WTS Hampton Roads Chapter Newsletter - Winter 2023
This winter is flying by in a flurry for our Hampton Roads Chapter! As fall came and went, we hope your winter has been filled with holiday cheer and fun times with friends and loved ones. This season, our chapter took the time to celebrate each other and give back to our community. We look forward to a new year filled with more opportunities to learn and grow. Happy Holidays! See you in 2024!
- WTS HRC Communication Committee
Letter from Leadership
The Hampton Roads Chapter has had a great year! Our board and committee chairs have been working so hard behind the scenes all year to make our Chapter the best it can be. I am honored to have worked alongside them all year and am very thankful for their dedication to our chapter. I am very excited to continue working together next year.
I would also like to thank our Chapter Corporate Sponsors for supporting us throughout the year. We would not have been able to continue the mission of WTS without the generous support. Lastly, I would like to give a shout out to our members for continuing to support the Chapter and attend the events.
In August, we held our Annual Wine Raffle Reception with Chief Deputy Commissioner Cathy McGhee at the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club. Attendees enjoyed networking, dinner, and a very engaging presentation from Cathy McGhee. We raffled off three baskets of wine to raise funds for our scholarships. This is personally one of my favorite events!
In September, we held our Annual DEI Panel Luncheon at the Main in Norfolk. The expert panelists spread their knowledge on the topic to attendees while also interacting with the attendees during the Q&A portion of the event. We plan to extend this event next year to allow more time for discussion!
In November, we held two events! First was our Annual Reception and Silent Auction held at Waterman’s. Our Keynote Speaker was Captain Janet Days, the Commanding Officer of Naval Station Norfolk. Capt. Days truly epitomizes what it means to be a leader and touched on the importance of being an active listener in a leadership role. We also celebrated each Recognition Award recipient and Scholarship recipient. Due to the many gracious donations and bids, we were able to raise $1,800 from the silent auction for our scholarship fund! The second event was a Joint Chapter Virtual DEI social. Eight WTS Chapters came together to host this impactful event. Dr. Katrina Hutchins, the President and CEO of the Re-Source Solutions, led attendees through the educational webinar series. This event focused on harnessing the power of inclusion.
Closing out the year was our charity blanket making event! This year, it was a joint event with the local COMTO Chapter. We enjoyed socializing in the laid-back environment while creating 20 blankets to donate to PIN ministry. Along with the blanket donation, we were able to raise $550 to donate to PIN Ministry!
With the new year just around the corner, now is the perfect time to make a resolution to stay committed to your career and professional development by getting involved in our Chapter! Please join us on January 16th for our first event of the year. Leadership from US Coast Guard Sector Virginia will be presenting to us at the HRTPO Office. In early February, we will be hosting our Annual Strategic Planning meeting to game plan the year. This is a great opportunity to learn about our Chapter’s committees and become more involved.
All these elements mentioned above, help us strive towards our mission of advancing women in transportation. We are looking forward to a great 2024. Hope to see you next year!
-Carly Goldsborough, PE
WTS HRC President
Scholarship and Recognition Award Nominations
The deadline for applications for the Hampton Roads Chapter 2024 Scholarship Program has been extended to January 5th! Scholarship recipients will be notified and announced in the New Year!
Event Highlights
Below are a few highlights from some of our biggest events of the year. Thank you to all who attended, sponsored, and presented at our events this year. If you or your company has any interest in sponsoring on of our 2024 events, please contact our Corporate Sponsorship Chair, Sara Keranakis, PE.
August: WTS Wine Raffle Reception for WTS Scholarships
Our chapter closed out this summer of events with the annual WTS Wine Raffle Reception at the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club. At the reception, VDOT Chief Deputy Commissioner, Cathy McGhee, PE, was a featured guest speaker. Attendees got the opportunity to network and mingle, while participating in the annual wine raffle, from which proceeds went to the WTS Scholarship Foundation.
September: DEI Panel Luncheon
Our September luncheon featured four speakers who have used their positions to be a catalyst for change in the workplace. Moderator Queen T. Crittendon of VDOT was joined by Noelle Pinkard of HRT, Quan McLaurin of HRPDC, Dr. ClauDean Kizart of TCC, and Stacie Walls of the LGBT Life Center who all shared insights into how they championed DE&I in their own careers, making a different across their teams and industry. Our chapter is very grateful for the continued dedication of professionals like them for their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as their willingness to share their experiences to inspire us all.
November Joint Chapter Virtual DEI Event: You Belong Here!
During this joint chapter event, Dr. Katrina Hutchins (Dr. K.) shared her decades of experience on the power of inclusivity in the workplace and provided powerful examples tools, techniques, and best practices for harnessing the power of belonging. Participants engaged in discussions with their industry peers and gained valuable hands-on knowledge to apply many of the concepts discussed during the virtual event. Participants also had the opportunity to meet and get to know WTS members from other chapters, while discussing chapter best practices. This joint event was sponsored by the South Carolina, Charlotte Metro, Central Virginia, North Carolina Triangle, Hampton Roads, Washington D.C. Maine, and Atlanta WTS Chapters. We look forward to hosting a joint virtual DEI event next year.
December WTS and COMTO Joint Blanket Making Charity Event
One of our chapter's favorite ways to enjoy the holiday season is by enjoying pizza and fellowship while expressing our creativity for a worthy cause, and this year we were joined by members of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)! Individuals of all craftiness levels met at the ODU campus to created cozy blankets to donate to PIN Ministry, which is an organization dedicated to providing hot meals, shelter, showers & clothing, and medical care to those in need within the Hampton Roads area. See below and our Chapter Photo Gallery for our member's cozy creations!
Highlights from the 13th Annual WTS HRC Transportation Reception
The Thirteenth Annual Transportation Reception was held on November 2nd at Waterman’s Surfside Grille in Virginia Beach. The event was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on a year of events and progress for our WTS chapter, as well as an opportunity to recognize the contributions of our chapter’s leadership and award recipients. The event was also a great opportunity to look towards the future by honoring scholarship recipients and raising money for the WTS Foundation through donations and a Silent Auction.
The keynote speaker Captain Janet H. Days, the Commanding Officer of Norfolk Naval Station. She discussed her career journey and experiences as a woman in transportation.
The award recipients for the evening included Kodi Berger as Member of the Year, for her dedication to the chapter since 2014 and going above and beyond in chapter leadership roles. Anna Bonet was honored as Woman of the Year, for her outstanding work on a local and global scale and her advocacy for diversity within the industry. HDR was named 2023 Employer of the Year for actively encouraging participation in WTS and providing a place for women in transportation to flourish. William E. Harrell was the recipient of the Honorable Ray Lahood Award for his commitment to supporting and advocating for the women in his workplace. The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) Expansion was selected for the Innovative Transportation Solutions Award for the project's revolutionary approach to tunnel construction and strong representation of female leadership. The HRT IDEA Committee was awarded the Rosa Parks Diversity Award for their focus on D&I initiatives through their internal practices that better connect HRT to the diverse communities it serves.
Thank you to our speaker!
Captain Janet H. Days
Commanding Officer of Norfolk Naval Station
Congratulations to our 2023 Scholarship Winners!
Congratulations 2023 Recognition Award Winners!
Anna Bonet, CEO Elizabeth River Crossings
Woman of the Year
Kodi Berger, Kimley-Horn
Member of the Year
William E. Harrell, HRT
Honorable Ray Lahood Award
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) Expansion Project
Innovative Transportation Solutions Award
HRT IDEA Committee Members: Jamica Baker, Daniele Hill, Noelle Pinkard, Claudette Boneparte, Christina Malcolm, Frederick Hamilton, Jennifer Dove, Pater Katranides
Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award
HDR
Employer of the Year
Check out our Chapter Photo Gallery page for more event photos!
Member Showcase
This month's spotlight is Angela Gregory from Hampton Roads Transit. Read below to learn a little more about Ilana and her WTS journey!
Angela Gregory
Hampton Roads Transit
Position/Title at Company - Strategic Communications Specialist
Hometown - Laverne, OK
When did you join WTS? June 2023
Why did you join WTS? I'm new to the transit industry and thought WTS would be a good way to learn more about it as well as give me an opportunity to network with like-minded women.
Do you hold a position in WTS HRC or International? What is your role? Not yet!
What do you like best about your job? I love telling the story of public transit, especially the people who often go unnoticed, like our bus operators and mechanics. They are the backbone of what we do and without them we couldn't do our job. Bringing their stories to light is a rewarding experience.
Favorite project you have worked on - In July 2023 the Elizabeth Rivery Ferry celebrated its 40th Anniversary. It's been my most favorite project, so far. In preparation for the celebration, I conducted quite a few interviews with the people involved in getting the ferry service up and running. I was able to meet so many interesting people and learn about the history of the ferry service. The celebration itself went flawlessly and at the end of the day I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride in a job well done.
How do you like to spend your free time? I'm a bit of a book nerd. I love to read. This summer I accidentally started an online book club. (Be careful what you wish for.) It has more than 100 members from all over the world! We meet once a week and I'm having so much fun, reading books outside of my comfort zone, meeting new people, and learning how to use discord.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself. Before making the switch to government communications I was a local TV news producer for 15 years... and I won an Emmy.
Save the Date - Upcoming Events in 2024
- USCG Luncheon at the HRTPO Office - January 16th
- Annual Chapter Kickoff Meeting - February 1st
- Membership Social Joint Event with COMTO at The Thin Brew Line - February 22
Keep and 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.