About

The State Smart Transportation Initiative promotes transportation practices that advance environmental sustainability and equitable economic development, while maintaining high standards of governmental efficiency and transparency.

As a joint project of the University of Wisconsin and Smart Growth America, we operate mainly in three ways:

  • We operate a peer network for leaders of state departments of transportation who meet regularly at our Community of Practice meetings.
  • We lead research and technical assistance that informs transformative and replicable transportation reform efforts across the U.S.
  • We share knowledge and best practices with the wider transportation community, including federal, state, and local agencies, community groups, and policy organizations.

SSTI’s participating state agencies differ in many respects but share a commitment to rethinking policies and processes to produce better transportation outcomes.

Staff

Chris McCahill

Position title: Managing Director

Email: mccahill@ssti.us

Phone: 608-262-7797

Beth Osborne

Position title: Senior Policy Advisor

Email: beth.osborne@smartgrowthamerica.org

Phone: 202-207-3355

Michael Brenneis

Position title: Senior Researcher

Email: mbrenneis@ssti.us

Phone: 608-262-9588

Rayla Bellis

Position title: Program Manager

Email: rbellis@smartgrowthamerica.org

Phone: 202-971-3938

Aaron Westling

Position title: Senior Associate

Email: awestling@ssti.us

Phone: 608.263.0819

Megan Link

Position title: Senior Associate

Email: mlink@ssti.us

Jay Ferm

Position title: Office & Financial Manager

Email: jferm@ssti.us

Phone: 608.265.8665

Advisory Committee

Shoshana Lew, Director, Colorado Department of Transportation
Roger Millar, Secretary, Washington State Department of Transportation
Kristina Swallow, Director, Nevada Department of Transportation
Shawn Wilson, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Transportation

Executive Committee

Doug Foy, President, Serrafix Corporation (Previously Secretary of Commonwealth Development, Massachusetts)
Joel Rogers, Director, COWS (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Chris McCahill, Managing Director, SSTI
Beth Osborne, Senior Policy Advisor, Smart Growth America