An award recognizing outstanding YPT members and mentors making a significant impact in transportation.
Daniel Rappoport: 2025 Changemaker in Transportation – Member of the Year
Daniel Rappoport is a highly engaged YPT member who combines technical excellence with a strong commitment to developing the next generation of transportation professionals. As a Civil Engineer at the Chicago Transit Authority, he specializes in track engineering on the transformative Red Line Extension project and leads a national initiative focused on improving on-track safety for roadway workers. Beyond his professional work, Daniel volunteers with AREMA, managing the organization’s Student Chapters Program across 27 universities in North America to get students excited about careers in railroad engineering. His outreach also extends to STEM engagement in local elementary schools, demonstrating a long-standing dedication to education and workforce development at all levels. Through his leadership, advocacy, and sustained mentorship, Daniel exemplifies the values of YPT and is a highly deserving candidate for Member of the Year.
Hailey Amundson: 2025 Changemaker in Transportation – Mentor of the Year
Hailey Amundson exemplifies what it means to be an engaged and impactful YPT mentor in her community. For background, Hailey has contributed to transit service planning, ridership forecasting using the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Simplified Trips-on-Project Software (STOPS), and is on the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) travel forecast accuracy contract, tasked with creating procedures informed by agency and industry best-practices. Hailey has also managed land use data collection and analysis for travel demand models, safety-related planning studies, corridor studies, small area plan studies, network screenings to identify safety needs, complete streets analysis, performance measures, and Title VI socioeconomic analysis.
Through her leadership roles in the Philadelphia Chapter—serving as Membership Chair in 2025 and again for 2026—she has driven record student participation and strengthened ties with local universities. Hailey’s ability to create meaningful experiences, such as the Summer Headshot Happy Hour, collaborative events like the Careers in Transit panel during the MPact Conference and serving on the planning committee with Transportation Camp PHL demonstrates her commitment to professional development and inclusivity. Her efforts to expand outreach, foster partnerships, and promote YPT’s mission at both local and national levels make her an outstanding choice for Mentor of the Year.