Moving Arizona Melissa Boyles

In this episode it was my privilege to talk to Katie Gentry. Katie is the Regional Homelessness Program Manager for the Maricopa Association of Governments. Her role within the Human Services Division of MAG is to work with communities and organizations across the Valley to understand how we address homelessness through existing programs and resources as well as new collaborations. Homelessness is a growing challenge for our communities and it’s one that knows no boundaries. Many who are homeless are employed full-time but cannot afford housing. The homeless include families, youth, veterans, elderly, and many others. Affordability of housing is part of the equation but as the Valley continues to grow, the cost of transportation also has to be considered. Access to affordable, reliable, public transportation is a key to helping many maintain a balance that allows them to stay housed. Our industry has a significant role to play in helping alleviate homelessness and Katie helps explain how.

In this episode Phil Gershkovich, President and owner of Cooper Aerial Surveys, joins me to share his perspective on the geospatial industry, how he came to be the owner of Cooper Aerial, and his plans for the future. Cooper Aerial has been a part of the Arizona transportation industry since the sixties with Phil taking ownership in 2016. Since then, he’s grown the company in both range of services as well as geographic markets. He’s one of the few people I know who can pivot from technical, to personable, to big picture seamlessly. You’ll hear that in this interview as he talks about business, growing his team and company, and engaging youth to foster careers in the geospatial industry. 

In this episode I caught up Jennifer Pyne. Jen spent twenty-five years in the Valley starting with the completion of her graduate program at Arizona State University and ending as part of the leadership team at Valley Metro.  In 2021 she left Arizona to join the Austin Transit Partnership to help build a team and guide the delivery of their multi-billion Project Connect Program. Today she serves as Executive Vice President of Planning & Risk Management. 
While the two communities are very different, they also share some similarities. One being that Austin too is embarking on transformational change using an investment in public transportation as the catalyst, just as we did over twenty years ago. Jen takes many lessons learned from her time in Phoenix not the least of which is learning to trust her instincts and transitioning from a “doer” to a leader.

In this episode I’m excited to share that I have officially begun my new role as Chief of Staff at Valley Metro and I’m celebrating by interviewing someone I started my career with, Alexandra Albert. Alex and I worked together in the early days of light rail planning, design, and construction; she was in public involvement and I was in program management. Over the past twenty-plus years, our careers have taken very different paths. Alex focused on communication, taking on more and more challenging projects, took a hiatus to focus on her three children, and is now an Assistant Vice President of Communication and Public Involvement at WSP.  
In this interview, Alex shares her insights regarding effective public involvement, her professional journey, and what she’s most excited about when thinking about the future. She has a passion for public transportation from her youth in New York and she’s brought that to a career of service in the Valley. Alex is a consummate communications professional with a wealth of information to share.

In this episode, I got to interview kindred spirit, LaShondra Mercurius. LaShondra is the President and co-founder of JLM Talent Partners. Together with her partner and husband, Jayson, they identified a niche market in staffing solutions for the AEC industry. Leveraging the cyclical nature of large-scale infrastructure projects, LaShondra and her team employ a community-centric approach to creating prosperity from policy. Though the current Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act emphasizes equity, JLM has drawn from these principals from the inception of their business. Unlike many other staffing firms, LaShondra and Jayson have created a training and on-boarding process that focuses on honoring the dignity of individual candidates, very often from high-risk communities, and setting them up for success. 
LaShondra shares her passion for empowering entrepreneurial women and people of color. She is also an advocate for jobs creation through infrastructure investment and serves on the City of Los Angeles Workforce Development Board. The work of JLM spans California, Arizona, the Pacific Northwest, Texas, the Washington DC area, and numerous other communities across the country. Here in Arizona, they support the I-10 Broadway Curve reconstruction project, both the South Central and Northwest II light rail extensions, I-17 Flex Lanes, and have worked on numerous other large-scale projects. They’re growing their Arizona presence and bringing a passion for workforce innovation. I’m excited to work with LaShondra and her team and can’t wait for you to get to know her better. 

In this episode I was joined by Amy Ritz, Project Manager for ADOT’s first major urban freeway reconstruction project, the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvements Project. Amy brings a unique background and perspective to managing an undertaking as significant as redesigning and rebuilding one of the Valley’s busiest freeway corridors. With Amy’s educational background in Political Science, extensive experience working with elected officials, and deep understanding of the utility relocation and project delivery process, ADOT definitely picked the right Project Manager.
Learn how Amy made her way from working with the California State Legislature back home to her roots in Arizona. Once here she began working with Salt River Project where she coordinated closely with municipalities and regional agencies on roadway projects. This led her to a seventeen-year career with the Arizona Department of Transportation where she is now leading a team of professionals on one of the most complex projects the state has ever undertaken. Amy’s one of the most competent project delivery professionals in the industry and her story is fascinating.