Speakers and Presenters

Elnour Adam BIO 

BSC. Architecture. 

Project management Professional (PMP) 

Certified Construction Manager (CCM) 

Certified Design Build Institute of America (DBIA)  

Current Job: Engineering Manager – Alternative Delivery Branch Chief – Prince William County Department of Transportation. 

• Successfully managed the DB projects of: Prince William County Parkway Interchange at Realigned Balls Ford Road. 

• Prince William County Parkway Interchange at Brentsville Road. 

• Neabsco Commuter Parking Garage. 

• University Blvd. Extension between Devlin and Wellington. 

• Route 234/Sudley Manor Road Interchange. 

Previous jobs: 

Construction manager Loudoun County Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure. 

Quality Assurance/Quality Control – Superintendent Gilbane Building Company: 

• US Capitol Visitor Center CM at Risk 

• Fort Belvoir Army Hospital Progressive Design -Build project. 

Anurag, PE, is a Drainage Engineer with Kiewit Engineering Group Inc., providing hydraulic and 
hydrologic design support for major highway and transportation infrastructure projects. His experience
includes roadway drainage analysis, culvert and storm drain system design, open channel hydraulics, 
pavement drainage, detention and retention facilities, bridge hydraulics, and construction-phase temporary 
drainage systems, developed in accordance with state DOT and industry standards. He has contributed to
large corridor projects such as the Southeast Connector (Fort Worth, TX) and the Carolina-Crossroads 
pursuit in South Carolina, as well as land development projects on multiple residential and commercial sites 
in Arizona, requiring the integration of existing and proposed drainage systems with phased construction. 
Anurag is a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas. He holds an MS in Water Resources Engineering from 
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Ray Biggs, II, is the Senior Project Director for the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA), where he leads delivery of the Purple Line public private partnership in Maryland. He brings more than 15 years of experience across federal, state, and private sector transportation organizations, including senior leadership roles at the Federal Transit Administration. In the private sector, Ray managed risk for the JFK Redevelopment Program and supported major transit and aviation capital programs nationwide. His career has focused on strengthening governance, risk management, and delivery discipline on complex infrastructure initiatives. Ray holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, an MBA from the George Washington University, and he is a 2024 recipient of Mass Transit’s 40 Under 40 Award. 

David Clary is a Technical Leader in Dallas, Texas, for Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), a position he has held since 2008. David has more than 52 years of consulting experience on rail, transit, highway and airport transportation projects, including key rail projects for the Panama Canal Railway in Panama, the Powder River Basin in Wyoming, the BART Berryessa Extension and the Sacramento Regional Transit Blue Line Extension in California, and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Central Business District Rail Replacement Project in Texas. David’s experience also includes key highway projects such as Section VII of the Dallas North Tollway in Dallas, Texas and US Highway 90A widening in Sugar Land and Stafford, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1973. David is currently serving as a member of AREMA Committee 11 Commuter and Intercity Rail.   

Odera Cole, PE is a Transportation Project Engineer with broad experience spanning both conceptual and final design. At Toole Design, she has worked extensively on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects, intersection and roadway improvement projects where she develops thoughtful, context specific design concepts. Beyond design, Odera brings experience conducting traffic analyses and safety assessments. She is passionate about integrating data driven insights with innovative design to create transportation solutions that prioritize safety, accessibility, and the needs of all roadway users. Her work reflects a deep commitment to balancing technical precision, community context, and client goals across a diverse range of transportation projects. 

Matthew Cook, PE is the Director of Water Resources in the Raleigh RK&K office and heads the hydraulic design efforts for the I-40 Pigeon River reconstruction project. With 27 years of experience and in addition to leading a water resources team of approximately 20 people, he has experience in leading large scale NCDOT, SCDOT, and TDOT transportation projects including interstate widening and new location work, layout and modeling for major hydraulic conveyances, linear drainage, erosion prevention and control, environmental compliance and permitting, and scheduling. He has modeled dozens of bridges and culverts across NC while coordinating with all environmental agencies and stakeholders. He has worked on multiple design delivery methods including P3, CMGC, design-bid-build, and over 50 design-build projects. 

Ed Crooks is an infrastructure development and finance professional, specializing in strategic infrastructure advisory, alternative delivery strategies and public-private partnerships. His 30+ years of experience include a wide range of alternative project delivery and infrastructure financing and investment. He has worked across many sectors, including highways, water, rail, ports, transit and social infrastructure.   

He is a Senior Vice President in HNTB’s Advisory practice where he manages a team providing executive owners representative support to senior client leaders seeking to deliver the biggest and most complex infrastructure projects and programs.   

Ed received his MBA from the University of Chicago and his AB from Indiana University, Bloomington. He is a registered Professional Engineer (civil - inactive) in Texas. Ed and his family have lived in Northern Virginia for more than 25 years.

Jeremy Chrzan, PE, PTOE, LEED AP has 27 years of experience and serves as Toole Design’s Multimodal Design Practice Lead based in Silver Spring, MD. He brings a varied engineering background that encompasses bicycle, pedestrian, highway, and roundabout design; green street projects; project management and permitting; maintenance and protection of traffic; and construction oversight. Jeremy uses his technical knowledge of design standards, construction best practices, and quality control reviews to identify key project issues and identify viable engineering solutions. Jeremy was the lead engineer for the AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, the Ohio Multimodal Design Guide, and a contributing author for a variety of context-sensitive, complete streets design guides. He also serves on the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and the Bicycle Technical Committee. 

Steven DeWitt, PE, is a nationally recognized leader in transportation infrastructure with more than 40 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors. He has played a pivotal role in advancing alternative delivery methods, including design-build and public-private partnerships, shaping major programs and policies across the United States. Steve’s career includes senior leadership roles with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, where he led transformative initiatives such as the state’s design-build program and first modern toll facilities. Currently serving as CEO of ACS Infrastructure, he continues to lead complex, high-profile projects nationwide. Known for his integrity, innovation, and industry leadership, Steve remains an influential voice in infrastructure delivery and policy. 

Mark Doctor is a Senior Engineer with Gresham Smith based in their Atlanta office. Mark joined Gresham Smith in June 2025 after a 37-year career with the Federal Highway Administration. Mark’s background includes a wide variety of roadway design and traffic safety solutions. While at FHWA, Mark specialized in advancing national practices on performance-based design, innovative intersections, and applications of a Safe System Approach. He is a passionate traffic safety advocate with experience relating principles of the Safe System Approach into practical applications for road and intersection designs. Since joining Gresham Smith, Mark serves as a technical advisor enhancing client services across multiple office locations. He received his Master of Transportation Engineering degree from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Clemson University. 

Garrett Eller is a registered Professional Engineer in multiple states with 9 years of industry experience. He currently serves as an Engineering Business Manager at Solmax. Garrett holds a B.S. degree in Engineering from Virginia Tech. He started his professional career as a private engineering consultant where he served for 8 years. He has worked on projects ranging from ADA curb ramp design all the way to interstate, design-build projects worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Garrett's extensive knowledge of the civil engineering industry helps him lead market development for roadway, site, and erosion control geosynthetic solutions. 

Venu Pokuri is a bridge engineer based in Marlton, New Jersey, with over 11 years of experience in structural and bridge engineering. He holds a master’s degree in structural engineering from Texas A&M University, College Station, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas. His expertise includes complex steel bridge analysis and the development of design automation tools for practical engineering applications. In addition to his technical work, he serves as an Ambassador of Automation and AI, Structures BIM Manager, and a Design Resource Committee representative for the Northeast Transportation sector at GFT, and is an executive member of ASHE Southern New Jersey, where he serves as Director of Budget.

Dr. Alireza Ermagun is the Director of the Mobility Observatory and Data Analytics Lab, the Co-Director of the Center for Resilient, Adaptable, and Safe Communities, and an Associate Professor at George Mason University. His research agenda has consistently advanced the study of human mobility, travel behavior, and urban infrastructure through rigorous geospatial and data-driven approaches attentive to demographic change, environmental stressors, and long-term urban transformation. His work develops analytic understanding of how transport systems function, adapt, and reorganize across spatial and temporal scales, with clear relevance to planning, policy, and system design. He has demonstrated sustained leadership through service with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Transportation Research Board (TRB). His contributions have been recognized with honors that include the Early Career Excellence Award, the Tiebout Prize in Regional Science, and the John S. Adams Award. 

Jeff Folden serves as the Director of Program and Alternative Delivery for the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA).  In this role, he leads the overall development of the SHA’s alternative delivery program including identifying the most suitable delivery methods for projects, leading the overall development and procurement of alternative delivery projects, and overseeing the development of policies and process for alternative delivery.  Jeff has over 24 years of experience and has led the development of projects using fixed-price design-build, progressive design-build, construction manager/general contractor, and public-private partnership delivery methods.  He is a graduate of West Virginia University, a Maryland registered Professional Engineer, and a DBIA designated design-build professional.   

Greg Goins, PE is the Director for RK&K’s Southeast Geotechnical Group and is the contract manager for the design of the I-40 Pigeon River reconstruction project. With 25 years of experience, he leads a team of over 20 geologists and engineers in a variety of small- and large-scale bid-build and design-build transportation projects in NC, TN, SC, and FL. His career has included management, subsurface exploration, and engineering design for projects that characterize subsurface conditions and provide geotechnical engineering recommendations for roadways, retaining walls, buildings, bridges, railways, pavement, and stormwater

Matt Greenholt is a bridge engineer from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. He graduated with a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Penn State in 2014 and has over 12 years of professional experience in bridge design and inspection with GFT. Matt is a licensed P.E. in Pennsylvania and Maryland, a Certified Bridge Safety Inspector (C.B.S.I), and a registered FAA drone pilot.  He is a Transportation representative on our corporate GFT AI Working Group.

Jaclyn Hartman serves as the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Investments for the Maryland Department of Transportation. Her portfolio includes finance, procurement, small and minority businesses, government affairs, policy and regulations, and innovative finance and delivery. Prior to becoming Assistant Secretary, Jaclyn served as the CFO of both the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Transportation Authority, as well as starting her career at the Department of Legislative Services. While at DLS, served as committee staff for the Joint Legislative and Executive Commission on Oversight of Public-Private Partnerships, which created Maryland’s statutory framework for P3s.  

Jamie Henson leads Montgomery County’s effort to plan, design, construct, and initiate service on their 100-mile Flash BRT network. Jamie works with varied stakeholders using innovative analysis to consider trade-offs and advance difficult projects in a manner that enhances the public realm. His career has focused on implementing major transit improvements, building agency project delivery programs, leading transit priority efforts, and advancing urban transportation research. Jamie has led major transit projects with complex environmental processes that have pursued FTA Capital Improvement Grant (CIG) funds. In addition, Jamie has developed highly effective programs and practices at multiple organizations. His efforts have significantly expanded the capacity of the organizations he has served to deliver influential projects.

Fatemeh Janatabadi is a Ph.D. candidate in Earth Systems and Geoinformation Sciences at George Mason University. Her work investigates the association between human mobility, spatial accessibility, and transport systems through spatial analytics and quantitative approaches. Her research examines how environmental stressors and infrastructural conditions interact to influence mobility, alter network functionality, and shape broader urban dynamics. Central to her research is the development of analytical frameworks that capture how transport systems adjust under climate-related disruption and evolve over time, while revealing the uneven distribution of accessibility and its socioeconomic implications. Her contributions advance access-oriented thinking by embedding mobility processes within spatial analysis and by reinterpreting spatial mismatch through a more explicitly accessibility-driven lens. 

Larry Laynburd is a transportation engineer at Kimley-Horn with over a decade of experience integrating drone technology, data analytics, and intelligent transportation systems into infrastructure planning and asset management. He leads drone operations across the Atlantic region, supporting programs that deliver actionable insights for pavement, parking, and transportation systems. His work focuses on helping public agencies implement scalable, data-driven approaches to improve decision-making and project delivery. 

Jim Long, PE, is a Professional Engineer with more than four decades of experience on a wide range of land development, infrastructure, and transportation projects throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. He has a wealth of experience of in all phases of project delivery from due diligence investigations, concept development, construction documents, permitting/entitlements, construction administration, and turnover/commissioning. He is also a veteran who completed five years of military service in the USAF Civil Engineering Corps with the rank of captain.

Dan Lovas, PE, is VHB’s Director of Multimodal Engineering in Metro DC, specializing in multimodal transportation planning and design for Complete Streets, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, transportation safety treatments, and parking evaluations. He manages projects involving multimodal transportation facilities, transportation safety, parking analysis, and conceptual transportation design. Dan also has experience in traffic operations analysis, including Highway Capacity Manual Multimodal Level-of-Service methodologies and microsimulation tools. 

Andy is a Senior Project Manager with over a dozen years of experience engineering water resources projects in the mid-Atlantic. His experience has ranged from drainage and stormwater design in support of transportation projects, to hydraulic modeling in support of complex flood mitigation studies and managing mitigation projects. The keynote project in his career has been supporting various tasks associated with Howard County’s Safe and Sound Flood Mitigation Plan for Ellicott City.  Andy is a PE and CFM, and currently serves as vice chair for the Maryland Association of Floodplain and Stormwater Managers (MAFSM). 

Chris serves as the Resident Project Representative for Howard County on the Ellicott City North Tunnel project. He is an Associate at Delve Underground with 7 years of geotechnical engineering experience. Chris holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Lafayette College and an MS in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Texas, Austin. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Maryland. In his spare time (or what’s left of it), he’s an amateur brewer, baker, & DIYer. 

Matthew Norris serves as an Engineer III on the Houston roadway design team for Lockwood, Andrews, & Newnam, Inc. (LAN). Matthew specializes in highway and pedestrian design for TxDOT and municipal facilities with experience spanning schematic development through PS&E stages of the project lifecycle.  He has contributed to schematics for IH 35 in Austin and SH-288 in Houston with a focus in 3D roadway and utility modeling, TCP design, material & cost estimating, and stormwater mitigation. His designs have accommodated complex drainage constraints, major utility conflicts, stakeholder interests, & constructability while preserving safety & functionality of the proposed facility. Matthew earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Texas A&M University in 2024. He is an active member of the ASHE Houston Section where he serves as chair of the Young Members Committee. 

John O’Neill, PMP, is a seasoned program and contract management leader with more than 28 years of experience delivering large‑scale transportation and IT initiatives. He currently leads the Construction Management Service Line at KCI Technologies, guiding complex projects through planning, development, and execution. As former Chief Operating Officer and Acting Executive Director of the Maryland Transportation Authority, he managed a $3.2 billion capital program, a $380 million annual operating budget, and 1,700 employees. He delivered major tolling systems including the ICC and I‑95 Express Toll Lanes, led Maryland’s conversion to all‑electronic tolling, and shaped critical P3 and tolling RFPs. Renowned for forging regional partnerships across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia, he also brings deep expertise in strategic planning, business development, and advancing connected and autonomous vehicle initiatives. 

Professor and Dr. Adewole Simon Oladele, Ph.D. is a full professor of Transportation Engineering and a professional member of both ASHE and ASCE with established career in Civil Engineering/ Highway Engineering. He has accumulated fifty (50) research publications and over forty (40) engineering courses successfully taught. As a US permanent resident committed and contributing to the Engineering Profession, over twenty-three (23) years of professional practices in Engineering and Construction, he has contributed to engineering design, project management, supervision of Civil Engineering Projects across the globe and mentored a huge number of engineers, including grants/ sponsorships for engineering programs and activities globally. He recently became international Fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers (F. NSE) and Fellow of Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers (F. NIHTE). He has contributed to ASHE Young Professionals as Advisor to the Morgan ASHE Chapter and ASCE Maryland Section while a Faculty at Morgan State University, mentoring young professionals/ prospective engineers. He is an internationally licensed professional engineer with professional leadership role as the International Coordinator for Global Transportation Professional Networking Group LLC, USA. He served in several editorial board such as Editor in Chief - Botswana Technology Transfer Newsletter, Vols. 1, 2, 3 & 4, Nos. 1 & 2, Technology Transfer Unit, University of Botswana, 2011 – 2014 editions. International Journal of Transportation Technology Transfer in Africa (IJT2A). International Reviewer – TRB Low Volume Roads Conference paper peer reviewer (LVR2015). He recently served as referred TRB NCHRP Panel member/ US National appointment/ volunteer/ Expert Highway Professional - National Research Council and the Transportation Research Board Executive appointment to the National Cooperative Highway Research Program Project 20-05/Topic 55-21- Funding for Maintenance of Complete Streets, published by TRB 2026.  

Mark is the Chief of the Stormwater Management Division in the Howard County Department of Public Works. He has worked as a professional engineer in Maryland for 40 years for both a private consulting engineering firm and for County government. Mark earned a BS degree in Civil Engineering from Lafayette College and an MS degree in Environmental Systems Engineering from Clemson University. His main area of expertise is in water resources, specifically leading projects in stream restoration, flood mitigation, stormwater management, and water quality treatment.

Michael Sakata is President and CEO of the Maryland Transportation Builders and Materials Association (MTBMA), where he represents contractors, material suppliers, and industry stakeholders before the Maryland General Assembly, state agencies, and transportation decision-makers. He is the founder of Bridges to Prosperity, a coalition advancing public-private partnership policy in Maryland, and has been a leading voice on alternative project delivery, transportation funding, and infrastructure investment across the region. Mike brings nearly a decade of experience at the intersection of Maryland transportation policy and the construction industry, with deep expertise in P3 structures, design-build delivery, and the legislative dynamics shaping how major projects get built and financed. He is a frequent speaker and moderator on transportation infrastructure topics and is actively involved in the 2026 ASHE National Conference planning efforts.    

Michelle Shropshire serves as the Deputy District Engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Northern Virginia District. In this key executive leadership role, Michelle oversees core functions and groups for the Northern Virginia District including Planning and Fund Management, Project Development, Local Assistance Program, Project Construction and Megaprojects. As one of nine VDOT districts within the Commonwealth of Virginia, the VDOT Northern Virginia District is responsible for planning, developing, building and maintaining the roadway network in an area covering four counties and 2.5 million people. This large roadway network includes more than 14,300 total lane miles, 2,240 bridges and large culverts, 1,575 traffic signals, 24 commuter lots and 870 employees.   

Prior to her role as Deputy District Engineer, Michelle served for three years as Director of Megaprojects for the VDOT Northern Virginia District, overseeing the responsible team and delivery of complex and major transportation improvement projects within the Northern Virginia region using innovative and alternative delivery models such as public-private partnerships and design build. 

As VDOT’s Megaprojects lead, Michelle engaged in all project phases including development, environmental and engineering studies, contract development, procurement, and design and construction. She worked daily with stakeholders at all levels including elected officials, and agency and industry partners, to deliver results for the Commonwealth and the public. Michelle directly oversaw a portfolio of large-scale projects that included completion of the $3.7 billion Transform 66 Outside the Beltway, and the $660 million I-495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project, as well as development and advancement of the I-495 Southside Express Lanes Project and I-95 Express Lanes Bi-Directional Project. 

In 2005, Michelle joined the VDOT Fredericksburg District as the District Location and Design Engineer and in 2010 was promoted to District Project Development Engineer. As Project Development Engineer, she was responsible for programmatic oversight and delivery of interstate, primary, and secondary projects in a 14-county area. Michelle led the development of the nearly $1 billion suite of Improve 95 projects along the I-95 corridor in VDOT’s Fredericksburg District including the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension and the I-95 Rappahannock River Crossings. Additionally, Michelle was entrusted with executive leadership responsibilities on three separate occasions, serving as Acting District Engineer twice in the Fredericksburg District and once in the Culpeper District. 

Michelle’s 22-year-to-date tenure at VDOT started while still in college, when she began her career as an inspector trainee at the VDOT Luray Residency. After receiving her B.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech, Michelle worked in the engineering consultant industry for nearly 10 years, leading design efforts on a number of interstate projects in Virginia and Florida.  

Michelle is a graduate of the Commonwealth Management Institute and the AASHTO Management Institute and is certified by the Design-Build Institute of America.  

Patrick brings more than 20 years of experience in emerging technologies, combined with leadership in advancing the state of practice for Transportation Systems Management and Operations nationwide. Building on a strong traffic and ITS foundation, Patrick’s work in Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV) provides a unique perspective on best practices for integrating emerging technologies into highway networks and design. Patrick’s focus is on helping people and communities through inclusive, empathy-based solutions that maximize transportation infrastructure and improve quality of life.  

Mimi Sweitzer, PE, is a Project Delivery Leader in RK&K's Raleigh, NC office and has 14 years of experience as a geotechnical engineer. As the geotechnical project manager for the I-40 Pigeon River reconstruction project, she has directed the subsurface explorations and is coordinating the geotechnical design efforts. Her project experience includes Triangle Expressway (NC 540) Southeast Extension, I-40 Widening in Raleigh, US 321 Widening in Hickory, and various roadway, bridge, and retaining wall projects throughout NC, SC, and TN.

Mike Tantillo is a Senior Transportation Manager at VHB with extensive experience working with traffic control device, roadway safety, traffic engineering, and transportation planning projects. An authority on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), he has been part of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) for 20 years, including technical committee membership and editor of the committee’s Journal of Traffic Control Device Research. Mike has experience working with the Federal Highway Administration and the Virginia Department of Transportation on traffic control device studies and projects, which include development of traffic control device policies, preparation of guidebooks, and serving as primary author of the Virginia MUTCD. Mike’s education includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Duke University, and a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Virginia.

Tanmay Tripathi, PE, is a Regional Civil/Roadway Department Lead with Kiewit Engineering Group Inc. 
He has earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Valparaiso University, IN, and M.S. in Civil Engineering 
from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL. He has ~10 years of experience in transportation 
infrastructure design and the construction industry and currently serves as an Engineering Services During 
Construction (ESDC) Deputy Manager on the Southeast Connector Project (Fort Worth, TX). His work 
includes Civil/Roadway design lead roles including but not limited to highway/roadway geometric and 
modeling designs, multi-disciplinary coordination, QC and quantity review on major highway projects such 
as the Southeast Connector (TX) and I-17 in Phoenix, AZ, contributions to the Brightline West high-speed 
rail pursuit, and extensive experience delivering INDOT roadway projects including lane widening, 
roundabouts, interchanges, and pavement rehabilitation. A licensed Professional Engineer in Texas and 
Colorado and an Envision Sustainability Professional, Tanmay is recognized for technical leadership, 
constructability-focused design, and mentoring young engineers.