Chattanooga Connect Speakers

Michael Halem

Michael Halem currently serves as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology at the U.S. Department of Transportation. With a lifelong interest in science, technology, aviation, space, mechanics, electronics, computers, and artificial intelligence, Mr. Halem has worked professionally in the intelligent transportation, medical device development, and real-time/quantitative arbitrage. He brings a broad base of subject matter expertise and innovative thinking to his new position.

Mr. Halem earned his BA in Physics from Harvard University and worked as an engineer for Pan Am, the prime contractor for launch support at Cape Canaveral, where he developed the Real-Time Telemetry Display System and a prototype Space Shuttle intercept controller’s console.

He worked in hardware and software engineering before earning his MBA in Management and Finance from Columbia University to complement his technical background in science and engineering.

After finishing business school in New York, he transitioned into finance and trading systems on Wall Street, where he earned the nickname “Rocket” as a reference to his prior work at the Cape.

Mr. Halem is a licensed commercial pilot and maintains (within Federal Aviation Regulations) a 1943 AT-6 Texan, participating in airshows for over 20 years in the formation segment. He is the developer of multiple inventions, using either patent or trade secret protection as needed. He has been granted one patent and has one patent pending.

Sarah Abel

Sarah Abel is the Vice President, Innovative Mobility at Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America). Sarah leads many projects at ITS America in the programs department, including transit data interoperability and road safety technology efforts currently. Sarah provides participatory engagement to bring the industry around thought leadership initiatives and helps agencies find creative approaches to identify innovative technology that address real world challenges. Prior to ITS America, Sarah was involved in advancing active transportation and road safety using the Safe System Approach, action planning and implementing Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) and Vision Zero in over a dozen communities, improving curbside management practices and multimodal transportation impact assessments, improving communities through community-led smart growth planning, and building green and complete streets in rural regions.

Bryan Barringer

Bryan Barringer is a commercialization strategist, entrepreneur, and ecosystem builder focused on turning emerging technologies into companies, customers, and economic impact. As Managing Director of Programs at The Company Lab (CO.LAB) in Chattanooga, he leads commercialization initiatives across quantum, advanced mobility, energy, AI, automation, and defense, connecting startups with the industry, infrastructure, capital, and expertise needed to reach the market. His current work includes CO.LAB Q, a 12-month quantum commercialization studio, industry-focused startup programs, and broader initiatives that connect founders, researchers, corporations, investors, and public-sector partners across Tennessee. A third-generation entrepreneur with more than 35 years of experience, Bryan brings an operator’s perspective to bridging the difficult gap between promising technology and viable business. His work centers on a straightforward challenge: How do we turn Tennessee’s growing technology and research capabilities into companies, jobs, investment, and real-world impact?

Randy Boyd

In 1991, Boyd founded Knoxville-based Radio Systems Corporation (now PetSafe Brands), a company that produces over 4,000 pet-related products under the brand names PetSafe, Invisible Fence, ScoopFree and SportDOG. The company employs more than 1,400 people with offices in six countries around the world. Boyd also owns Boyd Sports, LLC, which owns six minor league baseball teams, including the Tennessee Smokies.

In 2007, Boyd began a journey transitioning from entrepreneur and businessman to full-time public servant. Boyd is a founder and chairman of tnAchieves, a nonprofit which has helped send more than 133,000 students to community college free of tuition and fees. This success led then-Governor Bill Haslam to invite him to serve as special advisor on higher education in 2013. During his tenure, he is credited with being the architect of the Drive to 55 and the Tennessee Promise. In 2015, Gov. Haslam recruited him back to serve as commissioner of economic and community development. During his tenure, his team recruited 52,000 new jobs and $9 billion in new investment for the state. He also founded and co-chaired the governor’s Rural Task Force and chaired the Governor’s Workforce Sub-Cabinet. Randy and his wife Jenny have dedicated their lives to giving back. In 2018, the couple formed the Boyd Foundation to further promote youth education, mental health, the arts and animal welfare. Among the Foundation’s many philanthropic commitments is the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research and the Boyd Venture Challenge seed grant program for student entrepreneurs, both through the Haslam College of Business at UT Knoxville.

Chancellor Lori Mann Bruce, Ph.D.

Dr. Lori Mann Bruce became the 19th chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on June 30, 2025. A higher education leader with extensive experience in both academic and administrative roles, she is guiding UTC through a period of strong momentum in student success, research growth, community engagement and strategic progress.

During her first year as chancellor, UTC launched its 2030 strategic plan, surpassed 12,000 students for the first time with record fall enrollment, officially launched its College of Nursing as the University’s fifth academic college and earned national Carnegie recognition for community engagement. UTC also advanced major research and workforce initiatives, including the establishment of the Nanoengineering Center, the launch of the Center for Applied Geospatial Data Science, expanded translational research efforts and growing leadership in quantum research and workforce development through partnerships with EPB, the Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative and the Southeastern Quantum Collaborative.

She earned a bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. She also completed graduate coursework in biomedical engineering through the Georgia Tech/Emory Medical School joint program.

Stan Caldwell

Stan Caldwell serves as Director of the SMART Grants Program at the US Department of Transportation, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.  He has a master’s degree in public policy and management from the University of Pittsburgh.  Previously Stan was Executive Director of the Traffic21 Institute and affiliated University Transportation Centers at Carnegie Mellon University.  There he conducted research in emerging transportation technologies and industry trends, taught graduate courses in intelligent transportation systems, and curated the industry-recognized Smart Transportation Dispatch online newsletter.  Prior to CMU Stan worked for US Senators Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum from Pennsylvania.

Laura Chace

Laura Chace was named President and CEO of ITS America in August 2021.  Her focus is to promote policies that advance the development and safe deployment of intelligent transportation technologies throughout the United States to save lives and reduce crashes on U.S. roadways, reduce congestion and emissions, and provide seamless mobility and transportation choices for all Americans. Previously, she served as the association’s Chief Operating Officer.

Chace has extensive experience in strategic planning, operations, communications and advocacy, and a proven record implementing complex initiatives with strong engagement and collaboration among stakeholders. 

Chace has served on several advisory committees to U.S. DOT regarding the integration of emerging technologies into our transportation system.

Chace brings 20 years in trade association management, having previously worked at USTelecom and the American Trucking Association. Early in her career, she served in the Clinton Administration at the U.S. Department of Justice Office and in the White House. She holds a Bachelor of Art’s degree from Colgate University.

Alan Davis

Alan Davis currently serves as the Director of Operations and Permits at the Georgia Department of Transportation, where he oversees the Offices of Traffic Operations, State Maintenance, State Utilities, and Transportation Data. He previously served as GDOT’s State Traffic Engineer and has held multiple leadership roles focused on traffic signals, arterial management, and connected vehicle technologies. Alan brings experience from both the public and private sectors, including work with other state DOTs. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Georgia and South Carolina, a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer, and a graduate of the University of South Carolina.

Timothy Drake

Timothy Drake serves as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Strategic Initiatives at Miovision. A thought leader at the intersection of technology and public policy, he leads the company's legislative and regulatory advocacy, strategic coalition-building, and federal, state, and local policy programs.

With expert knowledge in digital infrastructure, connected and automated vehicles, and artificial intelligence, Timothy is dedicated to advancing market opportunities and eliminating regulatory barriers for future-looking technology deployments. He regularly engages with Congress and major federal regulatory agencies and directs Miovision’s involvement with key international and domestic trade associations.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Timothy ensures public policy aligns seamlessly with commercial goals by navigating multi-dimensional regulatory landscapes, building strategic industry networks, and fostering innovation in smart transportation policy.

Preston Elliott, AICP

Preston Elliott in April of 2020 was named Deputy Commissioner and the Chief of the planning Bureau with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). Having worked with TDOT early in his career, Preston has over 25 years of community and transportation planning experience within Tennessee and the Southeast. Prior to rejoining TDOT, Preston spent 16 years in the private sector providing professional planning services to communities large and small. In addition to his DOT and private consulting experience, Preston has also worked with three metropolitan plannin g organizations (MPOs) and as a community volunteer, serving 12 years on a local transit authority board. Preston is a certified planner, he has worked in every mode of transportation, from walking, biking, transit, and vehicular planning, to truck, freight, rail, and shared mobility. 

Charles D. Frazier

Charles D. Frazier is Chief Executive Officer of the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), the public transit system serving Chattanooga and Hamilton County, where he leads initiatives that promote equitable mobility, sustainable infrastructure, and regional economic development.

With more than two decades of leadership in local government and public transportation. Prior to his appointment at CARTA, Charles served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, managing an annual $175 million budget and more than 850 employees. He also served as CEO of Rock Region METRO, the public transit system serving central Arkansas, and as Assistant Executive Director of Palm Tran in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Today, Charles is proud to lead CARTA as it reimagines transit in Chattanooga, positioning the region as a model for equitable, forward-thinking transportation. He believes strongly in collaboration, lifelong learning, and leadership that reflects the communities it serves.

Jermaine Freeman

Jermaine Freeman currently serves as the Executive Director for Economic & Workforce Development at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In this role, Jermaine is focused on positioning the university as an economic driver and catalyst for the region, with a focus on working with industry partners and employers to strengthen talent and workforce pipelines for UTC students. Jermaine joined the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in December 2025, after serving for nearly 9 years in the Mayor's Office for the City of Chattanooga. Jermaine first joined the City of Chattanooga Mayor’s Office in 2016, as Civic Engagement Coordinator, under Mayor Andy Berke, where he oversaw Mayor Berke's strategic community outreach and engagement. In 2017, Jermaine became Director of Economic Programs, where he oversaw the City's small business and entrepreneurship initiatives. In 2020, Jermaine was promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff; in 2021, when Mayor Tim Kelly entered office, Jermaine became Mayor Kelly's Senior Advisor for Economic Opportunities, where he implemented the city's economic & workforce development strategy. And in 2023, Jermaine became Mayor Kelly's Chief of Staff.

During his time in city government, Jermaine helped both Mayor Andy Berke and Mayor Tim Kelly to implement a number of community engagement initiatives and economic development projects, including the Mayor's Youth Council; the Mayors' engagement with Faith Leaders; the City's small business grant and loan programs; a number of COVID-19 initiatives for small businesses; tax abatement agreements for companies expanding in Chattanooga; gap financing for the Waymark Hotel, an adaptive reuse project; and negotiating tax increment financing for three projects, including a new industrial park, the North River Commerce Center; a new mixed-use Downtown development on the city’s Westside; and the financing for Erlanger Park, a new multi-use stadium that is now home to the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball team.

Jermaine is a native of Chattanooga. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College; his master's degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; and his Commercial Real Estate Certificate from Cornell University.

Greer Johnson Gillis

Greer Johnson Gillis is a senior vice president and Chief Infrastructure & Development Officer for the JTA. During her 29-year career, Ms. Gillis has implemented sustainable policies and managed large-scale infrastructure projects.

Ms. Gillis oversees the System Development Division and is responsible for the following departments: Automation & Innovation; Construction & Engineering; Planning & Sustainability; Facilities Management & Transit Amenities; Small Business & Community Impact; and the Capital Projects Office. Ms. Gillis joined the JTA in April 2020. In her first months at the JTA, Ms. Gillis established the JTA's Capital Projects Office to focus on efficient project delivery, the Sustainability Program Office to elevate sustainability and resiliency initiatives throughout the agency, and initiated the first phase of the Authority's strategic planning efforts.

Ms. Gillis holds a Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, and a Master's of Science degree in civil engineering with a concentration in transportation, both from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a licensed professional engineer in Virginia and Washington, DC.

Ryan Harring

Ryan is a Director of Partnerships and Alliances at IonQ, working at the intersection of quantum technologies, strategic partnerships, and the emerging quantum economy. With nearly 20 years of experience in technology sales and business development—including roles at Dell Technologies and Hewlett Packard Enterprise—he focuses on translating advanced innovations into real world deployments across government, utilities, research institutions, and enterprises. A longtime Tennessee resident, Ryan is actively helping drive the state’s growing quantum ecosystem through collaboration with public and private stakeholders.

Austin Harris

Austin Harris received his B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2015, and then completed his M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in December of 2017.

He is currently serves as Deputy Director and as Chief Technology Officer for the UTC Center for Urban Informatics and Progress (CUIP).

Mohmad Junaid Ul Haq

Junaid is a postdoctoral research associate at the UTC Quantum center. His work focuses on quantum networking experiments that advance applications in quantum communication, computation and sensing using Chattanooga's EPB quantum network, which is a commercially available, software reconfigurable, metropolitan scale quantum network optimized for the C band (1530- 1570 nm) and designed for operation under real world network conditions.

Ul Haq received his PhD at Oklahoma State University, where his research focused on enhancing greenhouse gas sensing using whispering gallery mode microresonators and asymmetrically tapered fibers. His work combined optical design (Zemax), laser calibration, data analysis, optical alignment, microresonator and tapered fiber fabrication and integration into the experimental setup. During this time, he also worked in a semiconductor cleanroom fabricating prototype optoelectronic circuits from wafer processing through lithography, deposition, etching and packaging. 

Victoria Hirschberg

Victoria Hirschberg serves as Assistant Vice President and Chief Economic Development Director for the University of Tennessee System. Victoria’s role includes economic development, advising on related policy matters, and increasing corporate engagement to create opportunities to strengthen the university system and state. She liaises with companies and stakeholders to build long-term partnerships with the University of Tennessee. Victoria joined the UT System in August 2022.

Victoria previously served as a director of business development for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD). Her tenure at the state from 2012-2022 led to relationships with more than 250 global and domestic companies, $13 billion in new capital investment and thousands of new jobs for Tennesseans. She has worked in local economic development in Texas and consulted for an Indianapolis-firm focused national workforce and community development projects.

Hirschberg earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and Latin American studies from State University of New York at Plattsburgh and obtained a dual master’s degree in community and regional planning and Latin American Studies from the University of New Mexico

Mayor Tim Kelly

Tim Kelly is the 66th mayor of Chattanooga. He grew up in Chattanooga and attended undergraduate school at Columbia University. Upon return to Chattanooga, Kelly expanded his family’s automotive dealership and launched several successful ventures of his own, including co-founding Chattanooga’s professional soccer club.

He later earned his MBA from Emory University. Kelly has always been active in the community, serving on boards for multiple nonprofits and even teaching as an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.

Since being elected mayor in April 2021, he has made great strides on his vision to create One Chattanooga – a city where every resident has the opportunity to thrive and prosper.

Robin Laqui

Mr. Laqui supports the Leidos surface transportation team as an operations and safety programs lead for the Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory (STOL), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the US Department of Transportation (USDOT).  With more than 20 years of experience in research, development, and testing, Mr. Laqui brings fresh perspective and a broad skillset to the development and management of intelligent transportation systems engineering.

Asad Lesani

Dr. Asad Lesani, VP of Smart Infrastructure Product at Ouster, is a highly accomplished leader with over 12 years of experience in intelligent transportation systems. He co-founded BlueCity Technology in 2018, pioneering an AI-powered lidar platform for multimodal traffic monitoring, which has since been deployed at over 400 intersections globally. With a Ph.D. in Transportation, Asad continues to drive the adoption of lidar as the next generation of traffic solutions, enhancing road safety and mobility worldwide.

Cam Morris

Cam Morris is the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Design Manager in the TDOT HQ Traffic Design Division. In this position he leads the planning and design efforts for ITS projects statewide that support the existing TDOT SmartWay system and further advance the research and use of emerging technology to help address the state’s transportation challenges. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) and has earned degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He and his wife Victoria live in Mt. Juliet with their two sons, Ivan (7) and Archer (3).

Rick Mukherjee, PhD

Dr. Rick Mukherjee joined the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in December 2024 as the inaugural Director of the Quantum Center and an Associate Professor of Physics. He earned his PhD at the Max Planck Institute in Germany and held research appointments at Rice University, Harvard University, and the University of Hamburg, with expertise spanning AMO physics, optimal control, and machine learning applied to quantum science. He has authored nearly 40 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, holds patents in quantum optimization, and actively contributes to the field through NSF service, scholarly reviewing, invited talks, and his role on the board of the Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative.

Jerele Neeld

Jerele has a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University. He has done additional coursework at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. Jerele was selected to Who’s Who in America 56th Edition.

Jerele D. Neeld is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience driving transformation in Fortune 500 tech companies. During a decade at Dell Technologies, he led a global team of 400 across 16 countries, fostering innovation that generated 300+ patent ideas, saved over $100M, and drove $85M in revenue via AI/ML infrastructure updates.

Since July 2024, Jerele has served as Chief Information Officer for the City of Chattanooga and head of the Department of Technology Services. His leadership has focused on responsible Generative AI use and modernizing transportation infrastructure. Key department achievements include adopting a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, establishing the city's first Transportation Management Center, and advancing $15M in grants to prepare for Connected and Automated Vehicles.

A community advocate, Jerele has served on nonprofit boards and supported leadership initiatives in Northern Ireland. He holds a B.S. from Texas A&M University, with further studies at the University of Michigan and the University of Houston.

Alex Poirot

Since 2010, Alex has developed expertise in mobility policy through progressively senior roles within state government, federal government, and the private sector. After a career kickstart helping lead a congressional campaign to victory, Alex served as the Congressman’s senior policy advisor to the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee where he formed coalitions, advocated for policy priorities, and crafted laws that were signed by two different presidents. In 2019, he received a presidential appointment as senior governmental affairs officer at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

While in the Office of the Secretary, he was the point of first contact for congressional officials and local governments on issues relating to transit and motor carriers. Later, he was asked to lead the intergovernmental affairs office as Acting Associate Administrator for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), where he was recognized for Distinguished Service responding to the COVID-19 health emergency by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao.

In addition to regularly interfacing with governors, members of Congress, and committee staff to solve regulatory challenges, he led the development of the Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) grant program and supported the deployment of billions of dollars in capital funding for transit projects across the nation through FTA’s portfolio of competitive grant programs. He joined Keolis North America as corporate affairs director in 2021 and began as vice president of public policy for Beep in January 2023. Alex graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in Speech Communications.

Brandon Rodenburg, PhD

Dr. Brandon Rodenburg is a Physicist and Quantum Information Scientist with a background in quantum optics. Dr. Rodenburg is the Group leader for the Quantum Technologies group at MITRE, an organization that operates a number of national laboratories (aka Federally Funded R&D Centers or ""FFRDCs""), where he is responsible for technical and strategic leadership in quantum technologies across multiple programs supporting DHS, DoD, and the intelligence community.

In addition to his role at MITRE, Dr. Rodenburg is also an Ambassador for OPTICA (previously The Optical Society), where he engages in outreach and mentorship to students and early career professionals within the optics and photonics community.

Janet Rehberg

Janet Rehberg is CEO of EPB, where she leads efforts to strengthen the organization’s mission of enhancing quality of life while positioning Chattanooga for the future. With more than 20 years of experience in engineering, operations and strategy, she has helped advance Chattanooga’s leadership in next-generation energy, fiber optics and quantum technology. Before joining EPB, Rehberg served as Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President of Engineering for Tri-County Electric Cooperative and held leadership roles at American Electric Power. Rehberg earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tulsa and a Master of Business Administration from Capital University.

Mina Sartipi, PhD

Dr. Mina Sartipi serves as the Interim Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), Executive Director of the UTC Research Institute, and the Founding Director of the Center for Urban Informatics and Progress (CUIP) at UTC. She is also Guerry Professor for the Computer Science and Engineering Department at UTC and maintains a joint appointment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, focusing her expertise on improving urban mobility and safety through advanced technology. Her goal as the director is to advance R&D and experiential learning profiles in key cross-disciplinary areas leveraging Chattanooga and UTC’s unique assets such as city-wide R&D testbed for the future of mobility and the first commercially available quantum network.

In recent years, Dr. Sartipi has led projects as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) that have secured over $25 million in grants from organizations including the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and others. She has received the 2024 UT President’s Award in the “Nimble and Innovative” category and the 2024 Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award. Her contributions to smart city initiatives earned her recognition as a 2019 Chattanooga Influencer, and her work has been honored with the 2019-2023 Smart 50 Awards and the 2019-2021 and 2024 International Data Corporation (IDC) Smart Cities North America Award. Dr. Sartipi earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Sharif University of Technology and her master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical and computer engineering from Georgia Tech.

She has delivered several keynotes and presentations including presentations to the U.S. Congressional Briefing on Infrastructure, the U.S. Congressional Caucus on Smart Cities, the Smart Cities Connect conference, and the National Transportation Training Directors. An IEEE senior member since 2016, she serves on the board of directors for EPB, The Enterprise Center of Chattanooga, Chattanooga Design Studio, Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation, and Variable, Inc.

Neo Toprak

Neo Han is an experienced Senior Manager at the Global Business Division of LG CNS America, an IT Services and Smart Solutions provider. Neo is in charge of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development with IT industry key players, targeting Digital Transformation (DX)-based projects both in the US market and the global arena. Prior to his career at LG, he was an entrepreneurial professional and a diplomat with government experience and 23 years of business development success. Neo is a multilingual communicator, columnist, media moderator, and frequent keynote speaker at global events and corporate functions, covering future strategies for Smart Cities with Smart Technologies.

Peyton Winstead

Peyton Winstead is director of Digital Solutions at DENSO in North America. Located at the company's satellite R&D facility in San Diego, California, he is part of DENSO North America’s Smart City leadership team. In the role, Winstead has direct responsibility for DENSO's world-class V2X development team, which he joined six years ago.

Previously, Winstead was director of Manufacturing and Quality Engineering at DENSO Wireless America Manufacturing, having played a key role in launching many of DENSO’s cutting edge ITS products including Navigation, Telematics, Wireless Charges, Video Processing Modules and In-Vehicle Infotainment systems.

Winstead is passionate about bringing DENSO’s value for quality and customer service from the OEM to the aftermarket world and has continued that passion by playing an integral role in the development of V2X OBU and RSU PCBA products under DENSO's newly launched MobiQ brand.

Before DENSO, Winstead has worked for the Nokia handset development team and Delphi exterior lighting division, holding various roles in Project and Quality Management.

Winstead earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Purdue University.