Agenda

Marie Therese Dominguez was unanimously confirmed as New York State Transportation Commissioner on June 20, 2019. She has worked in the transportation, water and energy infrastructure, safety and logistics sectors for more than 25 years, having served in numerous executive leadership positions within the Federal government and private sector.

As Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) she leads DOT’s team of 8,520 professionals responsible for planning, designing, constructing, operating, maintaining and renewing the statewide transportation systems that are critical to New York’s global economic competitiveness and which encompass more than 113,000 highway lane miles; 17,400 bridges; a 3,500 mile passenger and freight rail network; 485 public and private aviation facilities; 12 major public and private seaports and 120 municipal sponsored public transportation operators. In addition, she oversees DOT’s statewide operations and maintenance of approximately 40,000 highway lane miles and more than 7,400 bridges for snow and ice control and response to extreme weather events. As part of DOT’s critical mission, she works to coordinate New York’s statewide emergency response functions for transportation and logistics for all manner of emergency operations including flooding, natural disasters, snow and ice, and COVID-19. With safety as DOT’s guiding principal, she also leads the team of DOT professionals ensuring the safety of the traveling public through the administration of statewide bridge, rail, bus and truck safety assurance and inspection programs.

Prior to coming to New York, Dominguez was nominated by President Obama and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) at the U.S. Department of Transportation. At PHMSA, Ms. Dominguez managed the development and enforcement of safety regulations and oversaw safety operations for the nation's interstate gas and liquid pipelines as well as all hazardous materials shipments by rail, highway, sea and air. Prior to leading PHMSA, she served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works at the U.S. Department of Defense, overseeing policy and budget direction for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She has also served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Counsel at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and as Special Assistant to President Bill Clinton for White House Personnel. In the private sector, she built a management consulting practice for Serco International focusing on change management in the post-911 environment. Ms. Dominguez obtained her J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and her B.A. in American Studies from Smith College.

Sue Thomas, P.E., is the Vice President of KLD Engineering, P.C. She has 20 years of Traffic Engineering experience from projects including traffic simulation modeling, emergency planning, signal retiming, and adaptive control. She is a NYS Licensed Professional Engineer and has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bath, UK, and a MS in Energy Studies from the University of Sussex, UK.

Luigi incorporates his passion for transportation technology into all aspects of his work. With 22 years of traffic planning expertise, he leads transportation planning and advances mobility solutions for the Northeast and supports traffic projects and professionals across the U.S.

Regardless of project size, Luigi is a champion of innovation. He advises clients on data analytics and cutting-edge traffic technologies, with extensive experience in developing data collection programs, parking studies, corridor safety projects, traffic operations studies, adaptive signal studies, toll plaza studies, traffic impact studies, maintenance and protection of traffic analyses, and corridor studies.

Luigi has worked on many high-profile projects including being lead traffic engineer for both the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and Bayonne Bridge projects. He also managed two New York for-hire vehicle policy studies and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway mobility evaluation tool, the largest simulation project in North America at the time. For the past seven years, he’s led the traffic signal oversight team for Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, piloting automated signal performance measures along with the development of big data dashboards to provide a data-driven approach to managing traffic signals.

Beyond his project work and leadership role at HDR, Luigi is involved with Institute of Transportation Engineers Metropolitan Section, serving as the 2015 past president and the current technical projects chair. He also presents and moderates at both regional and national conferences and webinars.

Dr. Hella Alnajjar received her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in an accelerated three consecutive years from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (2016). In the Fall of 2017, she
began her Ph.D. studies in Transportation Systems at NYU, Tandon School of Engineering. While pursuing her Ph.D., Hella worked under the supervision of Professor Kaan Ozbay as a researcher in the Urban MITS group. Mrs. Alnajjar is motivated by her interest in emerging intelligent transportation technologies such as connectivity and autonomy and assessing their impact on the current transportation system using novel scientific methods.

Dr. Austin V. Angulo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of CSEE at UB. His research focuses on pedestrian and bicyclist safety, micromobility, roadway design, virtual reality simulation, connected and autonomous vehicles, human factors, and transportation sustainability and equity. Dr. Angulo founded the Transportation Research and Visualization Laboratory at SUNY UB, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the research, training, and education of human interaction with transportation infrastructure using immersive virtual simulation methodologies. Dr. Angulo was a Dwight David Eisenhower Fellow at the Federal Highway Administration’s Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center where he worked on connected vehicle applications for pedestrian safety. Whilst at UVA, Dr. Angulo helped found the Omni-Reality and Cognition Lab which is dedicated to the education and research of human interaction with infrastructure systems and environments using alternative (virtual, mixed, and augmented) reality technologies. He is a subcommittee member of the TRB Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Analysis (ACS20-4). Before joining UB, Dr. Angulo was a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of Virginia (UVA).

Zilin is a Research Associate in Transportation Planning and Engineering in the Department of Civil and Urban Engineering at New York University. He received his Ph.D. degree at NYU and a master’s degree at the University of Florida. His research interests include applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence in traffic incident management, transportation data and mobility modeling, and transportation policy.

Zilin plays a leadership role both within and beyond his research group, serving as the research
lead for multiple projects in collaboration with other research groups such as the University Transportation Research Center (UTRC) of the City University of New York (CUNY). He was honorably mentioned at the 2023 best dissertation award in Transportation Research Board
(TRB) Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Computing Applications Committee.

Dr. Jingqin (Jannie) Gao is a dedicated professional with over 10 years of experience in transportation planning and engineering. She has led various projects funded by the U.S. DOT, National Academics and State and local agencies. As the Assistant Director of Research at the federal-funded C2SMARTER University Transportation Center, Dr. Gao assisted the center in securing a $15M grant to pursue a research and educational program focused on understanding and combating traffic congestion. Dr. Gao’s research has focused on ITS, AI solutions and urban analytics for smart transportation. Before joining NYU, Dr. Gao worked in the Modeling and Data Analysis unit at the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), which supports the agency’s internal planning, technical review processes, and coordinated with external agencies on regional projects. Beyond her academic pursuits, she champions women in STEM, diversity, equity, and workforce development. Dr. Gao was named Who’s Who America in Professional Women in 2023 and is a recipient of the Dr. Louis J. Pignataro Memorial Transportation Education Award by the ITE MET section and the National Leadership Legacy Award from the WTS-GNY chapter in 2019.

Athena Hutchins is the Executive Director of the Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition (NITTEC) providing overall leadership and management responsibilities for the multi agency international coalition of transportation entities in Western New York and Southern Ontario. As director of the Coalition, Athena is responsible for multi-agency Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) operations and technology deployment, information dissemination, standards development, incident management, and regional collaboration across international boundaries.

Athena Hutchins is a Licensed New York State Professional Engineer with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University at Buffalo.

Athena’s professional affiliations include the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), WTS International, Intelligent Transportation Society of New York (ITS-NY) and ITS Canada. Athena is currently serving as a member of the Board of Directors for ITS-NY and a member of the Transportation Research Board Freeway Operations Committee and Regional Transportation Systems Management and Operations Committee.

Preston Judkins is a Traffic Engineer and Project Manager for ITS Projects across North America, as well as signal timing, design, and operations. Some of Mr. Judkin’s projects include Truck Parking, Statewide Integration (Michigan, Illinois), Tollway ITS Lead (Indiana, Illinois; Rhode Island), County (Lake County), City (Chicago), and managed lane specific (Michigan, Virginia, Illinois, New York). He is a graduate from the research-intensive University of Wisconsin in Civil Engineering and holds an MBA from the University of Illinois.

Tu Lan is a Ph.D. candidate in Urban Systems at New York University, set to graduate in May 2024. His research centers on Data-Driven Decision Making in Capital Resource Management, tackling the intricacies of urban resource allocation. Tu is currently a Graduate Research Assistant at C2SMART, where he leads a team in creating a model to forecast resource requirements for the New York State Department of Transportation. This critical work involves analyzing historical staffing practices, project scopes, and resource distributions to align staffing levels with the 5-year Capital Plan. In addition to his academic pursuits, Tu made significant contributions during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic by playing a key role in the development of the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard. This involved comprehensive data management, validation, and the creation of mathematical models to support epidemiological data monitoring. His dedication to impactful research and data-driven solutions underscores his commitment to advancing knowledge and solving real-world challenges.

Paul Maye is the ITS and Smart Mobility Lead Engineer and Business Leader for Arup. Paul has over 20 years of experience in ITS and Smart Mobility systems, design, operations, and integration. He is based in New York and as such, has worked extensively with major agencies in the region, including NYSDOT, NYCDOT, NJDOT, MTA, and the PANYNJ. As a Chartered Professional Engineer in the UK with CCNA certification, Paul also supports Intelligent Mobility projects at Arup's offices around the globe. Paul aims to deploy ITS that is both technologically innovative and socially useful- ITS that enhances safety and user experience and mitigates negative externalities of travel through data-informed operations.

Judith has worked for New York State Department of Transportation for over 25 years in the Construction, Traffic Safety and Mobility and Planning Unit. She also served as an Assistant to the Regional Director for 8 years.

Her current position is as a Joint Transportation Management Center (JTMC) Manager. In this capacity, Judith supervises the daily activities of the JTMC; informs Region 11 staff about incidents of major significance; reviews and coordinates construction calls to the JTMC, including late running construction; participates in Monthly Partner’s Meetings, Monthly Equipment Meetings; reviews and assigns JTMC staff schedules; and works on weather related incidents. Judith also serves as a leader on the Region 11 Emergency Management Team.

Judith is a Panel Chair – TRB - National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine; NCHRP Project 03-148. Judith is also a member of the AASHTO - CTSO Communications Technology Working Group and a member of the TRB ACP15 - Standing Committee on Intelligent Transportation Systems.

Judith holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the Pratt Institute and a Master’s Degree in Transportation Engineering from The City College of New York. Judith is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of New York. Judith Peter is also an Adjunct Professor at the City College of New York.

Dr. Veeregowda is Vice President with HNTB New YorkEngineering and Architecture, P.C. and the Chief Engineer (transportation and traffic engineering) for HNTB’s Northeast Division. HNTB is the second largest transportation engineering firm in the U.S. with over 4,500 engineers and 40 offices around the country. Dr. Veeregowda is a licensed professional engineer, professional transportation operations engineer (PTOE) and associate value specialist (AVS) with more than 30 years of experience managing, complex engineering analysis and design solutions for major highway, transit, rail, airport, bridge and automated people mover (APM) projects spanning the East Coast. Dr. Veeregowda is extensively involved in developing strategic transportation business
plans and successfully led several major infrastructure projects. He is proficient in planning, project management, and delivery of major infrastructure and land development projects in the Northeast Division, especially in complex urban areas such as New and New Jersey.

Dr. Veeregowda has worked on several major design-build (DB) infrastructure proposals and
projects, including development of alternative technical concepts (ATCs), project delivery, and
risk assessments during pre- and post-award phases to save money and schedule and to enhance
value.

Further, he brings a comprehensive understanding of infrastructure projects and has provided value engineering services on several complex infrastructure projects to achieve cost savings and to enhance value. Dr. Veeregowda's experience has included managing and completing several marquee projects that involved major Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) and complex transportation engineering analyses and design, such as the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) Expansion Project from Floral Park to Hicksville; the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT)’s Kosciuszko Bridge DB; the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s (NYCEDC) Yankee Stadium; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s (PANYNJ) –World Trade Center Permanent PATH station; NYCEDC’s 8 million square-foot
mixed use development for Hunter's Point South; LIRR’s East Side Access; PANYNJ’s AirTrain
JFK; New Jersey Transit’s (NJT) Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, NJT’s Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link;
NYCEDC’s 9 million square-foot mixed use for Coney Island; MTA New York City Transit’s
(NYCT) Second Avenue Subway; the New York City Department of Transportation’s
(NYCDOT’s) Select Bus Service; and many other prominent projects. In addition, Dr.
Veeregowda served as the traffic, transit, pedestrian, ferry, and bicycle task manager and
performed the various data analytics and traffic analysis for New York City Congestion Pricing
which, when implemented in January 2021, will generate $1.75 B revenue and reduce traffic and
congestion in the NYC urban core.

Dr. Veeregowda is a Fellow of the ITE and he earned his doctoral degree in transportation
engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology. Dr. Veeregowda serves on the board of
many Hindu organizations and he is instrumental is getting zoning and site plan approvals for
many Hindu temples throughout the. Dr. Veeregowda practices yoga, pranayama, and meditation
and has taught them to others for the last 15 years.

Krishna Venkataswami serves as the Assistant Vice President for ITS at MTA Bridges and Tunnels, where she leads all ITS and Operations System projects. The MTA B&T operates seven bridges and two tunnels that move over nine hundred thousand vehicles daily and generate more than $2 billion in annual revenue. As the CEO of the TSMO/ITS capital program, she oversees a 5-year budget exceeding $40 million. Her 30+year professional journey includes a 14-year stint at JHK Associates/TransCore, where she provided consulting services for major transportation agencies in the mid-Atlantic region.

Krishna's outstanding contributions have been recognized with multiple awards from ITS New York for Outstanding Projects and the 2019 ACEC NY Engineering Excellence Gold Award for Operation Command and Command Control Systems. She is a licensed professional engineer with Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Madras and a Master's degree in Civil Engineering from NJIT.

Ye Wang joined the Department of Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering at the SUNY University at Buffalo in summer 2023 as PhD Student under the supervision of Dr. Angulo. Ye Wang obtained his Master of Engineering degrees under Mechanical and Industrial Engineering department at University of Toronto and Civil Engineering department at University of Virginia. His research topics include transportation planning, transportation safety analysis, mixed reality and 3D modeling, machine learning algorithms on sensor data, and computer vision applications.
Ye also had professional experiences as transportation engineer, data analyst and front-end developer at university medical research lab, and certified EIT in Virginia.

Mr. Hai Yang is currently studying for his Ph.D. in the department of Civil and Urban Engineering at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, under the guidance of Professor Joseph Chow. His research focuses on the urban transportation logistics network, especially using NYC as his case study. Mr. Yang went studied at the Chinese University of Hong Kong where he received his bachelors degree. He then earned his Master's degree from Northwestern University. Hai previously worked at UPS as an Operations Analyst for three years before pursuing his Ph.D.