Volpe Center: Transportation Strategic Plans

Appendix D: Speaker Biographies in Program Order

Dr. Richard R. John, Director, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

Dr. Richard R. John is the Director of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Special Programs Administration's John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dr. John joined the Volpe Center in 1970. During the course of his career at the Center, he initiated and led the early development of many of the Center's current, world-class capabilities and participated in early groundbreaking studies on the international competitiveness of the U.S. automobile industry. More recently, he has raised awareness of and become a spokesperson for the importance of an educated workforce and long-term research in bringing about the technological innovations necessary to meet the transportation challenges of the 21st century.

He received his undergraduate and graduate training at Princeton University in engineering physics and aeronautical engineering. He has published extensively in the fields of combustion, high-temperature gas flows, advanced space propulsion, and, most recently, industrial competitiveness. Dr. John has been a member of the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board's Board of Directors since 1995, and has chaired its White House Initiative Committee and the Combined Federal Campaign.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has recognized Dr. John by bestowing upon him the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award (the Federal government's highest civil award), the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive, and three Secretarial awards.

Edward A. Brigham, Acting Deputy Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Special Programs Administration

Edward Brigham, a native of Texas received a B.A. degree, magna cum laude, in 1971 in political science and economics from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He received a Master of Public Affairs degree from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University in 1974.

He assumed his current position of Acting Deputy Administrator for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) in January 2001 and will serve in this position until a new Administrator is nominated and confirmed by the Senate. Mr. Brigham's permanent assignment is Associate Administrator for Management and Administration for RSPA - a position he has held since August 1999. In this role, he has executive responsibility for management and administrative services, information technology, contracts and procurement, and human resources. He also serves as principal advisor to the Administrator on safety training within DOT and RSPA, which includes oversight of the Transportation Safety Institute in Oklahoma City.

Mr. Brigham has over 26 years of government service. He has been a budget examiner in the Housing Branch of the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President (1974-1980); a member of the professional staff of the Committee on the Budget of the U.S. House of Representatives; (1980-1995); and, Chief of the Financial Institutions Branch of the Office of Management and Budget.

In addition, Mr. Brigham is a member of the American Society for Public Administration and the American Association for Budget and Program Analysis, for which he currently serves as President-elect.

Robert A. Knisely, Consultant

Robert K. Knisely is the recipient of the Senior Executive Service Distinguished Presidential Rank Award - the government's highest award for its civil servants. In addition, Mr. Knisely has had major roles in a number of government agencies including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Presidential Clemency Board, and the Federal Energy Administration as Senior Attorney/Advisor; and also, in a number of Cabinet departments - The Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Education, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Mr. Knisely's career is also notable for his work as one of only three civil servants chosen to direct the White House National Performance Review. In this capacity he was Deputy Director for Regulatory Review. He was an integral member of the Bush-Quayle Transition Team from November 1988 to February 1989.

Most recently, Mr. Knisely was Vice President for Product Development, Civitas Interactive Media, Inc. In this role, he was responsible for developing product prototypes, business plans and proposals for this utility media company using prepurposed public data to support commercial and private decision-making via wireless and other media.

Robert Knisely received a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University in 1972 and holds a B.A. in biology from Harvard University.

Steve Lockwood, Vice President, Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas

Mr. Lockwood is Vice President of Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas (PBQ&D), supporting the firm's development of new approaches to transportation service/facility solutions in areas where technology, policy and program intersect. PBQ&D is the nation's largest transportation planning and design firm. He focuses on new institutional, financial and programmatic approaches to service delivery involving systems management and operations, including innovative finance and privatization. He serves as Senior Technical Advisor and Principal in Charge on projects relating to systems operations, planning, public/private partnerships, and multimodal applications.

Mr. Lockwood is active in several roles involving new transportation-related institutions. He recently completed a report on "The Changing State DOT" for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). He is a recent past Chairman of the ARTBA Public/Private Ventures Division and chairs the ITS-America Task Force on Institutional Development. He also serves as Vice-Chair of the National Committee for Creating a National Dialogue on Operations and Chairs the Research Advisory Board of the ITS Implementation Center of the associated Virginia universities. He is currently managing an FHWA support contract on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and is consultant to AASHTO's ITS Deployment Task Force. He is managing the NCHRP Innovative Financial Clearing House and conducting research on "institutionalizing" systems operations for FHWA and AASHTO. He is involved as principal in charge for statewide ITS planning studies in Maryland, Florida and California and state-of-the-practice studies on mainstreaming ITS into current state and regional programs.

Prior to joining PBQ&D, he served for three years as the FHWA's Associate Administrator for Policy. In that position he oversaw policy development and new legislation, as well as strategic studies and international programs. Mr. Lockwood led the FHWA Task Force, which developed the initial ISTEA proposal - the first new national transportation legislation in a generation. In addition, Mr. Lockwood directed the Transportation 2020 Alternatives Group, an organized coalition of state and local government interest groups dedicated to reshaping national transportation policy for the 21^st Century.

Prior to his national policy focus, Mr. Lockwood served as Vice President of a major national and international consultancy. Over a 15-year period, he directed a broad range of major transportation projects nationwide - specialized in leading multidisciplinary teams resolving major highway and transit controversies - as well as planning projects in developing countries.

Mr. Lockwood is a member of TRB, ITE, ARBTA, APA, and ITS-America and is a member of the Federal Technology Advisory Group of the National Science and Technology Council. He lectures widely and has written many journal articles. He was educated at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania in architecture, urban and transportation planning.

Richard Norment, Executive Director, National Council on Public/Private Partnerships

Richard Norment serves as the chief of staff of the National Council for Public/Private Partnerships (NCPPP). Mr. Norment joined the Council staff in November 1999. Founded in 1985, the NCPPP is a non-profit organization of representatives of both the public and private sectors, working to promote the use of public/private partnerships for improved delivery of public services and infrastructure. NCPPP activities include publications, conferences and other educational programs for members and the general public, providing best practice examples and case studies of successful projects. NCPPP has members in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Norment has over 20 years of experience in management and development of national associations. Areas of expertise include organization and program development, public affairs and government relations, on both the national and international levels. His first experience with PPPs was with the housing programs at the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, over 20 years ago. He has authored numerous articles in trade and special interest press, and has presented papers before numerous national and international conferences. Mr. Norment's work history includes senior management positions with the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Gear Manufacturers Association, the Steel Shipping Container Institute, and Foodservice & Packaging Institute.

Mr. Norment did his graduate work in U.S. History at The American University in Washington, D.C., where he also served as an adjunct professor. He currently is active in state and national politics, as well as several local civic organizations. He, his wife, and three children live in Vienna, VA, a suburb of the Nation's Capital.

Samuel P. Williamson, Federal Coordinator for Meteorology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce

Mr. Samuel P. Williamson is the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. He is accountable to the U.S. Congress and the Office of Management and Budget for systematic coordination and cooperation among 15 Federal departments and agencies with meteorology programs to ensure the Federal government provides the best possible weather information and user services. He reports directly to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, who is also the chairperson of the Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (FCMSSR).

Mr. Williamson chairs the Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research and serves as a member and principal advisor to the FCMSSR and the Committee for the Environment and National Resources of the National Science and Technology Council. Mr. Williamson began his career as a Weather Officer in the United States Air Force Weather Service and has served the NOAA in numerous positions for more than 20 years including the position as the Director of the Next Generation Weather Radar Joint System Program Office.

As a Senior Staff Associate for the National Science Foundation, Mr. Williamson enhanced science education. As a Senior Science Advisor to the Committee on Science of the United States House of Representatives, he helped shape the legislative agenda for science, space, and technology policy. From 1996-1997, Mr. Williamson was a visiting Executive Fellow at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government where he studied and researched national security issues that involved science, technology, and public policy.

His education credentials include Bachelors of Science degrees in mathematics and meteorology from Tennessee State University and North Carolina State University, a Master of Arts degree in management from Webster University and post graduate studies in engineering technology management at American University. Mr. Williamson is also a Senior Military Officer in the District of Columbia Air National Guard.

Peter Davies, Castle Rock Consultants

Peter Davies has an M.S. in Transportation from Imperial College, University of London. His Ph.D. (University of Nottingham) addressed "Gaming and Simulation in Transport Forecasting." He spent 10 years as a faculty member at Nottingham, becoming Reader in Transportation Engineering, before founding Castle Rock Consultants in 1984. Since then, Dr. Davies has been Principal Investigator in well over 100 major research and consulting ITS projects across 5 continents. His current interests include road and weather condition prediction, and traveler information systems.

Leon Osborne, University of North Dakota

Leon Osborne is a professor of atmospheric sciences and director of the Regional Weather Information Center at the University of North Dakota (UND). During his 23 years at UND, he has been actively involved in research that applies weather information technology to solve everyday problems. He is presently the principal investigator of the Advanced Transportation Weather Information System, a Federal Highway Administration Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) program to demonstrate and commercially deploy a surface transportation weather system for rural America. Professor Osborne's areas of expertise are in numerical weather prediction, synoptic/dynamic meteorology, and the integration of advanced spatial technologies within the atmospheric sciences. In addition to his research, Professor Osborne serves as graduate studies coordinator for the University of North Dakota department of atmospheric sciences and instructs graduate and undergraduate courses ranging from theoretical meteorology to weather forecasting.

Besides his university responsibilities, he is active outside of campus. Since 1996, he has served as Science and Technology advisor to the North Dakota Governor. Also in 1996, Professor Osborne founded Meridian Environmental Technology, Inc. as a university spin-off business to perform university technology transfer of weather technologies to the transportation, and utility and agricultural industries. In addition, he presently co-chairs the ITS America Weather Information Applications Task Force Architecture Working Group.

Professor Osborne has received numerous university and national honors for his contributions. This past February, Professor Osborne received the University Alumni Research Award, UND's highest research award. In addition, he has received the National Governors' Association's Distinguished Service to State Government Award for his contribution to advancing the public's use of weather and information technology. And Professor Osborne was selected as a finalist in the 1995 Innovations in American Government Awards Program sponsored by the Ford Foundation and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government for his work in developing a prototype of an advanced agricultural weather decision support system.

Robert Hallowell, MIT/Lincoln Laboratory

Robert Hallowell is an associate staff member in the Weather Sensing Group at MIT/Lincoln Laboratory (Lincoln Laboratory) where his focus has been on automated weather products for aviation and surface transportation operations. Robert has been involved in designing and implementing algorithms for the FAA's air traffic weather systems (both the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar [TDWR] and Integrated Terminal Weather System [ITWS]) since 1987. He was one of several staff at Lincoln Laboratory to develop, patent, and transfer to several private vendors an advanced technique for predicting the short-term motion of storms. Mr. Hallowell received his B.S. in meteorology from the University of Lowell in 1985 and worked briefly as an environmental consultant for Camp, Dresser & McKee in Boston, MA, before joining Lincoln Laboratory.

Sheila Lynch, Executive Director, Northeast Advanced Vehicle Consortium

Sheila Lynch is Executive Director of the Northeast Advanced Vehicle Consortium (NAVC). The eight Northeast Governors and the Mayor of New York City appoint the NAVC board members. NAVC has completed, or is currently actively managing over 50 advanced vehicle technology projects ranging from large scale hybrid electric deployment projects to small componentry associated with electric drive technology and fuel cells. NAVC recently published "Future Wheels Interviews with 42 Global Experts on the Future of Fuel Cells For Transportation, Fuel Cell Infrastructure, and a Fuel Cell Primer." NAVC was selected in a national competition by the Transportation Research Board to write their recently published overview of hybrid-electric transit buses. NAVC has managed over $48 million of public and private funding on advanced vehicle technology working with DOT and DARPA. These vehicles have been deployed throughout the Northeast in urban and rural settings. She works with large and small industry teams, government partners, and environmental non-profits.

Prior to working at NAVC, Ms. Lynch had her own consulting company whose clients included NESCAUM, the Northeast States For Coordinated Air Use Management, and the State of Massachusetts where she was hired to implement and manage clean fuel technology projects. She has been an expert witness to the New York Attorney General's Office on advanced vehicle technology. She has a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a master's degree from Harvard University. She has served on the Federal Advisory Committee on the Clean Air Act and has testified to Congress numerous times on clean fuel vehicle technology and other environmental issues. In addition, she serves on the board of numerous non-profit environmental groups, and is the recipient of the Call Award for environmental leadership, 1 of 10 awards throughout the country.

Michael H. Filipiak, MHF Associates

Michael Filipiak is a financial and management specialist with more than 25 years experience. For the past seven years he has focused his efforts in business planning, business valuation, capital acquisition, loan workout, troubled debt restructuring, and management.

He has successfully assisted businesses in planning efforts in the acquisition of debt and equity to finance growth, in debt restructuring and loan workout, and has assisted in reengineering efforts to enhance profitability. He includes both corporations and individuals among his many clients.

In his management career he has served as a consultant with KPMG Peat Marwick; as an independent consultant; President of the First National Bank of Vermont and Independent Bankgroup, Inc., a publicly traded bank holding company; and as a bank regulator with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Additionally, he teaches business and management at the Community College of Vermont and serves as a member of a hearing panel for the Professional Responsibility Board of the Supreme Court of the State of Vermont.

He holds a bachelor of science degree from Boston College and a master of business Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He resides in Springfield, Vermont, and is a member of numerous community organizations and boards.

David Glater, Chief Counsel, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

David Glater is the Chief Counsel and Deputy Designated Agency Ethics Official of the Volpe Center. Last year, he moderated a panel on ethical issues in public/private sector partnering at the Transportation Research Board's annual meeting. Mr. Glater is a member of the Transportation Law Committee of TRB, and a member of the American Bar Association's Public Contracts Section Committees on Ethics and Research and Development. He is a graduate of Yale Law School, an honors graduate of Yale College, and a member of the Massachusetts Bar.

David Fairman, Vice President for International Programs, Consensus Building Institute

David Fairman is Vice President for International Programs at the Consensus Building Institute, Associate Director of the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, and a Friend of the Volpe Center. He is a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution, and is a senior mediator on the rosters maintained by EPA and the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution.

Mr. Fairman facilitates consensus building and mediates resolution of complex policy and organizational conflicts, with a specialization in economic development and environment and land use issues. He also provides training in negotiation and consensus building and research on effective conflict resolution strategies. Recent and current projects include facilitation of negotiated rulemaking and policy dialogue for the U.S. Housing and Urban Development; training for the Asian Development Bank on working with advocacy groups; and research on the resolution of urban land conflicts in Latin America.

Mr. Fairman is a graduate of Harvard College and holds a Ph.D. in political science from MIT.

David P. Forsberg, Chair, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and, President, Worcester Business Development Corporation

David P. Forsberg is currently Chairperson of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and President of the Worcester Business Development Corporation (WBDC). He is the recipient of an M.A. in Urban Affairs from Boston University. In addition, he holds a B.A. in religion and government from Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, and he also completed graduate studies in religion at Harvard Divinity School.

Prior to becoming President of the WBDC, Mr. Forsberg was the Chief Development Officer for Massport responsible for all property management leasing, completion of a strategic plan for Massport properties in South and East Boston, providing oversight for the development ofnumerous buildings as well as representing economic development for all Massport properties in East Boston, South Boston, and the Charlestown waterfront.

In addition, he has served as Chief Development Officer for the City of Worcester in charge of a $1 billion economic development agenda; Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Regional Administrator-Regional Housing Commissioner for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs New England Region under the Bush Administration for then secretary, Jack Kemp; and member of the Worcester City Council.

Mr. Forsberg is the recipient of numerous service awards including the Community Service Award from Worcester State College (1995), the Arthritis Foundation's Worcester Area Service Award (1995), the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health Public Service Award, and the Boston University, Metropolitan College Alumni Award for Distinguished Service to the Community.

Maria Pirone, Director, Global Data Products & Services, Weather Services International, Inc.

Maria A. Pirone has over 25 years of experience in information technology - the past 14 years in weather information services. She is currently Director, Global Data Products and Services for Weather Services International, (WSI), Inc. In this capacity, she is responsible for the policy, direction, and revenue performance for WSI's global data and imagery products and services. Her market responsibilities include: media, aviation, industry, and education. In addition, Ms. Pirone also serves as liaison to both U.S. and international meteorological agencies.

Ms. Pirone is a member of numerous professional organizations including the American Meteorological Society; the Commercial Weather Services Association, as Chair of the Government Liaison Committee; the American Meteorological Society on the Ad Hoc Committee on Ten Year Vision for Member Services; as a member of the Board of Directors of the Commercial Weather Services Association; the FAA Weather Research Team; and Honorary Member of the Board of Trustees of the Blue Hills Observatory; and, committee member for RTCA SC 195 for Datalink Applications.

Ms. Pirone's publications include: "Career Opportunities in the Private Sector," 1998 American Meteorological Society University Department Heads & Chairs Conference; "Public/Private Partnerships for the Next Millennium," 1998 U.S. Department of Transportation Symposium on Multi-Modal Weather Initiatives; "Making the Technology Transfer from Research to Market a Success," 1998 American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting - Interactive Processing Symposium; "Technology's Impact on Weather for Free Flight," 1998 International Air Traffic Control Association Annual Meeting; and, "Weather Condition Based Precipitation Estimation from Composite Radar," 1992 American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting - Weather Forecasting Symposium; 1991 National Weather Association Meeting.

She holds an executive M.B.A. and a B.S. in chemistry. Both of these degrees are from Suffolk University.

A. Russell Freeman, Director of Strategic Planning, EG&G Technical Services, Inc.

Mr. Freeman is Director of Strategic Planning for EG&G Management Services of San Antonio, Texas where he has been responsible for planning the redevelopment of Kelly Air Force Base. Kelly is being redeveloped from an Air Force Logistics Agency Depot Maintenance Facility into KellyUSA. KellyUSA is rapidly becoming a successful commercial center with world-class aircraft and engine maintenance facilities, and an emerging inland port.

Prior to joining EG&G, Mr. Freeman has also served as: Deputy Regional Administrator, Region 9, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Vice President Business Development, Brown and Caldwell Consulting Engineers, Manager of Projects for the Jacobs Engineering Group, Associate Professor of Engineering, Colorado State University, and Principal, L. R. Freeman, Inc.

Mr. Freeman holds an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and both a B.S. in Engineering and a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Colorado. In addition, he is a Registered Professional Engineer, and an Investment Advisor, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. His publications include the "NEPA Manual," Government Institutes, Rockville Maryland and he is a recognized lecturer/teacher in strategic planning, environmental management, and the decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear facilities.

Jack Sheehan, Executive Director, AGATE Alliance Association, Inc.

Mr. Jack Sheehan serves as the Executive Director, AGATE Alliance Association, Inc., reporting to a Board of Directors elected from the industry members of the alliance and has held the position since June 1997. The AGATE Alliance Association Inc. is a non-profit research and scientific organization formed by the alliance for the purpose of conducting the administration of the research programs and conducts research in the area of public/private alliances and is a component of the Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiment (AGATE) consortium.

AGATE is a research and development consortium designed to create the basis for a Small Aircraft Transportation System and revitalize the general aviation industry through the development and deployment of advanced technologies. The AGATE alliance is a true public/private partnership under the auspices of a Joint Sponsored Research Agreement to provide for the pre-competitive collaboration of some 70 industry, government and non-profit organizations with specific interests in the general aviation market.

Prior to accepting the position, Jack served as president of a small consulting firm, Business Development Systems Inc. Previously, he held engineering and management positions with EG&G, a Fortune 500 corporation, from 1988 to 1995.

Mr. Sheehan holds a commercial instrument, multi-engine, pilot's license for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft with over 3,000 hours flight time. His distinctive aviation career began sweeping hangar floors for PanAm in New York while attending Aviation High School. His education includes a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Embry-Riddle University with advanced education in Project Management at the Defense Systems Management College and George Washington University.

In addition, Mr. Sheehan is a veteran with a distinctive military career as a U.S. Army Aviator and Transportation Officer. He served as commanding officer of aviation units in combat with the 101st Airborne Division. His last military assignment was in R&D as project manager of the Apache Longbow system.

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