WTS CT | TMS 2022 | Speaker Bios

SPEAKER BIOS

KIMBERLY LESAY, Bureau Chief of Policy & Planning | CTDOT Kimberly Lesay is the Bureau Chief of Policy & Planning at the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Kimberly has a degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from UCONN and began her career in Environmental Planning as an entry level trainee. With over 27 years in the Transportation industry, much of her career has been dedicated to public sector service. Kimberly is striving to improve processes within the Bureau in their mission to provide for increased safety, sustainability, accessibility and mobility of people and goods, protection and enhancement of the cultural and natural resources, and enhanced modal integration of the transportation system. AMY JACKSON-GROVE, Division Administrator | Federal Highway Administration, Connecticut Division Amy became the Division Administrator for the Federal Highway Administration’s Connecticut Division in 2009. In this position, she works closely with the leadership at the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, local governments, and Local Technical Assistance Program at the University of Connecticut in implementing the Federal-Aid Highway Program in the state of Connecticut. Prior to coming to Connecticut, Amy was the Deputy Division Administrator in the New York Division, the Planning, Environment and Research Team Leader in the Connecticut Division, an Area Engineer in the Maryland Division, and an Assistant Area Engineer in the Washington Division. Amy joined the FHWA via the Highway Engineer Training Program; with assignments in the Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and Massachusetts. She has been fortunate to work on great projects such as the Natchez Trace Parkway (Tennessee), Cochrane Bridge (Mobile, Alabama), Mount Saint Helens Memorial Highway (Washington State) and Boston’s Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel project. Matt is currently an adjunct faculty member with the University of Connecticut’s School of Public Policy. He earned his Juris Doctor (JD) and Master’s in Public Affairs (MPA) from the University of Connecticut, and his bachelor’s degree in political science from the State University of New York at Potsdam. DONNA SHEA, Executive Program Director | CT Training & Technical Assistance (T2) Center at the University of Connecticut Donna Shea is the Executive Program Director for the CT Training & Technical Assistance (T2) Center at the University of Connecticut. Donna has served in this role for the past 22 years and is passionate about supporting the professional development of the transportation community in Connecticut’s municipalities. Prior to joining UCONN, Donna was a Program Manager of Executive Education at Dartmouth College. KRISTIN HADJSTYLIANOS, Transportation Director | Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG) Kristin Hadjstylianos is the Transportation Director at the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG). Through this role she oversees transportation planning and programming for the eighteen municipalities in the South Western Region MPO and the Housatonic Valley MPO. During her time at WestCOG, Kristin has worked on a variety of transportation planning projects including the MPOs Long-Range Transportation Plans, pedestrian and bicycle studies, safety plans, transit studies, and transportation corridor plans. MATT HART, Executive Director | Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) Matt Hart is the Executive Director of the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), the largest of Connecticut’s regional planning organizations. Previously, Matt served as the Town Manager in West Hartford, Connecticut, where he helped lead the community through the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that he served as Town Manager in Mansfield, Connecticut, where he played a critical role in developing Storrs Center , a mixed- use, New Urbanism project adjacent to the University of Connecticut’s main campus.

2022 Transportation Mini-Series // Page 2