Eno Concludes 2025 Leaders Development Conference

On Friday, June 13th, Eno concluded its 2025 Leaders Development Conference (LDC) in Washington, DC – a transformative week that brought together some of the nation’s most promising graduate students in transportation. Each year, this prestigious program draws top talent from across the country, and this year’s cohort proved to be an exceptional group of professionals ready to shape the next era of transportation policy and leadership.

Over the course of the week, the students attended interactive panels and sessions led by experts from Eno’s network, gaining firsthand insight into how national transportation policy is shaped and implemented. The experience helped deepen their understanding of the broader systems that influence transportation decisions across all levels of government and equipped them with the knowledge and connections to lead the field forward.

The 2025 LDC Cohort:

Ali Kothawala, Civil Engineering; University of Texas at Austin (Thomas J. O’Bryant Fellowship)

Allison Rewalt, Transportation Engineering; University of Tennessee-Knoxville (Gar Foundation Scholarship)

Cesar Andriola, Civil and Environmental Engineering; University of Wisconsin, Madison (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Charles Ofosu, Urban Planning; Harvard University

Deepak Benny, Transportation Engineering and Infrastructure Finance; Purdue University (Thomas Larson Scholarship)

Gongda Yu, Transportation Systems Engineering; University of Buffalo

Komal Gulati, Electrical Engineering; North Carolina A&T State University

Linda Lim, Systems Engineering; University of California, Berkeley (Lillian Borrone Award)

Maha Ahmad, Transportation Technology and Policy; University of California, Davis

Mahmuda Sultana Mimi, Civil Engineering; Texas State University (Transurban Scholarship)

Mahtab Ahmed, Civil and Environmental Engineering; University of California, Los Angeles (Deutsche Bahn Award)

Michael Montilla, City and Regional Planning; University of California, Berkeley

Nicole Odell, Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management; North Carolina State University (Linda O’Bryant Award)

Timothy Hughes, Transportation Technology and Policy; University of California, Davis

Walter Yu, Transportation Management; San Jose State University (Charles William Koch Award)

William Garrett, Urban Planning; San Jose State University

Zhe Fu, Transportation Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences; University of California, Berkeley (Rodney E. Slater Scholarship)

Monday

After a Sunday arrival and brief evening welcome reception, the 2025 fellows were off to the races Monday morning – opening with a federal policy primer from Eno’s own Jeff Davis (Senior Fellow and Editor, Transportation Weekly, Eno Center for Transportation) and Rebecca Higgins (Vice President of Policy, Eno Center for Transportation). This opening session helped to set the tone for the week, providing a broad overview of federal policymaking and context for the many individuals the fellows would hear from throughout the week.

In the afternoon, the participants homed in on safety, discussing strategies and opportunities to enhance safety and resiliency in our transportation system. This conversation included wonderful insights from Zach Radford (Vice President of Government Affairs, National Safety Council), Sarah Puro (Vice President, Safety and Technology Policy, Alliance for Automotive Innovation), and Andrew Rogers (Senior Vice President and Co-Chair, Transportation & Infrastructure Practice, Boundary Stone Partners). After talking resiliency, fellows were able to sit down with Joe McAndrew (Assistant Secretary for Project Development and Delivery, Maryland Department of Transportation), Chris Conklin (Director, Montgomery County Department of Transportation), Jim Kolb (Partner, Summit Strategies), and Richard Kenney (Chief Engineer, District Department of Transportation) to discuss how agencies use federal dollars to implement infrastructure projects at the state and local levels.

Tuesday

On Tuesday, participants once again hit the ground running – this time with a panel of experts in supply chains and how we move goods through our transportation network. Roger Nober (Director, Regulatory Studies Center and Professor of Practice, Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration), Elaine Nessle (Executive Director, Coalition for America’s Gateways & Trade Corridors), and Susan Binder (Principal, VP Federal Market and Transportation Policy, Cambridge Systematics) sat down to discuss the challenges and opportunities within our supply chain, as well as technological advancement within the space.

Our partners at the American Public Transportation Association welcomed our fellows and panelists over for Tuesday’s afternoon packed full of engaging panels and exceptional panelists. The afternoon began with a conversation around the role which advocates play in shaping public policy which included Art Guzzetti (Vice President, Mobility Initiatives and Public Policy, American Public Transportation Association), Beth Osborne (Interim President and CEO, Smart Growth America), and Caroline Sevier (Managing Director of Government Relations and Infrastructure Initiatives, American Society of Civil Engineering).

This was followed by a conversation with Paul Lewis (Principal, DB E.C.O. North America), Harriet Tregoning (Director, New Urban Mobility Alliance), and Melissa Savage (Senior Policy Advisor, Jacobs), which was moderated by a dear Eno friend and former Senior Fellow, Emil Frankel, about enhancing system resiliency in the facing of a growing number of extreme weather events. And finally, a very engaging duo of Pierre Holloman (Chief, Arlington Transit) and Bob Tucillo (Senior Vice President, Office of Management and Budget, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) rounded out the day of panels with a great conversation around implement public transportation strategies at the local level.  

Wednesday

A perennial highlight of the LDC experience is the opportunity to visit the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Capitol Hill – and Wednesday delivered just that. Fellows began the day at the USDOT headquarters, where they heard from Rob Ritter (Associate Administrator for Safety, Federal Highway Administration), John Augustine (Director, Office of Infrastructure Finance and Innovation, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy), and Kyle Fields (Chief Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration). The panel provided an in-depth look at how USDOT works to ensure the nation’s transportation systems are safe, efficient, and forward-looking. Speakers also shared how the agency collaborates with states, localities, and other federal entities to advance broader transportation policy goals.

In the afternoon, fellows traveled over to the Rayburn Building to learn more about what happens on the hill. Chuck Baker (President, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association), Dean Franks (Senior Vice President, Congressional Relations American Road & Transportation Builders Association), and Martin Whitmer (Co-Founder, Whitmer & Worrall, LLC) started the series of panels as they talked to fellows about how lobbying at the federal level really works. To provide the government perspective, staffers Kathy Dedrick (Minority Staff Director, U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure) and Doug Disrud (Clerk and Staff Director at House Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing Appropriations) came in to discuss the legislative process and intricacies of policymaking.

Finally, Eugene Freedman (Special Counsel to the President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, AFL-CIO), Kathryn Thompson (Consultant, Transportation Aerospace, and Technology), Ronce Almond (Managing Director, International Government Affairs, American Airlines), and Sean Creed (Vice President – Administration/Secretary, Air Line Pilots Association, International) joined our team to talk about the aviation industry’s relationship with federal policy, as well as emerging technologies and a changing aviation atmosphere.

Thursday

Though the final day of programming was less packed, it was no less meaningful. Eno President and CEO Patrick McKenna kicked off Thursday with a candid session on leadership and professional development, sharing lessons from his career and engaging directly with participants.

That afternoon, fellows completed their capstone project: a mock Senate committee markup inspired and designed by Eno’s Rebecca Higgins. Since Sunday, participants had been working through a simulated markup process with assigned roles – ranging from senators and staffers to lobbyists and advocates. After a week of strategic negotiations, creative alliances, and behind-the-scenes maneuvering, the cohort brought it all together in a three-hour session, successfully passing their mock surface transportation reauthorization bill out of committee and walking away with a clearer grasp of how transportation policy is debated and advanced.

It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Later

On Thursday evening, fellows, panelists, and guests gathered for a closing reception and dinner to celebrate the week. A brief graduation ceremony marked the official induction of the 2025 cohort into the Eno alumni community – complete with cheers, camaraderie, and reflections on an unforgettable experience. As these future leaders continue their professional journeys, we look forward to the impact they will undoubtedly make across the transportation sector.

As always, Eno extends its sincerest gratitude to all who make LDC possible. We are especially thankful to the funders whose generous support ensures students can participate, and to the many distinguished professionals who volunteer their time to share insights and serve on panels. This program’s continued impact is a direct result of the individuals who believe in and invest in the growth of the next generation of transportation leaders. If you know someone who would be a good fit for the program, or if you are interested in sponsoring a fellow for this experience, see more on our website or reach out to us at kprice@enotrans.org.