Announcing 2024 Outstanding Management and Engineering in Transportation Award Winners
The Outstanding Management and Engineering in Transportation Awards, also known as the Moskowitz, Purcell, Rhinehart and Roberts awards, recognize valued contributions to the field of transportation by Caltrans registered engineers, engineering managers and nonengineering managers.
Karl Moskowitz Award
Kevin Murdock
Senior Area Engineer
District 5
Kevin Murdock is a Senior Area Engineer for Caltrans District 5. His experience and adeptness in managing construction projects of varying complexities have been pivotal in the successful delivery of over 300 projects. From overseeing the administration of construction contracts to his involvement in alternative delivery and locally funded projects, Kevin's versatility and expertise shine through.
In times of crisis, such as the 2018 Montecito Mud Slide, Kevin's commitment to service and leadership qualities truly stood out. Volunteering to assist the local construction team, he played a crucial role in coordinating efforts to reopen Highway 101. His ability to mobilize and lead a diverse team through challenging situations underscores his managerial skills and collaborative approach.
Kevin's proactive approach to addressing attrition within Caltrans's engineering ranks demonstrates his foresight and dedication to organizational sustainability. By spearheading hiring initiatives and successfully recruiting over 80 engineers, he has helped ensure that District 5 remains equipped to meet operational demands and maintain a robust workforce. His dedication to talent acquisition positions the district to navigate the evolving landscape of the transportation industry effectively.
Kevin’s commitment to enhancing mobility, promoting safety, and fostering organizational excellence exemplifies the impact he has made on California's transportation network and underscores his role as a key asset within the agency.
The Karl Moskowitz Award annually recognizes contributions by Caltrans registered engineers to the field of transportation engineering. Mr. Moskowitz served as a Caltrans traffic engineer for 27 years. Much of his work in freeway design and traffic flow appeared at the outset of the Interstate highway program and was used extensively by planners and engineers nationwide, thus becoming the national standard.
Charles H. Purcell
Belinda Hon
Chief of the Office of Innovative Design and Delivery
Division of Design
Belinda Hon is Chief of the Office of Innovative Design and Delivery in the Division of Design responsible for managing the Alternative Delivery and Value Analysis Programs.
Belinda coordinated with Districts, local agencies and funding partners to deliver numerous challenging projects such as I-5 North Coast Corridor, Santa Barbara 101 HOV and US 50 Multimodal Corridor Enhancement and Rehabilitation projects using Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) or Design-Build delivery methods. Belinda partnered with the California Department of Technology in procuring Middle-Mile Broadband Network project contracts using the Job Order Contracting (JOC) and CM/GC delivery methods. Belinda collaborated with legal to develop language for Senate Bill 146 for JOC and Progressive Design-Build which was approved and signed on July 10, 2023. In March 2024, she successfully advertised the first Progressive Design-Build project and the Highway Maintenance pilot projects using JOC under SB 146 authority.
A graduate of California State University, Sacramento, Belinda has been with Caltrans for 26 years. She began her career in 1998 as a Junior Civil Engineer in District 3, and she rotated through Design, Construction, Surveys, Project Management and Toll Bridge Construction. Belinda also worked in the Division of Engineering Services as a Project Engineer delivering special design projects including the SFOBB Touch Down and Devil Slide Projects.
Throughout her tenure in District 3, Belinda has served as Project Manager, Assistant Deputy District Director for Program and Project Management, and Acting Deputy District Director for Program and Project Management. Belinda also served as the Architecture and Engineering Coordinator in the HQ Division of Procurements and Contracts for several years.
The Charles H. Purcell Award recognizes valued contributions by Caltrans engineering managers to the field of transportation engineering and transportation program management. Mr. Purcell served as California’s State Highway Engineer from 1928 to 1943 and as Director of Public Works until 1951. He established California’s extraordinary record of leadership and integrity in transportation engineering and guided the construction of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge and the State Highway System.
Bimla G. Rhinehart
Marlon Flournoy
Chief
Division of Transportation Planning
Marlon Flournoy is the Chief of Division of Transportation Planning at Caltrans. He has over 24 years of transportation planning experience. Beginning his career with Caltrans in 1999, Marlon held various positions within Caltrans and key leadership roles within the State of California including Caltrans District 3 Deputy District Director of Planning, Local Assistance, and Sustainability and Deputy Secretary for Transportation Planning with the California State Transportation Agency.
Serving as Caltrans Headquarters Chief of the Division of Transportation Planning since 2019, Marlon oversees the statewide Transportation Planning Program, collaborating with federal, state, regional, and local agencies, and non-governmental organizations to shape California's transportation vision. Some of his responsibilities include providing leadership in the development and implementation of key statewide transportation plans, grant programs, and transportation planning policies and programs that guide transportation decisions and investments.
Marlon is particularly passionate about the integration multimodal mobility, safety, health, equity, climate change, and community engagement with the transportation planning and implementation process.
Marlon has his degree in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning from the University of California, Davis and possesses his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification through the Project Management Institute.
The Bimla G. Rhinehart Award recognizes contributions to the transportation field by non-engineering Caltrans managers. This may include, but is not limited to, surveyors, architects, lawyers, planners, landscape architects, administrators, right-of-way agents, maintenance managers, rail, aeronautics, and mass transportation managers. Ms. Rhinehart was known across the state for her amazing ability to create strong relationships and partnerships that benefitted Californians and moved transportation projects forward. During her 27 years with the California Department of Transportation, she served as the Division Chief of Right of Way and Land Surveys, Acting Division Chief of Budgets, Deputy Director of External Affairs and Special Projects Manager. She also served as Executive Director of the California Transportation Commission and was a member of the Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee.
James E. Roberts
Mina Pezeshpour
Office Chief of Bridge Design South
Division of Engineering Services
Mina Pezeshpour is the Office Chief of Bridge Design South in the Division of Engineering Services at Caltrans. In her current role as the Office Chief of Bridge Design South, she is responsible for the management and implementation of statewide policies and procedures for bridges in Districts 7, 11 and 12. She has been with Caltrans for 26 years.
Mina has been at the helm of several award-winning projects including the LA-710 Rehab, Riverside-60 Truck Lane, and the I-805 Sweetwater River Bridge Projects. In 2023, she also skillfully led her team during the massive I-10 fire that caused a complete closure of this critical roadway, which serves hundreds-of-thousands of commuters daily.
Mina is currently the Co-Technical Manager of the BIM committee for Bridges, and Tunnel committee. To strengthen the collaboration with other sub-divisions, Mina chairs the Division of Engineering Services (DES) BIM Committee. She is also leading Caltrans’s participation in an ongoing AASHTO pooled fund research project with 23 other State DOTs and managing three federally supported grant projects to advance BIM at Caltrans.
Mina has a B.S. in Civil Engineering and M.S. in Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering and has been a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) since 2006. Mina has been a registered Civil Engineer in California since 1996.
The James E. Roberts Award annually recognizes outstanding contributions by Caltrans registered engineers to the field of transportation structures. Mr. Roberts served as a structural engineer and manager for more than half a century, including 15 years as California’s State Bridge Engineer. He spearheaded Caltrans’ $4.5 billion seismic retrofit program and oversaw nearly $50 million in seismic research projects. He was named to the National Academy of Engineering in 1996, and retired in 2001 as Chief Deputy Director.