Spotlight On: South Central/Downtown Hub Project

Join us for an engaging presentation and explore the new light rail extension into South Phoenix and the newly configured Downtown Hub. The project team will discuss overall project scope, share insights on challenges and successes, and offer a preview of the upcoming changes to the light rail system upon opening.

Panelists:

• Luis Mota, Project Manager, Valley Metro
• Jake Wolff, Resident Engineer, Valley Metro
• Merissa Holliday, Community Relations Lead, Valley Metro
• Zach Winward, Project Manager, Kiewit

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Presenter Bios:

Luis Mota: Luis Mota is an Arizona registered Professional Engineer with a Civil Engineering degree from Purdue University. He has 29 years of experience in providing project management as well as construction management, administration and inspection services to clients in Illinois and Arizona. His career has covered a variety of transportation clients and a variety of transportation projects, including highway, roadway, transit, and aviation projects, delivered via design-bid-build, CMAR and Design-Build. He is currently serving as the Project Manager for Valley Metro’s South-Central Light Rail Extension and Downtown Hub project. He is one of two owners of Infenix.

Jake Wolff: Jake Wolff is an Arizona registered Professional Engineer with a Civil Engineering degree from Arizona State University. He has over 15 years of experience in providing Construction Management, Administration, and Inspection services to clients throughout Arizona. His career has been focused on delivering large transportation infrastructure projects in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, most notably highway and light rail transit projects. By way of these experiences, alternative project delivery methods have become second nature to Jake as much of his experience has been gained on CMAR and Design-Build projects. Throughout his progression from a Field Inspector to a Project Manager, he has learned how to effectively work with various agencies, cities, municipalities, stakeholders, contractors, and third-party utilities to achieve the best results for his clients. Jake is currently serving as the Resident Engineer for Valley Metro’s South Central Light Rail Extension and Downtown Hub project and is one of two owners of Infenix.
Merissa Holliday: Merissa has worked as Valley Metro's Community Relations Lead for the last three years, providing day-to-day oversight of the community relations team for the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub project. Merissa leads the team in creating strategic public involvement plans to effectively communicate the agency's vision to stakeholders. This includes sharing important project updates, planning public meetings, engaging with community and city partners, and acting as a liaison between community stakeholders and project leadership. Before joining Valley Metro, Merissa gained experience in outreach and communication with several non-profits, fostering meaningful connections and driving impactful initiatives.

Zach Winward: Zach Winward brings 18 years of construction industry experience, with a strong focus on light rail extension projects in urban environments. He holds a bachelor’s degree in construction management from Brigham Young University. His expertise spans project management responsibilities, including design coordination, construction oversight, quality assurance, and stakeholder communication. Zach excels in analyzing program schedules and priorities, setting aside egos and traditional contractual roles to foster collaboration. He is currently serving as the Project Manager for Kiewit on the South-Central Light Rail Extension and Downtown Hub project for Valley Metro.

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As part of our chapter's commitment to ensuring all participants can fully engage in our events, we strive to provide the necessary accommodations for an inclusive and accessible experience.

Reasonable accommodation requests include, but are not limited to:

• ASL or language interpretation
• Wheelchair or mobility access
• Closed captioning for presentations
• Other accommodations to improve your experience

I f you would like to request an accommodation, please select the "Accommodation Needed" option at checkout. Someone from the WTS Metropolitan Phoenix Chapter will reach out to you to make arrangement. Requests received less than 48 hours before the event begins may not be able to be fufilled.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Heritage Headquarters, 515 East Grant Street, Phoenix, United States