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2019 Legislative Conference - Program

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

Saturday, March 16

Membership Committee

8:30 - 10 a.m.
Independence Ballroom DE, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Beverly D. Greene

Business Member Legislative AND Procurement Committees

9 - 11 a.m.
Independence Ballroom BC, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chairs, Raymond J. Melleady & Natalie E. Cornell

Registration

10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Independence Ballroom Foyer, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Lanyards sponsored by Herzog Transit Services, Inc.

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Business Member Workforce Development Committee

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Independence Ballroom BC, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Mark Francis Magaldi, III

APTA Board of Directors

12:30 - 5 p.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, APTA, Michele Wong Krause

(buffet lunch served at 12 p.m.)

 

Sunday, March 17

Small Operations Committee

7:30 - 9 a.m.
Independence Ballroom FG, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Allan Pollock

High-Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Committee

7:30 - 10 a.m.
Independence Ballroom HI, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Chris Brady

Business Member Business Development Committee

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Cabin John/Arlington, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Charles DiMaggio

Procurement Steering Committee

9 - 10 a.m.
Wilson/Roosevelt, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Transit Board Members Legislative Subcommittee

9 - 10 a.m.
Constitution Ballroom A, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Beth Holbrook

Registration

9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Independence Ballroom Foyer, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

APTA Strategic Plan Listening Session

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

APTA is developing a new Strategic Plan for 2020-2023, which will re-purpose the association and help to define its priorities. The input of members is critical to shaping APTA’s future activities and focus, and is particularly important now as the mobility landscape experiences rapid and dynamic change. Come hear an update on the Strategic Plan and provide your input on how APTA can best serve its members and the public transportation industry in this new era of change.

Presiding
  • David M. Stackrow, Sr., CPA, Member, Board of Directors, Capital District Transportation Authority, Albany, NY

Business Member Programs Committee

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Cabin John/Arlington, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Tony Kellen

Connected and Automated Vehicles Committee

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Penn Quarter, Declaration Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Acting Chair, Randy S. Clarke / Facilitator, Jeff Hiott

Transit Board Members Administrators Subcommittee

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Washington Boardroom, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Kathryn Jane Smith

Federal Procedures & Regulations AND Funding, Financing & Tax Policy Legislative Subcommittees

9:30 - 11 a.m.
Independence Ballroom B-E, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chairs, Christopher P. Boylan & Ronald L. Epstein

American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF) Board of Directors

9:45 - 11:15 a.m.
Bulfinch/Renwick, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Raquel Olivier

Business Member Small Business Committee

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Cabin John/Arlington, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Jose R. Bustamante, P.E.

Transit Board Members Committee

10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Constitution Ballroom A, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Doug Tisdale

Innovative Funding, Finance and P3 Committee

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Penn Quarter, Declaration Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Heather McKillop

Mobility Management Committee

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Vice Chair, Katharine Eagan Kelleman, AICP

Workforce Development Committee

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Independence Ballroom FG, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, LaShanda Dawkins, Esq.

Commuter & Intercity Rail Legislative Subcommittee

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Independence Ballroom HI, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Co-Chairs, Karen J. Hedlund & Sam Smith

Intergovernmental Issues Legislative Subcommittee

12 - 1 p.m.
Wilson/Roosevelt, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Co-Chairs, Marlene B. Connor & Rick Ramacier

Financial Management Committee

12 - 1:30 p.m.
Independence Ballroom FG, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Advocacy Resource Center

12 - 5 p.m.
Franklin Square, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Please drop by APTA’s Advocacy Resource Center and pick up the latest industry talking points and information on the benefits of public transportation and the importance of federal transit and intercity passenger rail investment. Please feel free to share these resource documents with Senators, Representatives and Capitol Hill staffers to provide them with critical information on issues important to APTA members.

Diversity and Inclusion Council

12:15 - 1:30 p.m.
Bulfinch/Renwick, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Dorval R. Carter, Jr.

Commuter Rail CEOs Subcommittee

12:15 - 2:45 p.m.
Constitution Ballroom DE, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Catherine A. Rinaldi

Access Committee

1 - 3 p.m.
Independence Ballroom HI, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Brandon Policicchio

Business Member Board of Governors (BMBG)

1 - 3 p.m.
Independence Ballroom B-E, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Francis "Buddy" Coleman

State Affairs Committee

2 - 3:30 p.m.
Cabin John/Arlington, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Justin D. Leighton

Legislative Committee

3:30 - 6 p.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Matthew O. Tucker

Welcoming Reception

6 - 7:30 p.m.
Constitution Ballroom, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

(tickets required)
Over cocktails and light fare, join your colleagues for a reception and networking opportunity to kick off the conference.

 

Monday, March 18

APTA Technology Listening Session

7 - 8 a.m.
Independence Ballroom HI, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

With so much new technology entering the transit industry, APTA is hosting a Technology Listening Session to get your feedback on technology trends and developments. Please join us to give your input on developing a strategic direction for APTA to address new technologies and goals.

Presiding
  • Jonathan H. McDonald, P.E., Global Director Systems & U.S. National Practice Leader/Rail & Transit, Hatch, Oakland, CA
  • Jeff Hiott, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Washington, DC

Registration

7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Independence Ballroom Foyer, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

BREAKFAST: Politics and Policy: A Pulitzer Prize Winner's Look at Washington, DC

7:45 - 9:30 a.m.
Constitution Ballroom, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

(breakfast served at 7:45 a.m.; tickets required) 
 
Start the first full day of the conference with a sit-down breakfast to hear from legendary journalist Bob Woodward. Bob Woodward gained international attention when he and Carl Bernstein uncovered the Watergate scandal in 1973. Since then, Watergate’s theme of secret government has driven Woodward’s tough but fair and non-partisan reporting. He pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of Washington; revealing in meticulous detail what’s really going on in the halls of power. Have the lessons of Watergate been forgotten? Is the media doing its job? Woodward offers an historical perspective as only he can. Woodward has written about the last nine U.S. presidents and chronicled how the power of the presidency has evolved. He is author of 19 best-selling books— 13 were #1—more than any contemporary nonfiction writer. His latest bestseller, Fear: Trump in the White House, is the deepest dive ever made into the first months of any American president. Currently, Associate Editor of The Washington Post, where he’s worked since 1971, Bob Woodward has won nearly every American journalism award including two Pulitzers.
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Keynote Speaker 
Bob Woodward, Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist, Author, and Associate Editor, The Washington Post, Washington, DC 
 
Speaker sponsored by AECOM
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Breakfast sponsored by APTA Business Members Activity Fund  
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Introduction
  • David M. Stackrow, Sr., CPA, Member, Board of Directors, Capital District Transportation Authority, Albany, NY
Sponsor Recognitions
  • Huelon A. Harrison, Principal, Legacy Resource Group, Dallas, TX
  • Gregory R. Yates, P.E., AECOM
Keynote Speaker
  • Bob Woodward, Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist, Author, and Associate Editor, The Washington Post, Washington, DC

Advocacy Resource Center

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Franklin Square, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Please drop by APTA’s Advocacy Resource Center and pick up the latest industry talking points and information on the benefits of public transportation and the importance of federal transit and intercity passenger rail investment. Please feel free to share these resource documents with Senators, Representatives and Capitol Hill staffers to provide them with critical information on issues important to APTA members.

OPENING GENERAL SESSION: The Year Ahead in Transit—Update from the Federal Transit Administration

10 - 11 a.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Please join us for the Opening General Session to hear from K. Jane Williams, Acting Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, to learn more about public transportation priorities for the upcoming year, setting the stage for reauthorization of the FAST Act.

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Featured Speaker
Hon. K. Jane Williams, Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC
 
Presiding/Chair's Remarks
  • David M. Stackrow, Sr., CPA, Member, Board of Directors, Capital District Transportation Authority, Albany, NY
President's Welcome
  • Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Introduction
  • Diana C. Mendes, AICP, Corporate President, Infrastructure and Mobility Equity, HNTB Corporation, Arlington, VA
Featured Speaker
  • Hon. K. Jane Williams, Deputy Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC

GENERAL SESSION: Exploring Mobility Innovation—One Pilot Project at a Time!

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Today’s mobility environment is enlivened by new service delivery models being implemented each month at transit agencies nationwide. APTA’s “Mobility Innovation Pilot of the Month” highlights new approaches for providing mobility, sharing next practices, and transferring tangible tools and resources. This General Session will describe “TD Late Shift”, a service provided by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority to provide no-cost transportation to low-income residents commuting to and from work when bus service is not available. Launched in 2016, the program provides subsidized ride-hail and taxi trips to and from employment sites during evening and late-night hours. 
 
Introduction
  • Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr., Chief Executive Officer, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL
Moderator
  • David Zipper, Principal, DZ Strategies LLC, Washington, DC
Discussants
  • Brad Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, St. Petersburg, FL
  • Bonnie J. Epstein, Director of Mobility Services, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, St. Petersburg, FL

LUNCHEON: An Afternoon with the Capitol Steps

12:30 - 1:45 p.m.
Constitution Ballroom, Constitution Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

(tickets required)
 
More than 30 years ago, the Capitol Steps began as a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them. In the years that followed, many of the Steps ignored the conventional wisdom ("Don't quit your day job!"), and although not all of the current members of the Steps are former Capitol Hill staffers, taken together the performers have worked in a total of 18 Congressional offices and represent 62 years of collective House and Senate staff experience.

Since they began, the Capitol Steps have recorded over 35 albums, including their latest, Make America Grin Again. No matter who or what is in the headlines, you can bet the Capitol Steps will tackle both sides of the political spectrum and all things equally foolish. What more would you expect from the group that puts the "MOCK" in Democracy?!
 
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Capitol Steps sponsored by Transdev North America

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Presiding
  • Bacarra Mauldin, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Memphis Area Transit Authority, Memphis, TN
Sponsor Recognition
  • Michael H. Setzer, Executive Search Practice Leader, TransPro Consulting, Cincinnati, OH

Networking Break

2 - 2:30 p.m.

GENERAL SESSION: The Year Ahead in Transportation—Update from the U.S. Department of Transportation

2:30 - 3 p.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Please join us to hear from Derek Kan, Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to learn more about DOT’s public transportation priorities for the upcoming year.

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Featured Speaker

Hon. Derek Kan, Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Introduction
  • Hon. Nuria I. Fernandez, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Washington, DC
Featured Speaker
  • Hon. Derek Kan, Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

GENERAL SESSION: Public Transportation Funding, the Infrastructure Initiative, and FAST Act Reauthorization

3 - 5 p.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

(This session is off the record and not for attribution.)  

With both Congress and the Administration developing significant infrastructure initiatives, this session features a discussion of the major infrastructure proposals and funding bills being debated on Capitol Hill. It will feature the key Congressional staff representing House and Senate committees responsible for public transportation funding, formulas, and policies.
Moderators
  • Diana C. Mendes, AICP, Corporate President, Infrastructure and Mobility Equity, HNTB Corporation, Arlington, VA
  • Leanne P. Redden, Executive Director, Regional Transportation Authority, Chicago, IL
  • Freddie C. Fuller, II, Vice President & Geographic Sales Manager, Jacobs, Woodbridge, VA
  • Ronald L. Epstein, New York State Department of Transportation, Albany, NY
AUTHORIZATION PANEL
  • Jennifer Deci, Majority Professional Staff Member, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC
  • Homer Carlisle, Senior Advisor on Infrastructure, Transportation and Transit Policy, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC
  • Auke Mahar-Piersma, Senior Advisor, Cardinal Infrastructure, Washington, DC
  • Cheryle Tucker, Parsons Corporation, Washington, DC
APPROPRIATIONS PANEL
  • Clare Doherty, Majority Clerk, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC
  • Dabney Hegg, Minority Clerk, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC
  • Sarah Puro, Majority Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC
  • Doug Disrud, Minority Clerk, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC
LEADERSHIP AND TAX PANEL
  • Robert A. Hickman, Transportation Counsel, Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC
  • Bill Hughes, Policy Director, Republican Whip Steve Scalise, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC
  • Nicholas Wyatt, Majority Tax, Infrastructure, and Nominations Policy Advisor, Committee on Finance, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC
  • Robert Andres, Minority Senior Policy Advisor, Committee on Finance, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC

Planning, Policy and Program Development Committee

5:15 - 6:30 p.m.
Independence Ballroom DE, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Kammy Horne, AICP
 

Tuesday, March 19

Registration

7:30 - 9 a.m.
Independence Ballroom Foyer, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

BREAKFAST: Coalition Partners in Surface Transportation Advocacy

7:45 - 9 a.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

(breakfast served at 7:45 a.m.) 

Please join APTA’s Coalition partners in surface transportation advocacy for a discussion on how we can work together to achieve significant increases in infrastructure investment and reauthorization of the FAST Act. APTA has long-standing relationships with a broad spectrum of interest groups and trade associations with which we work closely to advance our common goals. Plan to attend this session to learn more about the importance of coalition building and the ways in which we can achieve shared success in working with these important partners.
 
Moderator
  • Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Panelists
  • Jim Tymon, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, DC
  • Irma Esparza Diggs, Senior Executive and Director, Federal Advocacy, National League of Cities, Washington, DC
  • Edward L. Mortimer, Executive Director, Transportation Infrastructure, Americans for Transportation Mobility, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, DC

Advocacy Resource Center

8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Franklin Square, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Please drop by APTA’s Advocacy Resource Center and pick up the latest industry talking points and information on the benefits of public transportation and the importance of federal transit and intercity passenger rail investment. Please feel free to share these resource documents with Senators, Representatives and Capitol Hill staffers to provide them with critical information on issues important to APTA members.

GENERAL SESSION: The Infrastructure Initiative and FAST Act Reauthorization—View from the Hill

9:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Please join APTA in welcoming and hearing from key leaders on the FAST Act who will share their respective Committee’s initiatives and priorities for 2019, the prospects for a FAST Act reauthorization bill, and increasing investment in surface transportation infrastructure.

Featured Speakers
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Hon. Eleanor Holmes Norton, (D-DC), Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC

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Hon. Thomas R. Carper, (D-DE), Ranking Member, Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Senior Member, Committee on Finance, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC

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Hon. Anthony Brown, (D-MD), Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC
 
Introductions
  • David M. Stackrow, Sr., CPA, Member, Board of Directors, Capital District Transportation Authority, Albany, NY
  • Paul J. Wiedefeld, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Washington, DC
Featured Speakers
  • Hon. Eleanor Holmes Norton, (D-DC), Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC
  • Hon. Thomas R. Carper, (D-DE), Ranking Member, Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Senior Member, Committee on Finance, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC
  • Hon. Anthony Brown, (D-MD), Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC

GENERAL SESSION: Mobilizing APTA Members for Public Transportation Advocacy

10:45 - 11:15 a.m.
Independence Ballroom A, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Do you know what it takes to be an effective public transportation advocate? This general session will provide the necessary guidance and skills to take your advocacy to the next level. The session will feature an interactive demonstration of APTA’s Industry Footprint tool by a member of APTA’s Policy Department. You’ll learn first-hand how to utilize this vital advocacy tool to your advantage.

Featured Speaker
  • Raymond J. Melleady, Executive Vice President, United Safety & Survivability Corporation, Exton, PA
APTA's Industry Footprint Demonstration
  • Matthew Dickens, Director, Policy Development & Research, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC

CAPITOL HILL VISITS

11:15 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Please reserve this time and make appointments to visit your Senators and Representatives to brief them about your system or business and advocate for significant increases in the federal investment in public transportation.

EXPO Advisory Committee

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Farragut Square, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington
Chair, Christina Belmont

National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates (NAPTA)

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Independence Ballroom C-E, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

Whether you are a grassroots organizer or simply enjoy taking transit, join the National Alliance for Public Transportation Advocates (NAPTA) to learn how transit advocacy groups craft strong messages to advance their agenda. Participants at the meeting will also learn how coalitions create and maintain an active list of advocates, what resources—like APTA Local Coalition Grants—are available and other tools that NAPTA provides to increase investment in transit.

FTA Major Capital Projects Workshop

1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Independence Ballroom C-E, Independence Level, Grand Hyatt Washington

The Federal Transit Administration will lead this interactive workshop to provide updates and seek industry feedback on matters affecting major transit capital projects and programs. Key representatives of the FTA’s Office of Planning and Environment and the Office of Program Management will conduct the workshop. 

There is no additional fee to attend this training workshop. Space is limited and registration is required. Please email APTA’s Elizabeth Lovinggood at elovinggood@apta.com to register.

CAPITOL HILL RECEPTION

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Rayburn House Office Building Cafeteria
 
Meet and greet lawmakers and their staffs as we close the conference with a Capitol Hill reception that provides one more chance to talk transit in a relaxed setting. The reception will be held in the cafeteria of the Rayburn House Office Building. 
 
Farecards sponsored by Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc.
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DIRECTIONS TO THE RECEPTION
Take Metrorail to the Capitol South Metro Station (Orange/Blue/Silver lines). Metrorail provides easy access to the Rayburn House Office Building. Metro SmarTrip® cards and instructions are provided in your packet of conference materials. 
 

Wednesday, March 20

COMTO Awards Breakfast: Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation

8 - 11 a.m.

(on-site registration opens at 7:15 a.m.; tickets required)

Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008
 
The Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) is pleased to host our 8th Annual Awards Breakfast, Celebrating Women Who Move The Nation. In observance of Women’s History Month, we have inducted over 75 women into this signature class of leaders in the transportation industry. We are excited to celebrate women who are leading and advancing America’s transportation infrastructure and invite you to join us. We encourage you to take part in this momentous affair. This again will be one of the industry’s signature events of the year.

PURCHASE TICKETS: https://www.comtonational.org/page/womenwhomove 

Note: There will be no ticket sales on site.

QUESTIONS? Contact JaLissa Coffee at jcoffee@comtonational.org or 202.506.6510