President's Message - Fall 2026
Dear WTS-DC Chapter Members and Friends,
It has been a busy summer for our Chapter! On May 30th, WTS-DC hosted a Reston Bike Tour with COMTO DC. The bike tour featured several bike infrastructure projects, different street types, and landmarks in Reston, VA. The bike tour was led by Jeff Parker from WSP and Zack DesJardins from the Fairfax County Department of Transportation.
On June 11th, the WTS-DC Chapter held our Annual WTS-DC Membership Happy Hour on the rooftop of the Thompson Coburn office. The WTS-DC Membership Happy Hour was a members-only event to thank DC Chapter members for their involvement in WTS.
On August 25th, WTS-DC and WTS Baltimore held a Women in Maryland Leadership Panel Event at the Silver Spring Civic Building. The panel discussion included women leaders in Maryland who are shaping the industry through major projects, leadership, and resilience. The panel included Haley Peckett, Deputy Director for Transportation Policy and Planning at Montgomery County Department of Transportation, Oluseyi Olugbenle, Acting Director for Department of Public Works and Transportation at Prince George's County and the 2025 WTS-DC Chapter Rosa Parks Leadership Recognitions Award Winner, and Elizabeth Gordon, Assistant Deputy Administrator for Planning and Programming at the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). The panel event was moderated by Neela Babu, Director of the Office of Project Development and Delivery (OPDD) at the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and a Past President for the WTS-DC Chapter.
The WTS-DC Chapter held a Coffee Chat with Katie Choe, Virginia Railway Express (VRE) CEO, at the VRE Headquarters in Alexandria, VA on Wednesday, September 2nd. The conversation included Katie Choe’s position as VRE CEO with her 25+ year career in public transportation infrastructure, with extensive experience in asset management, State of Good Repair planning and execution, program management, resiliency, accessibility, and infrastructure policy.
Switching topic from WTS-DC Chapter events - It is my pleasure to announce that the WTS-DC Chapter is now accepting applications for our 2026 Scholarships and nominations for our 2026 Recognition Awards. Help us support the next generation of transportation professionals and recognize the individuals and organizations making an impact in our industry.
Each year, WTS-DC awards scholarships to deserving female-identifying transportation professionals who are studying transportation at community college, undergraduate, and graduate programs in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. WTS-DC offers graduate and undergraduate scholarships in three categories, typically ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 each. WTS-DC may also nominate select scholarship recipients for WTS International scholarships valued at up to $10,000. Scholarship applications close October 12th, 2026.
WTS-DC's annual Recognition Awards celebrate those who support our local chapter and advance the WTS mission and goals. Nominations are open across six award categories, and awardees will be honored at the WTS-DC Holiday Party & Awards Celebration on December 1st, 2026. Award nominations close September 30th, 2026.
We have many more events planned for the fall including the WTS-DC Annual VDOT Event with the theme of ‘Remember When’ on Tuesday, September 15th and a joint event with the WTS-DC Mentoring Committee and Professional Development Committee titled Agency by Design: Comprehensive & Inclusive Leadership on Monday, September 21st. Registration is open for both of these events and we hope to see you there!
Don't miss one of WTS-DC's signature events! Join transportation professionals from across the region for an engaging conversation with WMATA leaders, featuring insider updates on the future of Metro, the challenges and opportunities ahead, and what's next for our region's transit system.
Registration coming soon!
Please save the date for the 2027 WTS International Annual Conference and 50th Anniversary in DC, the heart of the nation’s capital and birthplace of WTS. The 2027 WTS International Annual Conference will take place in Washington, DC the week of May 3rd, 2027! We welcome you to a monumental 50th to celebrate 50 years of transformation, innovation, and advancement.
I am always happy to talk about WTS and how we can improve what we do as a chapter, so please feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any feedback or thoughts to share or if you would like to volunteer for the 2027 WTS International Annual Conference in DC. I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe fall season!
Sincerely,
Shelley Wynne
WTS-DC Chapter President