Join the California Transit Association’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Melissa Figueroa, for a panel discussion titled "Not all pathways to the C Suite in Transportation are Linear" at the 2026 WTS International (@WTS_Org) Annual Conference in Los Angeles, happening Thursday, May 7, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 11:50 AM. This session will highlight the importance of fostering diverse professional pipelines to grow the next generation of the transportation workforce. Panelists: Melissa Figueroa - Director of Communications and Public Affairs, California Transit Association Avital Barnea - Senior Executive Officer, Multimodal and Integrated Planning, @metrolosangeles Maria Guadalupe Meleandez - Chief of Staff, @DENAirport - Denver, CO Margaret Cederoth - Executive Director, Strategy Development, @SoundTransit Karen Philbrick, MA, EDM, PhD (she/her/hers) - Executive Director/CEO, @MinetaTrans Join respected women leaders who transitioned into the transportation sector from diverse professional backgrounds, including medical services and television news, as they share how their past experiences led to their current roles and provide insights for hiring managers on identifying talent outside traditional skillsets to build more resilient organizations. For registration details, visit: wtsannualconference.org/

Panelist Spotlight ✨ Karen Philbrick, Executive Director of the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University. Don’t miss her expertise on leadership and workforce development in transportation. Thank you to our collaborating partners @WtsSacramento @MinetaTrans for this month’s webinar. For more information, and to register, visit the link below! caltransit.org/Events/Webina… #WomenInTransit

Join the California Transit Association, in partnership with @MinetaTrans, and @WtsSacramento for a discussion celebrating Women’s History Month and the impact of female leadership in transit and transportation. It’s all happening on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. This webinar will explore the vital role of mentorship and champions in transportation, focusing on how we can collectively empower and inspire female colleagues as they navigate their paths to the C-suite. Our distinguished panel of industry leaders will share their personal career trajectories, best practices, and advice for fostering the next generation of women in transit. Participants: - Moderator/Panelist: Karen Philbrick, PhD, Executive Director, @MinetaTrans - Erin Rogers, CEO/General Manager, @Omnitrans; Chair, Executive Committee - Alicia Trost, Communications Officer, @SFBART - Toni Tinoco, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Communications, @CA_Trans_Agency - Amanda Kahn, Senior Engineering Geologist, @CaltransHQ; Chapter President, @WtsSacramento Event Information: Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (PST) Location: Zoom For more information, and to register, visit: caltransit.org/Events/Webina…

Panelist Spotlight ✨ Alicia Trost, Chief Communications Officer at BART. Hear her perspective on guiding public communications and advancing leadership in transportation at our Women’s History Month webinar. Thank you to our collaborating partners @WtsSacramento and @MinetaTrans for this month's webinar. For more information, and to register, click the link below: caltransit.org/Events/Webina… #WomenInTransit