Opening General Session with Dr. Cady Coleman (TRANSform 2021)

This Opening Session will address the association’s initiatives to support the industry as it adapts to the dual challenges of preparing for tomorrow while delivering high-quality service for the present-day. These remarks will be followed by a thought-provoking keynote address from Dr. Cady Coleman.

Dr. Cady Coleman is a former NASA Astronaut and U.S. Air Force Colonel with more than 180 days in space, accumulated during two space shuttle missions and a six-month expedition to the International Space Station. On the ground at NASA, she served in a variety of roles within the Astronaut Office, including chief or robotics, lead for tile repair efforts after the Columbia accident, and lead astronaut for integration with NASA's commercial partners. Her work paved the way for commercial spaceflight collaborations that are now common. In her keynote, Dr. Coleman will draw from her time at NASA and in extreme "remote work" situations to discuss team building, leadership, and innovation.
 
Keynote speaker sponsored by the APTA Business Members 
 
Opening General Session sponsored by AECOM




PresidingPresiding Officer

• Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC

Welcome Remarks (via video)

• Hon. Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Chair's Message

• Jeffrey A. Nelson, Chair, APTA; CEO/Managing Director, Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District (MetroLink), Moline, IL

Host Welcomes

• Hon. Jerry L. Demings, Chair, Board of County Commissioners and Mayor, Orange County, Orlando, FL
• Hon. Buddy Dyer, Mayor, City of Orlando and Chairman, LYNX - Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, Orlando, FL
• James E. Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, LYNX - Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, Orlando, FL

Sponsor Recognition

• Diane H. Cowin, SVP Director Global Transit – Americas, AECOM, Oakland, CA

Keynote Sponsor Recognition

• Eve Williams, President/Chief Executive Officer, Dikita Engineering, Dallas, TX

Keynote Speaker

• Dr. Cady Coleman, former NASA Astronaut and Air Force Colonel, STEM Advocate, Washington, DC