About YPT-DC

Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT) is an international 501(c)(6) nonprofit coalition of organizations, which helps professional development, fellowship, and networking for young professionals in the transportation field.

Since 2008, YPT-DC has been the local chapter for Northern Virginia, DC, and Southern Maryland transportation practitioners, students, and partners. This chapter aims to put into practice YPT's mission.

• To foster professional development, YPT-DC hosts regular lectures, panel discussions, and on-site tours with local experts. Because this chapter is located in the seat of the Federal government, members are also able to learn from national lawmakers and thought leaders. This feature is unique to YPT-DC.

• To promote fellowship, YPT-DC sponsors casual outings and fun events for members and friends, including a monthly "Beers with Peers" and group outings to sporting events and recreational activities. 

• To build its network, YPT-DC's 2,000 members and friends work together to sustain an environment that will usher in the next generation of thought leaders and experts who are prepared to lead.

YPT-DC Board

Each year, candidates submit qualifications and are selected by YPT's members to carry the mission forward. Elections are held each autumn and terms are for one year. For 2025, YPT's Board is as follows:

Mehul Gupta, Chair, is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). He graduated with a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s in business economics from Indiana University.

Mehul’s interest in transportation began when he worked at Guidehouse with their USDOT team, helping support projects on transit safety and civil rights. During graduate school, he worked as a research assistant at the Indian Institute of Technology’s Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre on electric bicycle adoption in India.

In his free time, Mehul enjoys playing tennis, exploring DC’s restaurant scene, and watching Indiana Hoosiers basketball with friends.

Interested in sponsoring YPT-DC? Contact Abby at YPTwDC@gmail.com

Abby Pineyro, Director of Sponsorships, is a Consultant at Guidehouse, where she supports the U.S. Department of Transportation on civil rights initiatives to advance accessible transportation nationwide. She holds a bachelor's degree in 'Operations Management & Business Analytics' and 'Marketing' from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland.

Passionate about strengthening the transportation community, Abby focuses on fostering meaningful partnerships that drive impact. Since moving to the D.C. area in September 2021, she has enjoyed exploring the region's diverse restaurant scene and being out in nature in her free time.

Mary Kate Kesler, Director of Communications, is a Consultant at Guidehouse, where she delivers strategic communications solutions for USDOT clients. She graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in international relations with minors in urban planning and public management.

Mary Kate is enthusiastic about providing opportunities for young people in the transportation field to connect, learn, grow, and be advocates for one another. Mary Kate moved to D.C. in September 2022 and in her free time, she enjoys coaching field hockey, perfecting her bread recipe, and checking off her long list of restaurants to try in the DMV.

Haoyun Wang, Director of Administration, is a senior GIS consultant in WSP’s Project Controls and Technology Department, with over five years of experience in transportation planning and GIS applications. Prior to joining WSP, he worked as a research data analyst at Rutgers University’s Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center. He holds master’s degrees in Urban Planning and Public Informatics from Rutgers University.

A strong advocate for bike and pedestrian-friendly cities, Haoyun enjoys exploring bikeshare systems whenever he visits a new city. He especially appreciates the DMV area’s extensive biking trail network. In his free time, you’ll likely find him cycling along the Mount Vernon Trail, visiting museums, or catching a movie at the theater.

Zach Falk, Deputy Chair has loved any and all things transportation since gazing longingly at Metro-North trains from the childhood playground, and has had good luck thus far making a career out of this passion . He works as a Senior Consultant with WSP USA’s Emerging Technology group, where he works with DMV transit agencies on zero-emission bus transition planning and implementation.

Outside of work, he may be found searching high and low for distant cousins of New York-style pizza in the DMV, plane-spotting at Gravelly Point or cycling up Beach Drive.

Sanskrit Singh, Director of Programming, is a Consultant with WSP. He holds a Master of Science degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Previously, Sanskrit worked at Brookfield Asset Management, a global investment banking company, where he oversaw their infrastructure portfolio in the India region.

Outside of work, Sanskrit enjoys engaging in outdoor activities such as tennis, soccer, and hiking. He is also a big fan of the Capital Bikeshare service in DC.

Sanskrit is also passionate about sustainability and climate change, advocating for emission reductions at his work and encouraging his friends to make the small changes in their lives that contribute to a greener environment.

Maggie Harger, Director of Membership, is a Policy Analyst with the U.S. Department of Transportation. In this role she works primarily with FTA on federal transit policy initiatives. She holds a Master of Science degree in Public Policy & Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Previously, Maggie worked as a Mobility Coordinator for North King County in the greater Seattle region. She was also a Transportation Fellow with Carnegie Mellon's Traffic21 research institute during her time in grad school.

Outside of work, Maggie can be found exploring DC via bus or Capital Bikeshare. She is also an avid hiker, and like many others has recently taken up the competitive sport of Pickleball.

Mitch Asante, Director of Finance, is a Consultant at Guidehouse, where he works for USDOT and its Operating Administrations. Originally from Accra, Ghana, Mitch holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island and he furthered his education in the Master’s in Legislative Affairs program at George Washington University.

His passion for transportation, equity, and civil rights stems from his experience at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Civil Rights and the USDOT’s Departmental Office of Civil Rights. He’s has had the opportunity to work on FAA’s first-ever Strategic Diversity & Inclusion Plan and DOCR’s Organizational Strategic Plan.

In his free time, Mitch enjoys stand-up comedy, watching soccer, and serves as Co-Founder/CEO of a fast growing hospitality and event management company based in DC.

Thank You To Our Sponsors!

Our sponsors support YPT-DC with resources that allow us to plan and execute panels and talks, happy hours, and other events to connect our members and friends with one another. Click on a logo below to learn more about our sponsors.