Alumni Spotlights

"Impactful, substantive discussions with other industry professionals prove invaluable. Attending the Operations Academy is a ‘sought-after spot every year!’"

LisaRene Schilperoort

Southwest Region Traffic Engineer

Washington State DOT

"Being in the sessions with professionals from around the country gave me a great resource to hear from others, ask questions, and understand how others are approaching TSMO strategies."

Joanna Wadsworth

Manager of Engineering

Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada

"My experience at the Ops Academy reaffirmed my career purpose. I learned I wasn’t a small cog in the wheel. I was a critical cog, and I learned why that was true."

Monica Harwood Duncan

Transportation Operations Specialist

Federal Highway Administration

"What I learned is that TSMO is a culture. It’s something you practice. It means collaboration, communication, and creating a culture in which lines are open."

San Lee

State Traffic Engineer

Colorado Department of Transportation

"Without the knowledge I learned at the Operations Academy, I would not be the Director of Iowa DOT. I have no doubt about that."

Scott Marler

Director

Iowa Department of Transportation

"One of the assignments at the Operations Academy was to write a list of life goals. One year later, the program mails it back it you. I credit that list, plus my experiences at the Operations Academy, with my career success."

Said El Said

Transportation Program Manager

Neel Schaffer Engineering

"Looking back, completing the Operations Academy training was a great thing to do. Working with all those different people enriched me, and it helped me add to my credentials and step into the position I now have."

Reese Brewer

Director

Frontier Metropolitan Planning Organization

"For a collision reconstruction investigator, the Operations Academy communication sessions were ‘pivotal’"

Chuck Burkhardt

Commander, Tactical Intelligence

Pennsylvania State Police

"My experience at the Operations Academy transformed me into a champion for implementing TSMO strategies at my agency, and the lessons I learned were the foundation of a much-needed, new TSMO strategic plan for NCDOT."

Jennifer Portanova

TSMO Engineer

North Carolina DOT

"The most important benefit from the Operations Academy was I learned to better communicate to my agency what TSMO is and its impact. Now I’m able to demonstrate to our leadership what we need to invest in, and get their buy-in."

Alexandra Lopez

TSMO Engineer

Florida Department of Transportation

"I was exposed to many different types of training in 30 years with the Alabama DOT, but the Operations Academy was hands down, bar none, the most impactful training I ever took."

Chris Hilyer

National TSMO Leader

Arcadis

"Operations Academy Training was Pivotal: ‘You might find yourself running a DOT’"

Solomon Caviness

Commissioner

Atlanta DOT