Dr. Catherine L. Ross is the Harry West Professor of City and Regional Planning/Civil and Environmental Engineering, and director of the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development (CQGRD). She is a Georgia Power Professor of Excellence and is a nationally and internationally renowned transport planner. Dr. Ross is the world authority on megaregions and her edited book “Planning for Global Competitiveness”, and her recent manuscript “Health Impact Assessment in the United States” are the leading references in both fields. Dr. Ross’s primary focus is transport system operations. Her research connects transport performance and different spatial geographies, cities and regions to increase economic development, sustainability and technological integration to improve our built and natural environments. She has authored hundreds of reports, articles, books and monographs. In July 2009, she was selected to advise the Obama Administration on creation of the first-ever White House Office of Urban Affairs. Dr. Ross served as the first Executive Director of the statewide Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) and successfully restored federal transportation funds to the Atlanta region. She is a member of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) and is a former Urban Land Institute Fellow. She served on the Executive Committee of the National Academy of Sciences, Transportation Research Board and as a Senior Policy Advisor. Dr. Ross is past President of the National Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP).