Appendix D: Team Members

Contact Information

Biographical Sketches

Debra Elston (FHWA cochair) serves as the director of the FHWA's Office of Corporate Research, Technology, and Innovation Management. She is also the director of the Research and Technology Program Development and Partnership Team. Elston oversees key strategic initiatives in research and technology, such as the exploratory advanced research program, budget and legislative development, and marketing and communication strategies for FHWA's Research and Technology program. Her collaborative leadership style includes membership on TRB's Conduct of Research Committee and involvement with the European Conference of Transport Research Institutes. Elston presented a paper at the 11th World Conference on Transport Research entitled "Closing the Gap Between Research, Policy, and Practice." Her experience in the transportation field spans more than 27 years, 19 with FHWA. Elston has received numerous awards, including three Secretarial Awards for "Partnering for Excellence."

Dave Huft (AASHTO cochair) is the research program manager and intelligent transportation systems coordinator for the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). SDDOT's Office of Research addresses a broad range of research topics in transportation design, construction, operations, maintenance, planning, administration, and market research. Huft has been active in national research activities and is a past chair of the AASHTO Research Advisory Committee (RAC). He is a member of the AASHTO Standing Committee on Research (SCOR) and the AASHTO Technology Implementation Group, and is cochair of the Transportation Research Program Management scan. Huft is a recipient of the AASHTO President's Award for Research and the Alfred E. Johnson Award for Outstanding Achievement.

Barbara T. Harder (report facilitator) is the principal of B. T. Harder, Inc., a consulting firm focusing on transportation research management, technology implementation, transportation policy development and analysis, and program and performance assessment. She assisted FHWA in examining issues of quality, performance, and relevance of research activities. With FHWA she developed program policy and administrative procedures, including the Expert/Peer Review Handbook used in the process. In addition, she is part of a team creating an innovation infrastructure for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to enable products of research and other innovations to be systematically deployed and institutionalized as standard practice throughout the department. Harder was the lead author for the NCHRP Synthesis 355: Technology Transfer Successes, Challenges, and Needs. She also produced a TRB study to determine the tools of strategic value for technology transfer and implementation. In the past several years, Harder has prepared several studies, including a National Strategic Plan for Transportation Information Management for AASHTO (coauthor), NCHRP's Synthesis 312: Facilitating Research Partnerships in Transportation Research, and NCHRP's Synthesis 280: Seven Keys to Building a Robust Research Program (coauthor). Harder holds a master's in business administration in technology management and a bachelor's degree in mathematics with a concentration in physics. She is cochair of the TRB Committee on the Conduct of Research, a member of the TRB Strategic Management committee, a member of the Women's Transportation Seminar, an associate member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and a member of its Transportation and Development Institute Research Committee.

Joyce Curtis is the director of Field Services- North for FHWA. Curtis leads the 18 Divisions in the northern United States in helping States administer the Federal-aid program. She also is the regional emergency coordinator for a Federal region, overseeing transportation's response to natural and manmade emergencies. As the director of the FHWA Resource Center, Curtis led a multidisciplinary staff of 168 technical and administrative personnel who provide technical and program assistance to FHWA Division offices, State DOTs, metropolitan planning organizations and other partners. Curtis has served on a number of the agency's national task forces and work groups, including the Workforce Planning and Professional Development Task Force and the I-81 Task Force chaired by former Defense Secretary Jack Marsh. Curtis served as assistant division administrator for FHWA's Virginia Division and director of engineering and operations for the former FHWA Regional Office in Baltimore. Curtis graduated from Villanova University with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. She is the past secretary of the TRB Committee on Urban Transportation Data and Information Systems, and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Women's Transportation Seminar.

Monique R. Evans is the administrator of the Ohio DOT Office of R&D, where she manages a robust transportation research program of about 100 active projects with a budget of about $9 million. She is responsible for delivering a fair and competitive program that is aligned with departmental strategic initiatives, is fiscally responsible, and produces practical results with a strong emphasis on accountability and implementation. Evans has been employed at the Ohio DOT for 17 years and also has private-sector experience in structural engineering and architectural design. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Women's Transportation Seminar and the TRB Conduct of Research Committee, for which she chairs the Subcommittee on Strategic Planning. She has been involved in several NCHRP project panels and is a member of the NCHRP's Domestic Scan Program. Evans is also the AASHTO RAC Region 3 vice chair, the RAC Funding Task Group leader, and the AASHTO SCOR/RAC Reauthorization Task Force cochair. She is a certified public manager, a registered professional engineer in Ohio, and a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, specializing in structures.

Christopher W. Jenks serves as director of Cooperative Research Programs for the TRB, a unit of the National Academies in Washington, DC. In this capacity, he is responsible for administering five cooperative research programs with a combined annual budget of about $67 million. Each cooperative research program provides industry-driven, problem-solving applied research to a particular segment of the transportation industry, including State departments of transportation, public transportation operators, airports, and the freight and hazardous materials transportation communities. Research programs administered include the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Transit Cooperative Research Program, Airport Cooperative Research Program, National Cooperative Freight Research Program, and Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program. In the past, Jenks served as an associate director for business planning and development at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and chief of transit service planning and operations for the Fairfax County (VA) Department of Transportation in suburban Washington, DC. He also held positions with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission in western Massachusetts and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. He has an engineering degree from Cornell University.

Laurie McGinnis is the associate director of the University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies. She provides overall leadership for the center in identifying program opportunities, securing funding, directing programs, guiding program delivery, overseeing center operations, and establishing future directions in transportation research, education, and outreach. Before her work with the university, McGinnis was a project manager and bridge designer at HNTB, where she participated in the design of several bridges for State and local agencies. McGinnis has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin and master's degrees in public affairs and business administration from the University of Minnesota. She is a registered professional engineer in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Nationally, McGinnis is active in TRB, for which she is the immediate past chair of the Committee on the Conduct of Research and is a member of the Committee on Women's Issues in Transportation. She is also a member of Women's Transportation Seminar and serves on its International Advisory Board.

Harold R. "Skip" Paul has served the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development for more than 30 years in both the research section and, since 1986, the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC). He is now the director of LTRC after serving as associate director for research since 1995. Paul has also served as an engineer-in-training, bituminous research engineer, and materials research engineer. As a researcher, he has had more than 40 publications published by TRB, the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists, and technical publications. Paul has also served TRB in a number of positions and on NCHRP panels, culminating as the Technical Division A chair, responsible for more than 3,500 professionals on more than 200 committees. He was named an associate of the National Academies for his service. Paul is a former board member of the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists, has participated on many FHWA advisory groups, and now serves on a Federal advisory committee. Paul graduated from Lehigh University with bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering and English. He is a licensed engineer in Louisiana.

Glenn Roberts is the chief of research for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT). Roberts directs the NHDOT Research Program, supervises product evaluation and qualification activities, and oversees a program of bridge deck condition surveys for existing structures. His research emphasis includes effective and efficient delivery of applied research solutions, implementation, and enhancing and demonstrating the value of research. After joining NHDOT in 1987, Roberts served 5 years as a geotechnical engineer before assuming his present role in research. His prior experience included nearly 6 years in the private sector with United Engineers and Constructors, Inc. working as a structural and field engineer in the nuclear power plant construction industry. Roberts has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of New Hampshire. He is a licensed professional engineer and septic system designer in New Hampshire and a certified public manager. He serves on several committees of AASHTO, TRB, and the New England Transportation Consortium.

Eric Wingfield is an internal consultant in Information Technology: Strategy and Organizational Development at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, MI. Wingfield focuses on organizational learning with an emphasis on developing collaboration and improving decisionmaking across Ford. In addition, Wingfield is reviewing the future impact of transportation infrastructure, information technology, and mobility on social and environmental sustainability. In the past, Wingfield studied biofuels infrastructure and developed simulations to learn more about the potential impacts of biofuels on food availability, transport demand, and ecology. Wingfield is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley in civil engineering. He graduated from a joint degree program at the University of Michigan coordinated by the Erb Institute to bridge issues in environment, society, and business. He earned a master's degree in natural resource, policy, and behavior and a master's of business administration through the program.

J. B. "Butch" Wlaschin is the director of FHWA's Office of Asset Management. He provides national leadership in maintaining, operating, and upgrading highway transportation assets efficiently over time. He leads a national effort of system management and performance monitoring, construction, and system preservation. As an office director in the FHWA Office of Infrastructure, Wlaschin oversees the coordination of innovation and technology programs across Infrastructure. He represents FHWA before State and local governments, the business and industry community, engineering organizations, and academia on transportation asset management. He is the secretary of the AASHTO Planning Subcommittee on Asset Management and the Highway Subcommittee on Construction. Previously, Wlaschin was director of the Office of Program Development in the FHWA Office of Federal Lands Highway. As a member of the Federal Lands leadership team, he was responsible for the development of policies, standards, and fund distribution and accountability for the $1.2 billion annual Federal Lands program. Wlaschin is a graduate of Lamar University with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. He received a master's degree in geotechnical engineering from Georgia Tech. He is a registered professional engineer and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and ASTM International.