Marcia Ferranto, President and CEO of WTS International, the association whose mission is to build the future of transportation through the global advancement of women, released a statement regarding USDOT’s Susan Kurland’s new role as Deputy Commissioner - Air Services Development at the Chicago Department of Aviation:
"Ms. Kurland has done tremendous work advancing women globally while in her role at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Taking the lead on the APEC Women in Transportation initiative, she brought both the awareness of—and solutions for—closing the transportation workforce gap from the White House to a global forum. WTS has been a critical partner in this initiative, and we are grateful for the work that Ms. Kurland accomplished for the industry and the legacy of leaders focused on the advancement of women that remain to carry the torch."
During her tenure as Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs at U.S. Department of Transportation, Ms. Kurland played a significant role in the APEC Women in Transportation initiative which she herself both launched and implemented. The initiative launched at the 2011 APEC Transportation Ministerial in San Francisco. It was followed by two White House Forums, special events at cities across the U.S. and internationally, and forums at the APEC Ministerials in Japan and the Philippines. Ms. Kurland’s team developed an original framework for women's inclusion in the transportation sector and best practices compendium. Three pilot programs, including one in the U.S., are planned for 2016.
