On September 15, 2026 at the iconic Empire State Building in New York City, BuildIT, together and our partners, ENR and Telos Advisers, are convening a one-day ‘national gathering’ of transportation and infrastructure executives, from the public and private sectors, for a historic strategic planning session to discuss the challenges, and solutions to, three of the nation’s most significant issues as they relate to robust and sustainable national infrastructure development:
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Project Funding
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Utilization of Alternative Project Delivery
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Workforce Development
Together, we will:
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Sharpen BuildIT’s National 20-Year Vision Plan so we are matching the moment & momentum
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Align on public/private sector project funding strategies and ecosystem support systems
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Accelerate efforts in construction workforce development and training
8:00 am
8:30 am
8:40 am
8:50 am
8:55 am
9:00 am
9:15 am
9:45 am
10:15 am
10:30 am
11:15 am
12:00 pm
1:00 pm
1:30 pm
2:00 pm
2:45 pm
3:30 pm
4:00 pm
4:30 pm
Registration/Coffee
Welcome Remarks
Paul Pendergast and Ural Yal, CEO, Shimmick
Introductions
Opening Remarks
Scott Seltz, Publisher, ENR
Opening Remarks
Eric Daleo, Co-Founder, Telos Advisers
BuildIT Overview Paul Pendergast, President, BuildIT
Introduction of Moderators
Scott Blair, Editor in Chief, ENR
Edmund Caulfield, Managing Director, Telos Advisers
Aileen Cho, Deputy Editor, Infrastructure/Senior Editor, Transportation, ENR
Steven Kats, CEO, Legacy Advisors
Robert Luster, CEO, Luster National
Polly Trottenberg
Dean, NYU Wagner, former Deputy Secretary of US DOT
Greg Kelly
CEO, STV and Immediate Past President of New York Building Congress
David Ullman
Deputy Secretary for Transportation/New York State Executive Chamber
PANEL ONE
Delivering Mega Projects in a Post-IIJA World
Nick Polce, Senior Vice President, Pre-Construction, Flatiron/Dragados
John Hanson, CEO, Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA)
Charlie Gans, IBX Project Executive, MTA
Jim Beers, IBX GEC Project Director, Jacobs
PANEL TWO
Transit System Modernization Project & Funding Initiatives
Terri Mestas, Deputy CEO, Sound Transit and Director Capital Projects Los Angeles World Airports (former)
Christopher Elmore, Managing Director at Goldman, Sachs & Co LLC
Shelley Brindle, President & CEO, Center for American Mobility
Lunch
Featured Address: Building the Abundant Community
Yogesh Saoji, FAICP, AIA, PP, Global Planning Leader, Principal, DLR Group
Jesse Duker, National Business Development Leader, Principal, DLR Group
Special Remarks
John Porcari, Managing Director for Public Policy and Partnerships at Investcorp Corsair Infrastructure Partners, former White House Port and Supply Chain Envoy and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportatio
PANEL THREE
Alternative Project Delivery Programs with National Impact
Madeleine McDonnell, Chief Strategy & Operations Director, GDC
Sara Appleton, Director, Penn Station Transformation, Amtrak
Mark Kempton, Danica Mason & Paul Bews, CalInfra
PANEL FOUR
Workforce Development in a Fast-Changing Built Environment
Peter Tateishi, AGC of California Peter Tateishi, CEO
Fuquan Collins, Chief Diversity Officer, Turner Construction
Michael Clay, Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (former), Embrace Partners
David Cayemitte, The Cayemitte Group
John P. Rooney, Area Director, Economic Inclusion, Gilbane Building Company
Issue Compilation/Discussion of Next Steps
Adjourn
Reception
1333 Broadway at “The Rooftop”
Please note that this agenda is subject to change. Speakers, Panelists and Special Guests will be added on a weekly basis. Check back often for updates.
BuildIT's 'The Gathering' NYC will be held at the iconic Empire State Building in New York City on September 15, 2026. If you are interested in attending this event, we ask that you complete this short survey so that we can capture critical information about you, your business, organization or role within the AEC industry, and/or areas of expertise and experience.
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BuildIT encourages our network, and guests, attending the NYC Gathering to also attend ENR’s NY/NJ Infrastructure Forum taking place the day prior our event.
The ENR NY/NJ Infrastructure Forum 2026 takes place on Monday, September 14, 2026, at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers in New York City. The daylong event focuses on navigating regional project funding, accelerating permitting, and addressing affordable housing as an infrastructure imperative.
Monday, September 14, 2026
Pier 60, Chelsea Piers, New York, NY
Key Topics & Focus Areas
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Federal Turbulence: Overcoming shifting federal rules affecting project approvals, labor, and supply chains.
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Permit Streamlining: Exploring New Jersey's "Operation Fast" program and regional efforts to speed up critical environmental and energy builds.
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Housing Integration: Addressing affordable housing as a core infrastructure demand through regional collaboration.
Featured Speakers
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Kathryn Garcia (Executive Director, Port Authority NY/NJ)
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Kris Kolluri (President and CEO, NJ TRANSIT)
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Ed Potosnak (Commissioner, N.J. Dept. of Environmental Protection)
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Julia Kerson (Deputy Mayor for Operations, New York City)
Registration
BuildIT Network and Guests receives a 20% Discount on registration pricing
Standard Pricing (begins August 15, 2026):
$600 for individual attendees
$385 for MWSDBE firms
$295 for government/agency personnel
