Overview

February 22

American transportation is at an historic moment of change. After the pandemic decimated revenues for transit and transportation, state and local leaders now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in transportation, thanks to the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

That’s why Government Technology is leading a conversation on the current – and future – state of transportation and transit IT. We’ll hear how state and local leaders are approaching, prioritizing and operationalizing the use of newly available federal funding made possible through the IIJA.

Join this special discussion to hear firsthand about how these funds are being used to reimagine transportation. We’ll cover a range of topics including:

What are the top technology priorities for IIJA funding to be applied to?
How are transportation agencies looking to new technology to address legacy processes and technologies?
How are transportation agencies planning to sustain their new investments?

Speakers

Bill Panos

Director, North Dakota Department of Transportation

Bill Panos is director of the North Dakota Department of Transportation. He was appointed director by Governor Doug Burgum on September 23, 2019. Prior to joining NDDOT, Panos served as director for Wyoming’s Department of Transportation under Governor Matt Mead. His role encompassed all aspects of the transportation agency’s operations, including leading the state’s aviation, motor vehicle services, and the highway patrol. He also led Wyoming’s school construction agency. Panos has extensive experience in operational leadership and development in government and commercial sectors. Previously, he served in leadership roles in Washington, California, Idaho, and Massachusetts, as well as the TRW Corporation. Panos earned a bachelor’s degree from The California State University. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, as the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative, as a Henry Toll Fellow with the Council of State Governments, and as President of the Western Association of State Highway Transportation Officials.

Lori Pepper

Deputy Secretary for Innovative Mobility Solutions, California State Transportation Agency

Lori Pepper was appointed the Deputy Secretary for Innovative Mobility Solutions by Governor Newsom in August 2019. Prior to her appointment, Lori worked in Washington, DC as the Senior Federal Policy Specialist for Honda North America, Inc. where her portfolio focused on technology and innovation. This included connected and automated vehicles, robotics and artificial intelligence, intellectual property, and spectrum issues. Lori also served on Capitol Hill for 10 years in various capacities. She started her career as a Legislative Assistant in the office of former Rep. Albert Wynn (MD) and then became Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for former Rep. Baron Hill (IN) where she successfully led the office’s efforts to raise federal fuel efficiency standards included in the Energy Independence & Security Act. Lori also served on the Science and Technology Committee as Director of Policy & Outreach under former Chairman Bart Gordon (TN) where she helped shepherd the reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act. For her final two years on Capitol Hill, Lori served as a Policy Advisor and Deputy Floor Director for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA) where she was the Speaker’s advisor on issues related to small business, agriculture, and veterans, as well as her liaison to the moderate Blue Dog Coalition.

Teri Takai — Moderator

Vice President, Center for Digital Government

Teri Takai is the Vice President of the Center for Digital Government, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. She worked for Ford Motor Company for 30 years in global application development and information technology strategic planning. From Ford, she moved to EDS in support of General Motors. A long-time interest in public service led her to the government sector, first as CIO of the State of Michigan, then as CIO of the State of California, and subsequently the CIO of the U.S. Department of Defense, the first woman appointed to this role. She then served as the CIO for Meridian Health Plan. She is a member of several industry advisory boards.

Webinar

Future of Transportation - Using Federal Funds to Modernize, Innovate and Reimagine Transportation