The American Public Works Association (APWA) announced the selection of 16 public works professionals for its APWA Emerging Leaders Academy Program for 2016-2017, including one fleet manager. The participants were selected for a year-long national Emerging Leaders Academy program, which provides intensive leadership and management training within the context of public works.

This year marks the tenth class of the APWA Emerging Leaders program to encourage emerging professionals’ growth through a strong network of peers, and offers and in-depth introduction to APWA at several levels. Candidates for the program are professionals who have been working in the field of public works for ten years or less, at either public or private agencies, who have demonstrated an interest in advancing their careers within the profession.

“The APWA Emerging Leaders program provides a year-long experience that includes a two-day retreat held in Kansas City, Mo., and monthly one-hour conference calls, program-related assignments, attendance at the APWA PWX (Public Works Expo - annual conference) in Orlando in 2017, and completion of a class project on a key public works topic,” said APWA President Ron Calkins, P.E, PWLF, of Ventura, Calif. “It encourages professional growth through a strong network of peers and offers an in-depth introduction to APWA at the national, chapter, and branch levels.”

Those selected for the APWA Emerging Leaders Academy Class X include:

• Chris Anderson, public works manager, City of West Kelowna, BC, CANADA

• Eduardo Balderas, emergency management specialist, City of Rowlett, Texas

• Emmalee Browne, civil engineer, City of Green Bay, Wis.

• Vincent Hellens, Jr., ENV SP, project engineer, Psomas Engineering, Los Angeles, Calif.

• Steven Johnson, public works operations manager – Sewers, City of Des Moines, Iowa

• Angela Jordan, engineering tech II – Stormwater, City of Rock Hill, S.C.

• Byron Kutz, PE, LEED AP, assistant village engineer, Village of Oak Park, Ill.

• Matthew Lew, PE, LEED green assoc., civil engineer II, Village of Lombard, Ill.

• Jeremy Peck, superintendent of streets, Town of Lakeville, Mass.

• William Plexico, maintenance specialist III, City of Rowlett, Texas

• Sarah Terry, assistant consultant, LA Consulting, Inc., Manhattan Beach, Calif.

• Nick Voss, PE, project engineer, City of Lawrence, Kan.

• Mike Walker, manager - Roads & Streets, City of Fredericton, NB, Canada

• Brian White, fleet systems manager, City of Milwaukee, Wis.

• Samantha Yager, recycling coordinator, City of Columbia, S.C.

• AbdulRasak Yahaya, BE civil, staff engineer, City of Gardiner, Kan.