Traffic congestion in the Puget Sound is noticeably worse and frustrated commuters need relief now. That is why Washington Policy Center’s Young Professionals are hosting their first ever transportation panel discussion. This event brings together public officials, representatives from private industries, and young professionals in one room for a robust, candid dialogue about mobility solutions.  

I will be moderating the panel discussion, which is unique because it is entirely collaborative. Panel members will spend the first half hour rotating among attendees who will be divided into small groups for more intimate conversations about innovative and forward-looking solutions to traffic congestion. The second half of the program will be a full panel discussion around the themes generated in small group discussions. With the added expertise of panelists, the focus will shift to viability and potential action.

The five panelists will include:

• Kevin Wallace: Bellevue City Councilmember and President and CEO of Wallace Properties who has been particularly vocal as an opponent of Sound Transit 3. Kevin is also a council liaison to the Transportation Commission and represents Bellevue on the Eastside Transportation Partnership Steering Committee. While Kevin was on Bellevue’s Light Rail Leadership Group, he was instrumental in negotiating changes to the land use code to ensure that neighborhoods, roads and businesses would be protected from the impact of Sound Transit’s light rail project. Councilmember Wallace has recently engaged in lively public debates with King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci and real estate developer Craig Kinzer.
   
• Bob Pishue: Senior Economist at INRIX, the nation’s leading traffic intelligence provider, whose focus is “connecting cars to smarter cities and understanding the science of traffic.” There are 15 million connected cars worldwide powered by INRIX, which utilizes data and technology to improve urban mobility. Prior to joining INRIX, Bob was the Director of the Coles Center for Transportation at Washington Policy Center, a non-partisan think tank. Bob provides public officials, policy makers and the general public thoughtful analyses to reduce congestion, increase mobility and improve all areas of transportation (safety, congestion, parking, etc.).
   
• Brian Crockford: Senior Services Manager responsible for corporate commute services at Microsoft, serving 55,000 people and moving 10,000 people every day to and from Microsoft. Brian’s accomplishments have included the attainment of the lowest reported Single Occupancy Vehicle Rate (56%), highest Connector (employee bus) seat utilization (60%), and a large-scale replacement of the Connector fleet. Prior to coming to the Puget Sound in 2011, Brian worked with Microsoft in Hong Kong.
   
• Marv Hounjet: Vice President & Director of US Operations at Plenary Group, an “independent long-term investor, sponsor and operator of public infrastructure.” Marv’s focus is exclusively on Public-Private Partnerships (P3/PPPs) and leading successful P3 project procurements. Marv has a certificate in Mechanical Engineering Technology and Masters in Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business in Toronto.
   
• Jeff Aumell: Transportation Manager for Commercial Business Real Estate (CBRE), “the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm.” With over two decades of experience in Travel Demand Management (TDM) with large corporations like Microsoft, Jeff has spearheaded initiatives and won numerous awards for innovative solutions that promote sustainable commute programs. Under Jeff’s leadership, the drive-alone rate has decreased from 75% to 57%. Jeff’s focus is on corporate mobility programs and using data to make decisions.

The event will take place on Thursday, September 15^th from 5:30PM to 8:00PM in the Cloud Room at Chophouse Row in Seattle. It is free for Young Professionals members and $10 for nonmembers. The event is open to media at no charge.

Space is limited and registration is available online.