Power Players in Transportation

Peter Goldwasser has two decades of experience working across the public and private sectors, advising companies, non-profits and individuals on how to make a positive impact on the toughest issues. Peter is the executive director of Together for Safer Roads, an international non-profit focused on building cross-sector partnerships to improve fleet trucking safety. Before this, he founded the PNG Group, a mission-driven consultancy that works at the intersection of purpose, profit and social impact.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
At its core, transportation affects how we live our lives. How we connect with people. How we experience our world. If it’s not accessible, affordable and ultimately, safe, the impacts can be huge. Having a transportation system that is as safe as possible should be our goal and it feels important to work on. I’ve always had a strong interest in this area and enjoy that it lets me work across so many different groups.

What is your favorite travel experience?
Landing in any new city and immediately going for a long run. Even better if there is a river to run along. It’s the best way to discover a new place. But, hopping on a bicycle also works well. 

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
Big picture for the US: I’d love to see a true, proper, national high-speed rail system. This would do so much for so many people – fast, affordable, efficient, environmentally positive and safe. Closer to home here in NYC, I’d like to see greater investment and emphasis on Bus Rapid Transit.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Running. Always running. Or riding a bike very slowly. But, if sneakers and athletic clothes won’t suffice for where I’m heading, then the subway.

NYC Council Member Kamillah M. Hanks represents the 49th District. She was elected to the City Council in 2021. Hanks is a native Staten Islander, a proud mother of four, and grandmother of three. Hanks founded the Minority Women in Business Association of Staten Island and was NYS Senator Diane J. Savino’s 2015 New York State Woman of Distinction honoree. She is also a past Staten Island Advance Woman of Achievement.

Danny Harris is the executive director of Transportation Alternatives, a walking, biking, and public transit advocacy group in New York City. Throughout his career, he has worked to build community and improve cities around the world. A native New Yorker, he lives in Manhattan with his family.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Streets make up one of the largest uses in our cities and, too often, that space is squandered on the movement and storage of vehicles. When we can make changes to our streets, specifically by prioritizing people over cars, we can improve outcomes for everyone in our cities, including drivers. This means clean air, more public space, robust transportation options, less traffic, elevating our most vulnerable, and creating a more wonderful place to live. 

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
For every New Yorker to live within a few blocks of a protected bus lane, protected bike lane, and a green space. Doing so would give all New Yorkers safe and affordable ways to get around the five boroughs, and access to parks and public space. 

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Traveling NYC by cargo bike with my kids.

Kendra Hems has been president of the Trucking Association of New York since 2008. Ms. Hems works to promote the economic importance of the trucking industry, advocate for highway safety, improve the efficiency of freight deliveries, and advance transportation careers. She frequently serves as an advisor on trucking-related issues due to her years of experience in the industry. She has spent her career in trucking, starting as a dispatcher at her family’s trucking company.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
My stepfather’s family owned a small trucking company, so I grew up in the industry. It didn’t take long to recognize that the trucking industry is the lifeblood of our state and nation. Unfortunately, trucking is not always recognized for how essential it is and is often viewed in a negative light. Being able to advocate for this critical industry, and the amazing professionals employed in it became a passion for me.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
There is a critical shortage of overnight truck parking across the country. Our professional drivers are the backbone of our country, delivering the products we rely on every day. They deserve a safe and secure place to park and rest. When surveyed, drivers have rated the lack of parking as the top challenge they face. It not only creates safety concerns but also discourages new drivers, particularly women. Increasing truck parking must be a priority.

Christian Henry is a technology solutions professional with over 20 years of experience managing infrastructure implementations across a multitude of projects. At Cubic Transportation Systems, Christian serves as senior VP and general manager, where he oversees the management, performance, and completion of programs including MTA’s OMNY fare payment system. In his role, he has spearheaded the transition from a legacy system to a new, integrated solution for one of the most robust public transit systems.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
A career in transportation isn’t just a challenge, but an opportunity to create solutions that actually make a difference in people’s lives. Public transportation is the great equalizer. With an accessible, well-functioning transit system people are able to get where they need to go faster and more efficiently by making cities feel better connected and ultimately give people back time to spend with loved ones.

What is your favorite travel experience?
Tapping in with OMNY! It’s exciting to offer the best technology we have in open payments to make customers’ lives easier and their rides entering the system smoother, especially when systems are integrated. I love how trains, buses, and other public transit systems connect such large distances so seamlessly.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
We’re really excited for our new faregates that are more accessible, more user-friendly, and help cut down on fare evasion opportunities too. We are already piloting our faregates at Sutphin Boulevard in Queens, making it easier for wheelchair and stroller users, as well as riders who are carrying suitcases! We’re excited to work with the MTA, to bring these to more stations in the future.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
When I’m home in the New York metro area, anything that accepts OMNY – it’s a growing list!

Marc Herbst serves as the executive director of the Long Island Contractors’ Association (LICA), the premier regional trade association of the heavy construction industry. Through his work advocating for the heavy construction industry for Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Herbst manages services and programming, labor, and safety training for more than 170 member firms and acts as the voice for the industry’s workforce.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I worked full-time at the Town of Oyster Bay Highway Department, beginning as a laborer, to put myself through college. While there, I became immersed in infrastructure and public works, deciding to continue my graduate studies in transportation, planning and engineering. Growing up on Long Island, the accomplishments of Robert Moses – our parks, roads and public works – strongly influenced my passion for transportation.

What is your favorite travel experience?
I love to take low-flying flights over Long Island to view the beautiful beaches and landscaping, revealing why Long Island is the most fabulous place to live. One of my greatest experiences was an unexpected helicopter flight from Albany to the Nassau Coliseum when then-Governor Pataki summoned me from the capitol to join him at a press event announcing LIPA’s takeover of LILCO. I was the Assembly’s ranking member of the Energy Committee at the time. 

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
Addressing the safety needs along the Southern State Parkway is essential for Long Island motorists. The roadway known as “Blood Alley” was built nearly 100 years ago according to outdated standards for different travel purposes. Today’s congestion, aggressive and distracted drivers, and poor highway design and roadway maintenance contribute to the unacceptable highway fatality rates. The entire corridor needs greater enforcement measures and reconstruction to today’s engineering standards.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Automobile. I am guilty of sharing America’s love affair with cars. The comfort, reliability and flexibility of getting from Point A to Point B at any time is essential for someone who is constantly on the move throughout Long Island, a place where transit doesn’t provide ample alternatives.

Mr. Hoare has served as acting executive director since September 2023, and served as general counsel of the Thruway Authority since 2020. Previous assignments include: associate counsel at NYS Division of Military & Naval Affairs, deputy secretary to the Governor for legislative affairs, general counsel at NYS Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services, deputy attorney general for Regional Affairs and deputy counsel to the Attorney General, and judge advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve.

As CEO of JFKIAT – the operator of Terminal 4 at JFK International Airport – Roel Huinink has been leading the organization since 2018 and is responsible for developing and executing strategic plans for T4. Roel has almost 25 years of aviation experience with 15 years at Royal Schiphol Group, in various management positions in the Netherlands and Sweden. Furthermore, he served as an executive in the management board of Norwegian based Airport Retail Group.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I have been passionate about transportation from an early age, inspired by my desire to travel and my love for complex infrastructure. Since my father traveled internationally for his job, I was also able to visit Amsterdam Airport Schiphol very regularly. As part of my master’s in Mechanical Engineering, I graduated with a specialty in transportation technology and systems – so pursuing a career in aviation was a natural fit from the beginning.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
I grew up in The Netherlands with its efficient highways and rail network, and among some of the largest airports in the world, including Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Rotterdam The Hague Airport. I truly appreciated the investments in quality, and hope for and fully support the U.S. government’s drive to bring the infrastructure up to a level that the U.S. deserves.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Since I work in aviation, I mostly enjoy flying. From when I was young to this day, it remains a magical experience. Traveling by plane offers us an efficient way to visit various places around the world and immerse ourselves in other cultures and traditions, and it’s always incredibly exciting.

Dwayne was born in the Bronx, New York in 1961. He attended Alfred E. Smith High School. Dwayne was raised in the midst of the creation of hip-hop culture and the blackout of 1977. At 18, Jacobs joined the Marine Corps. He was then dispatched from the Marine Corps to the Navy in preparation for med-cruise as a combat cargo member of the unit on the USS Inchon (LPH-12).

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
After the Marines, I ran into an old Marine buddy who knew what I had done in the Marines and recommended that I get into the bus transportation industry where I have grown and thrived with my vast knowledge from my time in the military. I immediately went and secured my CDL license and on my first interview I received the position at NY Whitehall Transportation and became an assistant to the general manager.

What is your favorite travel experience?
As a kid in the early 70s, around 1971 or 1972, while traveling to visit my mother’s side of the family I felt very fortunate to be aboard my first flying experience on a 747 airplane. Being on the first jumbo jet ever built I felt phenomenal. 

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
Some of the transportation improvements that interest me would be the progression of Emission and technology. The growth of EVs will preserve our earth and leave a future for the generations behind us. Improving transportation technology to enable people to utilize social media to allow connections to other modes of transportation via train to bus, bus to plane, etc will help alleviate long wait times. 

What is your preferred method of transportation?
I enjoy all forms of transportation, but if I had to pick one form of transportation it would be buses, being that I have been in the bus industry for such a long period of time.

Phil joined Lime in 2018 and leads its policy initiatives and community engagement as its senior director of the US North. He ensures that Lime’s safety, equity and sustainability programming reflects the cities it serves. His goal is to bring smart, equitable and sustainable mobility solutions. Phil’s passion is evolving transportation ecosystems, building connectivity and assisting historically underserved communities to transform the way people experience urban-movement and leave future generations with a cleaner, healthier planet.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Building social equity for the US North, specifically New York City, has been a privilege and driving force in my personal activism and professional life. Creating a level playing field and ending transportation disparity with Lime as its senior director is a natural evolution of my activism. At its core Lime (and my) goal is simple: transform the way people experience urban movement and leave future generations with a cleaner, healthier and more equitable planet.

What is your favorite travel experience?
It’s hard to choose just one! For me, travel is one of the best ways to discover new parts of yourself. It can challenge you and also align you with the beautiful mosaic of culture(s) that exist in the world. One of my favorite trips was to South East Asia where I visited Bali, Thailand, Singapore and Japan. The most meaningful part of my time there was staying with a local family in Ubud.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
I would love for high speed rail to be implemented across the US. It would be a game changer and show true investment in more sustainable forms of transportation. On a local level I want to see streets returned to the people (of all abilities) and a shift from car culture. This means creating comprehensive bike lane infrastructure, daylighting intersections, mixed-use street development and putting an end to transportation deserts in historically underserved communities.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
My favorite method of transportation is anything mass transit – trains, ferries and buses. A close second, of course, is alternative forms of transportation like electric bikes and scooters – micromobility. It’s one of the best ways to experience the sights and sounds of a city.