Speakers

Cosmo Albrecht / Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Christian L. Alexander / Counsel, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Christian Alexander assists public and private entities in navigating the regulatory, property, and contractual issues necessary to develop and operate public transportation and public infrastructure projects, particularly passenger rail systems and rail-related infrastructure. He has significant administrative law experience representing state and local governments before federal boards and administrations, including the Surface Transportation Board, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, and state regulatory bodies, as well as litigation experience before federal courts and quasi-judicial regulatory entities. His experience in transportation infrastructure and operations also extends to land acquisition and use, contracting, tenancy and concessionaire issues, labor, civil rights, and funding issues. He has worked on both transit-oriented development and rails-to-trails projects.

Lucy Andre / Chief of Staff and General Counsel, Stadler US

Lucy Andre is CEO of Stadler Signalling North America and serves as chief of staff, general counsel, and corporate secretary of Stadler US Inc. in Salt Lake City, Utah. Since joining Stadler in 2016, she has helped oversee the development and expansion of the company’s North American operations, including the growth of its United States manufacturing presence and the launch of its signaling business.

Lucy’s responsibilities span legal, corporate, operational, and strategic matters. Her work includes supporting passenger rail projects, advising company leadership, and participating in major transportation initiatives across the United States. Before joining Stadler, she worked in private practice and held other in-house legal roles; earlier in her career, she also served as a prosecutor and college professor. She is also active in corporate, community, and nonprofit organizations.

Lucy earned her JD from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law and her undergraduate from Webster University in Vienna, Austria.

Paul Caintic / Associate, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Paul Caintic is a seasoned litigator and advisor with particular expertise in government enforcement, regulatory counseling, and complex litigation.  Paul’s focuses on matters involving environmental, land use, and administrative law.  

Before joining Kaplan Kirsch, Paul served as an honors attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Paul was lead counsel in technical litigation under statutes like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, CERCLA, NEPA, and the Endangered Species Act. Paul managed cases from beginning to end, including by negotiating multi-million dollar settlements, arguing the first trial ever conducted under the Toxic Substances Control Act, and securing successful dismissals in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Tenth, and Federal Circuits. Paul advised federal agencies like the EPA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Highway Administration, the Air Force, and the Navy on regulatory matters and construction projects.

In previous private practice, Paul litigated complex civil cases and defended against government civil and criminal enforcement actions.

Antonino Ferrera / Chief Executive Officer, FS Italian Railways USA Inc.

Adam M. Giuliano / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Adam Giuliano advises clients in the development, procurement, construction, financing, and delivery of their most innovative, unconventional, and challenging infrastructure projects, including through alternative delivery approaches involving public-private partnerships (P3s), the use of pre-development agreements, and design-build and progressive design-build contracting, among other methods. His experience spans multiple sectors, including extensive work on dozens of surface transportation projects, including transit.

Adam is a nationally recognized infrastructure project attorney and leader in the U.S. P3 industry, having been involved in over three dozen such projects, and a two-time Law360 MVP in Project Finance. He leads the firm’s Project Funding and Delivery practice and serves as the managing partner for the New York office, which he established. Prior to joining the Firm, Adam was a U.S. resident Counsel at a global law firm based in London. 
 

Grant M. Glovin / Associate, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Grant Glovin’s practice focuses on transportation law, including issues related to the development, operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of public transportation and infrastructure projects. He assists clients in navigating Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration regulatory requirements, procurement procedures, environmental regulations, and grant management. He practices regularly before the Surface Transportation Board, primarily representing public transit agencies and state and local governments, and also represents clients in transportation-related litigation.

Prior to joining the Firm, Grant was a Law Clerk to Judge Raymond J. Lohier, Jr. in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and to Chief Judge David J. Barron in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. In prior private practice, Grant represented local government clients in litigation, regulatory, and transactional matters. Before law school, Grant worked for New York City Transit as a budget analyst in the Department of Subways.

Ayelet Hirschkorn / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Ayelet Hirschkorn is a strong and effective advocate with over twenty years of extensive experience in the transportation industry representing local governments and transportation agencies. She successfully manages, drafts, and negotiates agreements for some of the nation’s largest transportation projects and advises her clients on federal and state policies, statues, and regulations in the railroad, environmental, utility and procurement industries. She has experience arbitrating labor agreements and representing public transportation agencies before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and federal courts. Ayelet also represents passenger rail agencies before the Surface Transportation Board, federal and state courts on a variety of issues including railbanking, abandonment of rail lines, environmental reviews, federal preemption and expansion of freight and intercity rail services. Ayelet spent a majority of her career in public service, ensuring that passenger agencies maximize their transportation services in an efficient and accessible manner.

Casey Morris Hott / Associate, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Casey Morris Hott’s practice focuses primarily on transportation and environmental law, addressing a broad range of legal matters related to the planning, operation, and regulation of airports, transit, and rail systems.

Prior to joining the Firm, Casey served as counsel for the Federal Railroad Administration, where she specialized in federal grants and environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

She began her legal career as an Honors Attorney at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), providing legal counsel to the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Maritime Administration, Office of the Inspector General, and the Office of General Counsel. At DOT, her work spanned environmental law, rulemaking, federal financial assistance, civil rights, employment, criminal law, and the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), among other issues affecting all modes of transportation.

While in law school, Casey gained experience as a law clerk at Kaplan Kirsch, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region 8), and a nonprofit focused on sustainable development. She also served as a student attorney in the University of Denver Environmental Law Clinic.

Allison Ishihara Fultz / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Allison Ishihara Fultz brings a wealth of expertise in transactional and regulatory matters related to transportation infrastructure. Her diverse client portfolio includes public transportation agencies, state and local governments, transit operators and safety oversight organizations, and private entities. Allison’s practice encompasses a wide array of issues, such as the acquisition and abandonment of railroad rights-of-way, agreements for shared use of freight and passenger rail corridors, acquisition of controlling interests in rail industry entities, operating agreements for rail operations at ports, and the conversion of rail corridors into recreational trails under the rails-to-trails program. 

Before rejoining the Firm in early 2025, Allison served as Chief Counsel at the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), where she was the agency's top legal officer. In this role, she provided strategic counsel on complex regulatory, legislative, and policy matters affecting the nation’s rail system to FRA and U.S. Department of Transportation leadership. Leading FRA’s team of legal professionals, she helped guide FRA’s implementation of the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and ensured compliance with federal laws while advancing the agency’s mission to promote safety, efficiency, and sustainability in rail transportation. Her responsibilities included addressing policy and legal matters regarding the conduct of FRA’s mission, drafting and reviewing regulations, negotiating agreements with industry stakeholders, and managing the legal dimensions of federal grant and loan programs.

Allison’s leadership and extensive experience have made her a trusted advisor in navigating the intricate legal and regulatory landscape affecting transportation infrastructure.

She also is a licensed architect (inactive) and has practiced in both the United States and Canada.  Allison has directed feasibility studies, master plans, and building projects for institutional, government, and educational clients from the project programming stage through construction.

Subash S. Iyer / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Subash Iyer represents airports, cities, transit agencies, and others in order to advance their major projects and resolve high-stakes regulatory and litigation matters. Subash previously served as Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation, where he acted as Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s top legal advisor, led the Department’s rulemaking agenda, streamlined processes to expedite project delivery, and defended landmark transportation and environmental policies. As Chief Counsel at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Subash worked to implement the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and oversaw all FTA legal matters. Subash began his legal career in private practice in Washington, DC, where he helped deliver multiple Supreme Court and court of appeals victories for his clients, and served as law clerk to three federal judges, including Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Caroline Jaschke / Associate, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Caroline Jaschke’s practice focuses on litigation over a wide-variety of environmental, transit, and energy issues before state and federal courts, as well as administrative bodies. She has experience representing federal agencies, environmental nonprofits, and state, local, and tribal governments. Caroline also counsels clients on regulatory compliance and pre-litigation matters.

Prior to joining the Firm, Caroline was an honors attorney with the Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division. In that role, Caroline litigated enforcement actions under environmental statutes such as the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and CERCLA. Before that, Caroline was a Law Clerk to Justice Carlos A. Samour on the Colorado Supreme Court, where she assisted the court in drafting opinions, prepared for and observed oral arguments, and researched and made recommendations on petitions for certiorari. While in law school, Caroline was involved in the Harvard Environmental Law Review and Environmental Law Society. She also led a student team in researching and designing solutions to disparate access to funding for water infrastructure projects in Mississippi.

Michael W. Lestingi / Staff Member, US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Michael W. Lestingi is a transportation policy and passenger rail professional who serves as a professional staff member for the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. His work focuses on transportation policy, infrastructure planning, and passenger rail issues.

Michael previously held senior leadership positions with the Federal Railroad Administration, including serving as executive director. During his tenure, he worked on the development and implementation of federal rail transportation programs and initiatives and engaged with government, industry, and other stakeholders on passenger rail policy and infrastructure matters.

Michael earned a BS in mechanical engineering and a BA in Russian and international studies from Lafayette College.

Caitlin McCusker / Senior Counsel, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Caitlin McCusker is an experienced litigator and advisor, with particular expertise in administrative, environmental, and natural resources matters. Caitlin counsels clients on regulatory matters, involving strategic analysis of legal risks and opportunities presented by complex statutory and regulatory frameworks. Caitlin’s practice focuses on advising clients in matters involving environmental, land use, transportation, administrative, and constitutional law.

Prior to joining the Firm, Caitlin served as Chief of Staff in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where she assisted in managing the Division’s litigation arising under more than 150 environmental and natural resources laws. She also worked closely with the General Counsel for multiple federal agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Interior, and the Department of Defense. In this role, she helped oversee and advise on the most significant litigation, investigation, and policy matters handled by the Division and provided strategic counsel to senior political officials on topics including pollution control, natural resources, wildlife protection, and Tribal law.  Caitlin also served as a trial attorney in the Division’s Environmental Defense Section, where she litigated environmental matters in both trial and appellate courts under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, CERCLA, and the Administrative Procedure Act. 
 

Sara V. Mogharabi / Counsel, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Sara Mogharabi is an environmental attorney who represents public and private clients nationwide on matters related to project development, site contamination, site remediation, and brownfields. She regularly provides regulatory compliance counseling under a broad array of federal and state environmental statutes and has specific expertise with CERCLA, RCRA, SDWA, and emerging contaminants, including PFAS. Sara has represented clients in the transportation, utilities, mining, waste, recycling, energy, and product stewardship sectors. She also litigates environmental cases in federal and state courts and represents clients before federal and state agencies.

Dana Nifosi / Deputy Chief Counsel, Federal Transit Administration

Dana Nifosi is deputy chief counsel at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), where she assists the Chief Counsel in advising agency leadership on legal matters involving authorization and appropriations, grants, procurement, planning, environmental review, emergency relief, safety, innovative finance, Buy America requirements, and litigation. She also serves as FTA’s ethics officer.

Before joining FTA, Dana was a partner and associate at Venable LLP, where she practiced in the firm’s Environmental and State and Local Government Practice Groups. She advised and represented state and local governments and private entities on infrastructure development, environmental and land use matters, telecommunications, project finance, and public-private partnerships. Her work included matters involving the National Environmental Policy Act and the development of airport, highway, transit, energy, and telecommunications facilities. Earlier in her career, she practiced at Cutler & Stanfield LLP, focusing on infrastructure development and environmental litigation.

Dana earned her JD from the George Washington University School of Law and her BA in international relations and history from Tufts University. Following law school, she received a fellowship from the Henry Luce Foundation to spend a year in Bangkok, Thailand, working on environmental issues.

W. Eric Pilsk / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

For more than 30 years, Eric Pilsk has litigated disputes involving airports, transit agencies, and other public entities in state and federal courts of all levels, and before the Federal Aviation Administration and the Surface Transportation Board. Eric’s cases involve federal aviation laws, FAA grant obligations, airport noise, federal preemption, the ICC Termination Act, the National Trails System Act, NEPA, the Administrative Procedures Act, and other state and federal laws. Although many of Eric’s cases are resolved on summary judgment, Eric has acted as lead trial counsel in trials in state and federal courts and administrative agencies, including contested evidentiary hearings before the FAA in FAR Part 16 proceedings.

John E. Putnam / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

John Putnam is a seasoned attorney and policymaker with extensive experience in airport, as well as other transportation, environmental, and energy law. Over his career, he has led in federal and state agencies, serving as the General Counsel for the United States Department of Transportation, Senior Advisor to the Governor of Colorado including chief negotiator for the Moffat Tunnel, and representing Colorado DOT on rail matters. His practice has focused on navigating complex federal and state regulations to deliver innovative solutions for infrastructure, sustainability, and safety challenges. Known for his strategic counsel, John has played a pivotal role in advancing policies and projects that balance development, environmental stewardship, and community needs. His work includes implementation of the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), Airport and Airspace Development, as well as efforts to develop and implement legislation to fund Colorado rail initiatives and preserve rail lines affected by coal plant and mine shutdowns.

Annette Simelaro / General Counsel, Georgia Department of Transportation

Annette Simelaro serves as the general counsel and director of Legal Services for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). She leads a high-performing team responsible for providing legal guidance, including contract negotiation and drafting, litigation and claims management, internal and external investigations, regulatory compliance, policy development, and open records responses.  

Before joining GDOT, Annette practiced law in the private sector and at the Office of the Georgia Attorney General. She earned her JD from Emory University School of Law and her BA from Vassar College.

Charles (Chuck) A. Spitulnik / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Chuck Spitulnik has spent his entire legal career representing both public and private sector clients on issues relating, in one way or another, to the rail industry. For the past 35 years, his practice has focused on representation of state and local governments in addressing issues related to the rail companies that serve their communities or to the issues that arise when those communities develop and implement plans for operation of rail transit systems, whether commuter rail, light rail, or heavy rail systems. Chuck regularly advises clients on issues related to negotiation of agreements with both freight railroads and Amtrak for acquisition or use of their lines; developing arrangements, including procurement documents when required, with those railroads and with third-party operators for the operation of rail transit systems in that right-of-way; compliance with the complex web of federal legislation and regulation of the rail industry as well as state laws and other requirements; and understanding and addressing the unique features of the rail and transit-related labor laws and the protections available to workers in the industry. Before shifting his focus to representation of the public sector, Chuck gained extensive experience representing freight carriers in the planning and submission of transactions that require governmental approval. Additionally, Chuck has expertise in the acquisition, leasing, and financing of rail equipment and other issues related to rail equipment ownership, including the regulation of rail equipment pools.

Haley Stein / Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Long Island Rail Road - Acting General Counsel, Metro-North Railroad

Haley is responsible for protecting and pursuing the legal rights of the LIRR and MNR, including on matters related to FELA, environmental law, labor and employment, contracts and procurement, and real estate.  As part of the LIRR senior leadership team, she engages in high-level policy and strategy planning to support LIRR and MNR strategic priorities and key MTA initiatives and goals.

For more than two decades, Haley has represented New York City and State agencies and authorities, providing strategic counsel across a broad spectrum of public-sector practice areas. Her work has encompassed complex matters involving public housing, land use, environmental review, administrative law, and government operations. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University and Juris Doctor from Northwestern School of Law.

Julie Sweeney / Principal Counsel and Assistant Attorney General, Maryland Transit Administration

Julie Sweeney is Principal Counsel for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) and an Assistant Attorney General for the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.  As Principal Counsel, Ms. Sweeney leads a busy team of litigators, transactional attorneys, and support staff in performing legal services on behalf of MTA.  MTA is a multimodal transportation agency providing commuter rail, light rail, subway, bus, and mobility services to the public.  It also owns active and inactive freight right of way on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and contracts for the operation of freight service along its active lines. Ms. Sweeney is an experienced trial lawyer in the areas of civil rights, employment/labor, and complex litigation, and represents the MTA in a variety of transactions concerning public-private partnerships, major transportation capital projects, and contracts for services and equipment. She is a key member of the Maryland Area Commuter Rail Service (MARC) negotiation team that is responsible for negotiating commuter rail service contracts between the MTA, Amtrak, CSX and Bombardier and serves as Counsel to the joint Maryland Department of Transportation and MTA’s Office of Freight Logistics and Multi-Modalism. 

Ms. Sweeney holds a JD from the University of Maryland, with honors, and a BA from Trinity College, in Hartford, Connecticut.  Prior to joining the Maryland Office of the Attorney General as Deputy Counsel in 2014, she served as Senior Assistant County Attorney for Anne Arundel County, as Legal Director and Assistant County Attorney for the Baltimore County Police Department, and an attorney in private practice.  She has served in leadership capacities for several professional and community organizations, and presently lives in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. 

Otis Tolbert, Jr. / Global Rail & Transit Practice Leader, Managing Director, Aon Risk Solutions

Otis Tolbert, Jr., MBA, ARM is managing director and Rail & Transit practice leader at Aon Risk Solutions. He has been with Aon since 1998 and advises rail and transit clients on complex risk management and insurance matters. As practice leader, he has responsibility for strategic direction, product development, thought leadership, client engagement, and the financial performance of Aon’s rail and transit practice.

Otis has more than thirty-five years of experience in the risk and insurance industry, with a background spanning risk management, underwriting, and insurance brokerage. Earlier in his tenure at Aon, he served as resident managing director of the Capital Region, overseeing operations and client service in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore markets. Before joining Aon, he worked in corporate risk management.

Otis also serves on the board of directors of the Commuter Rail Coalition, where he represents affiliate members.

Chris Van Nostrand / Deputy Chief Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration

Chris Van Nostrand was appointed as FRA’s Deputy Chief Counsel in March 2024 where he helps lead an exceptional team of approximately 50 career attorneys and support professionals in FRA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.

He joined FRA in 2009, advising primarily on projects in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest and on matters relating to FRA’s environmental portfolio. In 2019, Chris took the role as Deputy Assistant Chief Counsel of the Program Legal Services Branch, where he led the team of attorneys advising on all FRA environmental and financial assistance programs, among other duties. More recently, Chris was FRA’s Assistant Chief Counsel for the Development Law Office where he focused his efforts on supporting the agency’s implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont, a Juris Doctor from Vermont Law School, and a Masters in Environmental Law and Policy, also from Vermont Law School.

Catherine M. van Heuven / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Katie van Heuven is an expert on a broad range of environmental and land use issues who specializes in airport and transportation projects. She frequently advises clients on projects involving federal environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and related local land use regulations. Katie has extensive experience advising airport sponsors on matters involving compliance with Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations applicable to planning and environmental review for major airport projects. She provides strategic counsel to numerous airport sponsors on matters related to compliance with federal grant assurances, drafting minimum standards and rules and regulations, and securing FAA approvals related to land acquisition and development. Katie has litigated airport cases in multiple federal courts of appeal. In addition, Katie has broad experience with projects concerning CERCLA, the Brownfields law, and state voluntary cleanup provisions. She represents and advises clients before various federal agencies and courts, including rulemaking comments and litigation matters, and lobbies members of Congress and senior officials at various federal agencies on behalf of clients regarding land use and natural resources issues. Katie also has broad public policy experience. She previously served as the senior legislative assistant on environment, energy, and natural resource issues for former U.S. Senator Paul Simon; as a policy analyst for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Constitution Subcommittee; and as a special assistant in the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legislative Affairs. Katie serves on the Airports Council International – North America Environmental Committee Steering Group.

Viktor Zhong / Associate, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Viktor Zhong’s practice focuses on the procurement, contracting, and delivery of major public-sector infrastructure projects with complex commercial arrangements. He advises state and local agencies on developing and negotiating contracts for professional services, construction, major equipment and technology procurement, operations and maintenance, and program implementation across a range of delivery methods, including design-build, public-private partnerships, and progressive contracting. Before joining Kaplan Kirsch, Viktor spent a decade advising public transit authorities and state and local governments on capital project development, governance and institutional design, funding and financing, and system planning. His combined legal and consulting experience in complex project delivery provides a practical, full asset lifecycle perspective that informs his approach to helping clients navigate multifaceted infrastructure initiatives.