The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) recently welcomed two distinguished industry leaders to its board of directors, which represents all segments of the transportation industry and guides the strategic goals and activities of the association. The board appointed Dr. Dennis Christiansen, agency director of the Texas Transportation Institute, and Keith Parker, president and chief executive oOfficer of VIA Metropolitan Transit.
The board also reappointed Nady Boules, director of Electrical & Controls Integration Lab of General Motors; Dana Christensen, deputy lab director, Science and Technology, National Renewable Energy Laboratories; Patrick McGowan, president of Telvent Transportation North America; David St. Amant, president/COO of Econolite Control Products, Inc.; and Peter Sweatman, director of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Meet our New Board Members
Dr. Dennis Christiansen, agency director of the Texas Transportation Institute, brings extensive research experience in traffic operations, transportation planning, and transit planning. Dr. Christiansen is an international expert in high occupancy vehicle lanes and was one of the pioneers of the concept in Houston with significant involvement in its development and implementation. His research in HOV lanes has been utilized throughout the country and has made a significant impact on the effectiveness of the transportation system in Texas and elsewhere.
He is the senior editor of two books and the author of numerous reports and publications about various facets of transportation and traffic engineering. Dr. Christiansen has received numerous awards in the field of transportation, most recently honorary membership in the Institute of Transportation Engineers in 2010. Dr. Christiansen graduated from Northwestern University with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and received his master's and Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering from Texas A&M University. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas.
Keith Parker has served as president and chief executive officer of VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio since July 2009 and is working to bring innovations to VIA that will improve the livability and sustainability of the region, while transforming to a true multi-modal agency. He is committed to having VIA recognized as America's "greenest" transit agency. In addition to recent orders of CNG and hybrid diesel electric buses, VIA is currently awaiting the delivery of several all-electric buses that may be the most environmentally-friendly in the world.
Parker is also overseeing the final stages in the implementation of bus rapid transit, the first high-capacity transit technology to be established in San Antonio. VIA is finalizing the Long Range Comprehensive Transportation Plan, a visionary document that will guide the agency in the development of future high-capacity transit corridors in the San Antonio region. Parker came to San Antonio from Charlotte, North Carolina where he was the chief executive officer and director of public transit for the Charlotte Area Transit System. In April 2011, Parker was recognized as CEO of the Year by the Texas Diversity Council.
About the Intelligent Transportation Society of America
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America represents more than 400 member organizations including public agencies, private corporations, and academic institutions involved in the research, development, and deployment of technologies that improve safety, increase mobility, strengthen the economy, and sustain the environment.
