WTS Hampton Roads Chapter Newsletter - Spring 2025
As the days get longer and new ideas blossom, this newsletter is bursting with updates, including a heartfelt Letter from Leadership from our new President, Jennifer Riddle and a warm welcome to our 2025-2026 Board & Committee Chairs. Catch up on our successful Event Highlights, from the first-of-the-year EV Luncheon, "The Revolution is in the Details," to the rewarding Habitat for Humanity Build Day where we stepped outside the office to make a tangible impact, and our annual Culture+Commerce event where panelists shared their thoughts on the future of ongoing initiatives. Dive in and see how we're pioneering the future, one season at a time, and mark your calendars for our exciting upcoming events!
- WTS HRC Communication Committee
Letter from Leadership
As I step into the role of President of the WTS Hampton Roads Chapter, I’m filled with excitement for what lies ahead. I want to begin by thanking our incredible committee chairs—your dedication and tireless work have kept our chapter thriving and active across the region. You are the heart of our organization.
I also want to extend a warm welcome to our new members and express deep appreciation to our new and returning agency and corporate partners. Your support makes everything we do possible—from hosting impactful programs to awarding scholarships that empower the next generation of women in transportation.
On a personal note, I still remember attending my very first WTS event years ago. I walked in not knowing anyone, but I left feeling inspired and connected. That sense of community and shared purpose is what drew me in—and it’s what continues to motivate our board and me to this day. Whether you're a longtime member or just getting started, I hope you’ll find that same sense of belonging here.
We’re looking forward to seeing you at our upcoming events! And if you haven’t joined yet, we’d love to welcome you. There’s a place for everyone at WTS.
Warm regards,
Jennifer Riddle
President, WTS Hampton Roads Chapter
Welcome 2025-2026 Board & Committee Chairs!
Interested in joining one of our Committees? Contact us at [email protected]
2025 WTSI Annual Conference: WTS Mosaic: Mobility + Momentum, May 7–9, 2025, Toronto
Over 1,000+ WTS members, chapters, partners, friends, and fellow transportation professionals convened this month at the 2025 WTS International Annual Conference in Toronto, Canada. This year’s conference theme, The WTS Mosaic: Mobility + Momentum, highlighted the culturally rich fabric of Toronto, while also addressing our industry's critical work to advance mobility, improve transportation access, and build collective momentum for the future. The week was filled with inspiring conversations, new connections, and several calls to action to advance equity and access in the industry.
Shout-out to our Sponsors
Our sponsors are a vital part of our organization and with their support, the chapter has been able to grow, connect and strengthen women and professionals in the transportation industry across Hampton Roads. We are excited to announce two upgrades in sponsorship levels this spring, HDR (Gold) and HNTB (Titanium )! A huge thank you to all sponsors who have continued their support for the new year. The list of all current sponsors and application to apply to become a sponsor can be found on our Corporate Partnership web-page.
Event Highlights
Starting off the year strong some new engaging luncheons as well as some of our reoccurring events including the Annual Chapter meeting and Habitat for Humanity build. Thank you to all who attended, sponsored, and presented at our events so far this year. If you or your company has any interest in sponsoring one of our 2025 events, please contact our Corporate Sponsorship Chairs, Sara Keranakis; Brianna Binowski
February: EV Luncheon at Clark Nexsen
The Revolution is in the Details: Strategies for Equitable EV Deployment" marked WTS Hampton Roads' first event of the year, exploring critical approaches to ensure electric vehicle (EV) adoption and infrastructure are accessible to all communities. This event focused on strategies to overcome barriers to equitable EV deployment, emphasizing that a just transition to clean transportation requires careful planning and targeted efforts to benefit everyone. A special thank you to our speakers, Brad Shelton and Desmond Smallwood, for sharing their valuable insights, and to our wonderful hosts, Michael Baker International and Clark Nexsen, for a successful event!
March: Marine Solutions, Inc.’s Female Dive Team Luncheon
The WTS Hampton Roads Speaker Series Luncheon, "Breaking Barriers: From the Lone Female Diver to Leading an All-Female Dive Team," was an incredibly inspiring event for our organization. Featuring Mandy Schindhelm, PE, Vice President and Southeast Region Director at Marine Solutions, Inc., the session highlighted her remarkable 27-year career in a male-dominated engineering field. Her powerful story of progress, from being the sole female diver to leading an all-female dive team, truly embodies the WTS mission of advancing women in transportation and serves as a powerful call to action for the next generation of women in underrepresented fields.
April: Annual Chapter Meeting at Michael Baker
We were excited to continue our chapter's tradition of welcoming all members to the first WTS Hampton Road Chapter Board meeting of the year. This allows members to get a behinds the scenes glimpse of how the leadership team establishes chapter and committee goals and plans this year's upcoming events. If you were unable to attend this event and want to learn more about opportunities to get involved in WTS leadership roles, please email us at [email protected]. We'd love to have you!
May: Habitat for Humanity
The recent Habitat for Humanity Build Day on May 1st, 2025, presented a fantastic opportunity for WTS Hampton Roads members to directly impact our community while embodying the spirit of empowerment that defines our organization. This hands-on event allowed our members to literally build stronger communities, taking a step outside the office to demonstrate the tangible impact our members have beyond their professional roles It was a chance to connect, serve, and visibly build a better future together.
May: Hampton Roads Leadership Panel at HRTPO
The Annual Culture+Commerce Leadership Panel luncheon is one of our chapter's most cherished event, providing invaluable insights and fostering leadership development within our organization. This forum, featuring a distinguished panel of speakers including Monica Galozo, Elonda Mackey, and Maleah Amos, directly supported WTS's mission by highlighting the critical role women play in navigating and overcoming contemporary challenges in the business and transportation sectors. A key focus of the discussion was the panelists expressing hope and optimism for the future of culture and commerce initiatives even amidst uncertain times. Attendees benefited from the diverse perspectives and experiences shared, reinforcing the importance of strong female leadership in shaping the future of transportation and our region. Thank you to our panelists and to HRTPO for helping to make this a memorable event!
Member Showcase
Name – Drew Monsour
Company – Kimley Horn
Position/Title at Company – Roadway Engineering Analyst
Hometown – Roanoke, Virginia
When did you join WTS? I joined WTS in February of 2024
Why did you join WTS? I ended up at a chapter meeting and thought it seemed like a great group of people pushing for a great cause.
Do you hold a position in WTS HRC or International? What is your role? The communications co-chair.
What do you like best about your job? The thing I like best about my job is the more I learn, the realize that everything when I drive, including the ponds on the side of the road as well as the amount of storage in a given turn, has a reason! I'm sure my girlfriend has gotten annoyed at this point by the amount of times I have pointed at a sidewalk and saying it's not to current standards…
Favorite project you have worked on – I have had a lot of opportunities to work on some very interesting projects. I would say the one I think has been the coolest is working with naval bases and creating geometry for their entrance gates. There were so many more considerations than I thought and it felt like a puzzle trying to get them all to be in sync.
How do you like to spend your free time? I love going to the beach as well as anything outdoors. I also got a copy of Guitar Hero recently and have been playing that!
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself. A cool fact about me is I lucked into meeting Christina Perri and Colbie Caillat.
Save the Date - Upcoming Events
- Networking Event with Head Shots at COVA Brewery - June 9th
- Self Defense Course with VBSO - June 21st
- Annual Wine Raffle - July 24th 2025
- HRBT Welcome Center Tour - August 21st 2025
Keep an eye-out for upcoming event announcements through WTS email blasts and our Events page.
Interested in sponsoring one of our next events? Contact our Corporate Sponsorship Committee.