How did you begin working at TRA? Who was your first client?

I joined TRA after my graduate program in City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design.  My first clients were the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Rail Transit Safety Review Program and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s AirTrain Safety Oversight Board.

What do you like most about your job?

I enjoy seeing how transit systems work behind the scenes. In my eight total years at TRA, I have walked track in subway tunnels, inspected rail vehicles from underneath in maintenance pits, observed control of train movements at several rail control centers, and attended transit agency board meetings, just to name a few activities most people don’t get to participate in. I also enjoy meeting people from all walks of life. I have great coworkers, and I have met many good people through client organizations, transit agencies, and via networking through training that I have attended over the years.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I am three degrees of separation from Watson, of Watson and Crick and Franklin and who discovered the DNA double-helix.  Dr. Watson was the PhD advisor to my father’s PhD advisor.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work?

I reside in the Washington, DC area, so I enjoy visiting the numerous free museums and parks in the National Capital Region, such as the many Smithsonian museums along the National Mall, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Arboretum, just to name a few.  I also enjoy spending time with friends and following sports – I was born and raised in Iowa, so I follow the University of Iowa’s Hawkeyes teams closely.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

I have never been to London, England, and would really like to visit.  London is a “world-class” city and has a lot of history and residents from many cultures and backgrounds.  And, of course, I want to ride the Tube!