YPT Chicago 2025 Transportation Achievement Fundraising Dinner

Tuesday, December 16th, 2025

YPT Chicago was proud to celebrate the successes of 2025 at our inaugural Transportation Achievement Fundraising Dinner at Revolution Brewing Chicago, bringing together members, sponsors, donors, industry partners, and community leaders for an evening recognizing excellence across the transportation profession. Thanks to the incredible support of our attendees and supporters, the event exceeded expectations and welcomed one of the largest crowds in chapter history.

The evening featured awards and recognitions, networking opportunities, a showcase of transportation projects and initiatives, raffle prizes, and a silent auction highlighting local businesses and organizations. More importantly, the event demonstrated the strength of Chicago’s transportation community and the impact that collaboration, innovation, and professional development can have on shaping the future of our region.

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of several honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, YPT Member of the Year Award, Project of the Year Award, Anchor Sponsor Award, and additional special recognitions celebrating outstanding contributions to the transportation industry and broader community. The event also showcased one of YPT’s greatest strengths: bringing together emerging and experienced professionals to foster meaningful connections, mentorship, and leadership development.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our sponsors and donors whose generosity helped make this inaugural event possible. Their support enabled us to create a memorable evening while advancing YPT Chicago’s mission of connecting, developing, and empowering the next generation of transportation leaders.

As we reflect on the success of this first-ever fundraising dinner, we are energized by the enthusiasm and momentum demonstrated throughout the evening. We look forward to sharing additional highlights, recognizing our award recipients, and building on this success as we continue to grow and strengthen YPT Chicago in the years ahead.

Thank You to Our Sponsors and Donors

Corporate Sponsors

Table Sponsors

Food Sponsors

Silent Auction, Raffle, and Additional Donors

YPT Chicago 2025 Student Networking

Thursday, October 30th, 2025

YPT Chicago was pleased to host another successful Student Networking event, bringing together students and transportation professionals for an evening of meaningful conversations and career development. Designed as a fast-paced, structured networking experience, the event provided participants with the opportunity to engage in a series of brief one-on-one discussions with professionals from across the transportation industry.

Through these conversations, students were able to practice professional communication skills, gain exposure to a variety of career paths, and expand their professional networks in a welcoming and supportive environment. Transportation professionals and mentors shared valuable insights, advice, and personal experiences, helping participants better understand opportunities within the field and prepare for their future careers. Thank you to all of the students, mentors, and professionals who joined us and contributed to the event’s success. We look forward to continuing to support the next generation of transportation leaders through future networking and professional development opportunities!

YPT Chicago 2025 Riverwalk Happy Hour

Tuesday, August 5th, 2025

YPT Chicago enjoyed a great evening at our Riverwalk Happy Hour at The Northman Beer & Cider Garden. Members and guests gathered to connect with fellow transportation professionals, share ideas, and enjoy a relaxed setting overlooking the river. It was absolutely delightful to catch up with so many familiar and new faces. The beautiful scenery and great company made for an incredible evening!

The event provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen existing relationships, welcome new faces to the YPT community, and engage in conversations about transportation issues and opportunities across the region. From industry discussions to casual networking, the evening reflected the collaborative and supportive spirit that makes the transportation community so strong. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the event a success. We look forward to seeing you at future YPT Chicago events!

YPT Chicago 2025 Brown Bag Series #3: Chicago’s Bike Program with CDOT and Lyft

Thursday, July 24th, 2025

YPT Chicago hosted an engaging Brown Bag webinar focused on the Divvy bikeshare system and the partnerships that help support and expand micromobility across Chicago. Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about the system’s operations, ongoing initiatives, and future developments while participating in a lively discussion and Q&A session.

A special thank you to our speakers, David Powe (CDOT) and Sean Madison (Lyft/Divvy) for sharing their expertise and engaging with our membership. The thoughtful questions and discussion highlighted the growing role of bikeshare in creating a more connected, accessible, and sustainable transportation network. We appreciate everyone who joined us and contributed to the conversation. Feel free to connect with our speakers on LinkedIn to follow the exciting work and updates coming from the Divvy system!

YPT Chicago Transportation Hot Takes Networking Happy Hour

Tuesday, June 10th, 2025

Over 60 young professionals, students and Transport Chicago conference attendees joined YPT Chicago for a casual networking event, fueled by group deliberation and discussion of some of the hottest takes. “Hot Takes” tend to be controversial opinions about a topic, and are meant to illicit further discussion. Event attendees submitted hot takes in advance that ranged from the elimination of “Maintenance of Traffic”, to expansion of Bus Only Lanes to every bus route in Chicago and the criminalization of “BRT Creep”.
We wouldn’t be able to put on events as successful as this without our sponsors R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc. and Transit Tees and Revolution Brewing. Thank you for providing the resources that allow us to continue connecting our membership, providing networking opportunities and helping to build the next leaders in transportation.

YPT Chicago Runway to Resilience

Tuesday, May 20th, 2025

YPT Chicago was proud to host Runway to Resilience, a discussion exploring the public finance mechanisms that support and sustain major aviation infrastructure, including Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports.

Hosted in partnership with the University of Chicago Public Finance Association, the event brought together students, transportation professionals, and infrastructure enthusiasts for an engaging conversation on the complex funding models that keep airports operating efficiently while supporting future growth and investment. Attendees gained valuable insight into topics ranging from airport revenue sources and passenger-related fees to the financial tools used to fund capital improvements and long-term infrastructure needs.

A special thank you to our featured speaker, Daryl McNabb, for sharing his expertise and providing a behind-the-scenes look at airport finance and project delivery. We also appreciate Professor Paula Worthington for skillfully moderating the discussion and helping attendees navigate the financial, policy, and operational considerations that shape airport investment decisions. We appreciate everyone who joined us and look forward to continuing these important conversations throughout the year!

YPT Chicago Transportation Trivia 2025

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025

We can’t thank enough the 50+ Transportation Aficionados that joined YPT Chicago for our annual Transportation Trivia event! The energy in the room was at an all time high as the Chicago Chapter hosted it’s largest event in the recent history. Our Quizmaster Scott Presslak, PTP lined up the switches and took us through a gauntlet of questions that tested (and ultimately improved!) participants transit knowledge from stations, railroad history and even a bit of cartography thanks to the Dennis McClendon Memorial Round. Many of our participants learned of the only nighttime CTA Bus Service that does not have a corresponding daytime route – maybe one day they’ll find themselves as a passenger on the N5 Bus! 😉
We wouldn’t be able to put on events as successful as this without our sponsors R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc. and Transit Tees. Thank you for providing the resources that allow us to continue connecting our membership, providing networking opportunities and helping to build the next leaders in transportation.

YPT Chicago 2025 Brown Bag Series #2: Transit Funding and Governance

Thursday, April 10th, 2025

The Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT) Baltimore and Chicago Chapters hosted a Presentation + Q&A session with the Baltimore Red Line Project Team, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more from the MTA about their upcoming rail infrastructure.

YPT Chicago 2025 Brown Bag Series #1: Transit Funding and Governance

Tuesday, February 25th, 2025

Curious about how transit in the Chicago region is funded—or what it could look like under legislation like the Metropolitan Mobility Authority (MMA) Act? YPT Chicago hosted a Presentation + Q&A session on Transit Funding and Governance Reform in Chicago, featuring Audrey Wennink (Sr. Director, Metropolitan Planning Council) and Stephen E. Schlickman (Former Executive Director, Regional Transportation Authority). Attendees gained valuable insights into the region’s transit challenges and the future of mobility governance.

YPT Chicago 2025 Happy Hour Opener

Tuesday, February 25th, 2025

We had an incredible start to the 2025 Chicago Chapter events season with our opening happy hour at Haymarket Pub & Brewery thanks to one of our sponsors this year, R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc.