per organization and inclusion of both pubic and private sector speakers for panel discussions
- The majority of speakers on panel discussions need to be WTS members, all is ideal.
- Presenters/panelists names and contact information must be provided.
- Presenters/panelists ability to participate should be confirmed prior to submission.
- committed and available during conference timeframe including contact information
- Abstracts with diverse geographic representation within the Northeast encouraged
Abstract Submission Requirements
Please complete the online submission form, including:
- Session Title
- Primary Point of Contact (responsible for all communications)
- Geographic Focus (cities, states, or regions represented)
- Session Description (up to 150 words, highlighting the content and relevance to the theme)
- Session Length (select one):
- Panel – 75 min
- Panel – 40 min
- Presentation – 40 min
- Keynote – 40 min
- Other (please specify)
- Presenter/Panelist Information:
- Name(s), Title, Organization, City/State, Chapter
- Email addresses
- Short biography (up to 100 words per speaker)
Questions
Email [email protected] with the subject line: “NERC Call for Abstracts – Virtual Sessions.”
Join us as we navigate the Northeast together—celebrating the women steering innovation, shaping policy, and advancing the future of transportation.