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2018's meeting, Joining Forces to Get to Zero: Partnerships in Traffic Safety, took place at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta, Georgia from August 25-29. The complete 2018 Annual Meeting agenda is below along with select presentations received from speakers; a PDF of the full meeting program is also available here.
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Agenda
Monday, August 27
Exhibit Hall open throughout day, except during Welcome Luncheon (12:00 - 1:45 p.m.).
7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. — Registration
Augusta Foyer, 7th Floor
7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. — Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
Augusta Conference Center, 7th Floor
Sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc.
8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. — Opening General Session
Peachtree Ballroom, 8th Floor
Opening Ceremonies
- Presentation of the Colors – Georgia Department of Public Safety Honor Guard
- Pledge of Allegiance
- National Anthem – Gary W. Black, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Agriculture
Welcome
- Jana Simpler, GHSA Chair and Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety
- Harris Blackwood, GHSA Vice Chair and Director, Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
Speaker
Honorable Heidi King, Deputy Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Deputy Administrator King will share NHTSA’s traffic safety priorities and ongoing teamwork with states and communities to reduce roadway deaths and injuries.
Keynote Speaker
Deal
Honorable Nathan Deal, Governor of Georgia
A true highway safety champion, Governor Deal will welcome attendees to the Peach State and share his wisdom on getting other state leaders engaged in traffic safety.
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. — Break in Exhibit Hall
Augusta Conference Center, 7th Floor
Sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc.
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. — Workshop 1: Partnerships for SHSOs: Non-traditional and Unconventional Approaches
Augusta A-D, 7th Floor
SHSOs are increasingly collaborating with non-traditional partners to take advantage of new communications channels and tools, and to expand into new areas of traffic safety. Hear from a diverse panel on how SHSOs can get involved in new initiatives and why it is important to branch out beyond legacy partner relationships.
Moderator
- Russ Martin, Director of Government Relations, GHSA
Panelists
- Collin Mooney, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
- Erin Sauber-Schatz, Team Lead, Transportation Safety Team, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Jordan Jiloty, Senior Director, Public & Government Affairs, NASCAR
- Nadia Anderson, Public Policy, Road & Traffic Safety, Uber
- Kristen Kreibich, Safety Advocate, Vehicle Safety & Regulatory Compliance, FCA US LLC
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. — Workshop 2: Roadside Drug Testing: A Crash Course
Augusta E-H, 7th Floor
Drugged driving has rapidly joined alcohol impairment as a high priority for traffic safety professionals nationwide. While we have decades of experience with alcohol, drugged driving brings with it a host of scientific, legal, and enforcement issues. Explore the complex aspects of implementing roadside drug testing programs, the role of the DRE in these programs, and the legal implications and challenges.
Moderator
- Michael Prince, Director, Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning
Panelists
- First Lieutenant Jim Flegel, Michigan Department of State Police
- Sergeant Jim Janes, DRE, Michigan Department of State Police
- Stephen Talpins, Partner, Rumberger, Kirk, & Caldwell
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. — Workshop 3: Beg, Borrow & Steal: Communications Idea Exchange
Augusta Room, 7th Floor
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to come up with your next traffic safety campaign. Come learn how Connecticut took a good idea from North Carolina and ran with it. And find out how Kansas’s famous Tweeting Troopers use social media – and a little help from a celebrity – to educate, inform and entertain on traffic safety.
Moderator
- Robert Hydrick, Communications Manager, Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
Panelists
- Seth LaJeunesse, Research Associate, University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center – Download Presentation
- Amy Watkins, Program Coordinator, Watch For Me CT, Connecticut Injury Prevention Center, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center – Download Presentation
- Trooper Ben Gardner, Kansas Highway Patrol, Troop C, PIO (North-central Kansas)
12:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. — Welcome Luncheon
Whitehall Ballroom, 6th Floor
Sponsored by Ford Driving Skills for Life
Welcome
- Chuck DeWeese, Chair, GHSA Annual Meeting Committee and Assistant Commissioner, New York Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee
Sponsor Remarks and Speaker Introduction
- Jim Graham, Global Program Manager, Ford Driving Skills for Life, Ford Motor Company Fund & Community Services
Speaker
Colonel Nicole Malachowski (USAF, Ret.)
A pioneering aviator and the first woman Thunderbird Pilot in the U.S. Air Force, Col. Malachowski is no stranger to adversity. A 21-year veteran with combat experience in Iraq and Kosovo, Col. Malachowski will help kick off our conference and provide new motivation as we work together toward zero deaths.
1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. — Workshop 4: Collaboration 101: A Guide for States and Partners
Augusta A-D, 7th Floor
Using GHSA’s recent partnering guide as the framework, panelists will discuss the key ingredients for building and maintaining successful alliances. Walk away with ideas to implement in your own states and communities.
Moderator
- Kara Macek, Senior Director of Communications and Programs, GHSA
Panelists
- Chris Snyder, Partner, Alliance Highway Safety
- Lauren Stewart, Director, Maine Bureau of Highway Safety
- Gary Poedubicky, Acting Director, New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety
- Daniel Callas, President, TransOptions
1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. — Workshop 5: Alcohol-Impaired Driving: Addressing the Ongoing Challenge
Augusta E-H, 7th Floor
Alcohol-impaired driving remains a leading contributor to traffic crashes, fatalities and injuries, and the proportion of crashes involving alcohol has fluctuated little in the past ten years. Hear from a panel of national experts on the latest research, programs, and policies to address drunk driving, how we can achieve breakthroughs on drunk driving prevention, and how we can maintain a focus on alcohol in the wake of other emerging traffic safety concerns.
Moderator
- Lee Axdahl, GHSA Treasurer and Director, South Dakota Office of Highway Safety
Panelists
- Dr. Linda Degutis, Adjunct Professor, Rollins School of Public Health, NAS Committee Member
- J.T. Griffin, Chief Government Affairs Officer, MADD
- Brandy Nannini, Vice President of Government Relations and Traffic Safety, Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility
- Chuck Farmer, Vice President of Research, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
- Pete Lamb, Assistant District Attorney, Augusta, Georgia
1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. — Workshop 6: Promising Approaches to Address Distraction
Augusta Room, 7th Floor
Join a robust discussion on the next steps and ideas for addressing the ongoing challenges of distracted driving. Research confirms the dangers, states can pass laws, examples of tragedies are publicized, and public awareness campaigns plead for road users to focus on the road. Are all of these efforts paying off, or do we see little change in driver behavior? What can we do to spark larger scale change to make our roads safer and modify driver behavior?
Moderator
- Darrin Grondel, GHSA Secretary and Director, Washington State Traffic Safety Commission
Panelists
- Honorable Representative John Carson, District #46, Georgia House of Representatives
- Roman Smith, Director-Community Investment/Social Innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility, AT&T
- David Yang, Executive Director, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
3:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. — Break in Exhibit Hall
Augusta Conference Center, 7th Floor
Sponsored by Conduent
3:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. — General Session: Building Relationships with Law Enforcement – An Important Tool in Achieving Our Traffic Safety Goals
Peachtree Ballroom, 8th Floor
As we seek to enhance law enforcement engagement in traffic safety, GHSA, NHTSA and a small panel of subject matter experts are working toward the development of tools for highway safety offices to build and cultivate relationships between the highway safety office and law enforcement leaders within their state. Come and learn more about this important project, share best practices of relationship building in your own state, and discuss with panel members what tools are needed for training purposes to ensure that highway safety offices are able to maximize the valuable relationships with law enforcement to better help achieve traffic safety goals.
Moderator
- Jana Simpler, GHSA Chair and Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety
Panelists
- Jeff Michael, Associate Administrator, Research & Program Development, NHTSA
- Daniel Sharp, Chief, Oro Valley (Arizona) Police Department
- John Whetsel, Sheriff (ret.), Oklahoma County (Oklahoma)
- Nikki Renfroe, Captain, Georgia State Patrol
Evening on your own
Tuesday, August 28
Exhibit hall open throughout morning; closes at 12:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Tear Down and Move Out will occur from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
7:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. — Registration
Augusta Foyer, 7th Floor
7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. — Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
Augusta Conference Center, 7th Floor
Sponsored by AAA
8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. — General Session: Collaboration Ideas from Key GHSA Partners
Peachtree Ballroom, 8th Floor
Moderator
- Darrin Grondel, GHSA Secretary and Director, Washington State Traffic Safety Commission
Speakers
Martinez
Honorable Raymond Martinez, Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
FMCSA Administrator Martinez will provide insights on the agency’s traffic safety priorities and ongoing work with the states, as well as discuss how State Highway Safety Offices can best partner to improve commercial vehicle safety.
Harkey
David Harkey, President, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Mr. Harkey will share the findings of new research and discuss how IIHS and the states can continue to work together to advance safety.
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. — Break in Exhibit Hall
Augusta Conference Center, 7th Floor
Sponsored by Property Casualty Insurers Association of America
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. — Workshop 7: Prosecuting Vehicular Crimes in a Social Media Age
Augusta A-D, 7th Floor
Learn what law enforcement officers and prosecutors are using to secure convictions in vehicular crimes. What's on that device/account that can help my case and how do I access it, preserve it and effectively utilize it?
Moderator
- Chuck DeWeese, Assistant Commissioner, New York Governor's Traffic Safety Committee
Panelists
- James Camp, President, Dynamic Messages LLC
- Jared Olson, Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor, Idaho Prosecuting Attorneys Association
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. — Workshop 8: Investing Together in Road Safety: An Imperative for Employers and Highway Safety Offices
Augusta E-H, 7th Floor
Businesses have a role to play in reducing road crashes, deaths, and injuries. An expert panel will discuss how employers can engage with road users, governments at all levels, policymakers, and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing traffic safety issues, and leverage organizational knowledge, data, technology, and networks to elevate traffic safety as a priority. Presenters will share best practices for collaboration, with an eye toward the safe systems approach. Walk away with concrete ideas on how states and employers can work together most effectively.
Moderator
- Paul Harris, Director, Oklahoma Highway Safety Office
Panelists
- Lisa Robinson, Senior Program Manager, National Safety Council
- Tara Casanova Powell, Project Lead, Network of Employers for Traffic Safety
- David McKenzie, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Anheuser-Busch
- Kimberly Chesser, Deputy Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. — Workshop 9: Successes from the Field: We Did It, and You Can, Too!
Augusta Room, 7th Floor
Come and travel the road to success just like our roster of presenters did in their highway safety programs. A small group of highway safety office representatives will share recent projects that achieved many positive and life-saving actions all across this nation. Our informative and lively session will share these great project ideas so we can extend the reach of their success in to your communities.
Moderator
- Troy Costales, Governor’s Representative and Administrator, Oregon Transportation Safety Division
Panelists
- Tammy Kramer, Administrator, Alaska Highway Safety Office
- Karin Mongeon, Safety Division Director, North Dakota Department of Transportation
- Janet Kenny, State Highway Traffic Safety Section Supervisor, Montana State Highway Traffic Safety Office
- John Tomlinson, Highway Safety Manager, Idaho Office of Highway Safety
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. — Highway Safety Awards Presentation & Luncheon
Peachtree Ballroom, 8th Floor
Sponsored by the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility and The National Road Safety Foundation, Inc.
Master of Ceremonies
- Terry Pence, Traffic Safety Director, Texas Department of Transportation
Sponsor Remarks
Special Appearance by Shaquille O'Neal
Thanks to the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, Shaquille O'Neal – NBA legend, Clayton County (GA) Sheriff's Deputy, and long-time highway safety champion – will be making a cameo appearance to help us honor some of traffic safety's MVPs.
Presentation of Awards
2:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. — Workshop 10: Drugged Driving: The State of the Nation
Augusta A-D, 7th Floor
In May, GHSA released a new report on drug-impaired driving focused on marijuana and opioids. Hear from the report’s author on GHSA’s findings, as well as a panel of national drugged driving experts on the landscape of the problem, common challenges states are encountering, and current and promising countermeasures in public education, detection, prosecution, and treatment.
Moderator
- Russ Martin, Director of Government Relations, GHSA
Panelists
- Jim Hedlund, Principal, Highway Safety North – Download Presentation
- Jeff Michael, Associate Administrator, Research & Program Development, NHTSA
- Jake Nelson, Director, Traffic Safety Advocacy & Research, AAA
- Lt. Matthew Myers, Region IV IACP DRE Section Representative, Peachtree City (Georgia) Police Department
- Michael Morrison, Assistant Manager, Toxicology Section, Georgia Bureau of Investigations
2:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. — Workshop 11: Safety Doesn't Stop at the State Line
Augusta E-H, 7th Floor
SHSOs are working across state lines to enhance safety efforts. Hear how NHTSA Region 4 states have partnered on the 25-year-strong Hands Across the Border program and a more recent advertising campaign running during Atlanta Braves games. In Region 3, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) maximizes the synergies of three neighboring, albeit distinct, SHSOs in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area through its award-winning public education programs including its free drunk driving prevention program, SoberRide®. Out west, Colorado and Wyoming conduct a Border to Border War enforcement campaign, and states are teaming up to prevent motorcyclist injuries and deaths through the Safe 2 Sturgis initiative.
Moderator
- Carol Gould, Highway Safety Manager, Colorado Office of Transportation Safety
Panelists
- Harris Blackwood, GHSA Vice Chair and Director, Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
- Kurt Erickson, President & CEO, Washington Regional Alcohol Program – Download Presentation
- Gina Espinosa-Salcedo, Deputy Regional Administrator, Region 8, NHTSA
2:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. — Workshop 12: Addressing Bicyclist and Pedestrian Safety
Augusta Room, 7th Floor
While increasing attention is devoted to traffic safety advances through vehicle automation, it’s equally important to identify and implement data-driven solutions to address the alarming spike in bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities and injuries. Recent research on these vulnerable roadway user populations yields progressive recommendations to reverse the trend and save lives through better crash data collection, enhanced law enforcement participation, and innovative community collaborations. This roundtable features an overview of pedestrian and bicyclist fatality data and highlights key action items from GHSA’s A Right to the Road: Understanding & Addressing Bicyclist Safety and Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State; the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report, On Foot, At Risk; and the Atlanta Regional Commission report, Safe Streets for Walking & Bicycling.
Moderator
- Chuck DeWeese, Assistant Commissioner, New York Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee
Panelists
- Richard Retting, Principal and National Practice Leader for Safety and Research, Sam Schwartz Consulting
- Byron Rushing, Walking & Biking Program Manager, Atlanta Regional Commission
- Jessica Cicchino, Vice President of Research, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. — Taste of the State Reception
The World of Coca-Cola, 121 Baker St. NW
Sponsored by Uber
- Heavy hors d'oeuvres and cash bar
- Live entertainment
Mix and mingle with your GHSA colleagues as you experience one of the region’s most renowned attractions, the World of Coca-Cola.
This event will offer attendees a dynamic, multimedia attraction dedicated to the world’s most famous beverage. With access to the entirety of the museum, conference-goers can view hundreds of artifacts, get a behind-the-scenes look at the bottling process, and taste-test more than 100 Coca-Cola beverages. Don’t miss this delicious event!
Wednesday, August 29
8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. — Continental Breakfast
8th Floor Terrace
8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. — General Session: Autonomous Vehicle Roundtable
New research, new findings, and a new GHSA report will all be addressed during this informal roundtable, bringing together national thought-leaders from across industries to discuss the ever-changing field of vehicle automation.
Special Remarks:
Derek Kan, Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation
Speakers:
Theodosiou-
Pisanelli
Gammelgard
- Jim Hedlund, Principal, Highway Safety North – Download Presentation
- Anne Ferro, President & CEO, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
- Ryan Gammelgard, JD, Counsel, State Farm Law Department
- Lia Theodosiou-Pisanelli, Director, Autonomous Vehicle Strategy and Business Development, Lyft
- Anne Marie Lewis, Director of Safety and Technology Policy, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. — Workshop 13: Policing AV: Accountability in Autonomy
Augusta A-D, 7th Floor
As connected and autonomous vehicles become more commonplace on our roadways, law enforcement must prepare and adapt accordingly. The impact of this technology on policing will be far-reaching and generate many questions. Discuss some of these questions, consider areas for collaboration with industry leaders, and explore opportunities for partnering with State Highway Safety Offices.
Moderator
- Tom Glass, Transportation Planning Manager, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Panelists
- Ron Medford, Director of Safety, Waymo
- Brian Ursino, Director of Law Enforcement, AAMVA
- Jerry Engelman, Manager – Autonomous Vehicle Systems Engineering, Ford Motor Company
10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. — Workshop 14: Successfully Utilizing Peer-to-Peer Programs to Reach Teens
Augusta E-H, 7th Floor
Whether your State Highway Safety Office develops and implements teen traffic safety programs or funds agencies that do, this session is a must! Using a talk show-style format, panelists will help SHSOs and their partners understand the components of a strong peer-to-peer program as outlined in the soon-to-be-released Peer-to-Peer Traffic Safety Program Guide by sharing concrete examples of each component. Join in the discussion by sharing component-related best practices and lessons learned from your state or organization.
Moderator
- Pam Fischer, Principal, Pam Fischer Consulting
Panelists
- Kevin Moore, Program Manager, Zero Teen Fatalities, Nevada Office of Traffic Safety
- Norraine Wingfield, Director of Traffic Safety, Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office
- Randy Weissman, Chief Deputy, Operations, California Office of Traffic Safety
- Dylan Mullins, National Student of the Year (2017), SADD
- Michael Geraci, Region 2 Administrator, NHTSA
10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. — Workshop 15: Grants Management Solutions Suite: Now that You’ve Applied, Where Do We Go from Here?
Augusta Room, 7th Floor
NHTSA’s Grants Management Solutions Suite (GMSS) is now the system states use to develop and submit their Highway Safety Plans. During this session, NHTSA will provide an overview of the system, including topics such as: how it incorporates the Final Rule, milestones, amendments, fiscal management and annual reporting. In addition, several State Highway Safety Offices will share how they made GMSS work for their HSP process this year. Bring your questions and ideas.
Moderator
- Terry Pence, Traffic Safety Director, Texas Department of Transportation
Panelist
- Rod Chu, Office of Grants Management and Operations, NHTSA
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. — General Session and Closing Luncheon
Peachtree Ballroom, 8th Floor
Sponsored by AT&T
Hear from a panel of several former U.S. DOT officials, who will take the stage for an engaging discussion and interactive audience experience. This esteemed group of experts will teach us what the traffic safety community can learn from their decades of highway safety experience – where we are, how we got here, and what’s next as we face new challenges and opportunities. Stick around; this is an event you won’t want to miss!
Sponsor Remarks
- Michael Zeto, Vice President, AT&T IoT and General Manager, AT&T Smart Cities
Moderator
- Rhonda Craft, Director, California Office of Traffic Safety
Speakers
- David Strickland, Counsel, Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets
- Jeffrey Runge, Chief Medical Officer, Biospatial, Inc.
- David Kelly, Principal and CEO, Storm King Strategies
- Anne Ferro, President & CEO, AAMVA
- Ron Medford, Director of Safety, Waymo