We recently named Pam Jones as the first full-time fellow. An internship opportunity to work with CNT Vice President for Government Affairs Jacky Grimshaw will open next month.

Native Chicagoan Pamela Jones got interested in transportation planning and policy because she wanted to expand transportation options in urban and rural communities.

“I was lucky enough to grow up in a transit-rich neighborhood and took the train and bus to get around," says Jones. “The older I got, the more I realized that while Chicago is a major city with a robust transit system, even here, many neighborhoods did not have the same access to transit that I did.”

Visiting other cities, she saw transportation systems that worked better. This interest led her to the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she earned a master’s in urban planning and policy, focusing on urban transportation. Before starting at UIC, she identified CNT as an organization she hoped to join. Soon after she graduated, this hope became a reality (shout-out to her academic advisor, Kate Lowe, for helping make the connection!)

At CNT, Pam works on transportation-related project-based work that centers equity and sustainability in and outside Chicago while also working closely with Jacky Grimshaw. “Having the chance to work with and learn from one of the most knowledgeable, well-known women in the transportation arena as I start my career is more than I ever imagined,” she says. “I love learning from Jacky and getting to know her.”

Learn more about the Jacky Grimshaw Fellow