Meet the Remarkable Rawlins Executive Team
Scott Rawlins, P.E.
Scott has over 33 years in the Transportation industry experience. He has helped DOT’s from around the country in improving their overall program delivery and organizational design. He also spent a career with the State of Nevada Department of Transportation.
He had responsibility for the daily operations of the Department, as the
Deputy Director and Chief Engineer, which had over 1800 employees and an annual budget over $1 Billion.
He was the driver in the development of key programs and was responsible for the strategic direction of those programs, such as: a state Transportation Asset Management Plan that incorporated performance metrics and sought efficiency opportunities for delivering maintenance activities; Fleet Optimization program to preserve,
refurbish and rebuild the 2,700 pieces of equipment; a Strategic Data Plan that developed a centralized data repository and management system for asset inventories, and a plan to integrate data sets for assessment of current conditions and performance; 5-Year program of projects that created a systematic approach to program development; the Pioneer Program that focused on Public-Private Partnerships and alternative delivery methods such as Design-Build and Construction Manager/ General Contractor; Project Management Program based on matrix management; and an Integrated Transportation Reliability Program focused on the proactive operation of the transportation system. From planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance, Scott maneuvered the department through federal, state, and local regulations and politics.
Paul Steinman, P.E.
Paul brings more than 34 years of Transportation Industry experience. He has a diverse background in executive leadership having served in three different transportation departments, including Michigan, Florida, and Idaho. Each department varied greatly with respect to financial capacities, geography, size, and political dynamics. He delivered a wide range of projects, including P3’s, alternative delivery contracts, and a managed lanes program. During his tenure as part of the executive leadership within transportation departments, he has worked to create targeted initiatives that could be communicated to all levels of the organization. His plans empowered employees to embrace accountability and achieve initiatives, which, in turn, enabled the department to exceed expectations for those customers whom they serve. As part of the consulting sector for the past five years, he has served as project manager for the NCDOT Strategic Services contract, providing leadership on the optimization of the preconstruction process for delivering the capital work program within North Carolina. Paul provided executive counsel to the Tennessee Department of Transportation and lead the initiative to complete an organizational optimization department-wide. The goal of this effort was to reduce middle management within TDOT, push decision making to the lowest appropriate level, and use the salary savings to provide market-based salary increases to department staff. Paul assisted the TDOT Executive Team in the development of a 5-Year Work Program that reimagined how TDOT could create a fiscally constrained capital work program with a focus on the stewardship of a project’s scope, schedule, budget, risk, and quality.
Paul Schneider, P.E.
Paul brings over 39 years of Transportation Industry experience. Most recently, Paul was an executive in the FHWA California Division Office where he partnered with Caltrans, the eighteen Metropolitan Planning
Organizations and hundreds of local governments in delivering the $5.6 billion Federal-aid Program. Paul
provided leadership and guidance to a professional staff responsible for strategic planning, risk-based
stewardship and oversight, performance management, financial management, transportation planning,
environment, right-of-way, design, construction, civil rights, safety, operations, ITS, structures, asset
management, local programs, and contract administration. Within the Division, Paul established an annual
Strategic Planning Process that resulted in all levels of the Division identifying and completing actions that consistently and effectively contributed to achieving Division and FHWA corporate goals and objectives. Also, he led the development of a Caltrans’ Local Program risk-based oversight process that results in Caltrans identifying improvements to procedures manuals and policies, and training needs, and leads to the
implementation of innovative processes and technologies throughout the State. During his tenure, Paul worked closely with Caltrans Executive Leadership to resolve high-profile issues related to Tunnel Critical Findings, Right-of-Way Acquisition, Bridge Load Ratings, Truck Size and Weight, Financial Management and Local Programs.
Mark Geib, P.E.
Mark brings more than 41 years of Transportation Industry experience. Mark has led and sponsored numerous initiatives and projects over the span of his career. As the Division Administrator of Transportation Systems Management and Operations for MDOT, he chaired the MDOT negotiations team in the successful negotiations of a new 5 year, $1B statewide contract with the County Road Association of Michigan. The new contract addresses multiple legal, operational, financial, and administrative issues. He also played a key role in a large team effort to realign and reorganize MDOT for Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO). He chaired and sponsored MDOT’s Statewide Maintenance Operations Alignment Team. This team manages MDOT’s $420M annual maintenance budget, sets and prioritizes work, and manages fleet statewide. He led the TSMO Division including Maintenance and Operations, Traffic and Safety, Intelligent Transportation Systems and Statewide Fleet and Facilities. He led an initiative to assess and consolidate one Region’s Maintenance organizational structure and implemented team managed work groups increasing employee’s participation in planning and decision making resulting in measurable increases in productivity and an improved culture.
Janine Cooper, P.E.
Janine brings over 20 years of experience in the Transportation Industry with work in design, construction, maintenance and operations. With the Michigan Department of Transportation, Janine assisted with the development and implementation of several statewide organizational changes, including the movement to become a Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) focused organization. In addition, she championed various other management improvements for efficiency and as Associate Region Engineer of Operations for the Southwest, she led several region support units including, Traffic Safety and Operations, Construction, Materials and Maintenance. In her capacity as the Associate Region Engineer of Operations, Janine led the region to adopt and pilot the new performance-based maintenance (PBM) program. Working with her team, she identified assets, establish rating metrics, and defined the desired outputs for reporting. In addition, she worked with region maintenance teams to incorporate the new PBM results to improve asset functionality with proactive strategies. Janine worked with other Regions to take the PBM program statewide, created a handbook for reference in the field during the rating cycle, established a training program for the raters and sat on the steering team to oversee the progress of the program. As a leader in innovation, Janine pushed initiatives to enhance the future of transportation, improve safety and increase efficiency. Her work in construction includes oversight of the first precast element bridge in Michigan and she led a collaborative team to develop and implement the use of a proprietary precast concrete system for the first freeway pavement repairs. While in maintenance and operations, Janine incorporated data-driven decision making for winter operations; the development of asset management strategies, and championed the procurement, implementation and adoption of strategies for many in-house created tools, processes and techniques. Throughout the last 12 years as the Associate Region Engineer of Operations in the Southwest Region she was responsible for 130 employees, 3,000 lane miles, seven direct force maintenance facilities, a bridge and sign shop, and centralized fleet repair facility. Janine emphasized the use of performance measures and asset management to effectively manage the regions $37 million budget.
Tom Byron, P.E.
Tom brings over 44 years of DOT and Military strategic experience. This includes planning, implementing, and leading significant strategic initiatives at the organizational level resulting in improved agency structure/organization to deliver greater productivity, improved performance, and customer satisfaction. At Florida DOT, Tom led major strategic initiatives ranging from the largest reorganization of FDOT’s Central Office in decades to better leverage emerging technologies while also streamlining and consolidating disparate and competing IT and software solutions, enabling more efficient and productive department-wide operations; to the department-wide effort to normalize/standardize employee responsibilities, position descriptions and salary ranges across a decentralized agency. At the USMC, Tom led major strategic initiatives ranging from structuring, organizing, standing up and leading a brand-new functional unit to meet a combatant command’s evolving support needs in executing the Mideast air war; to adjusting the training and operations of a tactical unit to a no-notice change in mission responsibility.
April Blackburn, PMP
April has over 35 years of transportation industry experience, with over seven years at the executive level. This includes planning, implementing, and leading significant strategic initiatives at the organizational level
resulting in improved agency structure/organization to deliver greater productivity, improved performance, and customer satisfaction. April served as Chief Technology Officer, Chief of Transportation Technology, Interim Assistant Secretary of Finance and Administration, and Chief Information Officer for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). In these roles, April led significant strategic initiatives. These included a Technology Strategic plan, Enterprise Technology Governance, Enterprise Information Management, Data Governance, Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) alignment, and innovation strategy. After FDOT, April joined the private sector, providing consulting services and domain expertise that supported transportation agencies with their Digital Strategy and Technology Transformation needs. She worked across functional, technical, delivery, and sales teams to develop services and solutions for clients. April is a well-tested transportation industry professional with proven leadership abilities developed from decades of experience in diverse leadership positions. April is passionate about leveraging technologies and resources to achieve an organization’s mission.
Chris Werner, P.E.
Chris brings over 22 years of transportation experience. This includes planning, implementing and leading significant strategic initiatives at the organizational level resulting in improved agency structure/organization to deliver greater productivity, improved performance, and customer satisfaction. At North Carolina DOT, Chris led major strategic initiatives including: improving how the department delivers projects; consolidating and integrating disparate guidance and policies; developing business practices to withstand the changing workforce dynamics; transitioning to a culture of customer service; establishing a streamlined, transparent, repeatable and accountable project delivery process; establishing preconstruction and construction technical discipline integration; internal reorganization while ensuring employee career progression; division-wide effort to standardize employee responsibilities; creation of the Project Manager role with the establishment of a matrix organization for preconstruction teams; transitioning preconstruction project development activities to a partially decentralized organization structure. Prior to NCDOT, Chris worked in the private sector assisting various transportation agencies developing strategic plans and delivering complex roadway, rail, aviation, and transit projects.
Allison Black
Allison has over 17 years of experience in state government, with over 12 years focused on organizational leadership, development, and change management. This includes strategic planning, assessment, analysis, solutioning, and implementation that results in successful workforce development and support programs, business process optimization, functional organizational structures, and employee and customer satisfaction. At the Florida Department of Transportation, Allison led major organizational initiatives, including restructuring, enhancing, and overseeing the statewide Training, Quality Management, and Policy and Process Management Programs, establishing the statewide Organizational Change Management Office, and overseeing the planning and execution of Organizational Change Management Plans for over 30 projects, both technology and non-technology, within the Department. She also played a significant role in designing, developing, and implementing the statewide Innovation, Awards and Recognition, and Leadership Development Programs. After leaving the public sector, Allison served as an Organizational Change Management Consultant, working with functional, technical, sales, and delivery teams to procure, guide, and provide strategies and services for transportation, healthcare, regulatory, law enforcement, and educational state agencies. Allison’s passion is helping organizations identify opportunities for improvement, develop implementation solutions and plans, and manage change to enhance their operations and support impacted stakeholders, both internal and external.
David Rader
David has spent his career creating positive change for communities through innovative solutions at all three levels of government. He has over 30 years of transportation experience. He cofounded one of the nation’s largest transportation asset maintenance service providers with the simple idea of fundamentally changing the approach and delivery model of how our nation’s transportation assets were maintained. He built the company on the fundamental premise that a life-cycle asset management approach to maintaining and operating our nation’s infrastructure was greatly needed. Over 20 years the firm grew from 2 people into the premier performance-based asset maintenance and operations service provider in the US with over 2,500 employees in 43 states. During his tenure, he has served in virtually every imaginable role. From traditional asset maintenance services work to providing O&M services on some of the largest PPP projects in the US, he was at the tip of the spear leading these efforts. David was also a founding member and has served as the past President and long-term Board Member of AMOTIA, the Association for the Management and Operations of Transportation Infrastructure Assets. He has participated in a number of AASHTO and TRB committees and is a regular speaker at national meetings on asset maintenance.
Amy Neidringhaus, P.E.
Amy brings more than 23 years of Transportation Industry experience. She brings a unique blend of transportation design, construction inspection, permitting, and project management expertise as part of her experience in both the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the North Carolina Department of
Transportation. Amy’s FDOT experience encompasses diverse project management roles, having lead project teams on complex urban reconstruction projects totaling over $1 billion, interstate corridor widening and interchange reconstruction totaling $900 million, alternative program delivery totaling close to $11 billion that included managed lanes through downtown Tampa, Florida. Her NCDOT career included serving as the Major Projects Engineer for the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, assisting in the development of design build packages for the $250 million Complete 540 project, linking seven municipalities in Wake County to a new roadway. As NCDOT’s Wake County District Engineer, Amy’s team served as the first point of contact for utilities, developers, and eleven municipalities in a county that consistently ranks as one of the fastest growing in the nation. With Rawlins, Amy has focused her skills in assisting the Tennessee DOT with the development and implementation of a project management discipline founded on national best practices. She is mentoring TDOT staff on active projects, helping them build a strong project management foundation and instilling the project team concept as part of a matrix organization. Amy has also been instrumental in the TDOT organization optimization initiative and in the development of an engineering training program that focuses not only on technical concepts including the magnitude and breadth of opportunities within the transportation field, but also on leadership and management concepts that add value to both the graduate engineer and TDOT.
Ron Crew
Ron comes to us with 43 years of Right-of-Way experience at the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). He was a supervisor or manager for 33 of those years, administering Right-of-Way (R/W) Production, Acquisition, Relocation, Litigation Support, Management Support, and Local Agency Projects. He is intimately familiar with all aspects of R/W, from the planning phase to the disposition of surplus property.
He worked on several high-profile projects in the Tampa Bay area, including the Gateway Expressway, Tampa Bay Next, High-Speed Rail, I-4, I-75, I-275, and U.S. 19. Ron has extensive eminent domain litigation experience and as an FDOT client with full settlement authority participated in more than 1,000 mediations.
He is extremely knowledgeable of the Uniform Act requirements and securing Federal Aid. He served as the R/W Local Agency Program (LAP) Coordinator for many years. He has conducted numerous LAP training sessions, spoken at the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar, and addressed the Hillsborough County Eminent Domain bar. He served as the R/W EEO Officer for several years, investigating and resolving numerous formal complaints.
Ron brings enormous experience and ability with him in many facets of Right of Way including Administration, R/W Project Management, Eminent Domain Processes, Uniform Act Administration, R/W Cost Estimating, Scheduling, and Cash Flow Analysis.
Ben Rawlins
Ben has 3 years of experience as a roadway designer. His previous employer tasked him with designing, modifying, and facilitating the ROW plans for the I-15/Tropicana design build project in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ben was the brains behind the coordination between the design builder, NDOT, and the external property owners for this project. Ben also has 3 years of experience working with MicroStation and AutoCAD. Ben worked on multiple 3R projects while dabbling in all factions of the design process. He has experience in the sub-disciplines of utilities, ADA compliance, roadway striping, roadway geometry, traffic signals and signage, bridge design, materials, drainage structures, hydraulics, as well as curbs, gutters, and sidewalk design. Ben brings a fresh perspective to the Rawlins team and is ready and eager to give his new-generational insight to the field of infrastructure consulting.
Sarah Rawlins
Lisa Marsh
Maintenance & Operations Advisor
Lisa@RawlinsIC.com
(269) 845-1813
Michigan
Lisa has more than 36 years of transportation experience with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). She has an extensive maintenance and operations background, holding various maintenance positions throughout her career. Her previous areas of responsibility included providing oversite of many direct force maintenance facilities, a bridge maintenance facility, a sign fabrication and installation shop, and a centralized fleet repair facility with six mobile mechanic trucks. Outsourced support included three Contract County Agencies, twenty-two Municipalities and many vendor contracts. Her main duties included planning, budgeting, and coordinating summer and winter maintenance activities, contract administration, emergency response, and approving the maintenance activities on just over 3,000 lane miles of state trunk line. Additional duties included management of over 150 maintenance employees during the summer season and an additional 45 employees during the winter season. Serving as a resource and member on several MDOT Statewide and Regional committees to research and implement innovative, cost effective, and improved ways to provide maintenance operations and services. This includes the statewide Workforce Programs and Recruitment Advisory Committee, Transportation Maintenance Worker Element Training Program Committee, Maintenance Activity Guide Review Team, Statewide Maintenance Superintendent Alignment Team, and the Southwest Region Maintenance Safety Advisory Panel.
Chris Petersen
Project Management
ChrisP@RawlinsIC.com
(775) 690-0560
Nevada
Chris brings over 36 years of transportation experience, with over 30 years at NDOT which include 17 years as a Senior Project Coordinator in the Roadway Design Division where he coordinated NDOT roadway projects with internal and external entities. He has coordinated and designed several urban interchange and rehabilitation projects within the State of Nevada. He has also coordinated projects involving the following: structures, roundabouts, sound walls, landscaping and aesthetics, hydraulics and traffic improvements. This has given him experience coordinating other disciplines within roadway design. Chris has coordinated projects that have utilized alternative delivery methods such as Design-Build and Construction Manager/ General Contractor. While at NDOT, he has coordinated several projects that were “NDOT Firsts”: I-580/Moana Interchange (first CMAR project), I-15/West Mesquite Interchange (first Accelerated Bridge Construction), I-11/Horizon Drive Interchange (first Diverging Diamond Interchange), and US-93 (first road construction on geo-foam fill). He has conducted and participated in several road safety audits, project alternative and selection committees, project evaluations, and value analysis/engineering studies. Chris also has experience with Right-of-Way acquisition and utility coordination. He has completed the NDOT Leadership Academy and the State of Nevada Certified Public Manager Program. After leaving the public sector, Chris served as a Project Manager in the private sector, where he managed City of Las Vegas roadway projects. He later served as a Quality Control Manager for several NDOT, City of Las Vegas, Clark County, City of Reno and Washoe County improvement projects.
SARA WAGNER, P.E.
Sara brings over 15 years of Transportation Industry experience. She has extensive knowledge in the areas of transportation planning, environmental, Project Development and Environment (PD&E), multimodal, and public engagement. She has both led and worked on a myriad of projects in both the private sector and for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). One of her largest projects while working for FDOT was serving as the FDOT District 7 PD&E project manager for all segments of the Tampa Bay Express (Tampa Bay Next) project. These studies are part of a comprehensive approach to transportation planning and development for an integrated, multimodal regional transportation system. Another notable project Sara led on the private side, in close coordination with CSX, was a freight rail study update aimed to identify opportunities and challenges facing freight rail today. The goal of this study was to ensure that effective safety improvements and congestion management strategies could be developed. Sara is currently a PhD candidate studying Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto. Her research focus is on designing complete communities using generative design. Additionally, Sara is leading a multi-disciplinary team developing a conceptual framework and proof of principle for using the generative design process when designing and planning a complete community. Using a generative design process that incorporates stakeholder feedback, her research seeks to improve public engagement and complete community planning. Sara has solid project management skills, is an effective communicator and is passionate about building relationships with clients and stakeholders.
Ken Smith, P.E.
Ken has spent his career in the consulting engineering business. The vast majority of his time in the industry has been as a Project Manager for infrastructure megaprojects. His experience includes both the owner’s representative and the at-risk delivery side of major infrastructure projects.
Mr. Smith is a registered professional engineer and senior consultant with more than 35 years of experience, including freeway, tollway, utility, flood control, major freight and transit rail, major bridge, and other civil infrastructure projects. He has extensive experience in all aspects of project delivery, including funding and finance, design, permitting, environmental clearance and compliance, right of way acquisition, utilities coordination, construction management, quality programs and project controls. Ken is also an expert in alternative delivery methods, including Design-Build, Construction Manager/General Contractor, and Public-Private Partnerships. He continues to advocate for more collaborative delivery methods, including Progressive Design-Build and Integrated Project Delivery. He has a litany of award-winning projects to his credit in roles ranging from marketing, procurement, and delivery of major projects, utilizing a host of delivery models.
A particular focus of Ken’s career has been effective utilization of P3 delivery for appropriate applications. His involvement with P3s began in 2000 with TxDOT’s first P3 project and has continued since. He served as a P3 Board Member for the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, was an instructor for the National Council of Public Private Partnerships P3 Boot Camps and was a member of the P3 Policy Committee for ASU’s Alliance for Construction Excellence (ACE).
Lea Perrino, P.E.
Lea has over 25 years of experience in the construction industry and technical sales. She had an extensive career in construction management. She laid the framework for the introduction of innovative construction technology that is now being specified by DOTs nationwide. Her ability to translate the needs of a foreign company into a successful domestic program, specifically in Florida, highlights her communication and problem-solving skills.
Lea was an essential member of the project management team during the renovation of the Tampa International Airport Main Terminal, a design-build project exceeding $120M. She performed all project engineer duties for the Interdisciplinary Science Technology and Research Facility at the University of South Florida, with a contract amount exceeding $65M.
In her technical sales position, Lea increased product exposure with DOT’s, the US military, US ports and harbors, design engineers, contractors and precasters. Lea brings with her the ability to identify problems and facilitate solutions.
Lauren LeJeune
Lauren has over 11 years of experience in state government, with 10 focused in transportation at the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). She has worked in various areas including disbursements, planning, and strategic development focusing on strategic planning, strategic objectives and action plans; developing, managing, and maintaining, programs, processes, standards, contracts, projects, and functional organizational structure; monitoring and allocating budget. Lauren was a liaison and cross functional team member at FDOT, working on many programs and projects with other disciplines with the Strategic Development division which included planning offices, multimodal offices, and transportation technology. Lauren served as the contract manager for the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) initiative and Technology Strategic Plan for FDOT. She has served as a resource for Executive Leadership teams for project and contract management throughout her career at FDOT. Lauren’s passion is providing a meaningful impact to organizations through collaboration, strategic objectives, and contributing to continuous improvement and growth.
Ann Scott
Ann Scott brings 20+ years of service working extensively with the State of Nevada’s accounting and personnel systems. Ann's knowledge consists of budget building, analysis, job costing and AR/AP, grant and contract review, monitoring and reporting, along with personnel administration. Throughout her career, Ann was responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures to streamline fiscal and personnel administration, thus increasing organizational efficiency. Ann is committed to driving positive change and continuous improvement for an organization to achieve their goals.
Alicia McConnell, P.E.
Alicia McConnell brings over 15 years of transportation and technology experience to the Rawlins team. She began her career as a civil engineer designer, working on large roadway projects in both Wisconsin and Illinois. In 2018, an interest in technology led to her involvement in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and to investigate how these tools could be applied to improve transportation project workflows. Alicia has developed and led UAS programs since 2018, including oversight of a nationwide network of pilots that performed UAS-based missions including surveying and mapping, bridge inspections, construction inspection and monitoring, disaster assessments, roof inspections, and thermal analyses. She is a certified Part 107 UAS pilot with significant experience in bridge inspections and building sustainable UAS programs for clients. Her work with NCHRP to develop AASHTO guidelines for UAS applications for element-level bridge inspections is ongoing.
Sharon Law
Sharon has over 22 years of experience in the transportation industry, with a strong focus on aiding DOTs through collaboration with engineering and design consultants. Her role as a connector between clients seeking solutions and the experts who provide them underscores her commitment to effective problem solving. Sharon’s expertise is deeply rooted in areas such as Stakeholder Engagement, Inclusive Engagement, Partnering Strategies and Public Private Partnerships. She plays a pivotal role in advising organizations on establishing, maintaining, and optimizing their infrastructure, thus ensuring their long-term success. Actively contributing to the transportation landscape, Sharon’s impact extends to her involvement on the board of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and the Community Advisory Board for the Tennessee American Water Company. At the helm of leadership, she currently serves as the President of the Southeast Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies and holds the Vice President position at the Tennessee Valley Chapter of the American Society of Highway Engineers. Her continuous pursuit of knowledge and collaboration is evidenced by her 2023 graduation from Leadership Tennessee and the prestigious Young American Leaders Program at Harvard University.
Steve Cook, P.E.
Steve brings more than 40 years of Transportation Industry experience. Steve has led and sponsored numerous initiatives and projects over the span of his career. As the Engineer of Operations and Maintenance for MDOT, he chaired the MDOT/Industry (MITA) negotiations team resulting in the refinement of specifications/standard plans/construction practices and improved collaboration/communication for process improvement. He was the lead for the development of the MDOT Connected Vehicle and Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) Implementation and Strategic Plans (based on SHRP2 CMM model) and TSMO Community of Learning, which led to a large team effort to realign and reorganize MDOT for the TSMO Division (section areas: Operations/Maintenance, ITS Program Office, Safety Programs, and Fleet/Facilities). He was the chair of the MDOT $140 million Operations Steering Committee, which provided a dedicated funding source (separate funding from the Capital Road and Bridge Infrastructure Program) for TSMO projects.
He was the lead and project manager for three Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) research & development projects that led the development of an NCHRP domestic scan, MDOT UAS Guidance Document and Training Manual, and the purchase of aerial data collection platforms that served various MDOT business models.
He was a lead resource to regions for design/construction/maintenance on Federal-aid bridge and ancillary structure projects. Provided statewide/national training/problem-solving for bridges/structures. Served as AASHTO co-chair on regional/national alignment teams for policy/procedure and guidance documents.
He was MDOT’s voting member for both the AASHTO Committee on Transportation System Operations (CTSO) and Committee on Maintenance (MaC), was chair of the Community of Practice on Road Weather Management for CTSO, co-chaired the Bridge Technical Working Group for MaC, and served on the Steering Committee for the AASHTO Snow & Ice Cooperative Program. He developed several research problem statements/deliverables that resulted in NCHRP research projects of which he served on the technical advisory teams.
Debbie Cmar
Debbie brings 35 years of government procurement experience working in the Transportation, Professional Engineering Services, and Defense contracting industries. She has a comprehensive understanding and working knowledge of the government procurement process and life cycle. The past 30 years of her career have been focused on Professional Services/Brooks Act Procurement projects. Debbie is experienced at working within the auspices of complex government acquisition regulations and brings working proficiency of the Brooks Act Procurement regulations, processes, and procedures. Debbie has cradle-to-grave contract management expertise, honed from the administration of numerous Professional Services projects for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Her detail knowledge of the Professional Services procurement process enabled her to assist the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to develop best practice and standardization recommendations for their establishment of a Professional Services/Brooks Act procurement organization. Debbie is skilled in creating, shaping, and leading the activities required for successful contract formation, execution, and management for professional services procurements. She is adept at training staff, developing proposal packages, conducting negotiation and contract awards, and monitoring contract execution for compliance with organization and acquisition policy, processes and procedures. Debbie is an excellent communicator with extensive experience in mediating communications between all project stakeholders, internally and externally as well as across functional organization lines. She is proficient at developing and coordinating contract documentation and moderating meetings to ensure clear and consistent communication of project contract requirements, objectives, and work scope. She understands the criticality of teamwork and Client Relationships to the success of a project. She uses her proven organizational, communications, and leadership skills to lead teams to achieve the project objectives and the Client’s expectations. She is continuously focused on Client Satisfaction through contract compliant and quality performance; on-time, every time. Debbie is known for her wealth of contracting know-how and her responsiveness, flexibility, and solution-oriented outlook.
Chuck Rychen
Chuck brings over 39 years of transportation experience in both the public and private sectors. He spent 33 years with the State of Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) serving in various roles. His 10 years as Region Director covering West Tennessee included managing over 700 employees, a 400-piece equipment fleet and 40 facilities. He oversaw $500M construction and $52M maintenance programs, respectively. Other oversight responsibilities included Regional Materials and Test, Bridge Inspection/Repair, Traffic Engineering, Transportation Management/ITS, Government Relations, Information Technology and Employee Relations. Project development activities including Survey, Design, and Right-of-Way were also under his direction.
He later served as Assistant Chief Engineer over Operations. In this role, Chuck’s responsibilities included oversight of the 4 Region Offices across Tennessee. In addition, he was directly accountable for a $1.8B construction program and a $226M maintenance program as well as the Headquarter Divisions, including Construction, Maintenance, Materials and Test, Traffic Operations and Health and Safety. He also was the driver that led to the development of TDOT’s Alternative Delivery Program, including the delivery of the first Design-Build and Construction Management/General Contractor (CM/GC) projects, and the creation of the newly formed Health and Safety Division.
After leaving the public sector, Chuck worked for a full-service engineering firm performing business development and client relations activities as well as project management over several major, highway and bridge construction projects.
Renee Barone
Renee is a professional Graphic Designer with a Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design and Media Arts. With an eye for aesthetics and a passion for what she does, she is known for transforming ideas into visually captivating realities. Renee understands that a brand's identity is its first and last impression. She meticulously crafts each element, from logo and color palette to typography and messaging, ensuring they resonate harmoniously and evoke the desired emotions cohesively. Her collaborative spirit and keen ability to listen allow her to truly understand the essence of the client's vision, making each design reflect their unique story with every project she works on.
Barbara Davis, AICP
Barbara has over 34 years of transportation planning experience working at the MPO, State, and local levels of government. She has worked on all modes of transportation projects including pedestrian, bicycle, transit, highways, and toll facilities.
She began her career working as an entry-level transportation planner for a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). In this role, she was responsible for development of comprehensive plans for pedestrian and bicycle modes of transportation. She was subsequently promoted to Transportation Division Manager and became responsible for overseeing the development of all the MPO’s major programs and initiatives including the Long-Range Transportation Plan, the Transportation Improvement Program, and the Unified Planning Work Program, as well as many other special projects. As the MPO’s Executive Director, she reported directly to a board of 19 local elected officials and represented the MPO on the statewide MPO Advisory Council.
Barbara has nearly 15 years of experience at the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). During her time at FDOT, she was elevated to roles with increasingly higher responsibility within the Planning Department at Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise. As Administrator of Planning Operations, she oversaw the development of the Traffic Engineering and Travel Demand Modeling activities. She also coordinated the Planning Concept Study process with the Design department and managed the Turnpike’s interchange review process. As Traffic and Revenue Studies Program Manager she oversaw the expansion of the traffic and revenue study process to become an agency-wide program that evaluated toll projects for Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, and the FDOT Districts and Central Office. As Toll Studies and Forecasting Administrator, she reported directly to the Director of Transportation Development and supported statewide efforts to implement tolled express lanes and other tolled facilities. This included policy development, project coordination among the phases of project development, and on-going innovations in the development of toll choice forecasting tools.
Jenica Keller, P.E.
Jenica has over 30 years of transportation industry experience with the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), including her most recent executive role as the Assistant Director of Operations, where she focused on organizational leadership, development, and change management. Jenica had the responsibility of approximately 200 employees as well as the operations of more than 13,500 lane miles, 500 facilities (administrative, maintenance stations, and rest area/tourist), and a fleet of more than 2,700 units. Jenica spent 14 years in Project Management, where she managed the scope, schedule, and budget of several complex, high-profile, multi-million-dollar transportation projects, including the 13-mile, $0.5 Billion US-95NW Improvement Corridor in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jenica also spent time as a Road Designer, Specifications Writer, and Senior Materials Engineer calculating and recommending rigid and flexible pavement structural sections.
Jenica has sponsored numerous significant statewide initiatives and projects that resulted in improved performance. She worked to create targeted initiatives that could be communicated to all levels of the organization. Her plans empowered employees to embrace accountability and achieve initiatives, which, in turn, enabled the Department to exceed expectations for those customers whom they serve.
Jenica was chosen as the Project Manager to assist in the Development of NDOT’s Pioneer Program, which focuses on Public-Private Partnerships and alternative delivery such as Design Build, and Construction Manager/General Contractor. This included the development and codification of new policy to accept unsolicited proposals in 2010. Then, in 2019, Jenica led the $181 Million Spaghetti Bowl Xpress project, located in Reno, Nevada, through contract award in the successful negotiation and execution of a design-build contract that originated as an Unsolicited Proposal.
Jenica is a well-tested transportation industry professional with proven leadership abilities developed from decades of experience in diverse leadership positions. Jenica is passionate about identifying opportunities for improvement, developing implementation solutions and plans, and managing change to enhance operations and support impacted stakeholders.
John Zuleger, P.E.
John brings 13 years of experience as a leader in structural engineering design, along with rope access and UAS bridge inspection applications, to the Rawlins team. He has led projects with various agencies across the nation ranging from design and analysis to inspection and asset management. Notable projects include ABC bridge slides, the Leo Frigo Bridge post-collapse analysis, and the Brent Spence and Hernando de Soto Bridge emergencies. John, a SPRAT Level 3 climber, developed a small rope access team and grew it into a leading nationwide program. He incorporated the use of UAS into his inspection teams starting in 2016 and became a Part 107-certified UAS pilot in 2018. He has performed and managed hundreds of complex and post-disaster bridge inspections across the country. He is co-authoring the upcoming AASHTO guidelines for UAS applications in bridge inspections and has worked with numerous agencies to help develop rope access and UAS programs and policies. He continues to develop next-generation tools for asset management with advanced predictive and prioritization modeling, including enhanced 3D modeling and digital twin integration.
Amy Causseaux, CPM
Amy joined Rawlins Infra Consult in 2024. Before this, she had a successful career in various roles at the Florida Department of Transportation. She began her career as a part-time employee and an intern while completing her Social Science degree. Amy has worked with multiple groups from a functional and technical perspective, developed lasting relationships that transcend the agency and extend to all levels of government and various stakeholders. The FDOT Leadership Academy recognized Amy's leadership potential, and she is a proud graduate of the State of Florida Certified Public Manager Program.
In 2018, Amy was promoted to the Statewide Interchange Coordinator. Under her leadership, many processes were codified into policies, standards, guidance, manuals, and handbooks. Amy's understanding of the agency's strategic goals and her technical expertise provided added benefit to the agency and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Amy contributed to improving the agency's strategic outcomes in areas such as Access Management, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety, and Managed Lanes. Her work in Managed Lanes progressed as her technical expertise deepened and the industry matured. She developed, implemented, and sustained a Managed Lanes Guidebook and training with her team based on lessons learned from working with other state DOTs.
From 2005 to 2018, Amy served as the Toll Finance Manager, collaborating and working with partners from the General Accounting Office, Districts, and Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. She streamlined processes while ensuring compliance with statutes and bond documentation requirements. She was a key team member in developing finance plans. She led the team responsible for Traffic Revenue reports for Toll and Public-Private Partnership (P3) projects.
Amy has served in many roles in the agency, including the Statewide Work Program and Right of Way Offices, District Planning, Transportation Disadvantaged, and Florida's Turnpike. She collaborated with team members to streamline several processes and worked directly with internal and external stakeholders on project initiation.
David Douglas
David joined Rawlins Infra Consult in 2024. Prior to this, he had a successful career in various roles at the Florida Department of Transportation. He began his career serving as a District Performance Management consultant, where he worked with various groups to develop business and strategic plans and train employees. David received distinctions for conducting more than 8,000 classroom hours of training. He is a proud graduate of the Florida Certified Public Manager Program. In 2016, he joined Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise as the Performance and Strategic Development Manager. In this role, he focused on workforce development, performance management, and employee engagement and satisfaction. David increased the amount of training by 400% and automated the entire training program through a virtual platform. He developed innovative programs, including Learning Journeys, which provide employees with a curriculum approach to skill development. David had significant roles in designing, developing, and implementing the statewide Awards and Recognition program, the Employee Benefit Fund program, and several Leadership Development programs, including the Management Academy. David’s passion is helping organizations and employees achieve success through strategic workforce development.
Krista Wieland, P.E.
Krista brings over 13 years of experience in structural design, engineering, inspection, innovation, and program management to the Rawlins team. In her recent role as National Rope Access Program Manager, she successfully led dozens of nationwide inspection projects and oversaw a network of 20+ rope access technicians across the country. She wrote and implemented rope access program policy to establish a framework for safe rope access practices and certification processes. Her breadth of experience includes complex inspection, design, modeling and load rating, manual development, project management, and program management. As a professional engineer and certified SPRAT Level 3 climber, Krista has been dedicated to inclusive equipment within the rope access industry, including leading innovative research and development for the first women's-specific rope access harness. She is passionate about using her background and skills in engineering to help underprivileged communities and spent over a month in Nicaragua building two footbridges with Bridges to Prosperity. With a decade of experience in designing, building, and inspecting structures, Krista has a depth of understanding of the lifecycle of a structure and how to deliver successful projects.
Ken Flore
Ken has worked for the State of Michigan for the past 35 years in various roles, and most currently with the Michigan Department of Transportation. As the Statewide Maintenance Program Coordinator, using best practices, he has made extensive changes to the Departments training programs for maintenance employees. Ken is also an active member with AASHTO’s TC3 Training Committee. He has extensive background in Labor Relations and Supervision with the Department of Transportation and the Michigan Department of Corrections, assisting in contract negations with the State’s maintenance employee’s union, abirritating contractual disputes, development of State of Michigan Departmental policies and operating procedures, and changes to Human Resources new supervisory trainings.
Carissa D McQuiston
Carissa has been the Safety Programs Manager for the Michigan Department of Transportation for just over two years; responsible for Managing and coordinating the division's program for highway safety on the state trunkline. In this position, she and her staff promote Toward Zero Deaths and focus on the Safe System Approach to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on all Michigan roadways. Carissa previously was the MDOT Cost and Scheduling Engineer for the Davison office and managed projects such as the I-475 Planning and Environmental Linkages Study and design and other regional projects. She was the MDOT Non-Motorized Safety Engineer and served as the central resource for pedestrian and bicyclist engineering and design; writing guidance documents, conducting research, and participating in many regional projects and reviews such as Safe Routes to School, TAP grants, etc. She has been with MDOT for almost 10 years. Carissa spent the seven years prior at the City of Grand Rapids as Traffic Engineer/Traffic System Engineer; supervising the signal, sign, and traffic engineering staff. Carissa graduated from Michigan State University (Go Green!) with a BS and MS in civil engineering.
Katie Wendel
Katie is a seasoned professional with a decade of experience in office management and administrative roles. Her expertise lies in efficiently handling day-to-day operations, streamlining processes, and ensuring organizational effectiveness. With a keen eye for detail and a proactive approach, Katie has successfully managed various administrative tasks, including scheduling and resource allocation. Her dedication to optimizing workflows has consistently contributed to the smooth functioning of her workplaces. Outside of her professional endeavors, Katie finds true joy in her role as a wife and mother. She cherishes spending quality time with her husband and two children. Driven by her passion for both work and family, Katie exemplifies balance, dedication, and resilience in all aspects of her life.
Jeffery Gallart
Jeff has over 20 years of experience as a management consultant leading teams to solve business’ most difficult challenges. Jeff is a performance improvement expert who works with transit agencies, mobility providers, and DOTs to achieve their mission at lower overall costs. His typical engagements include strategic planning, revenue generation, operational efficiency, outsourcing and cost optimization. Jeff has assisted numerous private and public sector entities with organizational structure and business process re-engineering projects aimed at enhancing long-term business performance.
Outside the mobility sector, Jeff is an expert in supply chain and logistics. He served as a logistics and operations officer in the U.S. Army for almost a decade, serving two tours in Iraq. Prior to joining RIC, Jeff worked for Teneo, Booz Allen Hamilton, PwC, and KPMG in management consulting leadership positions. Most recently he was the CEO of a safety and efficiency business that provided maintenance solutions for transit agencies, DOTs and municipal clients.
Jeff holds an MBA and Master of Science in finance from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Science in environmental engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Nicole Arakorpi
Nicole is a seasoned Web and Graphic Designer with seven years of professional experience, specializing in creating visually compelling and user-friendly digital experiences. Her expertise spans across web design, graphic design, UI/UX design, and branding, ensuring each project is both aesthetically pleasing and functionally robust. Nicole brings a comprehensive skillset to the table, allowing her to create impactful digital and visual solutions for clients across various industries. In both web and graphic design, Nicole approaches each project with creativity, innovation, and attention to detail. Her goal is to not only meet but exceed client expectations, delivering solutions that elevate their brand presence and drive tangible results.
As a web designer, Nicole leverages her expertise to create responsive and user-friendly websites of all scopes. From sleek landing pages to intricate e-commerce platforms, she’s had the pleasure of bringing countless digital visions to life. Nicole believes in continuous learning and staying updated with industry trends, ensuring her designs are always fresh, innovative, and aligned with best practices. As a graphic designer, she excels in logo design, print materials, branding initiatives, and more. With a keen eye for typography, color theory, and layout design, Nicole is committed to creating designs that not only look great but also effectively communicate the essence of the brand.
Nicole’s journey into the world of design began after graduating with degrees in Marketing and Business Administration/Management from the University of Nevada, Reno. Although she initially pursued a career in Human Resources in 2013, Nicole realized her true passion lay in creativity and design. In 2017 Nicole got her BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts specializing in Web Design from Southern New Hampshire University. Since then, she has been dedicated to bringing clients' creative dreams to life.