Richard L. Beadles

... an organizer and founding member of the Virginia Rail Policy Institute board, as well as being a VRPI fellow, is an independent rail and transportation analyst, commentator and critic. 
   He has had extensive experience in both rail transportation and urban real estate asset management and development. Originally an up-from-the-ranks railroader, becoming President of the RF&P Railroad, Beadles has had more than fifty years experience as both a practitioner, as well as a follower, of transportation and land planning, development and asset management with both the RF&P and CSX.
   Over the past three decades, environmental and energy issues have become an area of particular interest and focus to Beadles, who currently serves on the Virginia State Rail Advisory Board. He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, and resides in Richmond.

Whitt Clement

...was Secretary of Transportation in the Mark Warner administration and led the initiative to create the Rail Enhancement Fund-- the first dedicated source of state revenue for rail infrastructure improvements in the Commonwealth-- and the Rail Advisory Board.  Previously, Clement had served in the House of Delegates for 14 years, representing the Danville area.  A former president of the Virginia Bar Association, he is now a partner at the law firm of Hunton & Williams where he is head of the Virginia government relations practice.

Dwight L. Farmer

Executive Director
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission
Hampton Roads Metropolitan Planning Organization
Chesapeake, Virginia

   Mr. Farmer joined the staff of the Southeastern Virginia Planning District Commission in 1978 as Chief Transportation Engineer.  On July 1, 1990, the Southeastern Virginia and Peninsula Planning District Commissions merged to form the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.  Mr. Farmer was then appointed Director of Transportation.  On July 1, 1998 was named Deputy Executive Director, Transportation and Emergency Management.  On May 21, 2008, the Board of Directors of the HRPDC/MPO appointed Mr. Farmer Executive Director.
   Mr. Farmer received a B.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Virginia Tech and an M.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.  Mr. Farmer was appointed by the Governor to the Virginia Rail Advisory Board and has served as a member and chairman of numerous Statewide Advisory Committees to the Virginia General Assembly, Virginia Department of Transportation and the office of the State Secretary of Transportation during the past two decades.  Mr. Farmer currently serves on the boards of the Hampton Roads Military Federal Facilities Alliance, the Hampton Roads Partnership, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and the Future of Hampton Roads Inc. 
   Mr. Farmer is a licensed Professional Engineer and has been an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department of Old Dominion University for 30 years.

Alfred Harf

...has served for the past ten years as Executive Director of the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), a Northern Virginia area public transit operator sponsored by the five local governments comprising the Commission. Prior to his current position, Mr. Harf served in a variety of progressively more responsible management positions spanning his nearly thirty year career, including positions at NJ TRANSIT, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Earlier, Mr. Harf was employed as a transportation planner for a transportation consulting practice. Mr. Harf is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Master of Transportation program, and has an undergraduate degree in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Rear Admiral John G. Hekman

Supply Corps, U.S. Navy (Retired)
President, Rotary Club of Richmond

   Rear Admiral Hekman is a native of Ripon, CA.  Commissioned a Navy Supply Officer through the Officer Candidate Program, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Calvin College, a Masters of Business Administration from George Washington University, attended the National & International Security Program at JFK School of Government, Harvard University, and is a graduate of the National War College.
   A retired Navy Supply Officers, he is also a qualified Officer of the Deck (I) and Surface Warfare Officer, served in USS Fiske (DDR-842) during the Cuba and Yemen crisis, and also in USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37) in western Pacific Ocean operations. He is a veteran of the “Tet Offensive”, having participated in six campaigns in I-Corps, Republic of Vietnam in 1968.
   Admiral Hekman’s major command assignments included the Navy Information Systems Management Center, Arlington, VA; the Defense Supply Center, Richmond, VA; and, the Navy Supply Center, Charleston, SC.  His senior staff appointments included Associate Navy Comptroller; Deputy Commander, Fleet Logistics Support, Navy Supply Systems Command, and, Vice Commander, Fleet Material Support Office, Mechanicsburg, PA.
   Military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with Gold Star, as well as numerous combat, administrative and deployment awards.
   Admiral Hekman, since retirement in 1995, has served in several logistic positions in the United States and abroad, and currently consults in logistics matters. He is affiliated as a Trustee of the Virginia War Memorial; as Chairman, Virginia War Memorial Educational Foundation, Inc.; as Fellow, Virginia Rail Policy Institute; as Chairman of the Port of Richmond Commission; as Director, Virginia National Defense Industrial Authority; and, as President, Rotary Club of Richmond.

Gary T. Johnson, Emeritus

... is an emeritus professor of planning and the former director of Graduate Programs of the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
   Johnson’s teaching, research, and scholarship focus on the fields of transportation and housing.  Publications include research reports, planning documents, a CPL Bibliography, as well as articles in such scholarly outlets as:  Transportation Research, the Journal of Transportation Engineering, Transportation Research Record, AASHTO Quarterly, Society, the Journal of Urban Affairs, Urban Law and Policy, Urban Resources, the Journal of the American Planning Association, the American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Municipal Management, The South Carolina Policy Forum, Virginia Town and City, Planning in Virginia, Virginia Review and others.
   Johnson has conducted research for, and/or provided technical assistance to, a variety of organizations over the years.  Clients have included: the Ethyl Corporation; the City of Richmond; the South Bend Urban Observatory; the U.S. Department of Transportation; the U.S. Naval Aviation Executive Institute; the Office of the Virginia Secretary of Transportation; the Office of the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth; the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy; the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development; and the Virginia Department of Legislative Services.  From 1986-1988, Johnson served as Research Director of the Governor’s Commission on Transportation in the 21^st Century (COT – 21).
   Johnson has also been actively involved in public, professional and university service. He has served on the Board of Directors of a variety of organizations, including the Better Housing Coalition, EarthCraft Virginia, Virginia Supportive Housing, the Virginia Rail Policy Institute, the Virginia Alliance for Public Service and others.  He is a former member of the national Board of Directors of the American Planning Association and the former editor of the Journal of the American Planning Association.  He has served on VCU’s: Faculty Senate, Graduate School –Committee on Ethics in Research, Social Science Task Force, Ph.D. in Public Policy Committee, Virginia Center on Aging Advisory Committee, Survey Research Lab Advisory Committee, and Advisory Committee of the Governor’s Institute at VCU on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.  From 1989-1991 he served the VCU School of Community and Public Affairs as President of the Faculty.
   Johnson holds a Doctorate in Environmental Design (Texas A&M University), a Master’s in Urban Planning (Wayne State University) and a Bachelor’s in Political Science (Northern Michigan University).

Dr. Asad J. Khattak

...is internationally known for his work in transportation planning and intelligent transportation systems. He is Batten Endowed Chair in Transportation Engineering in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department of Old Dominion University. He teaches courses on transportation planning, intelligent transportation systems, and safety. He received his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering from Northwestern University in 1988 and 1991, respectively. Dr. Khattak has conducted and managed research (totaling three million dollars) on (a) traveler behavior, transportation network performance and the role of Intelligent Transportation Systems, (b) transportation safety and traffic operations and (c) new transportation planning methods for highways, transit, pedestrian, bicycle and air transportation systems. Dr. Khattak has 15 years of research experience and 11 years of teaching experience in the transportation field, after completing his Ph.D. He has authored 55 scholarly journal articles and 42 technical reports. He has presented his research work at more than 40 international conferences. Dr. Khattak is the Editor for the Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems, Taylor and Francis Publishers. As editor-in-chief, he has published 12 issues of the journal. Each issue typically contains 4 to 5 peer-reviewed papers and occasionally book reviews or comments on past papers.

John L. Knapp, Ph. D.

Wiley F. Mitchell, Jr., Of Counsel

  Prior to joining Willcox and Savage, Mr. Mitchell was Senior General Counsel for Norfolk Southern Corporation with responsibility for all of its casualty, FELA and insurance litigation, and he continues to serve as Special Counsel to Norfolk Southern on a number of projects.  In addition to being an active member of the firm’s civil litigation section, Mr. Mitchell is a member of the firm’s Government Relations practice group, specializing in state and local government issues.  Mr. Mitchell is a former president of the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel and currently serves on its Executive Committee.
   In addition to his extensive legal career involving both private and corporate practice, Mr. Mitchell is a leader in state and municipal government.  He was a member of the Alexandria, Virginia City Council from 1967 to 1976, and a member of the Virginia Senate, where he served as Minority Floor Leader, from 1976 to 1988.  He is a former member of the Board of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and served as chairman of its Government Affairs Committee for nearly a decade.  He is currently Chair of the Virginia Rail Advisory Committee, a Fellow of the Virginia Rail Policy Institute and a Board member of the Virginia High Speed Rail Development Committee.
  Relevant Experience

• Responsible for the investigation, handling, defense, evaluation, and disposition of all casualty claims and litigation asserted by or against a Fortune 500 national rail carrier, including administrative and supervisory responsibility for its Casualty Claims Department and its outside counsel engaged in defending such claims.
• Extensively experienced in evaluating serious and complex personal injury claims.
• Extensively experienced in investigating, administering, evaluating and defending mass tort claims.
• Participated significantly in the mediation and arbitration of contested casualty claims.
• Has participated as an arbitrator in a number of arbitration proceedings between Rail carriers.
• Maintains comprehensive familiarity with the universe of insurance coverage issues, both with respect to procurement and enforcement.
• Extensively experienced in devising and drafting creative solutions to legislative problems.  The author and principal sponsor of more than 100 pieces of legislation which are now a part of the law of Virginia, including the Virginia Tort Claims Act.
• Has intimate familiarity with the powers of state and local government in Virginia, with the procedures and processes by which issues are resolved, and with the agencies and personnel involved in those processes.

Practice Areas-Transportation, Products Liability, Government Relations
Education-J.D. Wake Forest University, 1954
Memberships-Virginia State Bar, National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel

Leadership
Alexandria, Virginia, City Council: member, 1967-1976
Virginia Senate: member, 1976-1988; Minority Floor Leader
Virginia Chamber of Commerce: board member;
     chairman, Government Affairs Committee
Hampton Roads Regional Chamber of Commerce:  board member; Chairman, Transportation Committee
Professional Recognition-AV Peer Review Rating by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Virginia’s “Legal Elite,” Virginia Business magazine

Ray Pethtel

          ... is the Director of the Transportation Policy Group at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.  He was the university’s facilitator for the "Smart Road," an innovative and unique state-of-the-art research facility
          Ray served from 1986 to 1994 as Virginia's Transportation Commissioner and Member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board.  He was Chairman of the Board from 1986 to 1990 and Vice-Chairman from 1991 to 1994. He was appointed Interim Commissioner in 2002 by newly elected Governor Mark Warner. 
In 1974 he was appointed by a committee of the Virginia General Assembly as the founding Director of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission and confirmed by a joint vote of the Senate and House of Delegates. He served two six year terms. 
          Ray received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Pennsylvania State University.  In 1992, the Penn State Board of Trustees awarded him the permanent title of “Alumni Fellow” the highest award given to alumni of the university.  In July 2000, he was honored by the National Conference of State Legislatures for “career achievement” for his work with the New York and Virginia legislatures. 
          Ray is a founding member and former President of the New Century Technology Council—the Roanoke and New River Valleys foremost technology organization.  In 2004, he was named Secretary of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America.

Trip Pollard 

 ... is a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, a non-profit environmental organization headquartered in Charlottesville that works in Virginia and five other southern states. He is the director of SELC's Land and Community Program, which uses legal and policy advocacy to promote transportation and land use decisions that protect the environment and enhance the quality of life in this region.  His recent publications include New Directions: Land Use, Transportation, and Climate Change in Virginia; Connections and Choices: Affordable Housing and Smarter Growth in the Greater Richmond Area; and Smart Growth and Sustainable Transportation.  Trip has lectured widely, served on numerous state and local governmental commissions and advisory bodies, and served on the board of many organizations.  He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Virginia.

Meredith Richards

... is a former Charlottesville City Councilor and Vice Mayor who has specialized in transportation public policy during her public career.  
          While on council she served on regional and statewide boards, including the Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO, the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, the Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development, the Virginia First Cities Coalition and the Virginia Municipal League.  She was a founding member of the Committee to Advance the TransDominion Express and served on its steering committee for several years. 
          Meredith was active in the Virginia Transit Association and served as its Vice President from 1997-1998 and as President from 1998-2000. In 2004, she and appointed to Governor Mark Warner’s Commission on Rail Enhancement for the 21st Century.
          In response to the growing demand for more passenger rail for the Charlottesville area, Meredith founded and serves as Chairman of CvilleRail (www.cvillerail.org), a non-profit that promotes enhanced passenger rail for Charlottesville and Central Virginia.  CvilleRail has taken the lead to establish the Piedmont Rail Coalition, a consortium of local governments, economic development authorities and businesses throughout Virginia’s US29 corridor who are working together to bring more frequent and accessible passenger rail service to the Piedmont region.
          Meredith is also President of Virginians for High Speed Rail and is a Fellow with the Virginia Rail Policy Institute. 
          Meredith holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Illinois and has been a member of the faculties of the University of Virginia and the University of Louisville.

John R. Smith

... is Vice President of Shenandoah Logistics, a logistics consulting firm specializing in logistics processes, planning, and negotiations for small or mid-sized companies. John is Vice Chairman on the Port of Richmond, VA Commission, Fellow and Secretary on the Virginia Rail Policy Institute, member of Board of Directors of the Commonwealth Clinic, past Chairman of the American Forest and Paper Association Transportation Committee, a volunteer at Victory Junction Camp for disabled children, and was licensed to practice before the Interstate Commerce Commission.  John has over 40 years of transportation experience being employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad, Railway Express Agency, and 37 years with MeadWestvaco Corporation where he was Director of Logistics. He has considerable exposure to formulating policy and best practices, rationalizing organizations, and developing work processes.  John has an MBA from Monmouth College and his Bachelors in Business Management from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Robert E. Skinner, Jr.

Executive Director
Transportation Research Board

   Robert Skinner has been the Executive Director of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies since 1994.  TRB is a non-profit organization that promotes transportation innovation by sponsoring professional meetings and publications, administering applied research programs, and conducting policy studies.  It serves as an independent adviser to the federal government and others on scientific and technical questions of national importance.
   Prior to becoming executive director, Mr. Skinner directed TRB’s policy study activities. Before joining TRB in 1983, Mr. Skinner was a Vice President of Alan M. Voorhees and Associates, a transportation consulting firm.
   Mr. Skinner recently chaired the Special Advisory Panel for the Stem-to-Stern Safety Review of the Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project.  In addition it serves on a number of university and research advisory groups including the visiting committee for the Engineering Systems Division at MIT, the Board of Trustees for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of Virginia, the Advisory Board for the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida, the External Review Committee for the MIT-Portugal Project, and the Advisory Board for the School of Public Policy at George Mason University.
   Mr. Skinner earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia and received a master’s degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  A registered professional engineer, Mr. Skinner received the James Laurie Prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers and the P.D. McLean Memorial Award from the Washington, D.C. Road Gang. 

Michael Testerman

   ... grew up in the railroad city of Roanoke, Virginia. He holds a BS from Virginia Tech (1971) and moved to Richmond for a thirty-year career in social work.
   Michael’s rail advocacy sojourn began in 1975 when he helped several counties in Southwest Virginia in their failed attempt to retain their branch line service, on the heels of the OPEC oil embargo. In 1980, he was one of the founders of the Virginia Association of Railway Patrons, and he has served as its president since that group’s inception. He organized the breakout session, “Cargo and people in shared rail corridors: A win-win?” for the 2000 Southeast High-Speed Rail Conference and Expo. One year later, together with former RF&P Railroad president, Richard Beadles, he co-wrote the Virginia Rail Plan for the Virginia High-Speed Rail Development Committee. Michael organized the Virginia Light Rail Symposium in November 2006.
   In 2001, Michael took early retirement from the City of Richmond to devote himself to full time rail advocacy. In 2003, he helped establish the grassroots coalition known as RAIL Solution, to promote a viable rail alternative to the proposed super-sizing of Interstate-81 in Virginia. He serves as that group’s vice-chairman and General Assembly lobbyist. Through his membership on the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee of the Richmond Metropolitan Planning Organization, he has participated in several regional-rail, streetcar and transit studies, and on the Richmond Regional Long- Range Transportation Plan.
   Michael Testerman is a board member of Virginians for High Speed Rail, and serves as treasurer for that group and the Virginia Rail Policy Institute. He is also a director of the National Association of Railroad Passengers.

Current activities:

Board member - Virginians for High Speed Rail
Board member and President - Virginia Association of Railway Patrons (VARP)
Vice-chairman - RAIL Solution (I-81 corridor rail advocate coalition)
Member - Long-range Transportation Plan Committee, Richmond Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
Member - Downtown Richmond Streetcar Steering Committee
Member - Richmond Regional Rail Transit Study Committee
Member - Richmond MPO Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee
Registered lobbyist, Virginia General Assembly (for RAIL Solutions)
Responsibility for VARP "ON TRACK" newsletter publicationResponsibility for organizing VARP annual meetings (guest speakers)
March 2003: Author, "Bringing Light Rail to Richmond" brochure (Restore the Core committee, Sierra Club)
January 2003: Delegate to American Passenger Rail Coalition (Chicago Summit)
September 2001: Committee chair and co-author, "Virginia Rail Plan"  (Virginia High Speed Rail Development Committee) http://www.vhsr.com
October 2000: Assembled breakout session for Southeast High Speed Rail Conference & Expo, "Cargo and People in Shared Corridors - a WIn-Win?"
1980: Co-founder, Virginia Association of Railway Patron http://varprail.org
1977: Co-author, with NC Region D Council of Governments, for federal railroad preservation grant.
1975-1977: Advisor to Washington and Grayson Counties, Virginia, and Ashe County, North Carolina, for rail service preservation.

Michael S. Townes
   ...is President/CEO of Hampton Roads Transit
   Over the past three decades, Michael S. Townes has devoted his career to public transportation. In November 1986, Mr. Townes joined the Peninsula Transportation District Commission (PENTRAN) as the Assistant to the Executive Director. He was appointed Acting Executive Director in 1988 and became Executive Director in July 1989. Beginning March 1, 1998, he also served as the Interim Executive Director for the Tidewater Transportation District Commission in preparation for the merger of the two agencies. Effective October 1, 1999, he became the Executive Director of the consolidated Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (Hampton Roads Transit).  On January 10, 2002, he became the first President and CEO of Hampton Roads Transit.
   Michael currently serves as Past Chair of APTA Executive Committee. He recently served as Chair of APTA Executive Committee.   He served as Co-Chair of the APTA’s Reauthorization Task Force, which was the Committee that established the national transit position on the upcoming reauthorization.  Michael served as Chairman of the Norman Mineta Transportation Institute Board of Trustees, APTA’s Legislative Committee Chair, and Chairman of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Executive Committee.  Michael currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia High Speed Rail Development Committee.
   Michael Townes has served as Chair of the Transportation Cooperative Research Project (TCRP) Oversight and Project Selection (TOPS) Committee.  As a member of the Advance Public Transit Systems’ (APTS) Committee of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, Michael was able to take steps to integrate new technologies into the day-to-day operations of his transit system and assist other transit systems with similar endeavors.
   His ducation includes:
Virginia Commonwealth University                   
B.S.     1978    Arts-Political Science
M.A     1980    Urban Regional Planning

   His professional Experience includes:
1978 - 1980                 Planning Technician of Richmond Regional Planning                                     District Commission
1980 - 1982                 Director of Planning of Greater Richmond Transit Company
1982 - 1984                 Manager of Planning, Marketing and Scheduling of                                     Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company
1984 - 1986                 Assistant General Manager of Stockton Metropolitan                                     Transit District (SMTD)
1986 - 1988                 Assistant to the Executive Director of Peninsula Transit                                      (PENTRAN)
1988 - 1989                 Acting Executive Director of Peninsula Transit (PENTRAN)1997 - 1999                 Interim Executive Director of Tidewater Regional Transit                            (TRT)
1989 – 1999                Executive Director of Peninsula Transportation District                             Commission (PENTRAN)
1999 – Present             President/Chief Executive Officer of Hampton Roads Transit                                        (formerly PENTRAN and Tidewater       Regional Transit)

 Honors & Involvement
American Public Transit Association (Past Year and Current)
Elected - 1st Vice Chair for Executive Committee
Co-Chair of Reauthorization Task Force
            Board of Directors
            Access to Work Task Force
            Chair - Diversity Council
            Research Advocacy Funding Subcommittee
            Research & Development Committee
            Member of Nominating Committee
            Legislative Steering Committee
            Transportation Sustainability/Coordination Working Group
            Small Operations Steering Committee
            Strategic Planning Committee
            Bus Operations Task Force
Virginia Transit Association
            Chair – Legislative Committee
            Member of Executive Committee
            Member of Futures Task Force
            Treasurer
International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies (IISTPS)
            Board of Trustees
            Elected Vice-Chair
National Transit Institute
Member – Advisory Committee for Advanced Technologies & Innovative
            Practices
Transportation Research Board, Member of the Executive Committee
ENO Transportation Foundation, Inc. (ENO), Board of Advisors
Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
Hampton Bay Days, Board of Directors, Treasurer
Norfolk Convention & Visitor Bureau, Board of Directors
National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ)
             Chair - NCCJ Banquet
Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance, Member
Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)
            Member , Chair - Legislative Committee
Conference of Minority Public Administrators (COMPA), Member
Surface Transportation Policy Project, Advisory Board Member
Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS), Member
Work & Instructional Needs Program (WIN), Board of Advisors
Governor’s Commission on Climate Change Committee, Member

James A. Wilding

   James A. Wilding is the retired President and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the organization that operates National and Dulles airports. He was educated as a Civil Engineer and worked at the Washington airports from 1959 until his retirement in 2003, the last 24 of those years as the Chief Executive. In retirement he has remained active in Aviation, currently serving as Oversight Committee Chairman of the Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program and in several roles dealing with the transformation of our aviation system to the Next Generation Air Transportation System.

Walter R. T. Witschey

...is Professor of Anthropology and Science Education at Longwood University. He is past president of the Virginia Academy of Science and of the international Association of Science-Technology Centers. Witschey is a founding member of the Virginia Rail Policy Institute.
   For 15 years he was CEO of a computer services business, after spending four years installing scientific computer systems for IBM. He served as state agency head Director of the Science Museum of Virginia, a large multi-site science center network, under five Governors.
   Education: BA Physics, Princeton; MBA Operations Research, University of Virginia; MA, PhD Anthropology Tulane University.