The director of the Nevada Department of Transportation talks about new highway and public works projects, navigating the maze of federal transportation spending, new ways to look at investment in infrastructure, MAP-21 and even a little about STEM and her inventive Twitter handle. 

As managing director of American Airlines, Palmina Whelan guided strategic plans for airport master planning and development across the Northeast, Dallas and Central Regions of both the U.S. and Canada for 15 years. She managed more than $6 billion in capital construction and worked with contractors, designers, airport authorities and state and regional government stakeholders. She recently launched her new company, Palmina Whelan Strategic Solutions.

The President and CEO of Gilbane Building Co. and former chief delivery officer at CH2M Hill Cos., Michael McKelvy talked with ENR Managing Editor Scott Blair about Safety Week 2021 (May 3-7), an event that he’s the chair of this year. McKelvy and Blair discussed this year’s theme, holistic safety and the importance of everyone at the job site being both physically and mentally present.

The former executive director of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and director of the California Dept. of Transportation is now leader of state and local transportation at Amazon Web Services. Randy Iwasaki spoke with ENR Transportation Editor Aileen Cho and Associate Technology Editor Jeff Yoders about new highway technology, robotics and autonomous vehicles and how to manage change in large organizations.

HNTB’s corporate president of infrastructure and mobility equity is responsible for shaping transportation and mobility equity policy through collaboration with federal, state and local agency leaders. Diana Mendes spoke with ENR Transportation Editor Aileen Cho and Associate Technology Editor Jeff Yoders about how transportation design can unite diverse neighborhoods, not divide them, how to recruit and retain diverse talent and even a project near and dear to her heart, the Washington, DC Metro System.

Jes Pedersen, CEO and president of Webcor Builders, spoke with ENR senior editor Jeff Rubenstone about how his company is keeping workers safe and projects on track during the pandemic crisis. Recorded March 23, 2020.

Former Atkins CEO Keith Clarke says the construction industry has to take the lead in tackling the problems of climate change and the broader decarbonization of the global economy. Interview by Debra Rubin, audio engineering by Jeff Rubenstone.

Photo courtesy of Bentley