Tag Archives: Conferences

Paula Melester Presents at Governor’s Transportation Conference

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Left to Right: Gary Larrowe, Monica Backmon, Paula Melester, Angel Deem, Secretary Shep Miller

Paula Melester, Director of Transportation for the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission represented the CSPDC at the 2025 Virginia Governor’s Transportation Conference in Richmond. The conference, held October 16-17 under the theme “Looking Back Looking Forward,” brought together transportation leaders from across the Commonwealth to discuss the future of Virginia’s transportation system.

During the “Local Perspectives on Transportation” panel session, Paula joined Ms. Monica Backmon, CEO of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, and Mr. Gary Larrowe, County Administrator for Botetourt County, to share insights on transportation planning, funding, and project prioritization from diverse jurisdictional perspectives. Moderated by Angel Deem, Chief of Policy for the Virginia Department of Transportation, the discussion highlighted the critical importance of collaboration in project planning and delivery. Panelists explored strategies that local and regional communities employ to prioritize projects when resources are limited and shared examples of successful initiatives in their regions, emphasizing the factors that contributed to those achievements. The session underscored the value of bringing together rural, regional, and metropolitan viewpoints to address Virginia’s transportation challenges.

CSPDC Staff Attend Statewide Training Conference

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Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission staff participated in the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) Training Conference on November 12-13 at the Virginia Housing Center in Glen Allen. The two-day conference brought together planning district commission professionals from across Virginia for professional development and peer networking.

CSPDC’s Director of Transportation Paula Melester served as a panelist for the closing session “Building a Better Budget,” joining David Blount, Executive Director of VAPDC and Deputy Director of Thomas Jefferson PDC, and Chip Boyles, Executive Director of George Washington Regional Commission. The panel shared practical approaches to budget development and management for regional planning organizations.

The conference covered timely topics relevant to CSPDC’s work across the region. Sessions included strategies for community engagement and stakeholder mobilization, presented by communications experts Stephanie Heinatz of Consociate Media and Susan Gaston of The Gaston Group. Jason Graham, Fredericksburg City Council member and CEO of Surava, led a practical discussion on artificial intelligence applications for local government operations.

The second day featured an in-depth session on Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act, with presentations from Maria Everett, former Executive Director of the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council, Stephen Clough, FOIA Officer for the Town of Warrenton, and attorney Max Hlavin from Sands Anderson. This session provided valuable guidance on transparency and public records management—critical responsibilities for regional planning agencies.

The conference provided CSPDC staff opportunities to learn from subject matter experts, exchange ideas with colleagues from other planning district commissions, and stay current on best practices in regional planning and administration. These professional development opportunities strengthen CSPDC’s capacity to serve its 21 member jurisdictions across the Central Shenandoah Valley.