Speaker Bios
Speaker Bios Midyear Meeting 2015 San Diego, CA General Session Speaker Rep. Scott H. Peters, U.S. House of Representatives (D-CA) First elected in 2012, Scott Peters currently serves on the House Armed Services Committee & the House Judiciary Committee. He formerly served on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Scott Peters is a civic leader who has made improving the quality of life in San Diego his life’s work. After a 15-year career as an environmental lawyer, Scott was elected to the San Diego City Council, where he later became the City’s first City Council President. In 2001, the governor appointed Scott to the Commission on Tax Policy in the New Economy, and in 2002, the Speaker of the Assembly appointed Scott to the California Coastal Commission. Scott also later served as chairman of the San Diego Unified Port District. Scott Peters, listed by National Journal in 2013 as the fourth most independent Democrat in Congress, is a problem solver with a record of bringing people together to get results.
Government Relations Committee Speaker Stephen Martinko, K&L Gates Topic: Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Work on the Highway Bill
Guardrail Committee Speakers Chad Heimbecker, Swiftwater Solutions Topic: RFID Tags Chad Heimbecker has been involved with highway safety devices since 1997. Operating as Swiftwater Solutions LLC, he offers a wide range of professional services to businesses in the transportation sector such as Product Development, Computer Aided Design & Drafting, and Technical Documentation. He also services Information Technology and System Administration needs, developing Websites, Graphics Design & Data Management Systems. John Jewell, Caltrans Topic: State of the Guardrail Industry at Caltrans
Speakers at ATSSA’s 2015 Midyear Meeting
www.atssa.com
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High Friction Surfacing Council Speaker Derrick Castle, Kentucky Cabinet of Transportation Topic: National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP) Test Deck
Innovation Council Speakers Rob Dingess, Mercer Strategic Alliance, Inc. Topic: Update on the National Committee, AASHTO, TRB, and Connected Automation Mr. Dingess is president of Mercer Strategic Alliance. He served as ATSSA’s Director of Government Relations from 1996-2005. An ATSS Foundation board member, he serves as Chair of the ATSSA High Friction Surfacing Council, on the Pavement Marking Committee and has been appointed as a pavement marking committee representative to the Innovation Council.
Mohammed Poorsartep, Texas A&M Transportation Institute Topic: Connected Vehicles and Truck Platooning Mr. Mohammad Poorsartep is a Research Scientist at the Texas A&M Transportation Research Institute where he also serves as Project Manager for TTI’s Connected Transportation Initiative. In his current position, he is leading TTI’s activities further into the emerging area of automated and autonomous vehicles technology. Mr. Poorsartep has an extensive background in working with construction, telecommunications, automotive, and defense industries.
Ken Wood, P.E., FHWA Resource Center Topic: EDC3 Smarter Work Zone Initiative
Membership Committee Speaker Linda Pope, LLM Publications Topic: Searchable ATSSA Database
Pavement Marking Committee Speaker Paul Carlson, Texas A&M Transportation Institute Topic: Markings for Automated and Connected Vehicles
Speakers at ATSSA’s 2015 Midyear Meeting
www.atssa.com
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Safety & Public Awareness Committee Speakers Jay Otto, Center for Health and Safety Culture, Western Transportation Institute, Montana State University Topic: How to Grow Positive Community Norms in Transportation-Related Issues Andrew Roberts, Royal Truck; Jason Rohrer, J-Tech Trucks; Marty Weed, Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) Topic: Cone-Setting Best Practices Roundtable Talis Berg, ATSSA Staff Topic: Getting the Most from Your Website
Sign Committee Speakers Charles Fay, FHWA Safety Data and Analysis Center Topic: Overview of SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) and Roadway Information Database (RID) and FHWA’s Safety Training and Analysis Center (STAC)
Bryan Katz, Toxcel Topic: Traffic Control Pooled Fund Study Guide Sign Analysis Study Dr. Bryan Katz is the Vice President of Engineering at toXcel and an Assistant Professor of Practice at Virginia Tech. He is licensed as a Professional Engineer and certified as a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer. Dr. Katz has 15 years of experience, most of which has been focused on the evaluation of signs and pavement markings. He provides technical support for the FHWA Traffic Control Devices Pooled Fund Study project.
Temporary Traffic Control Committee Speakers Ken Wood, P.E., FHWA Resource Center Topic: EDC3 Smarter Work Zone Initiative Scott McCanna, Oregon Department of Transportation Topic: Pedestrians and Bicycles in Work Zones Mohammed Poorsartep, Texas A&M Transportation Institute Topic: Truck Platooning
Speakers at ATSSA’s 2015 Midyear Meeting
www.atssa.com
Page 3 of 3
Government Relations Committee Speaker Stephen Martinko, K&L Gates Topic: Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Work on the Highway Bill
Guardrail Committee Speakers Chad Heimbecker, Swiftwater Solutions Topic: RFID Tags Chad Heimbecker has been involved with highway safety devices since 1997. Operating as Swiftwater Solutions LLC, he offers a wide range of professional services to businesses in the transportation sector such as Product Development, Computer Aided Design & Drafting, and Technical Documentation. He also services Information Technology and System Administration needs, developing Websites, Graphics Design & Data Management Systems. John Jewell, Caltrans Topic: State of the Guardrail Industry at Caltrans
Speakers at ATSSA’s 2015 Midyear Meeting
www.atssa.com
Page 1 of 3
High Friction Surfacing Council Speaker Derrick Castle, Kentucky Cabinet of Transportation Topic: National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP) Test Deck
Innovation Council Speakers Rob Dingess, Mercer Strategic Alliance, Inc. Topic: Update on the National Committee, AASHTO, TRB, and Connected Automation Mr. Dingess is president of Mercer Strategic Alliance. He served as ATSSA’s Director of Government Relations from 1996-2005. An ATSS Foundation board member, he serves as Chair of the ATSSA High Friction Surfacing Council, on the Pavement Marking Committee and has been appointed as a pavement marking committee representative to the Innovation Council.
Mohammed Poorsartep, Texas A&M Transportation Institute Topic: Connected Vehicles and Truck Platooning Mr. Mohammad Poorsartep is a Research Scientist at the Texas A&M Transportation Research Institute where he also serves as Project Manager for TTI’s Connected Transportation Initiative. In his current position, he is leading TTI’s activities further into the emerging area of automated and autonomous vehicles technology. Mr. Poorsartep has an extensive background in working with construction, telecommunications, automotive, and defense industries.
Ken Wood, P.E., FHWA Resource Center Topic: EDC3 Smarter Work Zone Initiative
Membership Committee Speaker Linda Pope, LLM Publications Topic: Searchable ATSSA Database
Pavement Marking Committee Speaker Paul Carlson, Texas A&M Transportation Institute Topic: Markings for Automated and Connected Vehicles
Speakers at ATSSA’s 2015 Midyear Meeting
www.atssa.com
Page 2 of 3
Safety & Public Awareness Committee Speakers Jay Otto, Center for Health and Safety Culture, Western Transportation Institute, Montana State University Topic: How to Grow Positive Community Norms in Transportation-Related Issues Andrew Roberts, Royal Truck; Jason Rohrer, J-Tech Trucks; Marty Weed, Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) Topic: Cone-Setting Best Practices Roundtable Talis Berg, ATSSA Staff Topic: Getting the Most from Your Website
Sign Committee Speakers Charles Fay, FHWA Safety Data and Analysis Center Topic: Overview of SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) and Roadway Information Database (RID) and FHWA’s Safety Training and Analysis Center (STAC)
Bryan Katz, Toxcel Topic: Traffic Control Pooled Fund Study Guide Sign Analysis Study Dr. Bryan Katz is the Vice President of Engineering at toXcel and an Assistant Professor of Practice at Virginia Tech. He is licensed as a Professional Engineer and certified as a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer. Dr. Katz has 15 years of experience, most of which has been focused on the evaluation of signs and pavement markings. He provides technical support for the FHWA Traffic Control Devices Pooled Fund Study project.
Temporary Traffic Control Committee Speakers Ken Wood, P.E., FHWA Resource Center Topic: EDC3 Smarter Work Zone Initiative Scott McCanna, Oregon Department of Transportation Topic: Pedestrians and Bicycles in Work Zones Mohammed Poorsartep, Texas A&M Transportation Institute Topic: Truck Platooning
Speakers at ATSSA’s 2015 Midyear Meeting
www.atssa.com
Page 3 of 3
