Many Paths, One Goal
By Rebecca Sulla, WTS-DC
Each year, WTS-DC selects individuals, projects, and entities to honor with one of six Recognition Awards. These awards are presented at the annual WTS-DC holiday party in December. And on May 21, the 2020 Recognition Award winners participated in the panel event "Many Paths, One Goal: WTS-DC 2020 Recognition Award Winners on Leadership." Cathy Connor of WSP moderated the panel, and the 2020 award winners served as panelists for this virtual event that explored leadership personally and professionally.
The panelists included:
- Nicole Nason, Chief Safety Officer and Head of External Affairs at Cavnue and former Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) – Woman of the Year
- Paul Skoutelas, President/CEO of the American Public Transit Association (APTA) – Employer of the Year
- Jerry Mrykalo, Senior Associate at Dewberry – Honorable Ray LaHood
- Anna Chamberlin, Director of DDOT's Planning and Sustainability Division – Innovative Transportation Solution
- Cherie Gibson, Mid-Atlantic Communications Director at HNTB and Chair of the WTS-DC Corporate Relations and Program Sponsorship Committee – Member of the Year
During the panel, the award winners discussed many topics, including how they first thought of themselves as a leader, how they approach setting career goals, the advice they've received from mentors, and how to handle working outside of their comfort zone. One panelist recalled the sense of responsibility she felt the first time she testified as a principal engineer. At the same time, another reflected on how her upbringing as the oldest child instilled her with a sense of leadership from an early age. The topic of professional leadership was explored further, specifically how being a leader is not tied to a position but instead comes from being the person people go to for advice or with questions. The panelists emphasized the importance of adapting the career goals you set for yourself, being open to new opportunities, and building your professional network.
"Many Paths, One Goal" provided a space to explore different aspects and approaches to leadership and what leadership can look like in the transportation field. Through the Recognition Awards and this panel, WTS-DC celebrates the contributions the award winners have made in the transportation community while looking forward to new opportunities for leadership in transportation.
We are grateful to our 2020 recognition awardees for their leadership in the transportation industry! If you know someone who is also a leader in our industry, please nominate them for one of the 2021 Recognition Awards. Information about each award and the links to nominate someone can be found on our website.