Overview of Professional Development

The WTS Professional Development consists of four subcommittees: Works, TECHnique, Learn from a Leader, and Mentoring. Each subcommittee is chaired and co-chaired by dedicated professionals committed to growth in our industry. Each committee meets regularly to discuss programming, intended outcomes, and logistics.

As the Professional Development committee, we love planning great events, filled with good conversation, food, drinks, and networking. We create smaller, more intimate opportunities to allow for more meaningful conversations and relationship building. As professionals, we believe there are keys to success in this industry: 

1. Seek early opportunities and leverage the support of the Works team.
2. Master your craft-continually learn and refine your Technique.
3. Stay open to learn from other experiences-Learn from a Leader.
4. Build and be a strong support system through Mentoring.

Meet the Committee!

Director: Shiny Mathew

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Shiny Mathew, PE, ENV SP, is an Assistant Office Leader at JMT. She is a Water Resources engineer with 20 years of experience delivering projects throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. Shiny was encouraged to join WTS by a mentor, and that advice paid off with an amazing and supportive network of professionals. The opportunities WTS has given her drive her to give back to the next generation, leaning in.

 

 

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Lee L. Wolfe, P.E., is Senior Project Manager at GFT specializing in bridge design, rehabilitation, and construction services. She has over 30 years of experience in project and staff management and is responsible for various aspects of bridge design and structural engineering.

 

 

 

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Tara Hofferth, PE, is a senior planner / engineer with Kittelson and Associates. She works with communities to build equitable, sustainable access. Tara’s work focuses on community engagement, corridor studies, multimodal network planning, and concept development. Tara has been involved with WTS in different cities and in different roles over the course of her 11-year career. 

 

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Claudia Aliff is a Senior Technical Delivery Manager at Flix/Greyhound. She works with transportation companies to facilitate their integration into the Flix/Greyhound network to grow access across the country. She’s lived and worked in Puerto Rico, the US, and Germany and has been a board member of WTS since 2023.

 

 

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Leslie Bogdnoff, PE, is a Senior Transportation Engineer at Gilmore & Associates and is in her third year serving on the LFAL Committee. She has over 10 years of experience in transportation engineering, supporting both municipal and private sector clients. Leslie values her involvement with WTS Philadelphia for the opportunity to collaborate with and draw inspiration from other women in the transportation industry.  

 

 

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Bianca Nitica, PE, is a Project Engineer at Gilmore & Associates and co‑chair of the LFAL Subcommittee. With nearly a decade of experience, she primarily supports municipal clients with MS4 permitting, compliance, and land development plan reviews. She values cross‑disciplinary collaboration to deliver comprehensive, high‑quality products.

 

 

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Viva (Hongyu) Wan is an emerging transportation planner at WSP dedicated to advancing accessibility, safety, and equity in transportation systems. Viva is eager to contribute to the industry and support the professional community that helped launch her career through her new role on the WTS Philadelphia LEAL Committee.

 

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Padideh Moghaddam is a practice lead and experienced construction project manager with RK&K, supporting complex public-sector projects across transportation, rail/transit, and civil infrastructure. 

 

 

 

 

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Leanna Colubriale. P.E., CFM,  is a Municipal Services Team Lead with RVE focusing on municipal and public-sector engineering projects.

 

 

 

Works

Co-Chairs: Tara Hofferth and Iulia Murgescu 

Through the WTS Works program, we leverage our network of company sponsors and agency partners to help students get internships. This year we had 20 women and minority students in the Philadelphia area seeking support in finding an internship to advance their careers. Each year, we host a speed networking event where employers meet with students to get to know them beyond their resumes. We also host events in partnership with the Student Outreach Committee, where we help students recognize professional etiquette, improve their resume, practice interviewing, and prepare an elevator speech. Empowering this next generation is a very meaningful way to advance the WTS mission!

 

TECHnique

Chairperson: Lee Wolfe 

TECHnique is a special Task within the WTS Philadelphia Professional Development Committee, which works to provide programs, mostly virtual, that fulfill the requirements for Professional Development or Certified Construction Manager Hours. The cost of the events is free for members, and there is a nominal fee for non-members. We endeavor to offer a variety of programs with speakers who represent every transportation mode. Our goal is to offer 3-4 programs a year, with one of these being a technical tour of a local project site or recently completed project. We encourage more members to join this committee, bringing their ideas, so that we can continue to offer diverse and interesting programs for our members.

 

Learn from a Leader (LFAL)

Co-Chairs: Claudia Aliff, Leslie Bogdnoff, and Bianca Nitica 

Subcommittee Member: Viva Wan 

The Learn From A Leader (LFAL) Subcommittee works to thoughtfully shape one of WTS Philadelphia’s most engaging summer programs. In addition to coordinating speakers and logistics, the group focuses on curating authentic conversations that highlight diverse leadership paths and real-world experiences across the transportation industry. One of the most exciting aspects of serving on the subcommittee is identifying leaders whose stories will resonate with entry- to mid-level professionals and designing interactive formats that encourage meaningful dialogue. Getting involved offers the opportunity to collaborate with passionate peers, expand your professional network, and play a direct role in inspiring the next generation of transportation leaders.

 

Mentoring 

Co-Chairs: Leanna Colubriale and Padideh Moghaddam

The Mentorship Program is important for Professional Development because it allows individuals from different roles/industries to meet and learn from one another. Being able to create a structured mentorship program lets you make a real impact by guiding others, expanding networks, and opening doors to fresh perspectives. It is extremely rewarding to hear from various mentors/mentees who participated in the program and continue to stay in touch beyond the traditional 6-month program.