Schar School Forum Examines Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public-Private Partnerships

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Photo of Schar School of Policy and Government Professor, Jonathan Gifford
Jonathan Gifford: ‘This forum is a great opportunity to meet regional and national leaders from government, industry, and the broader community…’

Innovations and challenges in delivering crucial infrastructure to the public will be examined by industry leaders during the 7th annual Public-Private Partnership Policy Spring Forum, held Tuesday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The forum takes place at George Mason University’s Arlington, Va., campus. Free, lunch provided, but registration required: https://bit.ly/P3Forum2022

“This forum is a great opportunity to meet regional and national leaders from government, industry, and the broader community to debate how to select, pay for, and provide transportation assets and services,” said Jonathan Gifford, director of the Schar School of Policy and Government’s Center for Transportation Public-Private Partnership Policy. “We have a lineup of speakers representing a broad range of perspectives—as well as a few more surprise speakers in the pipeline.”

The keynote address will be delivered by Anna Bonet, the new CEO of P3 company Elizabeth River Crossings OpCo LLC, which operates the Elizabeth River Tunnels project in Hampton Roads. The project is one of Virginia’s flagship infrastructure projects of the last decade. Global toll-road management company Abertis recently purchased the P3 company, its first foray into the U.S. market.

Panelists at the forum will describe recent successes in major P3 projects, including the long-term, 75,000-streetlight contract in Washington, D.C., the new federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and a hard look at recent innovations in the public-private partnership (P3) approach to delivering such projects. (See schedule below.)

The sponsor of the event is George Mason’s Center for Transportation Public-Private Partnership Policy, in cooperation with Young Professionals in Infrastructure.

Information and registration for the event are available at p3policy.gmu.edu. The event will be held at George Mason’s Arlington campus at 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201. Parking is available in the building, and the Virginia Square Metro stop is one block away. For questions, write p3policy@gmu.edu.  10 am. To 3 p.m.

Forum Agenda

9:30 am: Doors Open (in-person registration may be available)

10:00 am: Introductory remarks provided by Center Director, Jonathan Gifford

10:10 am: Panel 1: DC Streetlight Project
Prakash Ganash, Director, KPMG, Moderator
Jonathan WillinghamChief of Staff to D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh (Ward 3)
Kathryn RoosDeputy Chief Operations Officer, District Department of Transportation
Sia KushaSenior Vice President, Group Head Business Development & Partnering, Plenary Americas
Ryan Pedraza, Counsel, Hunton Andrews Kurth

11:15 am: Panel 2: Regressive P3s? Progress & Prospects for the Progressive Model
D.J. Gribbin, Founder, Madrus LLC
Henry Patel, Vice-President, Kiewit Development Company
Colin Peppard, Director, Infrastructure Investments, Fengate
Moderator to be announced

12:30 pm: Lunch Keynote
Keynote address to be provided by Anna Bonet. The catered lunch will offer several boxed options for your comfort and convenience, in light of the university's pandemic restrictions still in place.

1:45 pm: Panel 3: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a conversation facilitated by Young Professionals in Infrastructure (YPI)
Steve DewittSenior Vice President for Business Development, ACS Infrastructure Development
Sallye PerrinSenior Vice President, WSP
Geoff Segal, Senior Vice President for Government Relations, Macquarie Group Moderator to be announced