COMTO
COMTO on March 11 announced the 10 recpients of its Women Who Move the Nation Award, recognizing women leaders for their “excellence, innovation, and exemplary dedication to transportation.”
The 2025 COMTO Women Who Move the Nation honorees are:
- Tanya Adams, SVP, Director of Strategic Planning, WSP
- Rhonda Briggins, Vice President, Transit Services, Jacobs
- Daniella Levine Cava, Mayor, Miami-Dade County
- Nikki Frenny, Vice President, Customer Success, MV Transportation
- Lori M.K. Kahikina, Executive Director & CEO, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART)
- Coree Cuff Lonergan, CEO/General Manaher, Broward County Transit
- Yvonne Lopez-Diaz, Vice President, HNTB
- Yetunde Olumide, CFO, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
- Dottie Watkins, CEO, CapMetro
- Eve Williams, President, Dikita Enterprises
“These women shattered glass ceilings and continue to lead with excellence and innovation. I am humbled and honored to be included among this year’s award winners,” said Adams, who is also Chair of COMTO’s Board of Directors.
“I am so honored and grateful to receive this award,” said Kahikina. “It is even more humbling to know that one of my own HART ‘ohana members nominated me for this distinct honor. The award is a testament to the hard work of the entire HART ‘ohana and our key stakeholders to advance this major transportation infrastructure project in ways that will truly benefit the City and County of Honolulu.”
Since joining HART in 2021, Kahikina’s leadership has been “instrumental in reestablishing a positive and collaborative relationship with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and key stakeholders, the resumption of disbursements of $744 million in federal funding through the 2022 Recovery Plan and the amended Full Funding Grant Agreement, the delivery of Segment 1 of the Honolulu rail system to the City & County of Honolulu in June 2023, the award of the City Center Guideway and Construction contract in August 2024, and continued progress on Segment 2, which is expected to be ready to hand over to the City & County of Honolulu and begin service before the end of 2025,” the agency said in a press release.
COMTO highlighted the achievements of the 10 winners during the 14th Annual Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation Awards Breakfast, which was held May 21 at the Smithsonian Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Past honorees of Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation Award include Speaker Nancy Pelosi (2022), Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (2022), Dr. Christine Darden (2020), Baton Rouge, Louisiana Mayor Sharon Weston (2020), Ohio Representative Joyce Beatty (2019), The Honorable Polly Trottenberg (2015), and the Honorable Nuria I. Fernandez (2012).
More information on this year’s winners can be found here.
Moffatt & Nichol
Infrastructure consultants Moffatt & Nichol recently announced that Nathan Ellis has joined the company as a Senior Rail Engineer.
Ellis, who will be based in Raleigh, N.C., and has a background in project management and design for freight rail, commuter rail, high speed rail, light rail transit, and railroad coordination.
He joins Moffatt & Nichol’s transportation team, “supporting clients with feasibility analysis and strategic advice through rail planning, grant writing, design, permitting, program management, design-build, and construction oversight.” Current projects include a new intermodal facility in Florida and industrial track expansion in Alabama.
“We’re delighted to welcome Nathan to Moffatt & Nichol. Nathan’s experience in leading technically complex rail programs and projects not only enhances the rail team but adds to our depth of expertise that is increasingly sought out by rail clients nationwide,” said Moffatt & Nichol Technical Director of Rail Scott Hudson.
“Nathan is a powerful addition to our rail economic development team, which helps prepare clients for prosperity by facilitating efficient freight growth through reliable, environmentally sensitive rail transportation,” said Transportation Vice President Rob Martinez.
“Joining Moffatt & Nichol gives me the opportunity to bring my experience from across the rail sector to make a difference to clients delivering freight projects critical to their area’s economy,” said Ellis.
