WTS CT | TMS 2022 | Speaker Bios

SPEAKER BIOS

Safety, Highway Safety Manual, Vision Zero

NATASHA FATU, Transportation Engineer | CTDOT Natasha Fatu is a Transportation Engineer with the Connecticut Department of Transportation. With more than 20 years of transportation engineering experience, she has worked in the Division of Traffic Engineering working in Traffic Engineering as well as the Office of State Traffic Administration. Within Traffic Engineering, she has recently moved from working in the Traffic Engineering Operations Unit to the Safety Engineering Unit. Safety being her priority, she is currently working to implement systemic statewide safety projects that will improve Connecticut roadways for all users. SHANNON HUGHES, Deputy Regional Administrator | NHTSA Region 2 Shannon Hughes is the Deputy Regional Administrator for NHTSA Region 2, overseeing behavioral highway safety programs in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Shannon joined NHTSA in 2007, but her federal service started more than three decades ago with the National Science Foundation managing geoscience research grants, writing Congressional testimony and budget reports for the National Science Board, and formulating Federal budget requests. In 2003, Shannon became Deputy Protocol Chief for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Leading a team of military and civilian Protocol Officers, she coordinated large-scale conferences, training and leadership seminars, award ceremonies, and hosted highest-level Congressional, Presidential and international dignitaries for the Academy Superintendent. In addition to her leadership as DRA, Shannon is an agency liaison to the Office of the Secretary’s Mobility Justice Equity Workstream, and is supporting several parallel efforts to advance the administration’s Advancing Equity Executive Order. She also continues to serve Region 2 as the pedestrian/bicycle safety coordinator. Shannon has received awards for outstanding service throughout her federal career, both for individual and team efforts. Shannon is also a Board member for OneMamaroneck, Inc, a local anti-racism non-profit committed to dismantling systemic injustice within the public schools and broader community. She is a cyclist and an amateur boxer, and lives with her partner and puppy in White Plains, New York. DR. ERIC JACKSON, Executive Director | Connecticut Transportation Institute Dr. Eric Jackson is currently the Executive Director of the Connecticut Transportation Institute and the Director of the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center (CTSRC) at UConn. The CTSRC assisted in the complete overhaul and modernization of crash data collection and safety analysis in the state. Dr. Jackson’s current research has focused on improving the crash data collection process in Connecticut as well as Connected and Automated Vehicles. FRANK W. PETISE, PE , Bureau Chief | City of Stamford’s Transportation, Traffic, & Parking Bureau Frank W. Petise, P.E. is currently the Bureau Chief of the City of Stamford’s Transportation, Traffic, & Parking Bureau. The Department is responsible for the oversight of all Transportation Projects in the City of Stamford as well as Traffic Signal Operations, Signs and Pavement Markings, City- wide Parking Operations and Enforcement. Frank reviews private developments, manages transportation projects, and oversees the traffic operations of over 200 City owned signals. In recent years the department has been dramatically transformed to address the needs of the fastest growing municipality in the State. The Department has upgraded nearly forty-percent of the 200+ traffic signals, has completed a city-wide traffic signal optimization, and a modernization of the parking infrastructure. Additionally, we are in construction or final design phase of nearly 16 Million dollars of roadway and intersection improvement projects, have undertaken several initiatives that integrate planning, design, and improved operations to ensure maintenance of our multi-modal transportation network. Frank and his Department continue to improve safe travel for all roadway users.

2022 Transportation Mini-Series // Page 6