Thought Leadership

American federalism, as we have understood it in our time, is kaput. For nearly a century, our national government set priorities through Congress, then funded and provided, or supported state and local governments to fund and provide, vital public services. Following the Trump administration’s terminations, reductions and claw-backs of the past six-months, state and local officials are now struggling to deliver services their voters (in many cases, their neighbors) rely on. With federal support in retreat and public service responsibilities poised to grow, state and local governments are under pressure to both manage resources ferociously and innovate boldly so they get more bang out of fewer bucks.

Rensel Consulting (RC), a leader in innovative policy and consulting solutions, is proud to announce the appointment of Roger J. Cohen as Senior Policy Advisor, a pivotal move to advance the firm’s growth strategy.

With over forty years of experience in government, law, politics, journalism, and consulting, Cohen brings an exceptionally broad-gauged perspective to the complex challenges faced by RC’s clients. Previously serving as Senior Policy Advisor to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretaries Richards and Gramian, Cohen’s expertise spans transportation, infrastructure, advanced mobility, public finance, community development, and citizen engagement. Cohen’s most recent role was as a Senior Advisor with McKinsey & Company, counseling McKinsey's consultants and clients on various transportation projects and issues. His appointment strengthens RC’s service offerings and qualifications, positioning the firm to deliver even greater value to its clients.

For the past month or so, we’ve been participating in a program sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association Lion Link.  Lion Link created an experience that focused on linking Penn State alumni with recent or soon-to-be graduates to gain real-world experience on actual projects.  We had the pleasure of interviewing and hiring Willie Thier and Sheetal Patangay to help us rethink our website (yes, the red is going away!).  Today, they led a charette to convert recent peer interviews into the basis for design…

This article is a collaboration between Eric Rensel (CEO & Founder of Rensel Consulting, LLC and 2024 International ITE Vice President Candidate) and Todd Szymkowski, PE, PTOE, PMP with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and ITE Member. It includes interviews with the Iowa Department of Transportation Director, Mr. Scott Marler, as well as ITE Member John Corbin. All comments in this article are the individuals they are attributed to and should not be misconstrued as the viewpoint of any agency or group…

What advice can you give students who are just starting out in their careers? What responsibility do you have as an International Officer to ITE members?

I woke up feeling overwhelmed with excitement today, so I felt that I needed to get some of my thoughts down on electronic paper and, as one does, I decided to share them with you all…

Recently I was selected by ITE to run for International Vice President.  Throughout the coming months I hope to share my ideas for ITE—A Community of Transportation Professionals .  When I found out I had been selected, my thoughts shifted towards being #grateful…

Just like the rest of our technological world, the internet has evolved since its commercialization in 1989. Industry analysts tell us we are currently living in the era of Web 4.0…