Eastern Region Meeting 3/18/25

Api Appulingam, P.E., A.A.E., is the chief development officer, and oversees a multi-billion dollar program tasked with making critical improvements and developing new infrastructure at both Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and the Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE) through architectural, engineering, environmental, planning and sustainability projects. Ultimately, she is responsible for bringing innovation to the airfield, terminals and roadways at both airports.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Appulingam served as the Philadelphia Office leader for RS&H, Inc., a national provider of architecture, engineering and consulting services. There, she led significant aviation development projects for general aviation and commercial service airports in the U.S. and internationally. Ms. Appulingam earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business Administration in Project Management/Corporate Finance from the University of Dallas. She is a registered professional engineer and an accredited airport executive.

Ms. Appulingam serves as the Philadelphia Chapter’s immediate past president for Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS), and as the vice chair for the American Association of Airport Executives' (AAAE) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Free Library of Philadelphia. Ms. Appulingam is passionate about mentoring and supporting the next generation of STEM professionals. She mentors young women ages 13 to 18 as part of the WTS Transportation YOU program, which provides a hands-on, interactive introduction to a wide variety of transportation careers.

In 2017, Ms. Appulingam was recognized by the Society of Women Engineers as a “Woman Engineer You Should Know.” This recognition is for women engineers blazing new trails in a traditionally male-dominated field, aiming to make the world a better place. In 2021, the Philadelphia Business Journal recognized her as a “Woman of Distinction” for blazing trails across Greater Philadelphia’s business landscape with her leadership, vision and tenacity. Also in 2021, Ms. Appulingam was recognized by Airport Business magazine as a “Top 40 under 40” which showcases the aviation industry’s top talent working to make a positive impact on the way the aviation system works. In 2024, the Airport Minority Advisory Council recognized her with the “Airport Design Innovation and Inclusion” award for her leadership in innovative airport design projects while promoting diversity and inclusion within the aviation industry. Additionally, the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia recognized her with an “Impact” award for going beyond the call of duty to make meaningful contributions to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Michael A. Carroll, P.E., the deputy managing drector for Philadelphia’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (oTIS), is a creative and nationally respected leader with 30 years of experience in transportation. In this role, Carroll leads oTIS staff in developing strategies and implementing policies to build a safe and equitable multi-modal systems across Philadelphia’s diverse and vibrant neighborhoods.

Deputy Carroll coordinates and sets the policy direction for critical functions, including the Streets Department, the Philadelphia Water Department, as well as the newly created Office of Complete Streets. His oversight includes infrastructure systems that are made up of more than 9,500 transit stops, 2,575 miles of street, 320 bridge structures, 450 lanes miles of bike facilities,1,000 Indego bikes and 100 Indego stations, and 6,500 miles of sewers and water mains. Deputy Carroll also coordinates with internal city departments, external agencies such as SEPTA, PennDOT, Amtrak, and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, as well as with policy makers on the local, state, and national levels.

Deputy Carroll graduated with a bachelor’s degree in urban and Regional Planning from Cornell University and proceeded to earn Masters’ degrees in Transportation Engineering and Transportation Planning from the University of Berkeley.

Scott A. Sauer is the Interim General Manager of SEPTA, the sixth-largest public transit system in the United States. With a workforce of nearly of 9,500 employees that enable the five million residents of the Greater Philadelphia region to connect to each other, SEPTA operates across six transportation modes and has 2,800 vehicles in service, 285 subway and rail stations, 13,000 bus and trolley stops, and 150 routes.

Mr. Sauer began his career with SEPTA in 1990 as a Surface Train Operator, quickly earning cross-qualifications in both light rail and bus operations. A second-generation transit professional, Scott follows in the footsteps of his late father, Robert, who served the Philadelphia Transportation Company and SEPTA for 30 years. Over the years, Sauer progressed through roles as a Subway/Elevated Train Operator, Transportation Manager, and Safety Officer. In 2013, he was appointed Assistant General Manager, System Safety, where he developed and implemented critical safety initiatives, including the System Safety Program Plan, Emergency Management Plan, and Accident & Illness Prevention Plan.

In 2017, Sauer was promoted to Assistant General Manager, Operations, overseeing all operational aspects of SEPTA, including Transportation, Control Center, Vehicle Maintenance,
and Station Cleaning. In 2022, Sauer was named Chief Operating Officer, expanding his oversight to include the Engineering, Maintenance and Construction division, Transit Police, and the Capital Programs.

His leadership has guided the organization through significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, cybersecurity incidents, civil unrest, and budgetary constraints. Sauer also manages a $2.5 billion annual budget, focusing on transformative projects such as rail fleet replacements, station accessibility upgrades to achieve full accessibility by 2035, and infrastructure improvements to enhance SEPTA’s reliability and state of good repair.

Mr. Sauer is a nationally recognized transit safety and operations expert, serving on multiple industry boards and committees, including two terms with the Federal Transit Administration’s Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS), where he served as Chairman; the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Committee on Transit Safety and Security; the Northeast Corridor Safety and Security Committee; and the Board of Directors for Operation Lifesaver, Inc., a national rail safety organization. Since 2011, Scott has also been a faculty member in the USDOT TSI Associate Staff Program, teaching Transit Rail Incident Investigation and mentoring future transit professionals.

Scott holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Protection and Safety Management from St. Joseph’s University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. He is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and a World Safety Organization Certified Safety and Security Director (WSO-CSSD).

Shakirah Smith is a seasoned transportation professional with over 19 years of experience at SEPTA. As the program manager of special events, she leads strategic planning and operations for large-scale transit coordination. Previously, she served as director of transportation for the Metro Rail Division. She has varying expertise in heavy rail, suburban and city transit operations.

Shakirah's leadership extends beyond daily operations—she chaired SEPTA’s Operations Safety Improvements Program Committee, focusing on mitigating and preventing operator assaults. She began her career as a bus operator, quickly rising through the ranks to transportation manager, followed by key roles in district and program management.

She holds a Bachelor of Science from Drexel University and an M.B.A. from Rosemont College. A FEMA-trained incident commander, she also holds multiple rail and bus certifications. Passionate about leadership development, Shakirah actively mentors aspiring professionals, while enjoying travel and quality time with family and friends.