WTSEXPRESS
July/August 2017
In this issue...
President's Column
Corporate Partner Spotlight
Hurricane Harvey Relief
September Board Meeting
Holiday Party Volunteering
WTS MN Run Club
Members on the Move
MBI's WTS MN Members Update
New Members
  
WTS Minnesota welcomes the following new and returning members:
 
Robert Jorgenson

Philip Schaffner
MnDOT

Lila Singer-Berk
Cambridge Systematics
Save the Dates for Upcoming Programs!

Happy Hour with APBP
September 13th, 7-9 PM
Ox Cart Ale House rooftop

Habitat for Humanity Women Build Day
September 22nd, all day
West St. Paul

Women in Twin Cities Transportation - Recognition & Celebration Happy Hour
October TBD

Walking Tour of Nicollet Mall
November 15th

WTS MN Holiday Party
December 7th

Visit our Events page  for more information .
Job Postings
  
WTS Minnesota posts job and internship opportunities on our website. Visit our Employment Opportunities page to view all current postings.  
  Help us spread the word about available positions by sending new posting information to Laura Eash.
  Corporate Partners      

Thank you to our 2017 corporate partners: 
AECOM


HDR, Inc.

    
Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc.



SEH, Inc.



SRF Consulting Group


Stantec
 

WSB & Associates, Inc.
 
Alliant Engineering

American Engineering Testing, Inc.
 
Bolton & Menk, Inc.
 
Braun Intertec
 
Collins Engineers Inc.

HNTB

HR Green

KLJ
 
TKDA
 
WSP 
 
HTPO

Isthmus Engineering
   
Michael Baker International

Pierce Pini & Associates, Inc.

Precision Testing Inc.
 
Professional Engineering Services, Ltd.
 
Rani Engineering
 
Sambatek

Stonebrooke

Toole Design Group
 
The MN Transportation Alliance
 
Zan Associates
 
See your name here, and support the advancement of women in transportation! For more information about becoming a corporate partner, visit our  website.
Follow us on Twitter
 
Like us on Facebook

View our profile on LinkedIn
Has your email address changed?

Please email  with your new address and don't forget to update your email address with WTS International as well.
 
Join Our Mailing List
2017 WTS Minnesota
Board of Directors

President

Vice President

Secretary
Treasurer
Juana Sandoval
  
Past President

Scholarships & Recognitions Director
  Programs Co-Director
Lisa Elliott
 
Programs Co-Director

  Membership Director
Hannah Pritchard

  Marketing Director
Laura Eash

Development Director

  Transportation YOU
Co-Chair

Transportation YOU
Co-Chair
Anna Potter

Special Events Co-Chair

Special Events Co-Chair

Mentoring Co-Chair

Mentoring Co-Chair

Diversity and Equity Chair

Hospitality Chair

Membership Chair

Central Region Council Member
2017 WTS Minnesota
Advisory Board


Donna Allan
WTS Past President
 
 
Laura Amundson 
Parsons Brinckerhoff 
 
Kristin Asher
City of Richfield
 
Gina Baas
Center for Transportation Studies

Debra Brisk

Biz Colburn
WTS Past President

Sandy Cullen
University of Minnesota

Margaret Donahoe
Minnesota Transportation Alliance
   
Ann Johnson
University of MN

Wanda Kirkpatrick 
Metropolitan Council

Connie Kozlak
Metropolitan Council


Jessica Laabs

Kimley-Horn & Associates
 

Scott McBride
MnDOT
 
Dan Meyers
AECOM

Amber Nord 
Isthmus Engineering

Lisa Raduenz 
University of MN Parking and Transportation Services

Katie Roth 
Metro Transit
 
Dawn Spanhake
Center for Transportation Studies


Kristin Thompson
Metro Transit
 
Amy Vennewitz
Metropolitan Council

Charleen Zimmer

Zan Associates
President's Column
 
Hello WTS Minnesota community!

I can hardly believe that we're to the end of summer already. Our summer programs were a wonderful success. In July we learned about the secrets of snow operation and maintenance at the MAC with Bridget Rief, Sara Freese, and Charlie Beuning  - see photos on our Facebook page. In August, we had an amazing turnout at our joint networking event with MSES at Lynlake Brewery. If you missed these program, visit our calendar to see our program scheduled for this fall.

As we get closer to the end of the year, it is time to start planning for next year. WTS Minnesota is successful because of the time and energy our volunteers put forth to further our chapter mission of transforming the Minnesota transportation industry through the advancement of women. For those interested in getting more involved I encourage you consider one of the director positions, leading a committee, or volunteering on a committee. See below for details on our upcoming board meeting where you can meet the current WTS leadership and learn about ways to get involved.

I hope you are enjoying the final days of summer and I look forwarding to seeing many of you at upcoming programs and networking opportunities this fall!
 
Best Regards, 

Morgan Abbott
President, WTS Minnesota
Corporate Partner Spotlight: Stantec

WTS Minnesota would like to thank Stantec for being a 2017 Advocate-Level Partner. Giving at WTS MN's highest partnership level, Stantec has contributed to the success of WTS programs, scholarships, and educational opportunities in 2017. Please take a minute to learn more about Stantec in Minnesota and why they support WTS MN.


Minnesota Office Locations: Rochester, St. Cloud, St. Paul

Transportation Services Offered: Our transportation team provides services in planning, traffic engineering, roadway, parking and bridge design, intelligent transportation systems, asset, infrastructure and pavement management, aviation and transit and rail design. 

Website:  www.stantec.com

Why Stantec Supports WTS MN: We're active members of the communities we serve. That's why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind.

The Stantec community unites approximately 22,000 employees working in over 400 locations across six continents. Our work-engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics, from initial project concept and planning through design, construction, and commissioning-begins at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. With a long-term commitment to the people and places we serve, Stantec has the unique ability to connect to projects on a personal level and advance the quality of life in communities across the globe.
Hurricane Harvey Relief



WTS Minnesota reached out to the WTS Houston Chapter for recommendations of where to donate money to support Harvey relief efforts. Please consider supporting the following organizations: 

Come to our September Board Meeting!



2018 Leadership elections are soon approaching!! Would you like to learn more about becoming a local leader or are you looking to learn about volunteer opportunities within WTS?

Please join us for the WTS Minnesota September 11, 2017, 5:30-7:30pm board meeting at HNTB to experience what leadership entails. You will also learn about where you can take an active role to help fulfill the WTS Minnesota mission of transforming the transportation industry through the advancement of women. All are welcome!!

Food will be provided, so registration is required. 

Register Here or contact Chelsey if you are interested in a 2018 leadership position but cannot attend the meeting.
Volunteer at this year's Holiday Party



The holiday season will be here before you know it! Interested in helping WTS MN put on the best holiday party around on December 7th? Send Chelsey an email if you want to help out with the silent auction, setup/takedown or other tasks.
Join the WTS MN Run Club!



WTS Minnesota is starting a running club! The club is planning to meet once a month for a group run and happy hour afterwards, typically on the first Wednesday of the month at 6 pm.

Please join us for our inaugural group run starting at the Longfellow Grill (2990 W River Parkway, Minneapolis) on Wednesday, September 6th at 6 pm. For September, we will cover the West River Parkway - Franklin Ave. Bridge - East River Parkway - Marshall Ave. Bridge loop along the Mississippi, a distance of about 3.5 miles. WTS aims to be an inclusive organization, so all paces are welcome.

If you're interested, click here to register so we know who to expect! Contact Rose Ryan with any questions. 

Congratulations to Daniel Baxter and his wife Hannah, who welcomed a baby boy, Isaac Baxter, on August 29th!

Congratulations to Adele Hall and her husband Steve, who welcomed a baby girl, Nina Sofia Atlas Gershone, on July 11th!

Congratulations to Lyssa Leitner with Washington County, who was recently promoted to METRO Gold Line Deputy Project Manager!

Congratulations to Caroline Miller with the METRO Blue Line Project Office, who was recently promoted to Environmental Project Manager!

Congratulations to Bridget Rief with Metropolitan Airports Commission, who was recently promoted to VP of Planning & Development!

Congratulations to Katie Roth, who was selected as one of 2017's 40 Under 40 by Mass Transit Magazine!

Congratulations to Fay Simer and her husband Kurt, who welcomed a baby girl, Edith Lehman Simer, on August 28th!

Congratulations to Jessa Trboyevich with Hennepin County, who was recently promoted to Road Design Division Manager!

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Have member news to share? Send in snippets about job changes, life milestones, and other accomplishments to Laura Eash so we can keep track of and recognize our colleagues!
Summer News from Michael Baker International's WTS MN Members

This June, WTS Minnesota members and Michael Baker International bridge engineers Daniel Baxter and Krista Stippelmans presented at the prestigious International Bridge Conference in Washington, DC. Daniel gave two talks, one on the rehabilitation of the Winona Bridge through truss in Winona, MN, and the second about the design of the proposed 28th St. Bridge over I-35W. Krista and WTS Minnesota member and MBI bridge engineer Ally Willoughby were coauthors on the Winona Bridge and 28th St. Bridge papers, respectively. Krista presented in a workshop describing the efforts of nonprofit organization Bridges to Prosperity to benefit underserved communities worldwide through the construction of new pedestrian footbridges over impassable rivers.

In July, Daniel became a Certified Instructor for the Federal Highway Administration's National Highway Institute, after being observed while teaching over several days by a NHI Master Instructor. Also in July, Krista became a certified Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians (SPRAT) Level I Technician. She will use her certification to perform rope access inspections of bridges, and is the first woman at Michael Baker International to have obtained this certification.