CDOT’s Denver region announces key new members of leadership team

DENVER - The Colorado Department of Transportation announced today recent promotions and a strong leadership team for the department’s Region 1, covering the greater Denver metro region, including the I-70 Mountain Corridor from Golden to the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels. 

“The Denver region is in excellent hands with a top leadership team that has deep experience, a proven track record and strong commitment and dedication to serving the transportation needs of the public safely and effectively, while being careful stewards of taxpayer dollars,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew.

"We have a deep bench of professionals with rich and diverse backgrounds both in the public and private sectors, bringing a high level of talent, skill, expertise and front-line experience to manage the complexities of the CDOT’s Denver metro transportation program and provide solid leadership to the team,” said CDOT Chief Engineer Stephen Harelson.

Director of Maintenance and Operations John Lorme added, “We have a stellar team leading the Denver region, from planning and construction to maintaining and operating our urban transportation network.”

Region 1 Transportation Director Jessica Myklebust 

Myklebust is the new Region 1 transportation director after serving as the region’s deputy director of program delivery.  She is in charge of the Region 1 transportation program, including environmental work, planning, operations, construction and maintenance for a seven-county area.

Myklebust joined CDOT in 2017 as the regional environmental manager, leading her team to bring several National Environmental Policy Act documents to completion, ensuring that environmental considerations were at the forefront of project planning.  She stepped in the deputy director of program delivery role, where she oversaw the region’s engineering, design, construction planning, environmental and right-of-way functions. 

With 22 years in the transportation industry, her influence is noted in many CDOT and metro area projects. Formerly a transportation industry consultant, Myklebust is experienced in all aspects of transportation program delivery, with expertise in areas of public transportation planning, engineering, design and construction program support and administration. She is a collaborator and consensus-builder with local agency partners and elected officials, and values strategic partnerships and trusted relationships that are so critical to the department’s work with all of the cities, towns, and local governments across the greater Denver metro area. 

Myklebust is passionate about supporting the professional development of her team and the 777 employees of Region 1. In her role she provides leadership for her team in the seamless delivery of the region’s maintenance operations and construction portfolio of projects totaling over $750 million on an annual basis, including high profile projects such as the I-70 Floyd Hill and the I-270 Corridor. She is an advocate for bringing and building diversity in the industry. She serves on the Colorado Women's Transportation Seminar Executive Committee and graduated from the Colorado Leadership Development Program. She earned her undergraduate degree from University of Colorado Boulder in Geography and Environmental Science and her master's degree from University of Denver in Environmental Policy and Management. 

CDOT is working to fill Myklebust’s prior job as deputy director of program delivery. 

Region 1 Deputy Director of Traffic and Safety Angie Drumm 

Drumm leads the region’s traffic and safety division with about 90 employees.  This is a multidisciplinary group that includes traffic maintenance, traffic engineering, permits, and utilities with an annual budget of $17 million and is responsible for administering an additional $40 million in safety funding. Drumm is the first person to serve in this position, charged with championing and developing an operations focus in Region 1.

Drumm’s team plans and delivers cost efficient and innovative transportation improvements that reduce congestion and improve safety such as the Region 1 Bottleneck Reduction Program and the Smart Work Zone implementation. Drumm’s team also develops annual strategic plans for the division to support overall region and department goals. Drumm is a supportive coach and mentor to her staff. 

Drumm joined CDOT in 2006 and served the department as a metropolitan and regional planner and a local government liaison.  She has developed and managed relationships on behalf of CDOT with local elected officials, staff and public policy entities.  This has resulted in a path forward for critical transportation improvements.  Prior to CDOT, Drumm worked as a transportation policy analyst and Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. Department of Transportation in the Office of the Secretary. 

Drumm has a Masters in Public Policy from University of Oregon and her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University.

Region 1 Deputy Director of Maintenance Shawn Smith 

Smith was promoted to the region's deputy director of maintenance. He oversees a $57 million budget and over 400 employees.  Smith leads, directs and manages all highway maintenance activities for Region 1. As the senior leader, he develops near, short- and long-term plans, establishes goals and objectives, sets performance standards, and evaluates work.  Smith works with numerous internal and external stakeholders within Region 1 area via in-person meetings, emails, or other forms of communication, all while striving to keep CDOT in a positive view with the traveling public.

Smith has more than 30 years in complex transportation and maintenance operations, leading, developing and managing programs and projects related to operations, incident command, maintenance operations, emergency management, paramilitary operations, and first responder operations.

Smith joined CDOT in 2019 leading maintenance crews in the metro region. Prior to his employment with CDOT, Smith was director of transportation and fleet services for Aurora Public Schools. Smith lived in Jacksonville, North Carolina where he worked at a mechanical construction firm as a project manager.  He served for 23 years in the United States Marine Corps as a motor transport maintenance officer and motor transport officer responsible for the supervision, management, accountability, long-range planning/forecasting and control of various medium and heavy-duty transportation and maintenance military units. 

Smith graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. 

Region 1 South Program Engineer Stephanie Alanis, Professional Engineer III

Alanis, who has been with CDOT since 2015, was promoted to South Program engineer where she oversees the design and construction activities, development and funding of more than 40 engineers and technicians.  The South Program oversees CDOT’s transportation projects in Arapahoe and Douglas counties, which includes the I-25 South Gap project, one of the largest in the state.

Alanis has worked in the transportation industry for 15 years.  She started her career in the private sector where she has done at-risk construction, alternative delivery management, technical design, and construction management on multi-million and billion dollar projects around the county.  Her roles as a consultant include project engineer and scheduler for the $2.5 billion North Tarrant Express project in Texas and design engineer for a mechanical boom system that provided utilities to F-35 aircraft for Lockheed Martin. Following her extensive experience in the private sector,  Alanis joined CDOT managing diverse National Environmental Policy Act, design and construction projects along the the I-25 corridor north of Denver.  She also led a design and construction team in the Region 1 North Program,  providing executive oversight to all aspects of construction for projects up to $200 million. Alanis led the design and construction phases of projects in the South Program as well, including the emergency repairs to the Sky Ridge bridge over I-25.   

Alanis is passionate about the safe and efficient delivery of projects to improve transportation and  the quality of life for the public CDOT serves. This includes empowering a strong team focused on technical design and project management. Alanis believes in creating a people-focused vision with respect, collaboration, forward-thinking, positive, motivating, and accountable environment. 

Alanis graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Pre-med. 

I-70 Floyd Hill Project Director Kurt Kionka

Kionka brings over 18 years of CDOT project experience and was recently selected as the I-70 Floyd Hill project director.  Kionka leads the planning and construction of a $700 million project to improve a heavily traveled section of the I-70 Mountain Corridor from Floyd Hill to the Veterans Memorial Tunnels.  

Kionka has led multi-disciplinary teams and delivered projects of all sizes. Starting his career with CDOT in 2003 as a student intern completing public outreach for the I-70 East Environmental Impact Statement, Kionka has since worked on numerous large complex projects. His management skills were instrumental in completing the US 36 Emergency Rebuild.   Kionka comes to his new position after serving as a resident engineer in the Region 1 North Program for more than seven years. 

He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering at Colorado State University in 2003.   

Region 1 Maintenance Superintendent for Section 5 Jared Maupin

Maupin was selected as the region’s Section 5 maintenance superintendent after serving CDOT for over 21 years.  Maupin oversees the work of maintenance crews in much of the Denver metro region. He was deputy superintendent over the past five and half years.  Maupin started his CDOT career as a transportation maintenance specialist and has worked his way up through the ranks. 

Region 1 Maintenance Superintendent for Section 9 Mike Willyard

Willyard was promoted to the region’s Section 9 maintenance superintendent.  He oversees the work of maintenance crews in the western region of the Denver metro area, including the I-70 Mountain Corridor from Golden to the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels. Willyard has been with CDOT since 2002, starting as a transportation maintenance specialist and also worked his way up through the ranks.  Prior to CDOT, he worked in Illinois for trucking and security companies.  Willyard is a military veteran, serving the U.S. Navy.