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2017 Transit Board Members and Board Support Seminar - Program

This page is an overview of the conference schedule and subject to change.
 

Saturday, July 22

Registration*

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The Millennium Parlor, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

APTA Chair & President's Roundtable*

10 - 11:30 a.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

New legislation, the regulatory environment, association initiatives, and members' hot topic

Join APTA's Chair and President in a conversation about the APTA Strategic Plan centered on safety and security, resource advocacy for funding and financing, workforce development, evolving lifestyles/changing demographics, and technological innovation. Come with questions, comments, and direction to guide APTA's work on behalf of board members and public transit agencies.
  
Presenters
  • Doran J. Barnes, Chief Executive Officer, Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA
  • Richard A. White, Richard White, Vienna, VA

Lunch on your own

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Lessons Learned from the 2017 International Study Mission on Safety Culture, State of Good Repair, and Innovative Operations*

1:15 - 2:30 p.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Insights, perspectives, and observations from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo

In April 2017, APTA held an international study mission focusing on safety culture, state of good repair, and innovative operations in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo. The study mission gave participants the opportunity to explore strategies public transportation operators have taken to continue to be on the cutting edge of innovation and provide top-notch transit performance and customer service. Hear key takeaways and lessons learned from participants to the study mission.
 
Moderator
  • Doran J. Barnes, Chief Executive Officer, Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA
Remarks
  • Richard A. White, Richard White, Vienna, VA
Panelists
  • Jeanne Krieg, Retired, Jeanne Krieg, Oakley, CA
  • Donna DeMartino, Board Member, Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI), San Marcos, CA
  • David Cangany, President, Indiana Transportation Association, Inc., Indianapolis, IN
  • Francis "Buddy" Coleman, Chief Customer Officer, Clever Devices Ltd., Woodbury, NY

Transit Board Members Board Support Subcommittee Meeting

2:30 - 4 p.m.
Hancock Parlor, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton
Chair, Kathryn Jane Smith

This meeting is open to ALL members of the subcommittee. Come and have your voice heard. Make a difference in the direction and initiatives undertaken. Hear what has been accomplished and is planned for the rest of the year.
 

Public Transportation: An Overview of the Industry, Key Federal Programs, and Legislative Processes (Board Members)

2:45 - 4 p.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Transit board members serve their respective agencies coming from a variety of backgrounds and often learn about and become familiar with the public transportation industry as they serve on their boards. This session will provide an overview of the basic elements of the public transportation industry and a summary of key legislative processes critical to federal transit funding and oversight.

1. Public Transportation: The Industry
  - Characteristics
  - Who provides it?
  - Modes
  - How is it funded?

2. Key Federal Programs
  - FTA
  - USDOT
  - Other federal agencies

3. Legislative Processes
  - Authorizing bills
  - Appropriations bills
  - Regulations
 
Presenter
  • Billy Terry, Executive Director, National Transit Institute Rutgers, The State Univ. of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

Transit Board Members Committee Meeting

4 - 5 p.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton
Chair, Doug Tisdale
You are welcome to attend this meeting, one of three convened each year - during this July seminar, in conjunction with the APTA Annual Meeting in October, and the Legislative Conference in March.
 

Welcome Reception*

6 - 7 p.m.
Adams Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Mix it up, renew friendships, and network with new colleagues at this high-energy gathering that is sure to set the tone for learning more about public transportation and continuing to develop your leadership style.
 

Sunday, July 23

Continental Breakfast*

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
Foyer, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Registration*

7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
The Millennium Parlor, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

OPENING GENERAL SESSION: Where Public Transportation Goes, Community Grows*

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Warm welcomes from Chicago and APTA

Whether it's creating jobs, helping to lead the way towards energy independence, improving quality of life, or protecting the environment, public transportation plays a significant role in taking us there. And it's the people - employees, customers, board members, and everyone in your community - we have to thank. Come join this session to hear from our local partners and APTA leadership.

Presiding
  • David M. Stackrow, Sr., CPA, Member, Board of Directors, Capital District Transportation Authority, Albany, NY
Welcomes
  • Kirk W. Dillard, Board Chairman, Regional Transportation Authority, Chicago, IL
  • Dorval R. Carter, Jr., Immediate Past Chair, APTA; and President, Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago, IL
  • Roberta Boomer, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
  • Doran J. Barnes, Chief Executive Officer, Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA
  • Richard A. White, Richard White, Vienna, VA

Maximizing the Board Member/Board Support Relationship*

10 - 11:30 a.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

As a board member, do you find yourself asking: How do I get information on a joint development project? Can I speak to the media? If an incident occurs, how does the agency keep me updated? Join us for an interactive panel discussion to learn how to maximize the board member/board support relationship. The discussion will address best practices on new member orientation, communications, personnel evaluations, meeting materials and more!

Introduction
  • Roberta Boomer, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
Moderator
  • Jennifer Ellison, Board Corporate Secretary, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Washington, DC
Panelists
  • Beverly S. Silas, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Austin, TX
  • Kathryn Jane Smith, Chair, APTA Transit Board Administrators Committee; Board Liaison, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL
  • Mike LeBarre, Mayor, King City CA; Board Member, Monterey-Salinas Transit, King City, CA

Board Support Luncheon

11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Adams Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Join fellow board support members for a lunchtime discussion. Share similarities and differences in your role as board support and in your agency. Do you have an exciting project or challenges in your future? Take this opportunity to get to know other board support members from other agencies near and far.
 
Presenter
  • Jill Boltz, Kitsap Transit, Bremerton, WA

Lunch and Interactive Discussions (Board Members)

12 - 2 p.m.
Foyer, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Following a brief presentation, join group discussions organized by the size of your transit system.
 
Ridership Trends and How Transit Agencies are Responding
Randy S. Clarke, Vice President-Operations and Member Services, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
 
Small Systems, 100 or fewer buses
Hancock Parlor, 6th Floor

Mid-Sized Systems, 101 to 500 buses
Spire Parlor, 6th Floor 

Large, 500+ vehicles, or Multimodal Systems
Grant Park Parlor, 6th Floor 
 
2:15 - 3:15 p.m.
Report-outs of Interactive Discussions
Monroe Room, 6th Floor
 
The facilitators of the discussions will report to the entire group of board members the issues that were raised, how APTA can be of help, and the best ways to engage more board members in the national conversation.

Contextual Leadership Part 1 (Board Support)

1:30 - 5 p.m.
Adams Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

(Part 2 is on Monday, July 24, 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.)

This workshop will take attendees through a powerful process to examine the context that is shaping their perceptions, attitudes, behaviors and results. A person’s context is the unconscious mindset from which they operate and is shaped by conclusions drawn from personal experiences. Attendees can expect to leave the workshop with immediate and permanent insights leading them to unexpected actions and results.

Presenter
  • Susan Elliott-Rink, CEO, Allinium, Inc., DeLand, FL

Safety Culture: Leading from the Top (Board Members)

3:30 - 5 p.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Join this informative session and learn how safety should be prioritized at transit organizations. Often times, safety is not budgeted enough at transit agencies, and many agencies learn the hard way through incidents and accidents, which can lead to large payouts through insurance. By prioritizing safety early on, it will cost your agency less money and overall create a better and safer environment for both employees and customers. Learn how your peers have prioritized safety and continue to ensure safe environments at their respective agencies.
 
Moderator
  • Frederick L. Daniels, Jr., Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
Panelists
  • Bacarra Mauldin, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Memphis Area Transit Authority, Memphis, TN
  • Kevin J. Holzendorf, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL
  • Keith F. Millhouse, Principal, Millhouse Strategies
 

Monday, July 24

Continental Breakfast*

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
Foyer, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Building a Rock-Solid Transit Board-CEO Working Relationship (Board Members)

8:30 - 10 a.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Join us for this interactive session that will cover topics such as, the “board-saviness” of candidates for the CEO position; clarification of the CEO's role in supporting the board and developing the board’s governing capacity; mapping out board-CEO communication and interaction guidelines; why employing well-designed board standing committees is a critical board-CEO relationship building tool; and making sure an effective process for board evaluation of CEO performance is in place.
 
This exciting and energizing session will provide you with detailed, practical, and thoroughly tested guidance on building and maintaining a close, positive, productive, and enduring board-CEO partnership.
 
Facilitator
  • David M. Stackrow, Sr., CPA, Member, Board of Directors, Capital District Transportation Authority, Albany, NY
Presenter
  • Doug Eadie, President & CEO, Doug Eadie & Company, Clearwater, FL

Contextual Leadership Part 2 (Board Support)

8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Adams Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

(Part 2 is on Sunday, July 23, 1:30 - 5 p.m.)

This workshop will take attendees through a powerful process to examine the context that is shaping their perceptions, attitudes, behaviors and results. A person’s context is the unconscious mindset from which they operate and is shaped by conclusions drawn from personal experiences. Attendees can expect to leave the workshop with immediate and permanent insights leading them to unexpected actions and results.

Presenter
  • Susan Elliott-Rink, CEO, Allinium, Inc., DeLand, FL

Inclusion, Opportunity & Equity: It Starts at the Top (Board Members)

10:15 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

As a part of APTA’s Diversity & Inclusion Initiative, the launch of this Transit Board Member professional development track focuses on the importance of “Inclusion, Opportunity, and Equity” from a policy level perspective. These vitally important considerations are a part of virtually every important agency decision – fares, service placement and levels, capital program prioritization, transit development, procurement and hiring, workforce development – to name a few. Regardless of size or geography, virtually every transit agency has important obligations and compliance responsibilities in this area (including some which are specific to an agency’s policy level). As importantly, “beyond compliance” -- people in local communities across the country are increasingly seeing the link between public transportation availability, performance, and affordability -- to the achievement of broader societal and community outcomes.
 
This interactive professional development track has three (3) primary objectives: (a) familiarization with transit-specific regulatory compliance considerations addressing matters of diversity, inclusion, and opportunity (particularly helpful for newly appointed board members); (2) providing an opportunity for C-suite peer-to-peer information exchange (lessons learned and program enhancements); and (3) sharing examples of better and best practices, including data on performance measures and results.
 
Introductory Remarks
  • Lester W. Bryant, LWBSolutions, San Antonio, TX
  • Dr. Beverly A. Scott, CEO, Beverly Scott Associates (People and Communities Matter), Albany, CA
Presenters
  • Terry Peterson, Chair, Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago, IL
  • Dorval R. Carter, Jr., Immediate Past Chair, APTA; and President, Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago, IL
  • Madeline Janis, Esq., Executive Director, Jobs to Move America, Los Angeles, CA

Lunch (Board Members)

12 - 1 p.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Lunch co-sponsored by Genfare and MCI

company logocompany logo
 

Working Lunch – Useful Techniques for Performance Evaluations, Job Description Updates, Succession Planning (Board Support)

12:30 - 2:15 p.m.
Adams Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

When was the last time your updated your job description? Are you prepared for your next performance evaluation? Is there a succession plan at your agency? Learn techniques to support your position within your agency.
 
Lunch co-sponsored by Genfare and MCI
company logo company logo
 
Presenter
  • Cheryl Diane Orr, Vice President of Human Capital, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas, TX

Technical Tours (Board Members)

1:30 - 4 p.m.

TOUR 1: CTA BUS WINDSHIELD TOUR | 1:30 - 2:15 p.m. OR 2:15 - 3 p.m.
This tour has a maximum capacity of 25 persons per tour; please sign up on site at the APTA registration desk for the tour time of your choice. 
 
Participants should board one of CTA's revenue service electric buses at the Wabash Street entrance of the hotel for a windshield tour of CTA's Loop Link and Union Station Transit Center (USTC). One thousand CTA buses carry more than 30,000 passengers on six bus routes through the Loop Link Corridor in downtown Chicago. Participants will also see the USTC, a state-of-the-art bus boarding facility that began transit service in 2016. The USTC was a major step in the redevelopment of the Union Station area, which provides weather protection for transit riders and an underground connection to the train station that serves 120,000 people each weekday. 
 
TOUR 2: CTA CONTROL CENTER TOUR | 2:15 - 3:45 p.m.
This tour has a maximum capacity of 25 persons and you must sign up in advance by emailing APTA's Cheryl Pyatt at cpyatt@apta.com.
 
Participants should meet at the Monroe Street entrance of the hotel no later than 2:15 p.m. Participants will receive a one-hour behind the scenes tour of the heart of the agency's day-to-day operations. The control center is responsible for monitoring and regulating the agency's eight rail lines, 145 rail stations, and 130 bus routes. Participants will be allowed access to the theater room where 42 video projection screens display the location of all buses and trains.
 

Introduction to International Institute of Municipal Clerks (Board Support)

2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Adams Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Learn about educational and professional development opportunities and information on the Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) and Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) certifications. Whether you have been doing the same job for years or brand new to the profession, certification elevates the awareness of the importance of your role in the agency and the vast knowledge you possess to “keep the wheels on the bus.”
 
Presenter
  • Jane Anne Long, Ed. D., Director of Professional Development, International Institute of Municipal Clerks, Rancho Cucamonga, CA

CTA Board Room Tour (Board Support)

3:30 - 5 p.m.

Transit board support participants will visit the board room at CTA's main office.
 

Tuesday, July 25

Continental Breakfast*

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
Foyer, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Oversight and Accessibility: Updates from the FTA (Board Members)

8:30 - 10 a.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

This session will be led by leaders in the FTA Offices of Oversight and Civil Rights who will discuss important oversight, accessibility (including ADA), and civil rights issues. Attend this important session to learn more about these areas and how your transit organization can become more compliant with FTA rules/regulations, as well as prepare for future triennial and other oversight reviews.

Presenters
  • Nicholas Sun, Program Manager, Regional Operations, Office of Civil Rights, Federal Transit Administration, Chicago, IL
  • Scott Giering, Director, Office of Program Oversight, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC
  • Hope Jensen, Acting Division Chief for Compliance Programs, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC

Records Management (Board Support)

8:30 - 10 a.m.
Water Tower Parlor, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

PART 1: Open Records – Establishing What is a Record – Technology and Records
While not all board support positions provide the records management function to the entire agency, as a government employee, you are responsible for the records you create and those created by your board members. This is an opportunity to hear tips and tools to manage the records for which you are responsible, for both legal and practical purposes. Discussion will include Open Records laws across the nation and how they impact the records you keep.
 
PART 2: “Finding a Needle in a Hay Stack” – E-file Management 
You have all of the paper organized, your electronic records are in order now “What about those e-mails?” Overwhelmed by e-mails, what should you keep and why.  Does deleting an e-mail really mean it is “deleted.”
 
Presenters
  • Jill Boltz, Kitsap Transit, Bremerton, WA
  • Amorette Ko-Wong, Secretary of the District, Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District, San Francisco, CA
  • Kathryn Jane Smith, Chair, APTA Transit Board Administrators Committee; Board Liaison, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL

Parliamentary Procedures Review (Board Support)

10:15 - 11:30 a.m.
Water Tower Parlor, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Can you remember the “rules” in the midst of a meeting?  Or do you find yourself frantically searching through that well marked book for the answer when called upon?  Whether your knowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order is used every meeting or only once in a while, this is a great session for refreshing those skills.
 
This session will: 
  • Review parliamentary process to enhance the efficiency and order of your meetings. 
  • Provide a review and practical use of parliamentary procedure for anyone who acts as their agency’s parliamentarian, or those who serve in an advisory role to the chair. 
Presenter
  • Deborah A. Underwood, President - Illinois Association of Parliamentarians, National Association of Parliamentarians, Independence, MO

Trends in Transpotation Finance (Board Members)

10:15 - 11:45 a.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Speakers will discuss different ways transit authorities are funding capital projects across the United States. How does utilizing debt financing fit into the capital program? What should board members ask when their transit authorities decide to issue debt? Learn the answers to these questions and more at this informative session.
 
Moderator
  • Patricia Rodriguez, Vice President, Hutchinson, Shockey, Erley & Co, San Antonio, TX
Panelists
  • Russell L. Goings, III, Senior Vice President, Hutchinson, Shockey, Erley & Co, Los Angeles, CA
  • Emina Kobiljar, Senior Associate, Hutchinson, Shockey, Erley & Co, San Antonio, TX

CLOSING LUNCHEON: Implementing Your Conference Take-Aways (Board Support)

12 - 1:30 p.m.
Water Tower Parlor, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Enjoy this summary of lessons learned, highlights, and key take-aways. Small groups will discuss ideas, policy, procedures they have implemented in the past from attending the conference and what the “take-away” is from 2017 conference. Groups will report out to participants.
 
Facilitator
  • Nancy K. Johnson, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas, TX

CLOSING LUNCHEON: Innovation and Disruption in Urban Mobility (Board Members)

12 - 1:30 p.m.
Monroe Room, 6th Floor, The Palmer House Hilton

Technology, entrepreneurship and changing customer expectations are disrupting traditional models for mobility, and are challenging the ways public transportation operators approach their business. Dr. Susan Shaheen was among the first to observe, research and write about these changing dynamics, and will describe the forces driving the sharing economy and the likely scenarios through which automated vehicles will gain prominence. Yes, calamity can indeed be a time of opportunity. Public transportation can be the backbone of emerging multi-modal lifestyles, and taking advantage of the new array of choices available to travelers. In the coming months, public transit agencies will face important, strategic decisions, each of which will need to be considered through the lens of adaptation. Dr. Shaheen will frame and discuss with you many of the critical questions facing public transportation agencies today.
 
Moderator
  • Valarie J. McCall, Ex-Officio Member, APTA Board of Directors; Past Chair, APTA; Past Chair, Transit Board Members Committee; Founder and Chief Executive, Valarie McCall Consulting Agency, Cleveland, OH
Keynote Speaker
  • Susan Shaheen, Ph.D., Director, Innovative Mobility Research & Co-Director, Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA