Carine Choubassi
Current Secretary/Vice Chair for Administrations and Programs
Position 1: Secretary/Vice Chair of Administration
Position 2: Vice Chair for Communications and Membership
Being part of the YPT-Austin 2015/2016 Board of Directors, I have come to appreciate the importance of having this organization in our community to provide a platform where young professionals can network with each other and learn about ongoing advancements in the transportation field. I have met great people and worked with a wonderful team that was always willing to improve and grow. I hope to continue what I started by being selected again to serve on the board and continue to improve our Austin Chapter. As a previous Secretary/Vice Chair for Administration, I believe I have acquired the needed skills and tools to serve in this role and hope to get a chance to do it again. I also got involved in the communication tools such as updating the website so I would also like to be considered for the Vice Chair for Communications and Membership role.
Chris Stansbury
Position 1: Vice Chair for Communications and Membership
Position 2: Vice Chair for Finance
Since getting involved with YPT-Austin, my experience with the organization has greatly impacted my professional growth and networking capabilities. YPT-Austin is an important asset for the area’s transportation industry professionals. As my involvement in the Chapter increases, my desire to give back to the organization has led me to consider serving as the Vice Chair of Communications and/or the Vice Chair of Finance. I am strongly suited for these positions because of my skill set and desire to ensure that previous efforts to grow and achieve the mission of the organization are continued. With such a large, diverse membership base, I believe there are many opportunities to take advantage of in terms of continuing to provide effective professional development and networking opportunities. As Chair of Communications I will take advantage of these opportunities to foster a better network of relationships among the local young professionals in the industry, potentially growing relationships outside of Austin as the region grows. I will also explore opportunities for members to collaborate outside of hosted events and provide channels for members to communicate how they want to utilize YPT-Austin to shape their professional careers. As Vice Chair of Finance, I would ensure membership dues are being used efficiently and will explore options to raise additional funds for the organization to increase YPT-Austin’s ability to host events and sponsor members in professional development endeavors. Ultimately, my desire to serve on the board is rooted in my past experiences with the organization and belief that the organization can continue and build upon its successes, ensuring that YPT-Austin is an integral part of local young professionals’ success and growth in the transportation industry.
Dan Hennessey
Position 1: Deputy Chair
Position 2: Vice Chair for Communications and Membership
Position 3: Chair
Austin is the second location in which I have been a YPT member. I would love the opportunity to bring some of the ideas I observed from the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter to Austin. Strategies for growth, additional engagement of members, and ideas for other types of events and speakers were all strengths of that particular chapter, and I feel that I could help the Austin Chapter grow with this experience. I believe that I can best serve YPT in the Deputy Chair and Vice Chair Communications and Membership positions. I can only promise that I will put in the time to work with other YPT Board members, YPT members, and other members of the Central Texas transportation community to best serve the current and future membership.
David Perez
Position 1: Vice Chair for Communications and Membership
Hello!
I am David Perez, SUE/UC engineer at SAM, LLC.
I am seeking your vote for Vice Chair for Communications and
Membership. I moved to Austin a year ago and would love to be
part of YPT Austin chapter and help promote the organization
and coordinate activities.
During college, I was a business promoter in McAllen, Texas and
my job was to generate traffic on the clients’ websites and
develop their social media “face”. Since graduation, I haven’t
been doing it for a while and obviously Austin is huge. But I’m up
for the challenge.
Thanks,
David Perez, EIT
John Andoh
Position 1: Secretary/Vice Chair for Programs and Administration
Position 2: Vice Chair for Communications and Membership
My name is John Andoh. I am 35 years old with a passion for public transportation and have been working in the public transit industry since 18 years old. I attended the Transportation Management Programs at San Jose State University Mineta Transportation Institute and University of the Pacific. I have also attended the Certified Public Manager Program at Arizona State University. I was awarded Top 40 under 40 by Mass Transit Magazine in 2011 for my dedication and work in public transportation. (http://www.masstransitmag.com/article/10295929/john-andoh) I have managed small urban, large urban and rural transit systems throughout California, Nevada, Hawai’i, Mississippi and Arizona. I currently work as the Program Manager of Bus Contracts at Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority where I manage the day to day operations of three fixed route contractors. I would like to work hard to expand our YPT chapter to include more members in the transportation field, coordinate more professional development programs, social activities and field trips, provide resources to help those looking for jobs in the transportation industry, especially with many “baby boomers” looking to retire in the coming years and
I am a strong advocate of public transportation and I strive to use buses, trains and ferries as much as I can to show my support towards public transit. I have a true passion for helping people move from point a to point b. I look forward to being more active and a part of this chapter.
Julia Colman
Position 1: Deputy Chair
As Deputy Chair, I would have direct and heavy involvement in YPT – Austin. As a new member, I am most excited to dive in and become active in my community and in YPT. I recently graduated from UT Austin (December 2015), where I was heavily involved in creating and expanding a service and social organization. I held the positions of President (2014), Recruitment Chair (2013), and Treasurer (2015). This experience and the tools I learned will help me to be successful in the role as Deputy Chair. I have experience running an organization; therefore, I know that in addition to my role in coordinating board members, I will be able to assist the Chair and can help brainstorm ideas as well as mitigate any issues that may arise as well as when needed, perform the duties of the Chair. It is one of my goals and ambitions to be involved in a young professional’s and transportation organization and I feel that YPT encompasses both of those. I am eager to expand my network within Austin and within the transportation community and I feel that there is no better way than pursuing a position and taking a lead in an organization that allows me to grow as an individual in the transportation field and within my community, as well as help expand, improve upon, and uphold the YPT – Austin organization.
Ryan Lohmann
Current Treasurer/Vice Chair for Finance
Position 1: Treasurer/Vice Chair for Finance
I am running for treasurer of YPT Austin because I have seen our chapter grow exponentially this past year and I would like to continue to serve and help my fellow members develop strong professional relationships. This past year I have had the opportunity to serve as treasurer, during which I was responsible for a number of things, including: Coordinating with our international board about new member dues, filing tax information for our chapter, communicating with potential sponsors, and keeping track of our finances to ensure we can continue to serve our members efficiently. If elected for this next term, I would make a push for more corporate sponsorships which would allow us to have higher quality events. Other fun facts about me: I enjoy a good scotch, golfing, hunting, camping, NASCAR, and moonlit walks along the beach.
Sam Lundquist
Current Vice Chair for Communications and Membership
Position 1: Chair
I have been serving on the YPT-Austin board since February of 2015 as the Vice Chair for Communications and Membership. Serving on the board, I have much pride helping coordinate the growth of our chapter and becoming the go-to networking group for young transportation professionals. I have enjoyed working with our fantastic board the past two years and would like to transition into the role of Chair. Having a long tenure on the board, I have a solid understanding of each position and would like to help each new board member excel into their prospective roles. My main goal in YPT-Austin is to continue adding value to YPT membership by attaining top transportation officials for lunch and learns, putting on fun and engaging events, and increasing our overall membership for greater networking.
Santiago Araque
Current Deputy Chair
Position 1: Deputy Chair
I would like to become the 2017 YPT Austin deputy chair. I served in this position last year and along with the rest of the board we were able to almost triple our membership. In addition, we created the YPT newsletter to inform our members about what events we have going on. We also revamped the sponsorship package in order to get more companies invested in helping us continue growing the YPT Austin chapter. I would like to get another opportunity to continue growing with the momentum that we established last year. Due to the success we had I believe I can help get innovative/interesting speakers for our brown bags. At the same time, we are all driven to create networking events at which members can increase their sphere of influence.