June 10–12, 2020

Keynote Speakers

Jennifer Homendy

Jennifer Homendy took the oath of office as the 44th Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on August 20, 2018, after being nominated by the President upon the recommendation of Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and confirmed by the United States Senate. She was unanimously reconfirmed by the Senate on August 1, 2019, for a five-year term expiring December 31, 2024.

Member Homendy is a tireless advocate for safety and brings to the Board expertise in the safety of railroads, pipelines, and hazardous materials (on all modes of transportation). From 2004 to 2018, she served as the Democratic Staff Director of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, which is under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I Committee) of the United States House of Representatives. She previously held positions with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, and the American Iron and Steel Institute.

During her tenure as Subcommittee Staff Director, Member Homendy guided major pieces of rail, pipeline, and hazardous materials safety legislation through the legislative process, including: the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU); the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-432, Division A); the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-432, Division B); the Pipeline, Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act of 2006; the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011; the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015; the Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2016; and the Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs Improvement Act of 2004, which created the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), an agency charged with overseeing the safety of our nation’s pipelines and hazardous materials transportation within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Throughout her tenure on the T&I Committee, she was an unwavering defender of transportation safety and worked to implement numerous safety recommendations proposed by the NTSB, including the installation of excess flow valves in distribution pipelines and implementation of positive train control (PTC).

In 2010, she spearheaded the T&I Committee’s extensive oversight investigations of the Enbridge pipeline rupture in Marshall, Michigan, and PHMSA, which led to major safety improvements in pipeline and hazardous materials safety. In 2017 and 2018, she led a multimodal review of DOT’s drug and alcohol testing program that identified significant safety gaps in the program.

Member Homendy is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University and has been certified by the National Board of Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board) on Core HazMat Operations and Missions-Specific PPE and Product Control (hazmat operations level training). She completed Private Pilot Ground School and holds a motorcycle (M2) endorsement. She is also an avid runner and cyclist, which fuels her advocacy work for strengthening safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists.

Laura Ryan

Laura Ryan is a member of the Texas Transportation Commission, which oversees statewide activities of the Texas Department of Transportation. She was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott on July 11, 2016, to fill a vacancy; reappointed March 2, 2017; and confirmed by the Senate on April 19, 2017, for a six-year term.

Ryan is CEO of Purdy Motors USA. Purdy Motors is Costa Rica’s exclusive Toyota distributor, with growing operations in the U.S. In her role, Commissioner Ryan is responsible for strategically expanding and diversifying Purdy’s U.S. business operations, which currently consists of three Texas-based Toyota dealerships. She recently served as vice president of market representation and dealer development for Gulf States Toyota Inc., a private distributor for Toyota Motor Sales based in Houston. Before that Ryan was vice president of sales and marketing with an affiliated Freidkin Company, GSFSGroup Inc., and chair of the Board of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV), where she represented the vehicle manufacturing and distribution industry. In her more than 25 years in the automotive industry, she also held positions with retail dealerships, Nissan Motor Sales (in both variable and fixed operations) and worked as an independent automotive consultant.

During her tenure at TxDMV, Ryan initiated many processes to make the department more innovative, customer-oriented and efficient, and held the positions of chair of the Projects and Operations Committee and vice chair before becoming chair at TxDMV. She has also presented as a guest speaker for National Automobile Dealers Association convention workshops and Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School.

Ryan is involved with her community through several volunteer and charity organizations, including Boys and Girls Country of Houston, Operation Interdependence and the National Charity League.

She attended Penn State University and has been engaged in executive education programs including Gallup Organization Strengths Training, University of Texas Future Leaders and the Columbia University Finance Program.

Conference Overview

View the full conference program for more details.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Pre-Conference Workshops
Thursday, June 11, 2020
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.	Opening Welcome Session
10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.	Break
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.	Breakout Sessions
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.	Break
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.	Breakout Sessions
Friday, June 12, 2020
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.	Keynote Speaker
10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.	Break
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.	Breakout Sessions
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.	Break
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.	Breakout Sessions

Due to complications associated with COVID-19, we are not able to provide opportunities to earn TCOLE credits online.

Pre-Conference Workshops

Letting Data Steer You to Safety
This workshop teaches a framework for data-driven safety analysis (DDSA). The target audience includes transportation professionals from TxDOT and other agencies who want to use crash and safety data to identify safety issues. Participants will learn a step-by-step process for: (1) identifying and describing crash problems, (2) identifying geographic locations with the potential for safety improvement through network screening, (3) prioritizing safety improvement projects, and (4) integrating safety into the project development process. This workshop focuses on a “hands on” demonstration of how the data-driven safety analysis process using a user-friendly spreadsheet tool and training guide. All participants will receive free access to the spreadsheet tool and user guide.

Innovations in Traffic Safety for Rural Texas
Rural communities throughout Texas have more than their share of traffic fatalities and injuries. This interactive workshop will engage practitioners who want to save lives in rural communities. We will highlight highway safety communication strategies, law enforcement techniques and traffic safety programs that work in rural Texas and beyond.