Featured Post: COMTO WA honors industry trailblazers, supports future transportation leaders
- COMTO Washington
- May 6
- 3 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
On Friday, April 11, the Washington state chapter of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, hosted a sold-out gala. With the theme a Pathway to Progress, COMTO WA presented $47,000 in scholarships and recognized leaders advancing COMTO’s mission to ensure transportation serves all. This year’s event took place at Highline College, which among other things prepares students to become leaders in transportation, global trade, logistics, and supply chain management.
The gala began with networking followed by opening remarks from COMTO WA President Grantley Martelly, who reflected on the past year’s accomplishments and introduced COMTO National Board Member Johnell Bell.
After dinner Keynote Speaker Elmer Dixon took center stage to share activism-inspiring stories about his work as a member of Seattle’s Black Panther Party. Growing up in Seattle’s Central District, Elmer attended Garfield High School where he organized the school’s Black Student Union in 1968. He also served as the field marshal of the Black Panther Party’s Seattle Chapter, coordinated the pioneering Breakfast Program, and sustained the party’s health clinic. Today, Elmer specializes in multicultural communication, team building, and conflict management.
Keynote speaker Elmer Dixon signing his book, Die Standing: From Black Panther Revolutionary to Global Diversity Consultant
Scholarships Committee Chair Sherise Williams and Internships Committee Chair Julia Tung had the honor of presenting the largest amount of scholarship dollars in the chapter’s eight-year history. COMTO WA awarded $7,500 Mt. Rainier Graduate Scholarships to Margarita Aguado and Tyler Kleinsasser. Margarita has witnessed the impact of underrepresentation at leadership levels and is determined to change this by ensuring all voices and lived experiences are represented in public transit services. Tyler shared his passion for how transportation systems connect and shape communities.
Temesgen Redi and Heena Vahora each received $5,000 Washington State Ambassador Scholarships. Temesgen aspires to making global commerce more sustainable, efficient, and accessible, while Heena seeks to ensure that all community members, especially underserved groups, have access to clear and accurate information about the projects affecting their neighborhoods.
Washington State Founders Scholarships, in the amount of $5,000 each, went to Samuael Kassaye, for his ability to overcome technological hurdles while working in Africa, and Saniya Sampson, who brings a notable resume of volunteerism and a passion for transportation.
The program closed with a 30-year COMTO national tradition: The recognition of individuals, organizations, and agencies for contributions to the transportation industry. Recently appointed District 5 King County Councilmember De’Sean Quinn received the Outstanding Leader of the Year Award. In addition to his employment with King County Metro as an assistant general manager of Partnerships and Strategies, De’Sean served on the Tukwila City Council.
For service to the chapter and gala planning — including chairing the Scholarship Committee and identifying the keynote speaker, caterer, and event decorator — the Emerging Leader of the Year Award went to Sound Transit Audit Project Analyst Sherise Williams. “To be seen, celebrated, and uplifted by my peers is truly surreal,” Sherise said. “This was a huge surprise. I am grateful and deeply honored.”
Furtado, a consulting firm specializing in land surveying, GIS, drone photogrammetry, construction management, and engineering solutions, received the Small Business of the Year Award. “I take pride in the meaningful impact we make building and maintaining the public infrastructure used in people’s everyday lives,” said Furtado President and CEO Joshua Cheatham. “COMTO empowers us with opportunities to collaborate and keep pushing forward to improve our region’s infrastructure.”
The Game Changer of the Year Award went to both Jen Mayer and Tae-Hee Han, two longtime COMTO members who have contributed significantly to the chapter’s growth and success. “COMTO itself is an organization that’s built on changing the ‘game’ in the transportation industry. So much of our careers and businesses are built on relationships, and COMTO is a powerful platform to make sure that those career connections are available to all,” said Jen, Equity and Social Justice Capital Implementation manager for King County Metro and chair of COMTO WA’s Membership Committee.
The program concluded with the presentation of Agency of the Year to Sound Transit, an organization that has been instrumental in the creation and growth of COMTO WA. "It is an absolute honor to be a part of an agency like Sound Transit, and being able to accept the award on behalf of the agency is something I'll never forget,” said Chief Strategy Officer Nadia Anderson. “We're ‘in the area’ as the saying goes, and it is great to see our community and other members in the industry recognizing the fruit of our collective work and labor.”
Become part of COMTO WA’s Pathway to Progress
Founded in 1971, the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring transportation serves all. With 40 Chapters across North America, COMTO's mission focuses on uplifting best practices in workforce development, active transportation, and community engagement to support a thriving transportation ecosphere. Join the good work. COMTO WA meets on the second Monday of every month.
By Jessica Matthews, HDR, and Galen Motin Crawford, the gala’s emcee, Sound Transit.
Scroll through the gala's photo galleries below!
These incredible images were captured by Jeffrey Fong
