Alumni Spotlights

""Going on field trips to logistics centers, distribution centers, and listening to all the presentations was just one light bulb moment after another.""

Lucy St. John

Senior Planner in the Bureau of Planning and Community Assistance

New Hampshire Department of Transportation

""This exposure and experience have shaped my career. It was incredibly valuable to have such a concentrated time of seeing a distribution center, a truck facility, and other places that you don’t normally get to see.""

Jeffrey Brauner

Senior Program Manager

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

""I’m still benefiting from what I learned in the Freight Academy. It boosted my confidence, I understood the limitations of what we had to work with, and I found ways to push boundaries and find ways to do a better job of freight planning.”"

Sara Walfoort

Manager of Freight Planning

Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission

"“At the Freight Academy, I learned the language of freight, the terminology and the jargon, and it helped me feel comfortable talking to freight professionals in Virginia, specifically the freight rail operators that are our DOT partners.""

Emily Stock

Chief of Rail Transportation

Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation

""Everything I learned at the Freight Academy helped me and equipped me with the knowledge and the renewed passion to educate others within the agency, and outside as well.”"

Caroline Mays

Director of Planning and Modal Programs

Texas Department of Transportation

""The Freight Academy becomes a launching pad for better engagement with stakeholders, learning the kind of analysis and data you need, and how to find solutions to problems.""

Erik Johnson

Freight Planning Specialist

Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Transportation

""Before I attended the Freight Academy, I didn’t fully understand the needs of my state, but now, I’m able to do my job better. My experience was transformational.”"

L'Kiesha Markley

Assistant Division Chief, Innovative Planning and Performance Division

Maryland State Highway Administration

"“I see the things we should be doing with my state's freight plan, and how it can be integrated with other projects. I’m able to do that, thanks to all I learned at the Freight Academy.”"

Joshua O'Neill

Supervising Planner

Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning

""The Freight Academy is an environment in which you can speak freely with others who are also learning. It provides an opportunity to be better prepared to connect with freight stakeholders where your ability to understand freight is important.""

Andrew Andrusko

Freight and Railroad Planning Director

Minnesota Department of Transportation

"This experience enhanced my ability to be a well-rounded professional, with the ability to speak to all customers at the ports and understand their needs and challenges."

Justin Ryan

Manager, U.S. Foreign Trade Zone 64 and Grant Administration

Florida Department of Transportation

"Completing the Freight Academy had a lot to do with me getting my current position because it added credentials and qualifications on my resume."

Reese Brewer

Director

Frontier Metropolitan Planning Organization

"The Freight Academy is a lot of work, but it's invaluable for anyone who wants to be in this profession."

Brian Hunter

Transportation Planning Manager

Florida Department of Transportation