2025 WSRO Conference Speakers
"The Art of Transportation"
September 28th - September 30th, Tacoma, Washington

Help Us Celebrate our Speakers!

This year we have a stellar group of speakers lined up for your 2025 WSRO conference.

See you all in Tacoma, Washington!

Wren Barulich

Wren has over a decade of experience in public transportation programming in Washington State. Beginning with service planning adjustments as Sound Transit’s Link Light rail expansion in the former bus tunnels downtown was underway, to working with small and large employers throughout the city of Seattle to decrease drive alone rates to their worksites and now supporting CTR jurisdictions throughout the state. She is passionate about the community developed when people can choose how they travel.

Veronica Bean 

Veronica is the Transportation Planner for the City of Auburn and administers CTR within Auburn’s boundaries. Prior to her role at Auburn, Veronica received her Masters in Urban Planning with a specialization in Transportation Planning and has held a variety of positions, including being the ETC for a CTR-affected worksite in downtown Seattle. She has actively used public transit for most of her adult life and in a variety of cities including Minneapolis/St. Paul; throughout Snohomish, King, and Pierce Counties; Nashville;  Seoul, Busan, and Chuncheon, South Korea; and a variety of cities in Europe. Her favorite practical way to get around is on her e-bike, but her absolute favorite mode of transportation is the funicular! 

Ryan Bisson
Marketing Program Strategist
Community Transit

Originally from Vancouver, WA and now living in Everett, Ryan has spent most of his life rooted in the Pacific Northwest. His early experiences with public transit were occasional—riding C-TRAN and the MAX Light Rail to attend Portland Winterhawks and Portland Rockies games. But it wasn’t until he moved to Seattle in 2011 that transit truly became a part of his daily life. Ryan spent 15 years in the coffee industry, working with small businesses and watching his communities grow through the lens of customer service. After relocating to Everett in 2017, he joined the City of Everett as Communications & Outreach Coordinator, where he discovered a true calling for community engagement. In this role, he led marketing, communications, and public outreach efforts for Everett Transit. In 2023, Ryan brought his passion for people and storytelling to Community Transit, stepping into the role of Marketing Programs Specialist. He now leads the Residential Program, focusing on building new community partnerships, creating engaging service education opportunities, and—true to his roots—sharing great coffee with his teammates. Outside of work, Ryan enjoys cheering on, teaching, and chasing after his two kids, Emery and Quinn. He also plays guitar and sings in a band, and loves to get out on his motorcycle whenever he can.

Andrea Britten

Andrea is a passionate Training & Wellness Consultant dedicated to helping individuals and organizations thrive through holistic well-being and personal development. With a deep love for the outdoors, Andrea draws inspiration from nature to promote balance, resilience, and vitality in both work and life. Her approach blends evidence-based wellness strategies with engaging training experiences, empowering others to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Bonnie Chiffelle
Programs Specialist III
Alta Planning + Design

Bonnie is a Programs Specialist at Alta Planning + Design, where she helps lead and support projects by designing, implementing, and evaluating active transportation, Transportation Demand Management (TDM), and safety programs. Originally from Santiago, Chile, and raised in Miami, Florida, Bonnie moved to Seattle after earning dual bachelor’s degrees in sustainability studies and telecommunications from the University of Florida. She has since built a career in communications, program design, and project management in the non-profit and private sectors. Bonnie’s experience living car-free in places with limited transportation options gave her a firsthand look at the challenges many face in accessing mobility, sparking her interest in the field of TDM as a way to improve our transportation systems while contributing to a more sustainable future. Today, Bonnie continues to grow and apply her knowledge of TDM across several projects, including for the Seattle Department of Transportation, King County Metro, Oregon Department of Transportation, and now the City of Vancouver. In her free time, Bonnie loves to explore the city, travel, go to concerts, and spend time with friends and family.

Colton Davis
Marketing Program Strategist – Community Transit

Colton Davis is a marketing professional with extensive experience in program strategy, brand management, and community engagement. He currently serves as a Marketing Program Strategist with Community Transit, where he oversees the ORCA for Business and Commute Trip Reduction programs in Snohomish County. In this role, Colton partners with local employers and community stakeholders to expand access to sustainable commute options and improve regional mobility.

Previously, Colton served as Senior Marketing Manager at the Ballard Alliance, where he led market research, campaign development, and stakeholder engagement to strengthen Ballard’s identity as a vibrant destination. His earlier experience includes serving as Business Services Manager at the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce in Chicago, where he managed business support programs, corridor planning, and public way improvements, and as Food Bank Manager at Byrd Barr Place, where he oversaw daily operations and community partnerships.

Colton holds a Master’s in Community Planning from the University of Washington–Tacoma and a Bachelor’s in International Relations from Drake University. He has also contributed his leadership skills to various community organizations, including serving on the City of Everett Cultural Arts Commission, the Downtown Everett Association Promotions Committee, and the Sound Transit Community Advisory Group for the Everett Link Extension.

With a background spanning marketing, community planning, and business services, Colton is passionate about building partnerships, driving engagement, and creating programs that connect people to opportunities.

Patrick Green

Patrick has advanced commuter and sustainability strategies in public, private, and non-profit organizations. He believes that individuals and communities have the knowledge and skills to build a more just and equitable world, and he tries to develop those efforts with Washington’s TDM professionals. His favorite way to get around is on a bike, but he’ll happily jump in a rideshare or take the bus.

Trevor Goodloe
(he/him)

Trevor serves as a Project/Program Manager for King County Government focusing on TDM needs such as Just One Trip, city partnerships, and the Employee Transportation Program. Trevor has worked for King County Metro for 8 years and currently assists 18,000 King County employees across 136 worksites with their transportation needs. He also develops pilots and programs to innovate transportation opportunities and options. A graduate of the University of Washington, Trevor is an avid (borderline obsessive) cyclist who spends his time riding around Seattle and the Pacific Northwest on 2 wheels whenever he can.

Tim Hams
(he/him)

Tim serves as a Project/Program Manager for King County Government, administering commuter benefits, programming, and resources to nearly 18,000 employees across 136 worksites. Tim has been with Metro for over 6 years and supported workgroups in Customer Communications and Services, ORCA Business Program, TDM, and currently manages the Employee Transportation Program. He is the current Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) Transit Council Secretary and recent graduate of the ImpACT Leadership Program. Tim’s preferred mode of commuting to the office is by Sounder commuter rail.

Alex Hudson
Executive Director
Commute Seattle

Alex brings more than nine years of experience as a non-profit leader, having previously served as the Executive Director at Transportation Choices Coalition and the First Hill Improvement Association. A widely respected civic leader, Alex also serves on the boards of Bellwether Housing and the Freeway Park Association. She was named by Seattle Magazine as one of Seattle’s most influential people in 2015 and was a candidate for Seattle City Council in 2023.

Olivia Kahn
Transportation Demand Management Planner
City of Vancouver

Olivia is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and earned her BS in Regional Planning from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Olivia has lived in the Pacific Northwest for a decade and originally moved to Portland to pursue a Master of Urban and Regional Planning at Portland State University. Olivia spent seven years working at nonprofits such as Oregon Walks, Westside Transportation Alliance (WTA), and Commute Seattle. In October 2022, Olivia joined the City of Vancouver, WA as their one-and-only Transportation Demand Management Planner. Olivia is responsible for crafting new policies to meet climate, safety, and equity goals, expanding Clark County’s regional Commute Trip Reduction Program, launching a brand new residential TDM program, managing the city’s Bicycle Parking Program, and she also supports mega projects like the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program. In her free time, Olivia enjoys exploring on her e-bike, rooting for the Portland Trail Blazers, and spending time with family, friends and dogs.

Braden Kelley
(he/him)

Braden serves as the Commute Options and Transportation Planning Manager and as the ETC for the University of Washington’s Seattle campus, supporting sustainable commutes for over 80,000 students, faculty, and staff. Braden holds a master's degree in Sustainable Transportation from UW and has worked in transportation planning and management for over 10 years. At UW he spearheaded an initiative to expand and improve equitable secure bike storage and is currently piloting an e-bike lending library. A Seattle resident, he commutes via Link light rail in winter and rides his e-bike throughout the summer.

Micheal Kyser

Micheal is the lead Employee Transportation Coordinator for Madigan Army Medical Center located on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. At Madigan he supervises an Environmental Health Service team comprised of Federal Civilian employees and actively duty Army members.

He assists in managing Food safety and sanitation, Air Quality, Sustainability, Army’s and Defense Health Agency’s Mass Transportation Benefit Rideshare Program, Environmental Compliance, Entomology and employee training programs.

Michael is the recipient of a 2009, 2012 and 2014 ETC Summit Award. He also established several significant Sustainability initiatives that resulted in substantial product and disposal cost savings to the government. These contributions led to Madigan receiving numerous environmental honorary awards such as Partner for Change, Environmental Leadership Circle Award, Emerald Award and the Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award for Hospitals. The last award is the highest environmental award level awarded by Practice Greenhealth.

Dawn Mays

Dawn is a Communications Support Assistant at Tacoma Public Schools, where she supports district-wide initiatives and helps streamline communication between staff and families. With a bachelor’s in communication and long history of public service experience Dawn brings a thoughtful and proactive approach to her work at the district. She is passionate about equity in education and enjoys collaborating on projects with her colleagues. Outside of work, Dawn loves hiking and mountain biking in the Pacific Northwest and has volunteered at many local community events.

Ross Peizer
(he/him)

Ross serves as the City of Seattle Employee Commute Options Program Manager (ETC) where he supports travel options for the City of Seattle's 14,000 employees. Ross earned a master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon and has been working in the TDM field for over 10 years including in New Orleans, Eugene, Portland, and Snohomish County. Ross proudly served on the WSRO Board from 2021-2023. For his own commute, Ross enjoys riding an electric cargo bike doing daycare drop off and pick up on the way.

Kelli Refer
Executive Director
Move Redmond

Since joining Move Redmond in 2020, she has built a successful advocacy program that focuses on better policy and more funding for walking, biking, and transit. In 2022, she stepped into the role of Executive Director for the Organization. Under her leadership, their small team has hosted two light rail openings, one in Overlake Village and Downtown Redmond. Her team developed Station Access Maps, available in five languages to help people walk, bike and take the bus to use the 2 line.

Kelli loves getting outside, moving her body, and exploring the PNW. One of her favorite ways to do that is to go bike camping! If you want tips on bike camping with small children, just ask!

Stan Roper

Stan is a Commute Solutions Specialist at JLL, where he and a small team lead transportation demand management initiatives for Kaiser Permanente healthcare facilities across Washington state. With just two years of specialized experience in healthcare transportation solutions, Stan brings a unique perspective to the challenges of managing commute programs for non-traditional worksites including hospitals, clinics, research facilities, and administrative centers.

A lifelong Pacific Northwest resident, Stan holds a Bachelor's of Energy Policy and Economics from Western Washington University, using skills and experience to develop cost-effective transportation solutions. His integrated approach through JLL's comprehensive Facilities Management platform has delivered measurable results, including significant cost savings through program optimization and enhanced employee mobility options. He takes pride in helping Kaiser Permanente’s employees navigate their fantastic and extensive commute benefits every day.

Stan's expertise spans the full spectrum of healthcare transportation challenges—from accommodating unpredictable shift patterns to addressing safety concerns while maximizing utilization of the region's expanding bus & light rail network. His work demonstrates how strategic partnerships between real estate services firms and healthcare organizations can create more sustainable, equitable transportation ecosystems that support both operational efficiency and employee wellbeing.

Liliya Shtikel
(she/her)

Liliya the Transportation Access Programs Coordinator at the Seattle Department of Transportation. She has worked at the City of Seattle for over 4 years, primarily working on transportation access programs for youth, young adults, and older adults.  Prior to her work at the City, she spent over a decade working in social services with low-income communities and unhoused young adults. Liliya also spent over 16 years coaching year-round club swimming in the Seattle area. She received her Masters of Social Work from the University of Washington in 2017. Outside of work, she is a competitive powerlifter who also loves hiking, cycling, and swimming. She currently lives in Central Seattle with her husband and four pets.

Laura Lee Sturm
(she/her)

Laura is the Transportation Access Programs Manager at the Seattle Department of Transportation. She has worked at the City of Seattle for over 6 years and led a variety of initiatives supporting access to transportation for low-income and historically excluded communities. Prior to her work at the City, she spent several years working on political campaigns on the east coast, case managing chronically unhoused adults, and organizing for a labor union. She received her Masters of Social Work from the University of Washington in 2020. She currently lives in South Seattle with her husband, dog (Roo), and cat (Frank).

Raid Tirhi, PE

Raid Tirhi is a Transportation supervisor with the City of Bothell. A University of Washington graduate with over 33 years experience in transportation engineering, planning, modeling, design and traffic operations.

Raid deals with cutting edge technologies such as the adaptive traffic signal system, traffic camera management, and improving Bothell’s multimodal transportation systems. Raid also serves as the Move Bothell TDM Program Manager. Raid’s primary goal is to move people in the most efficient yet safe manner regardless of the transportation mode they choose.