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Mountain District ITE Candidate Announcement for 2026 Executive Committee

Posted by [email protected] on May. 19, 2025  /  Mountain District Notifications  /  Subscribe 0

The Mountain District is presenting an exceptional slate of candidates for the 2026 Executive Committee. Online voting will begin Wednesday, June 11, 2025 and will close Friday, July 18, 2025, at midnight EDT. Members of ITE with a valid email address on file with International Headquarters as of June 1st will receive an email message with instructions on how to vote electronically. Thanks for helping the Mountain District serve our members with these dedicated officers! Look forward to hearing the Secretary-Treasurer and International Director candidate's speech at the upcoming 2025 Mountain District Annual Meeting.

2026 ITE Mountain District President Candidate – Lindsay Saner

I am honored to be running for President of ITE Mountain District.

I have really enjoyed working with the Mountain District Board, Section Reps and Committee Chairs over the last 2 years and am excited to continue the momentum! 

My history in ITE goes back over 20 years, when I first joined as a student member in grad school. After many years as a member of the Nevada Chapter (now Nevada Section), I had the opportunity to serve on the Nevada Chapter Board and as Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for the 2015 Western District Meeting in Las Vegas. Prior to joining the Executive Committee, I served as Membership Committee Chair of the Mountain District.

I am committed to the growth of our District and creating unique experiences and traditions for our members. I look forward to coordinating more with student and younger members at the Student Leadership Summit, the Annual Meetings, and other opportunities throughout the year. 

Our ITE Community is my go-to resource for continuing education and the latest information on practices and trends in our industry. I am committed to our members’ experience and encouraging others to join ITE for access to these resources and the ITE community of professionals.

I look forward to serving as President of the Mountain District and appreciate your vote!

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2026 ITE Mountain District Vice-President Candidate – Lisa Nguyen

Hello ITE Mountain District! It’s truly an honor to have been nominated as a candidate for Vice President of the ITE Mountain District. Having been involved with ITE since graduate school and throughout my entire career, I’m eager to continue in leadership at the district level and continue building on our success.

Professionally, I am the principal airport transportation planner for Denver International Airport in Colorado. I specialize in bridging the gap between urban design, planning, and traffic engineering. I graduated with a bachelor’s in civil engineering at the Colorado School of Mines and earned my master’s in transportation engineering at the University of Colorado Denver. 
As someone who failed my driver’s permit test at the age of 15 and high-centered the driver’s education test vehicle (whoops!), I quickly realized transportation and safety were critical to our everyday lives- and is often overlooked. My goal is to help communities move in a safer, more sustainable manner.

My previous ITE experience includes:

Outside of ITE, I’m also actively on boards and committee with the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) Colorado, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE), Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) and Asian Girls Ignite. With each organization or group that I’m part of, I also bring experiences to share with one-another, whether it’s a logistical tip or diverse perspective. In my free time, you can likely find me trail running and skiing, devouring dim sum and boba tea, and visiting the hippos at the zoo. 

Thanks so much for your consideration as Vice President and I look forward to continuing to serve the ITE Mountain District! 

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2026 ITE Mountain District Secretary-Treasurer Candidate – Kordel Braley

Click here to see Kordel's candidate speech delivered (virtually) at the ITE MD Annual Meeting in Santa Fe.

I’m excited to be running for ITE Mountain District Secretary-Treasurer. I’ve been a member of ITE since joining a student chapter early in my college career, and I’ve tried to stay involved in whatever opportunity came my way since then including student chapter leadership, as an ITE Chapter board member for four years, a member of various Utah Section committees, as the Utah Section Representative to the Mountain District, and currently as the Mountain District

Advertising Committee Chair. Regardless of the outcome of this election, I’m committed to continued participation in ITE as it has benefitted my career more than I can hope to give back. Having worked at both small and large consulting firms, ITE has allowed me to network and develop lifelong friendships and associations.

Professionally, I’m going on about 20 years in the traffic engineering field. I’ve been at AECOM for the last seven years and have their full support in running for office.

I have a passion for connecting people and thinking strategically about how to make our institute relevant and to provide value to one another and the industry. I love introducing people at a conference I think should know one another, or coworkers who haven’t met, or a person with a specialized skill set to someone in need.

I recently attended a commencement ceremony for a family member who received his law degree. The University president told the graduating class that regardless of their next stop (private practice, government, advocacy, politics, or academia) that lawyers were in the civilization building business. I hate to offend any of our ITE members that may also be attorneys, but if anyone is in the civilization building business, it’s us! What we do is important as it affects the ability of people to get to where they want and need to be, with whom they want to be with—whether for work, entertainment, necessities of life, to support family and friends, and myriad other reasons. Virtually all of life’s experiences are interconnected with transportation. I’m proud to be associated with an organization that is in the civilization building business.

It’s been fun to see our new District grow and flourish. If elected, I hope to help continue fostering a sense of service, mentorship, and exchange of ideas. Whether you vote for me or Josh, I look forward to seeing what we can do next!

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2026 ITE Mountain District Secretary-Treasurer Candidate – Josh Saak

Click here to see Josh's candidate speech delivered (virtually) at the ITE MD Annual Meeting in Santa Fe.

I am proud and honored to be nominated for Secretary/Treasurer of the ITE Mountain District in 2026.  I have been a member of ITE (as my professional organization of choice) since I was a student at the University of Illinois in the late 1990s.

I have had the pleasure of serving ITE at the student, section, and district levels.  ITE has provided me with growth opportunities, including participating in the OneITE Mountain District Sub Task Force in 2019.  This group was a dedicated set of individuals that helped provide a framework for establishing the Mountain District in 2020.  This is an opportunity to return my skills to an organization that has come to be a key part of my career.  To me, the most impressive part of ITE has been how easy it is to talk to planners and engineers of all experience levels.  From fellow section members to International Presidents, there is a shared belief that everyone is in this together.  That willingness to share what we know and how to make our communities better are what keep me engaged.

I am currently serving as the chair of the Mountain District Annual Meetings Committee.  This group helps to establish best practices and advice for your annual meetings.  Previously, I was ITE Student Chapter President at the University of Illinois in 1998 and 2000.  I was also the Idaho Chapter (now Section) Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President, and President from 2017 to 2019.  I was also the Local Arrangement Chair (LAC) for the first solo Mountain District annual meeting held in Boise, Idaho, in 2022.

I am currently the traffic engineering supervisor for the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) in Boise, Idaho, where I have been employed for the better part of eighteen years.  I am fortunate that ACHD provides support and encourages

ITE involvement as a growth opportunity to further both my career and leadership skills. 
Outside of work, I am an avid runner and cyclist, which helps professionally to see the perspectives of all roadway users.  I’m also a big fan of trivia and word games.  My wife, Kristen, and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary this year, and we are parents of a sixth grader, Regan.

I’m appreciative of this opportunity to serve as Mountain District Secretary-Treasurer and would be thankful for your support.

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2026 ITE Mountain District International Director Candidate – David Lucas

Click here to see David's candidate speech delivered at the ITE MD Annual Meeting in Santa Fe.

I am honored to be nominated as a candidate for International Director of the ITE Mountain District.

My journey with the Mountain District began during my second year as Arizona Section President when I was appointed to the OneITE Subtask Force. This group was tasked with establishing a new District—the first in decades—providing a rare opportunity to create an organization tailored to the unique needs of our region and our members. Many of my colleagues from that effort have served in leadership roles, building upon our collective vision. While we’ve made tremendous progress, there is still much to be done, and I would be honored to continue this journey with you as your International Director.

Since the District’s initial founding, I have served in multiple leadership roles, including Arizona Section Representative, Advertising Committee Chair, and Executive Committee Officer, wrapping up my term as Past President this year. As Advertising Chair, I established the District’s sponsorship program, which raised over $65,000 in its first two years—providing vital funding for student initiatives and other programs that strengthen our membership. Additionally, I have the privilege of serving as Co-Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for the 2026 Mountain District Annual Meeting in Flagstaff, Arizona, helping to build on the success of our past events. Together, these experiences have given me a depth of understanding of District operations at all levels, strengthening the relationship between our District, Sections and Chapters, and ensuring that I am well-prepared to serve effectively as International Director.

Beyond ITE, I have served on the board of the Intelligent Transportation Society of Arizona in various roles for over a decade and have also chaired various regional committees and commissions within the Phoenix metro area.  Service is a shared responsibility that benefits us all, and I embrace that commitment in my professional career as well. Over the past 30 years, I have led major transportation technology infrastructure projects, developed public-private partnerships, and advanced multimodal planning efforts across the public sector. My experience spans academia, city and county governments, and regional transportation planning agencies, equipping me with the expertise to uniquely serve the profession, our industry partners, and the public in achieving safe and efficient travel for all roadway users.

I have the full support of my employer in continuing my service to ITE and am humbly asking for your support as the next ITE Mountain District International Director.

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2026 ITE Mountain District International Director Candidate – Danielle Scharf

Click here to see Danielle's candidate speech delivered at the ITE MD Annual Meeting in Santa Fe.

It is an honor to be a candidate for International Director of the ITE Mountain District.  ITE continues to be my professional organization of choice and I feel passionately about giving back to an organization that has been such a big part of my life for over 25 years.  As I reflect back on all the hard work we’ve put in over the past 5 years to stand up the Mountain District, I’m proud of how far we’ve come.  It would be my distinct honor to represent the Mountain District on the International Board of Direction, to share our successes and learn from others so we can continue to grow and exceed our members’ expectations.

My most recent ITE experience includes serving on the ITE Mountain District Board from 2020-2024, including my term as President in 2023.  Prior to joining the Mountain District board, I was the Student Initiatives Committee Chair for the Western District for 10 years.  This role gave me the opportunity to grow and shape the student programs for the Western District, which has been held up as the model for ITE.  I have worked hard to ensure that the next generation of ITE leaders are offered the same opportunities that I was given as a student member of ITE, the opportunities that have shaped both my career path and leadership path in ITE.  I also served as an officer of the Intermountain Section, the Montana Chapter, and the Montana State University Student Chapter.

As Managing Principal of Sanbell (formerly Sanderson Stewart), I oversee our Rocky Mountain Business Unit out of our Bozeman, Montana office.  I have worked for Sanbell for 23 years and have received nothing but enthusiastic support and encouragement for my involvement in ITE.

I’m excited for this next chapter of serving as International Director of the Mountain District and I would sincerely appreciate your support.

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2026 ITE Mountain District International Director Candidate – Devin Moore

Click here to see Devin's candidate speech delivered at the ITE MD Annual Meeting in Santa Fe.

It is an honor to have been selected as a candidate for International Director to represent the Mountain District of ITE. I can honestly say that I owe my career to ITE.

I am excited to continue to build upon the foundation that has been laid before us. I am passionate about giving back to our incredible industry and amazing partners through service in ITE.

As your International Director I commit to representing the needs and great vision of our Mountain District members at the international level. Likewise, I look forward to reengaging with the Mountain District Board to serve each of the members of our District in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. It has been incredible to see our District come together, create something new, but very familiar, and continue to lead the way throughout ITE. Karen and Ben, our past and current International Directors, have placed the bar high and I hope to be able to serve in like manner, following their examples, sharing with the Institute the impressive achievements and brilliant ideas our members continue to generate.

When I think of how I can continue to contribute, I think of my passions for students and teaching, for the future of our industry, the power of gathering, giving back to our communities, the value of having a technical group of professionals sharing knowledge, and having fun all the while! The Strategic Plan of ITE and of the Mountain District are well-aligned and as International Director, I will commit to doing my part to progress our District, our Sections, and our Chapters (professional and student) towards the goals we’ve identified together.

My ITE journey began as a student chapter officer at BYU, stepping up at Texas A&M to serve as President, later on the Intermountain Section Board, where I first was involved in discussions about forming a new District to better serve our members. I will ever be grateful to be part of the creation of the Mountain District and in 2022 it was my pleasure to serve as President. My experience in LeadershipITE also helped solidify my understanding of the Institute and the impressive was our organization impacts the world in which we work and live.

I ask for your vote and support as we continue to build our District and serve one another as an engaged and influential community of transportation professionals.

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