Welcome to The CSUSB Leonard Transportation Center

Mobility is key to the Inland Empire’s future economic growth and quality of life. This dialogue series has been developed to address the numerous Inland Empire projects and initiatives designed to improve mobility. Advanced technology will be the dominant factor in our automobiles, rail transportation, the movement of freight, and the organization of our communities. Few will doubt the assertion that the change we are about to face is at least as great in the 21st Century as was the transportation changes that occurred in the early 20th Century as we moved from horse and buggies to planes, trains, and automobiles.

As exciting as this impending future may be, it is very important to remind ourselves that we live in a democratic society in which an informed electorate is the best guarantee of a strong and stable society. However, given the rapid pace of events, most people today are not informed about the many issues related to the imminent changes in our transportation infrastructure, few are aware of the many transportation-related projects and initiatives, and fewer still are involved in any meaningful way in the decisions that are being made. There are differing opinions regarding the magnitude of the problems and the relative merit of various potential solutions. Moreover, there is currently no authoritative place that people who are not directly involved in ongoing discussions can go to obtain a comprehensive overview of our mobility needs, the related social concerns, and the projects and initiatives now being discussed to address them. The purpose of Inland Empire Mobility Dialogue Series is to provide that forum.

Marvin Moon

Assistant General Manager of Power Delivery at Pasadena Water and Power

Marvin D. Moon has been with Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) for four years as the Assistant General Manager for Power Delivery. He is responsible for all aspects of power delivery including distribution and transmission, engineering, substation and power dispatch.

He is also Pasadena Water & Power’s Electric Vehicle Program’s supporting management sponsor and a long-time advocate for electric transportation. In his time at PWP, he supported construction of several large public EV charging infrastructure installations. This includes the Marengo EV Charging Plasa, the largest public fast charging plaza in the US that supports all fast-charging standards.

Victor Lopez

Director of Transit and Rail Programs at SBCTA

Victor Lopez is the Director of Transit and Rail Programs for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority. He is a professional Civil Engineer with more than 18 years of experience in project delivery of major capital projects ranging from planning through project close-out. He has a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Santa Clara University and a master’s degree in Civil Engineering from San Jose State University.

Andrew Conley

Project Director at HNTB

Andrew Conley has spent the last 15 years focused on projects that decarbonize transportation. He brings relationships throughout the clean transportation sector, deep expertise in emissions reduction programs and a strong understanding of the U.S. DOE’s priorities around emissions reduction. He is recognized as a national U.S. DOE Clean Cities Leader for his work as consulting services director for Clean Fuels Ohio. Andrew has secured $58 million in competitive funding for clean transportation projects and has implemented EV pilot projects across the country. Most recently, Andrew’s work at HNTB has included assisting in the successful delivery of 10 NEVI plans and now assisting with various implementation activities with 13 DOTs.

Jan Harnik

President of SCAG and Councilwoman from the City of Palm Desert

Jan C. Harnik was elected to the Palm Desert City Council in 2010. Complementing her service on the Council, Jan serves on the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) Transportation Committee and on the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission. Additionally, she is President of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), chairing SCAG’s Regional Council and Executive Administration Committee, and serving on the Transportation Committee, Legislative/Communications and Membership Committee, and the Emerging Technologies Committee.

Jan also serves on the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), and as a member of RCTC's Budget and Implementation Committee, and Audit Committee. Knowing the importance of visitors to Palm Desert and the surrounding Coachella Valley, Jan represents the City of Palm Desert on the Executive Committee of the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau.

She serves on the executive board for the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP), is a member of the McCallum Theatre's Board of Trustees, and in her personal time is co-president of the Girlfriend Factor – an organization dedicated to helping local disadvantaged women, 25 years of age and up, re-enter the work force by providing grants for education.

As past president of the Palm Desert High School Foundation, a non-profit corporation supporting academic excellence at Palm Desert High School, Jan worked with the organization from 2002 until 2012 spearheading multi-year efforts to raise funds and to distribute resources to support and improve every student’s academic performance.

Recognizing the value of volunteerism and the increased quality of life it brings to our community - and to the volunteer - Jan is dedicated to volunteering and encouraging others to do so. She believes that volunteers continue to make Palm Desert the wonderful place that it is and that the community's willingness and commitment to giving back supports an even brighter future. "We don't love our community because it is great," Jan says. "Our community is great because we love it."

Jan moved to the Coachella Valley in 1977. She and husband Brian have raised five children, all of whom attended Palm Desert High School and gone on to graduate from U.C. Santa Barbara, Cal State Fullerton, U.C. Riverside, U.C. Davis, and Cal Poly Pomona. Jan is also a member of Palm Desert Noon Rotary Club and the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce. In the private sector, Jan works as the manager of a professional office building. Her hobbies include early morning workouts, hiking desert hillsides, nutrition and cooking, and gardening.

Jan has earned the:

Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for dedicated community service, 2012

Sunrise District Boy Scouts of America, CIEC, Distinguished Citizen of the Year award, 2014

Palm Springs Life Women in Business Award - Business Leader, 2015

Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce George V. Berkey Citizen of the Year, 2017

LifeStream’s Humanitarian of the Year award, 2018

In recognition of service and continued education, the highest Torch Program Award, Level III – Leadership in Action, presented by the California League of Cities, 2019

The Waring's Lifetime Achievement Award, 2020

Coachella Valley Economic Partnership's Economic Development Champion, an award given to an individual who champions regionalism in economic development.

Woman of The Year 2022, Assembly District 42