April 2019
WTS SW Idaho 
Chapter Newsletter
Issue No. 35
In This Issue
Girls Scouts STEM Event
  
WTS SW Idaho had a booth at the Girl Scouts STEM event Saturday, April 13th. Our volunteers helped the kids design and build Styrofoam beams. Once the beams were built, the beam was weighted until the deflection was large enough to crush an egg placed underneath. This hands-on exercise helped the kids think about why the beams in the overpasses they go under every day are shaped the way they are and introduced them to basic design concepts.


Honorary Member Spotlight - Mollie McCarty
Mollie McCarty, Manager, ITD 
Office of Governmental Affairs

Mollie McCarty became ITD's Governmental Affairs Manager in 2008. She had previously worked at ITD since 1998 as a member of the Communications Office staff where she was the primary spokesman for District 3 on southwest Idaho projects.
Among those projects were the first and second construction stages of the WYE Interchange in Boise and expansion of I-84 in the Treasure Valley.
Before coming to ITD she managed public relations projects at Elgin Syferd Drake, one of Idaho's leading advertising agencies (now Drake Cooper). She also worked in television news broadcasting for 10 years, starting as a reporter and advancing to anchor. Her last seven years were in Boise at CBS affiliate KBOI-TV.
McCarty holds a degree in communications from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA, with a broadcast emphasis.
April 23rd Lunch & Learn - 
Emerging Trends and Technology in the Transportation Field
Maureen Gresham (left)            Jeff Marker (right)

We had a great turnout at the Cottonwood Grille for this first presentation of the 2019 Transportation Series. Maureen Gresham with ACHD Commuteride introduced the 2019 Transportation Series. Crissy Ditmore, Director of Strategy and expert in shared mobility at the Cubic Corporation, Jeff Marker, Public Transportation Manager at ITD and coordinator for the Governor's Task Force on Autonomous and Connected Vehicles, and Jeff Wolfe, President of the Car Park were our presenters. They spoke about the adaptations required in planning and designing transportation infrastructure to accommodate emerging trends and technology in the transportation arena.




Honorary Member Spotlight - Amy Schroeder

Amy Schroeder, Transportation Program Manager, ITD
Amy Schroeder is a Transportation Program Manager for the Idaho Transportation Department, currently managing a $530 million statewide transportation expansion program. She also managed the previous GARVEE expansion program for the department and was an engineering manager at District 3 prior to her current position.

Amy is a native Idahoan originally from the Filer/Buhl area in Twin Falls County. Prior to joining ITD more than 15 years ago, Amy worked in the private sector on heavy civil construction projects. Amy holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Idaho (one in Civil Engineering and one in Mining Engineering) and a Professional Engineering license in Idaho.
If you have a topic suggestion or want to contribute an article for our next newsletter, please contact Cristina Brischler

First Adopt-A-Highway Litter Event for 2019

Our First Adopt-A-Highway litter event for 2019 will be this Saturday, April 27th. Check your inbox for details!

Sponsor Feature - J-U-B
  

Sponsor Feature - GeoEngineers
Upcoming WTS SW Idaho Chapter Events

April 27th - Adopt-A-Highway Litter Pickup
May TBD - Emergency Management  System  
June TBD - May in Motion Presentation
July 30th -  WTS Breakfast and Learn with Connie Miller, Icon Credit Union

For more on Corporate & Event Partnerships contact Donn Carnahan