Overview

September 13

We’re entering a new era of the intersection of data and transportation. Within the next decade, the Internet of Things (IoT) will revolutionize mobility, transportation, and vehicle safety. Speed sensors, license plate readers and congestion monitors will change the flow of traffic through cities and other areas. Automated drones and installed maintenance sensors will track wear and tear on roads and bridges. Smart street devices will instantly detect slowdowns and accidents, and automatically alert emergency response teams the moment a crash happens.

This new world requires a new approach from transportation and IT leaders – new strategies, new interagency partnerships and a new framework for talent and workforce.

Our conversation will explore a number of key topics that state and local leaders should be thinking about right now, including:

How to manage the entire transportation IoT ecosystem – smart streets, autonomous vehicle technology, stationary sensors and much more
How better data analytics can improve traffic flow, reduce emergency response times and save lives
How to develop a new workforce strategy to keep up with evolving needs on data, analysis and GIS mapping

Speakers

Gloria Salazar

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government and former CEO, San Joaquin Regional Transit District

Gloria retired as San Joaquin Regional Transit District’s Chief Executive Officer in March 2022, leaving with 30 years of experience in the transit industry. Her leadership as Deputy CEO/CFO for 18 years greatly contributed to RTD receiving the coveted Outstanding System of the Year Award by the American Public Transportation Association in 2018. organization also gave a leadership award to Ms. Salazar. Under Gloria’s leadership RTD consistently delivered balanced budgets without incurring long-term commercial debt. In her first year as CEO, she led her team to thoughtfully and significantly adjust the operating budget and service to minimize the impact of COVID-19 to the organization while preparing RTD for recovery and sustainability. Ms. Salazar also negotiated its Union contract and retirement plan for the first time since 2003. Ms. Salazar left RTD in a healthy financial condition without any commercial debt that will enable RTD to work its way to recovery from COVID, a much-improved funding level of its pension plan, a buildable competency training model for its employees, and a culture of fiscal responsibility, innovative mindset, and excellent performance.

Jennifer Turnbow

Deputy Director for Planning, Department of Transportation, North Dakota

Jen Turnbow was named the Deputy Director for Planning in September 2021. Jen oversees all planning divisions and functions within the DOT, including planning & asset management, programming, local government, safety, and transportation program funding. She also assists with state and federal planning-related legislation, budgeting and finance and help the department with strategic planning. Jen has spent 20 years working in the transportation industry and navigating projects through a myriad of complex factors and numerous stakeholders. Her extensive experience also includes working in the aviation, telecommunications, oil and gas, municipal, power and renewable energy industries. She was named to the list of Top 25 Women in Business by Prairie Business Magazine in 2019 and serves as a member of the North Dakota Commission on the Status of Women. She earned her master’s degree in organization/industrial psychology from Grand Canyon University in early 2021, and a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental science from the University of Idaho.

Teri Takai — Moderator

Senior Vice President, Center for Digital Government

Teri Takai is the Senior 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. Teri has won numerous awards including Governing Magazine’s Public Official of the Year, CIO Magazine’s CIO Hall of Fame, Government Technology Magazine’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers, the Women in Defense Excellence in Leadership Award, and the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service.

Webinar

Intelligent Transportation - Operationalizing IoT in Transportation