ITE's 2024 Young Member of the Year Sam Harris, P.E., joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to share his journey from beginning at ITE through a Student Chapter to his current leadership roles on the Safety Council and the ITE Georgia Section. He also shares his passion for safety and how he has progressed in his career, as well as what he looks forward to accomplishing in the future.

​Venkat Nallamothu, P.E., Director, Transportation Operations and Safety at toXcel, joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to talk about the influence technological innovations are having on the transportation industry, specifically artificial intelligence (AI). He discusses the potential implications of AI on transportation infrastructure such as connected and automated vehicles, how AI has evolved in transportation to where we are now, and the role ITE can play in the use and application of AI. 

Kathy Falk, Vice President with Kimley-Horn, joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to discuss the newly released edition of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). She discusses the significant changes within the 11th edition, and highlights how the manual addresses safety concerns surrounding pedestrians and bicyclists, including bicycle lanes. She covers other new parts of the MUTCD, including provisions for setting non-statutory speed limits, and shares more about ITE's delegation to the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and what this body does.

Rachel Carpenter, Chief Safety Officer at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to discuss why the department adopted the Safe System Approach in an effort to reverse traffic fatality rates and address speed, among other safety improvements. She also explains their work with the Safe Systems Pyramid which takes a public health approach to safety, and elaborates on some of the specific strategies Caltrans implemented to win the National Roadway Safety Award. Rachel was a keynote speaker at the ITE Virtual Spring Conference in March.

Odessa L. Phillip, P.E., President and CEO of Assedo Consulting, LLC, joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to discuss community engagement as part of the decision-making process for transportation planning and project design, addressing the challenges of this process as well as the most effective strategies she's found. She also speaks to the importance of equity considerations when having these critical conversations, as well as what she sees as some of the emerging trends in community involvement.

Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to talk about the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and how it will impact communities taking advantage of the various funding opportunities it provides. He also discusses safety and why it's his top priority in his role, and what it will take to see improvement in this area. He also shares his views on leadership and its importance in his career and beyond.

Alex Argudin, CEO of the Miami Parking Authority in Florida, USA, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to talk about parking trends and challenges in a densely populated city, how Miami is utilizing parking more efficiently and effectively, and how these trends are affecting other urban areas. Alex, who is Chair-Elect of the International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI), also discusses some of the changes that have impacted the parking industry since COVID, how curb priorities have changed, and how equity and sustainability factor into parking decisions.

After 8 years of service, ITE Executive Director and CEO Jeff Paniati is retiring at the end of October. He joins the podcast to reflect on his storied career in transportation, including his many years at the Federal Highway Administration and his tenure at ITE. He also shares his hopes and vision for the future of the organization, and a bit about what he plans to do upon retirement.

Gabe Klein, Executive Director of the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to talk about transportation electrification in the United States. He discusses how his newly created office is working to help deploy its share of the U.S. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to build out infrastructure across the country to support various aspects of electrification, and how local and state entities can take advantage of the funding. He also talks about the technological advances taking place in the space and how data sharing will help expand the advantages of adopting electrification.

Bas Govers, Senior Urban Mobility Consultant, Goudappel, The Netherlands, joins the podcast to share insights on creating sustainably safe and comfortable people-oriented spaces that promote mobility. He talks about the evolution of his country over the past 50 years to become more biking and pedestrian friendly, and how they’ve addressed the challenges and lessons learned that come along with accommodating these users. Govers was a part of the Tuesday Plenary Panel Session in Portland, OR, USA at the ITE Annual Meeting in August titled “Creating People-Oriented Communities.”