President's Message: November/December 2020
Dear WTS-DC Chapter Members and Friends,
In this month of Thanksgiving, I encourage us to all take a moment and reflect on what we have to be thankful for. This year has been tough on many people with COVID, which has added to the demands on everyone's plates. With that in mind, I want to express my gratitude to our WTS-DC volunteers, advisors, and corporate members who continue to support us during these challenging times. We could not sustain our organization without you, and I am so grateful for the contributions you provide to WTS-DC!
This is also the season of giving, and December 1 is Giving Tuesday. During this time, please consider donating to our scholarship fund. These contributions are tax-deductible and go to young women in the DMV who are studying transportation-related fields.
For WTS-DC, December is the time we celebrate at our annual holiday party. This year, we are excited to give out $15,500 in scholarships to nine deserving young women who are studying transportation-related fields in the DMV area. Through our annual recognition awards, we acknowledge those who support our local WTS-DC chapter and heighten awareness of the WTS mission and goals. This year’s award winners are:
- Woman of the Year: Nicole Nason, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator
- Honorable Ray LaHood: Gerald Mrykalo, Traffic Department Manager at Dewberry
- Rosa Parks Diversity Award: Muriel Bowser, Mayor, Washington, DC
- Member of the Year: Cherie Gibson, Corporate Relations Chair of WTS-DC and Mid-Atlantic Communications Director at HNTB Corporation
- Employer of Year: American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
- Innovative Transportation Solutions: Open Streets led by Anna Chamberlin, DDOT Planning and Sustainability Division Director
Our annual holiday party will be virtual this year, and we will be focusing on our chapter activities and celebrating our recognition award and scholarship winners. The festivities will take place on December 8 from 6-7 p.m., and we hope you will join us from the comfort of your homes! Registration is now open.
As the year draws to a close, our chapter is looking forward to 2021. Our chapter board will hold its annual elections from November 17-December 1. The slate of candidates is as follows:
- President: Neela Babu, Ph.D. of WSP – serving as President in 2020
- Vice President: Katie Kraft of WMATA – serving as Vice President in 2020
- Treasurer: Shelley Wynne of Dewberry – serving as Chair of the Scholarship and Fundraising Committee in 2020
- Secretary: Katie Masetti of Mead & Hunt – serving as Chair of the Program Logistics Committee in 2020
All members will receive a ballot from Election Runner, and we encourage you to vote! Please expect to receive your ballot on November 17.
In closing, I wish you many blessings during the holiday season! I hope you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy. Thank you for your continued support of WTS-DC, and we look forward to engaging with you soon!
Best,
Neela Babu, Ph.D.
President, WTS-DC Chapter
Contact Us!
If you or your organization are interested in contributing to WTS-DC and would like to know how you could do so, please contact us. You can reach us through any of our social media channels listed below, or you can email me at president.wts.dc@gmail.com.