[IMAGE]WomanofYearHighSpeedRailFull.jpg[/IMAGE] California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) Deputy Director Carrie Pourvahidi has been named the Woman of the Year by the Sacramento Chapter of the Women in Transportation (WTS).

The annual award honors “a woman who is an outstanding role model and has contributed to the advancement of women and minorities in transportation.”

Pourvahidi, who was recognized for her “outstanding contributions to the regional transportation community,” has been a long-time advocate for building a world-class high-speed train system in California.

“It’s a pleasure to work with so many impressive women who are making their mark on transportation issues,” said Pourvahidi. “I’m also thrilled that the stars have aligned perfectly so that we can finally make high-speed trains in California a reality. We’ve been thinking about it, and planning for it, now we’re on the verge of implementing, which is very exciting.”

Pourvahidi is 10-year veteran of the CHSRA. WTS is an international organization dedicated to the advancement of women in transportation by promoting excellence, growth, opportunity and recognition. The organization provides an interactive forum for the advancement of multi-modal transportation issues.

For additional information, visit http://www.wtsinternational.org/.