The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission and partners will host the Transportation Innovation Forum: Smart Moves. Efficient Solutions. on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, from 12:00 pm – 4:30 pm at The Ohio State University, Vitria on the Square.
The forum will provide a platform for an engaging conversation on innovative transportation systems. The forum will consist of two plenary sessions and three breakout sessions focused on innovation in the public sector, supply chain and freight, and transit.
12:00 p.m. – Registration & Networking
1:00 p.m. – Opening Plenary Session with keynote Jeff Tumlin
2:00 p.m. – Break
2:15 p.m. – Breakout Sessions
- Alternative Strategies in Transit Service and Project Delivery
- Given the ever-changing landscape of revenue sources, ridership patterns, and construction considerations, the ability to employ innovative ways to ensure reliable, frequent, and affordable transit service is increasingly imperative. This panel will focus on strategies surrounding transit agency governance models, provision of service, and management and delivery of large capital programs. Panel participants will bring perspectives from local expertise to international examples, exploring best practices and emerging trends in transit.
- Speakers: Aimee Lee, Deputy of Transportation, CMAP; Lauren Lynch, Project Manager, AECOM; Karina Ricks, Partner, CityFi; Garth Weithman, Deputy CEO, Central Ohio Transit Authority
- Innovations in Supply Chain and Logistics
- Central Ohio is within a one-day drive of 45% of the U.S. population, making the region an attractive location for logistics companies and e-commerce. Our economy’s vitality depends on a well-performing freight network for the safe, reliable, and efficient movement of goods. Integrated planning, demand forecasting models and automation of the physical flow of goods have become more critical and complex as supply chain management has become more challenging. This breakout session will look at real-world case studies that demonstrate how businesses are using AI and 3D Printing in their supply chain functions. You will hear from experts on ways innovation can help build a more flexible, agile, and resilient supply chain to meet consumer demand and counter market volatility.
- Innovating Infrastructure: Transforming Public Services for Changing Communities
- Public Sector must adapt to changing environments and embrace technology to find innovative solutions to the complex infrastructure challenges. The break-out session will discuss innovative ideas at the local, state and at the national level that will assist various agencies to respond to changing community needs, improve policies, and enhance service delivery. The speakers will discuss ways to break organizational silos, seek community feedback to build major infrastructure projects to enhance residents’ quality of life.
3:15 p.m. – Break
3:30 p.m. – Closing Plenary Session with keynote Kristin White
4:30 p.m. – Reception
Opening Plenary Session
Jeffrey Tumlin is the former Director of Transportation of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). During his tenure, he was responsible for overseeing the Municipal Railway (Muni), parking, traffic engineering, bicycle and pedestrian safety, transportation accessibility, and taxi regulation for the City & County of San Francisco. Prior to his joining SFMTA, he served as the director of strategy at Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, a transportation planning and engineering firm that focuses on sustainable mobility.
Closing Plenary Session
Keynote: Kristin White
She oversees strategy and partnerships as Google’s Transportation Industry Executive. The world’s 4th largest company launched Google Public Sector to use tech to achieve public sector goals including safety, resiliency, connecting communities, and economic growth.
The youngest Federal Highway Administrator ever appointed by the White House, she ran the country’s largest transportation agency with over $300B and 3,000 employees. Previously she was COO of the transportation tech nonprofit ITS America. She’s a lawyer by trade, having worked in federal, state and local government, and started her career as a Fulbright Fellow in Japan. She’s won awards for women in innovation and government transformation.
Born in the Black Hills of South Dakota, she’s a relay runner, yogi, hiker and dog mom and spends time on her nonprofit to elevate women in transportation innovation.
MORPC’s Transportation Innovation Forum would not be possible without the generous support of organizations and businesses across Central Ohio. This event is an opportunity to showcase your support around transportation initiatives.
View the sponsorship levels in the Sponsorship Brochure
To sponsor the Transportation Innovation Forum, please contact Amanda McEldowney at amceldowney@morpc.org.
