April Event Details

Equity and Inclusivity in Transportation Funding: Bridging Gaps for the Inland Empire's Future Mobility

The event is Hybrid, hosted by Omnitrans, Address: 1700 West 5th Street, San Bernardino, CA 92411

The facility is at the corner of Fifth St. and Medical Center Dr. Enter on Medical Center Dr., at the second driveway north of Fifth St.

Attending Online? A Zoom link will be sent before the event.

N.B.: let us know if your plans have changed by April 12, 2024 -- email: ltc@csusb.edu

Register HereEvent Program

The Issue 

As mobility plays a pivotal role in shaping the accessibility and opportunities within any region, addressing inequality and bridging gaps in transportation funding is essential. The Inland Empire, with its diverse communities and evolving transportation needs, requires a strategic approach that ensures fairness and inclusivity in allocating resources. This Dialogue will address the different perspective of how funding should be allocated to have an equitable system.

Speakers 

Warren Whiteaker serves as the Manager of Integrated Planning & Programming Department with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), where he leads the agency’s Federal Transportation Improvement Program, transportation system integration, transportation finance, aviation, and strategic projects efforts. He is passionate about stakeholder engagement in the planning and development of innovative transportation solutions that reflect both community and environmental stewardship values. Warren earned his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Analysis & Design from the University of California at Irvine and a Master’s of City & Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Steve Smith is the Director of Planning and Regional Programs for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA). He is responsible for the advance planning of multimodal transportation projects, development of sub-regional and corridor plans, leading the Planning Department in its pursuit of grant funding for transportation and sustainability initiatives, and coordinating with regional agencies such as the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and other county transportation commissions.

Monique Arellano serves as the Chief of San Bernardino Council of Governments and Equity Programs for San Bernardino Council of Governments and San Bernardino County Transportation Authority.  In this position she works to implement the goals of the San Bernardino Countywide Vision, works to identify and implement the priorities of the Board of Directors, and works to establish and implement policy through the lens of equity in matters both internal to the agency and external projects within the boundaries of the member agencies.  Prior to this, she served at the City of Fontana for 10 years and worked as an analyst supporting Transportation Project Management, Planning, and Public Policy.  

Andrea Zureick is the Director of Fund Administration for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA). She leads her department in proposing and securing allocations of state, federal, and local Measure I sales tax funding for the development and implementation of multimodal transportation projects through approvals by the SBCTA Board of Directors and the California Transportation Commission (CTC). She coordinates with the Southern California Association of Governments to program funding for projects in the Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP) and the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). Her department prepares the biennial 10-Year Delivery Plan for Measure I projects.

Lacy has several roles at HNTB including the Operations Manager for the Northern California & Nevada region, a Project Manager, and subject matter expert on transportation equity. She has over 20 years of experience analyzing government requirements and regulations for a wide range of programs; and helping federal agencies and grantees navigate those requirements. As a Project Manager, Lacy focuses on helping transportation agencies achieve equitable outcomes on projects and programs. She is passionate about ensuring benefits are distributed equitably when it comes to delivery of public goods and services. Prior to joining HNTB, she was an Assistant Director of Field Operations for the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) providing leadership to the Oakland Field Office. Lacy is an active member in several professional associations and her community. She holds a Master of Science in Public Policy & Management from Carnegie Mellon University and a BA in Economics from the City University of New York-Brooklyn College

Amber Collins is a Senior Project Manager at Mark Thomas in the Transportation Division, supporting clients in funding and delivering transportation planning and infrastructure projects. Amber has over 14 years of experience working in the private and public sectors of the transportation industry in California. Amber has a comprehensive background in developing multimodal and corridor studies and an understanding of state and federal policies and priorities, such as equity and environmental sustainability, and how to align local projects to secure funding. Prior to the private sector, Amber served as the Executive Director of the Calaveras Council of Governments (CCOG) where she coordinated funding and project delivery with local partners, Caltrans, and funding agencies, and guided strategic planning and policy development. Amber holds a Master of Science in Engineering and a Master’s in City and Regional Planning from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.