Member Spotlight: Imani Johnson
As a proud HBCU Graduate, Imani's passion and experience in advocacy, governmental policy, and community engagement prepared her for success as a Public Information Officer for the City of Durham. In this role, she leads the marketing, communications, public relations, and community outreach initiatives for the City’s Transportation department. She serves as a conference chair and on the Professional Development Committee, inspiring a legacy of action, resilience, and impact. Last year, she was recognized as the Southeast Member of the Year for her vision and dedication to using her creativity to inspire and uplift agency members through monumental experiences.
What brought you to TDM and how did you get involved in the field?
After being a political and community organizer for almost a decade, I wanted to try a new career avenue after finishing my studies. As a career coach and peer mentor, I advise my clients to “just apply and allow your skills and experience to speak for you in your application and interview.” My words came true when I was hired to work at the City of Durham in my current role. Originally, TDM was a minimal part of my role, but after learning how vital its strategies are for transportation, it became integral.
Why did you get involved in ACT?
As a transportation industry newcomer, I intentionally set a goal to learn from seasoned leaders by attending networking events and tours during my first ACT Conference in Chicago. I learned about ACT’s committees and identified the one most endearing to me: professional development. From there, I joined the Conference Committee for the International Conference and TDM Forum. I believe in actively working to identify and instill my many ideas from my career and life experiences. A combination of that and my passion for TDM, keeping the world moving, led to my involvement in ACT.
What has been the most memorable moment of your experience in ACT?
As an avid traveler, my most notable experiences in ACT stem from the opportunities to explore transportation systems nationwide. ACT has given me an essential community of mentors, colleagues, and friends. They’ve helped me with everything from bouncing marketing strategies to one-on-one training in their city while I was vacationing. Picking one memory is hard, but I will always cherish the 2024 ACT Conference in Denver because I signed up to be a conference buddy for the first time. I experienced ACT for the first time through my buddy’s eyes and created a lasting friendship.
What would you tell someone thinking about becoming a member of ACT?
To any aspiring member of ACT, before you join this organization, find your WHY. Identify how TDM inspires and motivates you to work in this industry and then find the people who do that. Your membership is what you make of it. Research the opportunities ACT has that fit your schedule and passions. There are numerous ways to learn from members, ask questions, generate feedback, and open yourself up to new opportunities. Know that ACT is a community built of villages for whatever path interests you.
What do you see as future opportunities and/or challenges for TDM?
I believe TDM strategies will become the foundation of travel. Our industry moves people safely and sustainably, and multimodal travel will always be needed. The biggest challenge our industry faces is outdated infrastructure. As our industry grows and people begin opening their minds to options other than driving alone, our systems need to enhance their safety and security to accommodate the influx of travelers. Upgrading infrastructure is not easy nor cheap, but we must remain dedicated to securing funding to keep our systems moving.