Executive Director's Report March 2024

Greetings! 

Next week, we head out to the Bay Area for the ACT West Coast Regional TDM Summit, which represents the culmination of an exciting new initiative launched by the association last year to support the hosting of more localized events in partnership with our chapters. I want to thank the leadership of the Northern CA Chapter and its members that have volunteered their time and energy to plan what promises to be a fantastic event. 

I hope that you all saw the news earlier this week, about the launch of the ACT PAC.  The ACT PAC is a non-partisan political action committee established by the organization to support and elect candidates supportive of TDM and ACT’s policy goals. The ACT PAC provides the organization with a powerful new tool to amplify the voice of the organization and that of our members. I encourage all members to think about the opportunity to support the PAC in its efforts to support your work and programs at the federal level.

Next week, ACT’s Board of Directors will be meeting in person during the ACT West Coast Regional TDM Summit.  On the agenda for the meeting will be important updates from the Professional Development Committee on plans for the ImpACT! Leadership program in 2025 and our upcoming Career Fair.  The Board will also be hearing and voting on a proposal from members for the establishment of a new Transit Council.

On the policy front, we had a strategic success a few weeks ago with the inclusion of TDM language within the Transportation Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations report language.  I also want to take an opportunity to welcome Zach Calderon, ACT’s Government Affairs & Policy Manager.  This new role was specifically identified as a priority within the organization’s strategic plan and represents a significant new investment into the organization’s policy and advocacy efforts in DC and provide new value and services to our membership.

As always, we have a tremendous amount going on within the organization, from conferences to career fairs, chapter events to council meetings, federal advocacy to local networking. We have much to look forward to in the months ahead but I want to invite you all to take a quick look back at the year that was and check out ACT’s 2023 Annual Report.

Lastly, I want to plant a seed in every members mind about elections for ACT’s Board of Directors, which will open to nominations in June. This year, we will be seeking nominations for all officer positions (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) along with 6 At-Large Directors. Serving on the Board is a fulfilling way to contribute to the association and the field of TDM.

As always, I invite you to reach out to me directly with any questions, to share your ideas and thoughts about the organization, or just to introduce yourself.