From engineering executives leading mega projects, to graduate students developing the next generation of bridge-building standards, the recipients of this year's Women Leaders in Transportation Design & Construction Awards reflect the extraordinary contributions of women across the transportation industry.
Sponsored by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Foundation and the Women Leaders Council, the awards were announced today in four categories during the ARTBA National Convention in Kohler, Wis.
The Ethel Birchland Lifetime Achievement Award
ARTBA photo
Denise Casalino, executive vice president, chief strategy and growth officer — West Region AECOM
Casalino's more than four-decade career spans infrastructure, urban development and strategic business leadership. She combines engineering expertise, public-sector experience and business acumen to deliver transformative projects and create opportunities for others. As a senior leader at AECOM, she provides strategic direction for about 7,500 employees across multiple markets. Before joining the company in 2005, she spent a decade with the City of Chicago, helping lead the landmark $200 million Wacker Drive Reconstruction Project, a nationally recognized model of urban transportation renewal.
ARTBA photo
Wendy Travis, southwest region transportation director, Garver
Travis built a three-decade career defined by sustained professional achievement, barrier-breaking leadership and significant contributions to the transportation industry. As program manager for the Texas Department of Transportation's I-35 Corridor Program, she led the delivery of billions of dollars in transformative projects and helped advance the $23.5 billion Ports-to-Plains Corridor initiative to expand I-27.
The Glass Hammer Award
ARTBA photo
Lisa Hagins CEO, Arizona Transportation Builders Association (ATB) and Jessica Hummell, executive business manager, ATB
ATB is guided by two exceptional leaders whose vision, advocacy, and service have strengthened the organization's influence across Arizona while advancing both infrastructure excellence and people. Lisa Hagins and Jessica Hummell have transformed ATB into a force for inclusion, collaboration and community impact.
ARTBA photo
Through nonprofit board service and strategic partnerships, they have helped shape workforce pipelines across Southern Arizona, creating opportunities for mentorship, professional development and greater visibility for women. Under their leadership, ATB annually partners with other associations to host Construction Career Days, introducing more than 4,000 young people to careers in the industry and helping break barriers for the next generation of transportation and construction professionals.
The Excellence in Academia Award
ARTBA photo
Dr. Karen Philbrick, executive director, Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at San José State University
Dr. Philbrick has transformed MTI into a nationally recognized leader in transportation research and education, securing more than $44 million in competitive grants and contracts. Her work helps agencies and communities address real-world challenges while shaping national transportation policy. Philbrick holds numerous leadership positions within professional organizations and oversees two multi-university consortia, demonstrating her success in fostering high-level collaborative research.
ARTBA photo
Dr. Claudia Zapata, associate professor, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University
Dr. Zapata's work has fundamentally transformed the way transportation engineers account for environmental and climatic effects in pavement and geotechnical design. Her work has produced design procedures and tools used daily by transportation agencies. Dr. Zapata has taught more than 2,100 students, developed innovative graduate courses and mentored dozens of students who now serve in universities, transportation agencies and private industry across the U.S.
The Future Industry Leader Spotlight Award
ARTBA photo
Angel Lucian, graduate student in civil engineering, South Carolina State University
Lucian's graduate research focuses on the use of LiDAR, cameras and radar to detect hidden hazards caused by limited sight distance and occlusion. Her goal is to develop transportation systems that protect vulnerable road users. She holds leadership positions within her campus chapter of the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS) and is a recipient of the WTS HNTB Strategic Partner Scholarship.
ARTBA photo
Somayehâ¯Shojaeikhah Ph.D. Candidate, Oklahoma State University Structural Engineering Intern, WSP USA
Somayeh Shojaeikhah is pursuing a Ph.D. in Structural Engineering at Oklahoma State University. Her research focuses on developing new computational methods for improving the structural safety, reliability and long-term performance of bridges.
