2026
MOBILITY SAFETY SUMMIT

Veronica is the Sr. Multi-Market Director, Vice president of Planning, Engagement and Urban Design and a self professed transportation nerd who uses her knowledge to spark progressive social change in the community. In July 2012, the White House recognized her as a Champion of Change in transportation innovation. She is a registered Professional Engineer in civil engineering specializing in transportation.

Tai Dixon Darden’s work focuses on the areas of executive coaching, diversity, equity, and inclusion, talent management strategy. Tai brings over 18 years of experience to this work centered on leading in a variety of sectors.

Most recently, Tai was the Chief Talent and Equity Officer at E.L. Haynes Public Charter School Network. Prior to joining E.L. Haynes, Tai was National Director of State Offices and Field Operations for the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF). In this capacity she led an 80+ person team and directly managed CDF’s state office Executive Directors and national program leads and community organizing staff.

Tai has dedicated her career to advocacy, social justice and developing others to become ever stronger leaders and agents of change. She’s held prior roles leading fundraising for Teach For America- Baltimore and leading National Talent Acquisition for Teach For America. She’s also practiced law as a civil litigator at Goodell DeVries, LLP, and she taught 7th and 8th Grade English and ESL in Houston Texas.

For the past 14 years, Tai has worked as the Moot Court Coach and now adjunct Professor at her alma mater, Howard University School of Law. In addition to her Juris Doctorate from the Howard University School of Law, Tai holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Spelman College and a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of St. Thomas. She is a certified coach through the Center for Coaching Certification and holds a Certificate in Strategic Human Resources Leadership from Cornell University

Stacie Desai has over 17 years of experience in civil roadway and multimodal design, working on transportation projects throughout the country and most recently Washington, DC. Her work spans complete streets, corridor improvements, and multimodal safety initiatives which focus on creating safe, efficient, and accessible transportation networks that serve the needs of all users. She is in her second year as a senior transportation engineer with the Multimodal Project Delivery Division at DDOT, contributing technical expertise and project leadership to support the District’s evolving mobility, safety, and infrastructure goals.

Jonathan Adkins has 25 years of leadership and advocacy in roadway safety. He is CEO of the Governors Highway Association (GHSA), a national nonprofit that represents state highway safety agencies. Jonathan uses his vast experience in roadway safety to benefit partners dedicated to reaching the goal of zero traffic deaths. He has served on a variety of boards and in appointed roles within highway safety and the broader community, including the National Organizations for Youth Safety, the Road to Zero Coalition the National Lifesavers Conference, the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving (NASID) and Youthcast Media Group

Brandy Brubaker is the Director of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles' Highway Safety Office, where she has worked since 2024. She leads a dynamic team of highway safety professionals dedicated to saving lives through the development of data-driven strategies and programs and multi-faceted marketing campaigns designed to change behaviors and prevent crashes before they occur.
 
A DMV employee since 2014, Brandy previously worked in the agency’s Communications Office, serving as Director of Communications and spokesperson. She started her career as a crime reporter, writing award-winning pieces for newspapers in Pittsburgh and West Virginia. A Pennsylvania native, Brandy earned a journalism degree from Penn State University.

Emily Davidson is the Executive Director of the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. Prior to this role, she served as the Special Assistant to the Registrar in the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and before that, as the Director of Administration and Professional Standards at the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

She has her law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Emily currently chairs the Ohio Traffic Safety Council and also serves on the Governor's Highway Safety Association Executive Board as the Region 5 Representative.

Law Enforcement Liaison, DC Highway Safety Office

Dr. Samantha S. Tolliver, Ph.D., is the Chief Toxicologist at the Washington, DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where she has served since 2014. With more than 15 years of experience in toxicology, her expertise includes postmortem toxicology, impaired driving cases, drug-facilitated crimes, and workplace drug testing. She has testified in civil and criminal cases in Texas, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia. Dr. Tolliver earned her degrees in chemistry and forensic science from West Virginia State University and Florida International University and is certified by the National Registry of Certified Chemists. She is an active member of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Dr. Darrin T. Grondel is the Senior Vice President of Traffic Safety at Responsibility.org and the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving (NASID). He has over 30 years of Traffic Safety Experience as the former Director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and a commander with the Washington State Patrol. Dr. Grondel brings a deep understanding of traffic safety issues and leadership in traffic safety initiatives, especially drunk and impaired driving.

In his current role, he spearheads national efforts to eliminate drunk and drugged driving through advocacy, legislative support, programming, and technical assistance at the federal, state, local and tribal levels. A key initiative under his leadership is the development of NASID, a national coalition of subject matter experts dedicated to combating multi-substance impaired driving. This coalition aims to improve the DUI system across all stages, including prevention, training, enforcement, toxicology, adjudication, screening and assessments, probation, and treatment.

Dr. Grondel actively contributes to the traffic safety community as a member of several prominent committees, International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Roadway Safety Committee, the National Sheriffs Associations Traffic Safety Committee, and the National Safety Council’s Alcohol Drugs and Impaired Driving Committee.

He holds an Educational Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from the University of Massachusetts Global, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from The Evergreen State College, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Brigham Young University. Additionally, he is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.

Paul Batcheller serves as the Central Region Project Manager for the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program under the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The Central Region encompasses 16 states and three Canadian provinces.

In 2024, Paul retired from law enforcement after a distinguished 35-year career, including 29 years with the Iowa City Police Department. During his tenure in Iowa City, Paul specialized in violent crime and other felony investigations. Following his promotion to sergeant in 2011, he served as a Patrol Sergeant and later as the Investigations Detective Sergeant and Commander of the Street Crimes Unit.

Although his career path was not the traditional route for an officer focused on impaired driving, Paul consistently emphasized proactive enforcement. He set high expectations for officers to identify and interdict impaired drivers. He became certified as a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) in 2007 and as a DRE Instructor in 2011, maintaining a strong commitment to combating impaired driving throughout his career. As a DRE Instructor, Paul was appointed to Iowa’s DRE Advisory Board, where he served as the Board Chair from 2013 until his retirement.

Aggressive Mobility Program Manager, DC Highway Safety Office

Jessica Simon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. She applies a collaborative, systems-informed approach to strengthen public health systems across injury prevention, maternal and child health, behavioral health, and other social and economic systems. Her expertise includes participatory systems science methods, such as group model building and community-led systems analysis, as well as applied strategies for cross-sector collaboration, systems-informed policy and program development, and workforce capacity building. Simon holds a Master of Social Work in Social and Economic Development and a certificate in System Dynamics from Washington University in St. Louis.

As Executive Director of Educate Fairfax, Dr. Henry is honored to be able to support students, staff and families in our community, something I have always been passionate about.

Having worked in the field of education both nationally and internationally for over 30 years, engaging in both philanthropic services and leadership transformation, Dr. Henry has been able to acquire funding that provided wraparound services and support to students, educators and families, increased mentoring, parent engagement, increased college, and career opportunities, and extended after school and summer programs.

She is known to reach across the division and broader community to engage multiple and diverse stakeholders, build and nurture relationships, and work tirelessly to achieve goals. In alignment with Fairfax County Public Schools’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan, Dr. Henry is responsible for building on the foundation’s work and growing its contributions in support of excellence, equity, and opportunity for each and every student.

Her past experiences as teacher, counselor, professor, and manager allowed her opportunities to better understand the needs of school systems and her investment has resulted in increased access for students to equitable opportunities.

Outside of work, Dr. Henry enjoys spending time with her husband Orland of 33 years and looks forward to all the moments she can have with her 2 children (FCPS alumni) Joseph and Charisma (both United States Military Academy, West Point graduates).

She is excited to continue to build on current and new initiatives with Educate Fairfax raising funds to support students, families, and staff within FCPS through alignment of the Educate Fairfax Board priorities and FCPS priorities, leveraging resources to produce positive, high impact outcomes.

Her desire is to:
“...nurture processes and structures that are grounded in intentional partnerships, shared responsibility for equitable resource allocation, and data-driven continuous improvement and innovation.” (FCPS Strategic Plan 2023-30; Pillar D)

Dr. Henry’s motto is: “Imagine the Best for Every Child…And Make it Happen!” And this she plans to do for Educate Fairfax and FCPS.

Special Assistant, Vision Zero Office
With over a decade of experience in youth education and workforce development, Joy is seasoned civil servant dedicated to designing and delivering impactful programs that build communities and support organizational growth. Through her background in psychology and education, Joy leverage’s her expertise in strategic planning, professional training, organizational management, career development, and crisis analysis to strengthen underserved and vulnerable populations.

She is passionate about fostering cultures of learning, resilience, and continuous growth. Her work focuses on enhancing workforce wellness, improving performance, and creating meaningful social impact through innovative and people-centered initiatives that align with the District’s mission and priorities. A proud Mom of two, she enjoys running, hiking, and traveling when away from her work.

Jayne O’Donnell is founder and CEO of Youthcast Media Group® (YMG) and former a USA TODAY reporter.

Jayne covered auto safety for her first two decades at USA TODAY before becoming the publication’s health policy reporter in 2013.

YMG, which Jayne launched in 2017, trains high school students and college interns from under-resourced communities to create multimedia journalism content. The nonprofit focused on solutions-focused health coverage until Jayne excitedly expanded its focus to include road safety in 2023 with YMG’s first Governors Highway Safety Association grant.

During more than 30 years covering auto safety, Jayne was a Washington, D.C contributor for Automotive News, the Washington correspondent for AutoWeek, the longtime car columnist for Woman’s Day, and a contributor to Good Housekeeping, Parents and Better Homes & Gardens.

She also appeared often as an on-air auto expert on MSNBC, as well as on Good Morning America.

Jayne has won several awards for her work, most notably for her 1996 articles in USA TODAY on the dangers airbags posed to children. That reporting prompted many
government actions, including the use of “smart" airbags and airbag warning labels in
every new vehicle. In 2005, she became the first (and to date only) journalist to win GHSA’s Chairman’s Award for her “Dedication to Improving Highway Safety.”

A graduate of University of Maryland’s College of Journalism, Jayne did graduate work at George Washington University’s School of Business. She lives in Northern Virginia
with her husband, Richard Willing, a former journalist with the Detroit News and USA TODAY who is now a YMG volunteer. They have an adult daughter.

Description automatically generatedDr. Kelly Browning is a nationally recognized leader in injury prevention, youth risk prevention, and public health education, with more than 30 years of experience dedicated to reducing preventable injuries and fatalities. As Executive Director of Impact Teen Drivers (ITD) for the past 19 years, she has led the development and national implementation of evidence-based programs focused on preventing reckless and distracted driving and advancing shared roadway responsibility among all road users.

Dr. Browning’s work centers on behavior change through education, equipping first responders, health professionals, educators, and community leaders with practical, evidence-based tools to engage youth, parents, and communities. She has trained thousands of professionals nationwide and collaborates with state and national partners, including highway safety offices and other public health stakeholders, to integrate prevention-focused strategies that complement enforcement and strengthen community engagement efforts.

Her partnerships span local, state, and national levels, supporting the delivery of scalable, culturally relevant programs that address key risk factors associated with serious injuries and fatalities. Dr. Browning’s approach emphasizes Positive Community Norming and shared responsibility as essential components of effective injury prevention.

Prior to her leadership at ITD, Dr. Browning served as a middle school principal and worked extensively with youth and families in high-risk environments, including juvenile detention settings. Her broader experience includes research and consulting in substance abuse, mental health, homicide, and suicide prevention, strengthening her expertise in behavioral health and injury prevention.

Dr. Browning holds a Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of South Florida, a Master of Public Health from the University of Central Florida, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Liz Schack is the Youth Education Coordinator at the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. In that role, she engages youth of all ages in bicycling, from teaching bike safety in DC Public Charter elementary and middle schools to facilitating an Earn a Bike program for high schoolers at Gearin’ Up Bike Shop. Liz commutes through DC by bike every day and understands firsthand the confidence that comes from riding safely and knowing your bike inside and out.

Rafael Moreno is a program analyst at the DC Vision Zero Office, where he is currently developing an automated crash injury dashboard that is fully accessible on mobile and offers significantly more analytics capabilities than the current version. Previously, at the Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP), he developed a machine learning model to assess gun violence vulnerability in the District. His diverse background also includes NASA published research on Martian atmospheric composition a project he contributed to while affiliated with the Catholic University of America. Fun fact: He is also a former professional barista with latte art skills.

Chris Parker is the Richard S. Reynolds associate professor of business administration at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business where he teaches core Operations Management courses in Darden’s MBA, Executive MBA, and Part-Time MBA programs. His teaching experience also includes courses related to Python programming, business analytics, supply chain analytics, data visualization, statistics, and supply chain design.

His research focuses on the impact of information technology on operations. In this work, he examines both how information flows affect a firm's decisions but also outcomes on a broad set of stakeholders. He then applies OM and analytics principles to find potential improvements. A significant portion of his work has its roots in inclusive prosperity/Socially-Responsible Development with a particular emphasis on emerging markets. While not always distinct from Socially-Responsible Development, he also has research that is more closely categorized as IT-enabled Business Models, Digital Financial Services, and Supply Chain Coordination. His work has appeared in leading operations management and information systems journals including Management Science, Manufacturing & Services Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, and the Journal of Management Information Systems.

Prior to Darden, Chris was a Kogod Research Professor and Associate Professor of Information Technology and Analytics at the Kogod School of Business at American University, and an Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management at the Smeal College of Business at Pennsylvania State University. Chris also had the pleasure to be a Visiting Professor at Darden and at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. Chris received his PhD in Management Science and Operations from London Business School in 2012.

Amy Watkins, MPH is the program manager for Watch for Me CT, a pedestrian and bicyclist safety campaign funded by the Connecticut Department of Transportation in partnership with Connecticut Children’s Injury Prevention Center. Amy earned her Masters of Public Health at the University of Connecticut and has worked for 25 years in community health education.

Russ has over 17 years of experience in traffic safety, strategic planning, public policy, advocacy, communications, and association program, meeting, and training management. He is a national expert on behavioral aspects of traffic safety. At CS, Russ assists federal, State, local, and regional clients with highway safety planning, grant compliance, and highway safety research. Specific projects include Strategic Highway Safety Plans, State Highway Safety Plans, Traffic Records Strategic Plans, local Vision Zero Plans, as well as grant applications, community engagement, and performance management, research, and analysis.

Prior to joining CS, Russ was Senior Director of Policy and Government Relations at the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), where he represented GHSA's state and territorial highway safety office members on the national level and supported the implementation of impactful state and local traffic safety programs. Russ also served at AAA National where he helped AAA's network of motor clubs advocate to improve state traffic safety laws and initiatives. Throughout his career, Russ has partnered with a constellation of policymakers, advocates, government agencies, insurers, automakers, tech companies, criminal justice and public health authorities, researchers, engineers, and other stakeholders to improve transportation for all and prevent crashes, deaths and injuries on our roads.

Special Assistant, DC Vision Zero Office

Renée works in DC’s Vision Zero Office, where she’s spent the past decade helping make streets safer for everyone who walks, bikes, rolls, or drives. She’s also worked on transportation safety and community programs in Arlington and Alexandria, giving her a unique regional perspective on what makes streets work for people. A daily bike commuter, Renée brings creativity, collaboration, and a sense of purpose to her work. She believes everyone deserves to get home safely, every time.

Pam Shadel Fischer believes that everyone has a right to the road and has made that her priority during her nearly 40-year career in traffic safety. She is a partnership builder, working collaboratively with public, private and nonprofit organizations to make highway safety a national priority. As a former state highway safety office director, she leverages that expertise to help GHSA’s members maximize their resources to develop and implement impactful highway safety plans and programs, as well as build successful task forces and coalitions.

A prolific writer, Fischer has authored or contributed to many GHSA best practice publications addressing speeding; impaired, distracted and drowsy driving; pedestrian, bicyclist, teen driver and micromobility safety; automated vehicles; and telematics data. She is recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts on teen driver safety and is the co-author of “Not So Fast: Parenting Your Teen Through the Dangers of Driving,” now in its 3rd edition.

Fischer got her start in traffic safety at AAA New Jersey (now AAA Northeast), where she served in management roles for two decades. In 2007, she was named Governor’s Representative and Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety and in 2011 established her own consulting firm to help state and federal agencies and nonprofits address the risky driving behaviors that put all road users at risk. She joined the GHSA staff in 2020 but was no stranger to the association, having been a member and Board member, as well as consultant. In the latter role, she partnered with GHSA’s CEO to establish the Consulting Services Initiative, a member program which continues under her stewardship today.

Fischer holds a B.A. in English from Lebanon Valley College, an M.A. in Leadership and Public Administration from Centenary University, and a Certificate in Advanced Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She prefers to walk rather than drive and believes that everything is within walking distance if you have the time.

Youth Development and Vision Zero Program Manager, Washington Area Bicyclist Association

Planning Manager, Safety and Systems Performance Analysis, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

Post-Crash Care Liaison Highway Safety Office

Babak Sarani is a Professor of Surgery and Emergency Medicine and the Chief of Trauma Surgery at the George Washington University School of Medicine. He graduated from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and then completed his training in General Surgery also at GW. Following this, he completed fellowship training in Trauma and Critical Care Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. He began his career at the University of Pennsylvania and was recruited back to GW in 2011 where he is the Founder and Director of the Center for Trauma and Critical Care at The George Washington University Hospital. He established a level 2 trauma center in Arlington, Virginia in 2020 and is now leading the effort to establish a level 3 trauma center in Anacostia, Washington, DC. He also helped lead the creation of the prehospital transfusion program in Washington, DC. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the American Trauma Society and the Surgical Critical Care Program Director’s Society, past Chair of the Brady United Against Gun Violence Regional Leadership Council for Washington, DC, and past President of the Chest Wall Injury Society. He serves on the Central Committee on Trauma for the American College of Surgeons where he oversees the creation of the College’s Best Practice Guidelines. In addition to his clinical duties, Dr. Sarani is an active researcher with over 200 publications dedicated to mitigating risk of death following injury, chest wall repair, and resuscitation following injury.

Isaac Entsua-Mensah is a subject matter expert in 9-1-1 communications and emergency management, boasting over 20 years of leadership and hands-on experience. Renowned for his strategic vision and energetic approach, he has successfully led complex emergency communication operations, developed key policies, and managed significant emergency preparedness projects across multiple regions.

Isaac currently serves as the Special Advisor to the Director at the Office of Unified Communications (OUC) in Washington, DC, where he spearheads strategic planning and enhances 9-1-1 services. His contributions include developing standard operating procedures, leading accreditation efforts with CALEA, and coordinating multi-agency responses during major national events, demonstrating his ability to navigate high-pressure situations with precision and teamwork.

Previously, Isaac held the position of Chief of 911 Operations at OUC and Assistant Operations Manager at the Arlington County Emergency Communications Center. In these roles, he focused on optimizing operations, creating innovative training programs, and implementing continuous quality improvements.

In April 2026, Isaac earned the prestigious Emergency Numbers Professional (ENP) certification, underscoring his commitment to excellence in emergency communications. An engaging speaker, he frequently shares insights on emergency communication best practices, crisis management, accreditation, and leadership. Additionally, he is the current President of the Mid-Eastern Chapter of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO), where he strives to advance public safety communications.

Isaac holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. He also possesses several certifications from APCO, NENA, IAED, and FEMA ICS.

Blood Program Coordinator, DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services

Deputy Fire Chief, EMS Operations, DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services

Associate Director, Planning & Sustainability at District Department of Transportation

Program Coordinator, Mobility Safety, Health Promotion & Education, The George Washington University Division for Student Affairs

Micromobility Coordinator, Sustainable Transportation Programs, District Department of Transportation

Cesar Watts is a dynamic, bilingual community development leader from Panama with 14+ years of experience designing, managing, and scaling programs that strengthen families and communities across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. He has a proven track record of leading cross-sector collaborations in local government, nonprofit, health, and education settings, with deep expertise in outreach, data-informed decision-making, and advancing equitable access to services for diverse and Latino communities. His background includes managing multi-disciplinary teams, coordinating regional initiatives, overseeing complex budgets and grants, and building durable partnerships with community organizations, schools, and public agencies. Cesar is widely recognized for a strategic stakeholder engagement to inform policy, improve systems, and expand opportunities for underserved residents.

Acting Director, Highway Safety Office, District Department of Transportation