WTS Inland Empire

Join WTS-IE on March 5th from 5 to 7 pm at BrewHaven! Enjoy a drink or cold beer and good conversation to celebrate International Women’s Day. Bring your colleagues, mentees, and friends! Link in bio to register 🍻

2 drink tickets are included with ticket purchase. Food will be available for purchase onsite.

Corporate Partners benefits are available. Please email Justin Hoang at [email protected] to take advantage of those benefits.

This month, WTS–Inland Empire honors Black History Month (BHM) by recognizing the legacy, leadership, and lasting impact of Black professionals who have helped shape our communities and transportation systems.

We invite people on our platform to answer the question: What does BHM mean to you? Fill out our response form using the link in our bio!

As a chapter, we take time this month to reflect, listen, and celebrate the contributions that continue to strengthen our industry and the Inland Empire region we serve. We remain committed to supporting a future where opportunity, representation, and leadership continue to grow.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Casino Royale evening at the WTS Inland Empire 21st Annual Scholarship & Awards Benefit Dinner. The sold‑out event, hosted on January 22, 2026 at the Riverside Convention Center, brought together nearly 300 attendees for a celebration of leadership, partnership, community, and the next generation of transportation professionals.

This year, over $60,000 in scholarships were awarded to sixteen deserving students pursuing degrees in engineering, planning, and public administration—future leaders who will shape the next era of transportation. We are incredibly proud of these students and the bright futures they represent.
 
WTS‑IE was honored to recognize the following 2026 award recipients for their exceptional contributions:
🏆Member of the Year Award: Becca Hamilton, Mott MacDonald
🏆Employer of the Year Award: Caltrans District 8
🏆Innovative Transportation Solutions Award: Zero‑Emission Multiple Unit (ZEMU), San Bernardino County Transportation Authority
🏆Honorable Ray LaHood Award: Juan Uribe, HNTB
🏆Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award: Nisa Hester, Bechtel Corporation
🏆Woman of the Year Award: Joy Buenaflor, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority

We also are incredibly grateful for our incoming board and committee volunteers. Your leadership and service are the heartbeat of our chapter, shaping the programs, events, and mentorship opportunities that uplift our members and cultivate the next generation of transportation professionals.

Nights like this remind us why our transportation community in the Inland Empire is so uniquely strong. We look forward to an exceptional year ahead and to continuing our mission together.

Don’t forget to check out our virtual program and photo booth pics in our bio!

Countdown to our Annual Scholarship and Awards Dinner—only one week away! Congrats to this year’s scholarship winners! 💰👩‍🎓
 
Want to directly support our educational programs this upcoming year? Make sure to sign up for annual dinner through our Eventbrite link in our bio!

OR become a long lasting sponsor for our chapter (link also in bio ☺️)
 
We hope to see you next Thursday at the Riverside Convention Center!

It’s finally here! WTS-IE is celebrating 21 years of excellence, and we want YOU 🫵 to be there! Join us for an extravagant casino night 🎰 with distinguished awardees, prestigious VIPs, and amazing speakers, all while directly benefitting WTS educational programs. Don’t wait, secure your tickets now before January 16th! Link in our bio ⬆️

Looking for more ways to support us? Consider becoming a sponsor! There are a great slew of benefits, both for large companies and SBE/DBE’s. Sponsorships are flying off the shelves, so get yours before it’s gone (link also in bio ⬆️) 💸
Any questions about annual dinner and/or sponsorships, please contact Cristina Thayer at [email protected]

Hello everyone,
Our annual social bowling mixer was a success (as per usual)!! We want to thank everyone who came and gave it their all. We are ramping up for our annual dinner in 2026, so stay tuned ✨

Are you looking to brush up on your presenting skills? Want to learn the secrets on how to really engage your audience? Or just looking to learn from a seasoned professional while enjoying lunch? Then don't miss our upcoming Lunch & Learn with Deborah Ostreicher, owner of Distinguished Communications!

Registration is open until Thursday, April 17th (day of the event)! We hope to see you there! 🗣🔊 Link in bio!

We had a great time mixing it up with our local student chapter at Cal Poly Pomona! Thank you for hosting at and we hope to collaborate more in the future 🍕🍻

WTS-IE represented at Mobility 21 SoCal Transportation Summit at the Disneyland Hotel 🏰

Did you hear? Our 2024 scholarships are OPEN! We're awarding over $50,000 in scholarships to deserving students pursuing transportation 💸
If you're a woman living in OR attending high school, community college, trade school, or university in the Inland Empire, this scholarship is for you!

Don't wait, apply now until November 5th! LINK IN BIO!

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO AUGUST 19th MONDAY!
to nominate for these six categories! You can choose to nominate anyone, and you are not required to vote for every category. Nominate now, link in bio!

These nominees are the local trailblazers of transportation and will be awarded at our annual Gala and Scholarships Banquet. Filling out the respective form ensures that these individuals are honored for their invaluable contributions to the Inland Empire.