Mentoring Program
The NCSITE Mentoring Program
Supports and encourages participants to become highly effective leaders by:
- Building strong relationships across agency lines (private, state, local, university)
- Learning about other business units and organizations and how they all fit together
- Providing supportive and caring mentor to encourage confidence in protégé participants
- Discussing emerging issues, and sharing experiences / lessons learned
- Helping participants see the bigger picture / understanding differing perspectives
- Providing leadership development support
Please note that applicants selected as proteges will be assessed a one-time fee of $100 to defray the cost of providing meals and refreshments at in-person meetings that will be part of the program. Proteges will be invoiced after selection and payment will be due prior to the first in-person meeting. There is no cost for submitting an application.
Protégés - Role & Responsibilities
Protégés are typically transportation professionals either serving as mid-level managers or younger professionals with leadership potential and the desire and will to serve in positions of higher leadership responsibility. They are expected to be highly motivated, committed to learn and not intimidated by being paired with a seasoned transportation leader.
Protégés are selected based on demonstrated leadership potential, commitment to professional growth, and interest in continued engagement within NCSITE.
Protégés are responsible for actively participating in group meetings and one-on-one meetings with their mentor throughout the duration of the program. They must also participate in a process that evaluates their leadership development needs prior to the program kick-off meeting. Additional responsibilities of protégés include:
- Taking initiative to schedule one-on-one meetings with their mentor
- Making leadership development and relationship building a priority in their schedule
- Being willing to get out of their comfort zone by instigating positive change activity in their current work environment
- Developing a written action plan to address areas for improvement
- Being willing to ask hard questions of their mentor
- Providing constructive feedback and suggestions to both promote and improve the program
- Committing to continued engagement with NCSITE through participating in council and user group meetings, serving on committees/task forces, and/or exploring future leadership roles
- Considering serving as a mentor in future program cohorts
- Upholding confidentiality and professional conduct in all mentoring interactions
Program Overview
The mentoring program typically spans a 15-month period comprised of both large group meetings and one-on-one meetings between protégé-mentor pairs. Large group meetings are held in person typically at a location central to program participants. These meetings focus on leadership development presentations or may involve group activities, such as speed mentoring, and include a group social to allow networking between all protégés and mentors. One-on-one meetings between protégé-mentor pairs are expected on a monthly cadence with protégés taking the lead in setting up the meeting and developing the proposed agenda, which should focus somewhat on the protégé’s action plan. The typical schedule is laid out as follows:
- Month 1 – Protégés complete self-assessments and submit to Oversight Committee and mentor
- Month 2 – First one-on-one meetings between protégé-mentor pairs
- Begin drafting action plan
- Month 3 – Large group meeting #1, in person
- Finalizing action plans
- Group development presentation or activity
- Group social
- Month 8 – Large group meeting #2, in person
- Group development presentation or activity
- Group social
- Month 15 – Large group meeting #3, in person
- Wrap-up meeting
- Protégés share how their mentoring experience has strengthened their leadership skills along with any additional program takeaways
- Celebratory group social
- Monthly one-on-one meetings occur throughout the 15-month period, at a minimum
- Protégés recognized at NCSITE Annual Meeting
At the conclusion of each mentoring class, the Oversight Committee will solicit brief feedback from participants to assess program effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.
2026 Mentors & Resumes
- Joey Hopkins
- Joe Milazzo, II
- Eric Lamb
- Stacie Phillips
- Meredith Van Duyn
- Will Letchworth
- Jeff Dale
- Liz Babson*
- Justin Carroll
- Andrew Bell
- Teresa Hart
- Kevin Lacy
- Joe Hummer
- Jennifer Portanova
- Ryan White
One-on-one meetings between a Protégé and their Mentor are a vital component of the NCSITE Mentoring Program. While some of these meetings may be virtual, in-person meetings tend to provide the greatest value and provide the best possible experience for Proteges.
*To maximize opportunities for scheduling in-person meetings and to provide the most positive Protégé experience, Liz Babson requests that only protégé applicants from the Charlotte area request her as a Mentor.
Testimonial Video
Click here to view a testimonial video!
How to Become a Protégé
- Have a desire and the will to become a highly effective transportation leader
- Build lasting relationships in the transportation profession
- Listen to constructive criticism and make lasting improvements
- Commit to serving NCSITE in future leadership roles
- There is a $100 fee for participating in order to offset the cost of meals at group meetings.
- Applications are now closed. Thank you to all who applied!
