We’re launching #WomensHistoryMonth with a salute to one of our amazing female leaders Ashley Nylen, PMP. We sat down with Ashley to discuss her work in #transportation across the Federal, State, and academic spheres and what inspires her to make a mark in this space. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐃𝐎𝐓 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞? I joined the U.S. Department of Transportation and commenced Federal service in December 2022. Currently, I serve as Acting Assistant Director of Program Development and Strategy on the HASS COE Leadership Team, ensuring operational excellence and efficiency within our office. I formally joined HASS COE as a senior strategist, focused on surface transportation automation research and deployment. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫? I believe my greatest strength as a collaborator is fostering an environment where people feel they can ask questions. I’ve always found that if I have a question on something, typically someone else may also have that same question in their mind! 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮? Working in transportation has taught me to ask first, “what is the problem we’re trying to solve?” and then consider how something will impact safety, first and foremost, as well as mobility and efficiency at a system-wide level. Additionally, in public service, I’ve learned the importance of broadly sharing lessons learned so that others can be propelled forward as they embark on similar efforts and advance or iterate whatever it is we’re working on more exponentially. 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? I must give initial credit to the University of Iowa (my alma mater) for providing me both academic (BS and MS) and professional research opportunities over the course of 10 years. After working for a local government after grad school, I worked with Dr. Daniel V McGehee at the University of Iowa, who provided me with tremendous opportunity to research and lead several projects involving vehicle automation, as well as engage with many in our community (that I still get to work with today!). Today, my inspiration comes from all the amazing people that operate and maintain our transportation system at the state and local levels. During my time at the Colorado Department of Transportation, I got first-hand experience to observe and support our transportation workers who risk their lives every day to make our transportation system function safely and smoothly. It seems like state and local DOTs are facing ever-increasing challenges (resources, societal, fiscal, you name it!). Every time I drive by a snowplow or see a worker on the roadway, I can’t help but think about the massive sacrifice those people are making and the devotion among countless others that support them.
Gary Vansuch
7mo
Process improvement and Change Management Program Manager at Colorado Department of Transportation
7moAsh - I so very much miss you! You have always been and will always be a rockstar. Stay safe and keep on keeping on -