The Sectional CAPSITE

After a long day of work, nothing sounds better than going to school. Wait, huh? At least that’s what seemed to be Norie Calvert’s perspective throughout her career as she hustled to achieve her accomplishments. She did so by working hard to move up the career ladder, continuously striving for more knowledge and new opportunities. Norie, WMATA’s Director of Contract Support and Marketing Outreach, impressed Eric and Sarah as they discussed her upbringing, work ethic, and determination to continuously step into new crucial roles. She shared the latest in procurement methodologies and her tips for consultants who are submitting proposals.
Date of Recording: Thursday, October 26, 2023
https://www.linkedin.com/in/norie-calvert-51660489/

What do DC; Corvallis, OR; and Tehran, Iran all have in common? Our latest guest, Sahar Nabaee, has walked and rode through their streets looking for ways to improve safety and quality of life! It’s more than just a catchphrase, Sahar dives into the specifics of Vision Zero with Sarah and Eric. We discuss how her work at DDOT is overcoming common challenges to create a network that is more welcoming to a wider variety of modes and users. As Traffic Safety Manager, she leads a team that is committed to delivering quick build solutions so that DC residents and visitors can appreciate the benefits of a well-rounded and safer transportation network.
Date of Recording: Monday, September 25, 2023
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahar-nabaee-p-e-37900632/

There’s no better place to talk about MTA’s Red Line, Resilience 2050, the state of good repair, and urban planning than right here in the heart of Downtown Baltimore. Sponsors, members, and friends of WDCSITE joined us at the Hotel Revival for a rooftop live session of The Sectional. Brian O’Malley, President and CEO of the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance (CMTA), intrigued us with the past, present, and future of Central Maryland’s transportation system. Sarah and Eric engage with Brian and his stories that have us meander around topics such as Light Rail and the Orioles, the irony of a Bus Rapid Transit ribbon cutting, and the Highway to Nowhere.
Date of Recording: Thursday, September 7, 2023
https://www.cmtalliance.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-o-malley-b3886219/

Although the phrase was coined following her transition from a private to public employer, we feel like we’ve experienced our own Carole Effect after chatting with Carole Delion about Connected and Automated Vehicles! We learned and were inspired by her insight as Deputy Director of MDOT SHA’s Office of Transportation Mobility & Operations. Carole’s unique background, career mantras, and passion for her work have driven her to be a leader in our region for this emerging technology. We discuss future scenarios as well as technology you can find right here on our own streets today. This episode is as much about CAVs as it is an encouragement to take on new opportunities life throws at us. Date of Recording: Monday, March 20, 2023
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdelion/

Operations, Planning, Engineering – all vital yet typical transportation professional disciplines. But what about Reporting? Jordan Pascale, reporter for WAMU Radio, provides us a perspective we often don’t hear in a professional setting. Jordan chats with Sarah and Eric about the myriad of topics he covers on a day-to-day basis. Jordan’s passion for all things transportation is evident as we touch on some of his favorite bike lanes, the implications of free Metrobus fares in DC, the chaotic curbside, the push towards vision zero, and more. Date of Recording: Monday, February 6, 2023 https://wamu.org/person/jordan-pascale/
https://twitter.com/JWPascale
https://dcist.com/person/jordan-pascale/

Technology is vital to many transportation projects these days. Hence, co-hosts Sarah and Eric are interested in learning about how this technology reaches our projects. We’ve brought in Randy Dominick, president of Traffic Systems & Technology (TS&T), to describe his perspective on new technology, supply chain, workforce, and procurement issues. He’s proud of how far our infrastructure has come and is looking forward to future opportunities to improve the system. Date of Recording: Monday, November 14, 2022