By Kimberly Leung, P.E., T.E., Western District President

When I first joined ITE as a student, I never imagined that I would be here about to wrap up my time as the Western District President. Some of my first memories as a student member include meeting people like Mark Spencer and Cathy Leong, both of whom have now served as International Directors. Early on, they both saw my energy for ITE and have provided constant encouragement throughout this journey, from guiding me as I was establishing the UC Berkeley Cal ITE student chapter with my classmates to recommending me for the role of the District’s Student Endowment Fund Committee Chair to supporting me during my time on the District Board and everything in between. It has been incredibly rewarding to serve at so many levels of ITE over the years, and I can truly say that ITE has been such an important part of my professional growth. I have made so many friends during my time in ITE, so thank you to all those who supported and mentored me along the way. I also want to thank the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency for supporting my longstanding commitment to ITE.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve as your Western District President. The District will be in good hands with Doug Smith and the entire Western District Board in the coming year. And even as I transition into the Past President role, I will still be here championing initiatives that I am personally passionate about but are also defining values of our District – supporting students and young professionals who are our next generation of transportation leaders.

It has been a busy year, and I appreciate the time many of you spend volunteering with the Western District, our Sections, and our student chapters. I hope that everyone can relax and enjoy some time with your families and friends this holiday season.

I will see you in the new year at our Western District Student Leadership Summit in February and the Western District Annual Meeting in June. Happy holidays!