Chair

Tiara McCray, RWA-GN

As a motivated professional specializing in right of way acquisitions, relocations, and negotiations for State and Local government agencies, Ms. McCray has acquired property interests for transportation infrastructure projects ranging from $500K to $662M over the last seven years. With a strong background in Right of Way principles under the Uniform Relocation Act (49 CFR Part 24) and a passion for strategic project development, she is adept at building and maintaining solid relationships with various stakeholders, crucial to navigating complex negotiations with successful outcomes.

Currently serving as the Acting Property Acquisition Section Chief for the past year, she provides oversight and development of comprehensive acquisition strategies that align with the Department’s goals. Before accepting the Acting role, she was a Real Property Specialist III. She successfully acquired property interests for the Department’s multimodal transportation and infrastructure project portfolio by collaborating and engaging with a multi-disciplinary team. Passionate about developing creative solutions to the Department’s challenges, Ms. McCray served on the Director’s Policy Workgroup from December 2019 to June 2021, and the Electric Vehicle (EV) Joint Readiness Task Force with the Department of Permitting Services; this Task Force’s work resulted in the Residential EV Charging Station Pilot Program in 2022.

Ms. McCray is a proud alumnus of the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Science in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness. Since joining the IRWA in 2019, she has been recognized as a motivated leader in the Right of Way industry, serving the Association in international, regional, and local leadership roles. Throughout 2023, she has used these platforms on notable industry podcasts (Eminent Domain & Right of Way Club and Infrastructure Junkies) to highlight work within Montgomery County and discuss industry trends that aid in the development of transportation options that seamlessly and equitably move people and connect places.

Vice Chair

Miss Janielle Marcie Edge, RWA-GN

Meet Janielle Edge, a dedicated right-of-way professional with a wealth of experience managing diverse projects for Caltrans and NCDOT. Her focus has primarily been on relocation and land acquisition tasks, where her efforts have played a crucial role in elevating the success of numerous significant undertakings.

Janielle is actively engaged in the International Right of Way Association (IRWA), where she serves as the International Young Professional (YP) Vice Committee Chair. Additionally, she takes on the Young Professional Committee/Social Chair role for Chapter 31. Her involvement in these positions reflects her commitment to fostering professional development and networking within the industry.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Janielle finds joy in traveling and exploring different cities' architectural and real estate infrastructure. Her passion for understanding the built environment adds a unique dimension to her profile, showcasing a well-rounded professional with both expertise and a genuine appreciation for her field.

Secretary

Alyssia Padilla, SR/WA-GN

Alyssia Padilla is the new Divisional Director for the Public Sector at ORC. With a rich background in the right-of-way industry, spanning the electrical utility and transportation sectors, Padilla is poised to bring a wealth of experience to her new role.

Her appointment underscores ORC's commitment to bolstering its leadership team and enhancing its public sector services. Padilla will manage and coordinate the activities of multiple Project Managers, spearhead business development initiatives, and oversee complex right-of-way projects across Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah. However, her role is not limited to these states, as she will have the opportunity to explore and contribute her expertise to projects in other regions as well. "Alyssia's extensive experience and consistent success make her a truly valuable asset to our team," said Jordan Hohn, Executive Vice President at ORC. "Her leadership acumen capacity for innovation promise to enhance our initiatives in the public sector division."

Before joining ORC, Padilla served as the Right of Way Manager at United Power, Inc., managing over 500 projects of varying sizes and scope. She also held a position at the Colorado Department of Transportation, where she handled complex acquisitions and relocations in line with the Uniform Act. "I'm incredibly excited to become part of ORC, a company renowned for its longstanding history and stellar reputation in the right of way industry,” said Padilla. "I’m eager to apply my skills and experience to foster growth of the public sector division."

Padilla holds the International Right of Way Association's highest designation as an SR/WA and is a certified PEAK Instructor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Communication, and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Region 01 Representative

Atty. Maya Hamouie

Maya Hamouie is a litigation associate at Nossaman LLP’s Real Estate Practice Group. She focuses her practice on real estate and commercial disputes in both state and federal courts, representing both public and private sector clients. Maya has successfully represented clients in all phases of litigation and has developed experience negotiating and litigating discovery disputes; managing large-scale electronic document reviews and productions; drafting dispositive motions; taking and defending fact and expert witness depositions; working with expert witnesses; and preparing cases for trial and arbitration hearings. Maya has helped clients achieve significant recoveries or defense verdicts in various matters.

In addition to handling active litigation matters, Maya also provides advice to clients about legal developments and issues affecting their business operations to assist them with compliance and risk management issues. Maya maintains an active pro bono practice. She successfully litigated a quiet title action on a pro bono basis. She is also representing a minor seeking asylum after escaping dangerous conditions in her home country. She is also active in the legal community.

Region 01 Representative

Sarah R. Williams, SR/WA-TN

Sarah Williams, RWP joined the IRWA in 2016 and currently serves as Chapter 27’s Vice President, Young Professionals committee leader, Webmaster, Education Co-Chair, and is the Chair of the International Young Professionals Committee. In 2018, Sarah was a finalist for the Young Professional of the Year award at the International level, received the Region 1 Young Professional of the Year in 2018 and 2020, and helped Chapter 27 win 2019 International Website of the Year.

Sarah has 15 years of combined experience between residential Real Estate and Right of Way. Sarah has a Bachelor's Degree from CSU Sacramento majoring in Criminal Justice. She earned her California Real Estate Salesperson's license in 2017. As a Right of Way Agent Sarah has performed acquisition tasks on a variety of projects, including utility, transportation, infrastructure, water, bridge, and affordable housing. She has also worked, in a staff augmentation role, directly within the City of Elk Grove to provide direct Real Estate support to the Public Works Department. These projects have enabled her to learn about various right of way processes, including easements, partial acquisitions, full takes, relocation services, condemnation, and conservation easements.

Region 02 Representative

Leighton Gambill

Leighton was born in San Diego, California and moved to Texas when she was eight. During her high school years Leighton was accepted into the International Business Academy at Newman Smith High School. One of the requirements was a business internship. Leighton followed her Aunt, Jennifer Ayers, at Paramount Valuation Services for a summer, this is where Leighton got her first taste of the Right of Way Industry. She graduated high school in 2005 and was selected as a member of the 66th line of the World-Famous Kilgore College Rangerettes. After her two years in East Texas, she transferred to the University of North Texas. Leighton began her career in the service industry with Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, where she met her husband Nick. She returned to work with her mom, Dorrien Himes, and Aunt as an Appraiser Trainee at Paramount Valuations in 2011. Leighton is now the Business Development Director for Integra Realty Resources - Fort Worth. Leighton graduated from Lamar University in 2021 and is working towards her Certified General Appraisal license. Leighton became a member of the IRWA in 2011 and has served on the Chapter Board for the last 12 years. Currently, Leighton is the Chapter 36 Treasurer and Co-Chair for the Region 2 Young Professional Committee. She was the first Young Professional of the Year for Region 2 in 2014 and just recently was named the Chapter 36 Young Professional for 2020.

Region 02 Representative

Mercedes M Osbern

Mercedes is a Right of Way Supervisor for Flint Hills Resources, LC with over 9 years of experience in the oil and gas pipeline industry. She has worked in various aspects of right of way including acquisition, operations and maintenance projects, due diligence work, and acquisitions and divestitures. She has grown her career into supervision and is now developing a team of Operations Administrators to focus on high value contributions. Having been a member of the IRWA since 2014, Mercedes is dedicated to maintaining professional affiliations and actively contributing to the industry. She formerly maintained a position as IRWA Chapter 8 Young Professionals Co-Chair, and is currently the IRWA Region 2 Young Professionals Co-Chair and IRWA Chapter 8 Vice President. She is also a ROW Cares Board Member comprised of Right of Way Professionals to raise money for local Houston charities.

Region 03 Representative

Ms Kelsey McGregor

Kelsey is a licensed Real Estate Agent and Lead Agent in South Dakota for HDR Engineering. She has been a member of the IRWA since 2017 and is actively working towards her SR/WA designation and building membership in Chapter 72. Kelsey serves as the Chapter 72 YP Representative and Region 3 Co-Chair. Her experience includes providing Real Estate Services for local municipalities and government agencies in various sectors such as Power, Transportation, and Water – as well as Project Management and supervising a team of ROW Agents. Kelsey’s favorite thing about being a part of the IRWA is being able to network and build relationships with ROW professionals, as well as; having the opportunity to take courses in order to stay knowledgeable and up to date with the ROW Industry.

Region 03 Representative

Ms Janae Weston

Janae Weston is currently working as a Right of Way Project Manager for the Nebraska Department of Transportation. She has been involved with IRWA since 2020 and is currently working on her SR/WA designation. Janae is a Young Professional Representative for Chapter 78 and a Co-Chair for Region 3, as well as a Course Coordinator. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from Peru State College and is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska – Omaha. Janae looks forward to engaging more young and emerging professionals to join IRWA!

Region 04 Representative

Tiara McCray, RWA-GN

As a motivated professional specializing in right of way acquisitions, relocations, and negotiations for State and Local government agencies, Ms. McCray has acquired property interests for transportation infrastructure projects ranging from $500K to $662M over the last seven years. With a strong background in Right of Way principles under the Uniform Relocation Act (49 CFR Part 24) and a passion for strategic project development, she is adept at building and maintaining solid relationships with various stakeholders, crucial to navigating complex negotiations with successful outcomes.

Currently serving as the Acting Property Acquisition Section Chief for the past year, she provides oversight and development of comprehensive acquisition strategies that align with the Department’s goals. Before accepting the Acting role, she was a Real Property Specialist III. She successfully acquired property interests for the Department’s multimodal transportation and infrastructure project portfolio by collaborating and engaging with a multi-disciplinary team. Passionate about developing creative solutions to the Department’s challenges, Ms. McCray served on the Director’s Policy Workgroup from December 2019 to June 2021, and the Electric Vehicle (EV) Joint Readiness Task Force with the Department of Permitting Services; this Task Force’s work resulted in the Residential EV Charging Station Pilot Program in 2022.

Ms. McCray is a proud alumnus of the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Science in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness. Since joining the IRWA in 2019, she has been recognized as a motivated leader in the Right of Way industry, serving the Association in international, regional, and local leadership roles. Throughout 2023, she has used these platforms on notable industry podcasts (Eminent Domain & Right of Way Club and Infrastructure Junkies) to highlight work within Montgomery County and discuss industry trends that aid in the development of transportation options that seamlessly and equitably move people and connect places.

Region 05 Representative

Madison Taylor Culp, RWP-GN

I am Madison Jones, a Chapter 10 member located in Indianapolis, IN. I serve on the chapter Young Professionals committee and am your Region 5 Young Professionals Co-Representative. This is my second year in the right-of-way industry and I have aspirations of becoming a board member within my chapter. The IRWA as a whole and specifically the Young Professionals Group has given me the opportunity to grow within my profession and build a foundation for our future leadership.

Region 05 Representative

Mr Kameron McCrary, SR/WA-GN, R/W-NAC

Kameron McCrary is currently employed by Enbridge as a Land and Right of Way Advisor in Southern Michigan. He has over 8 years of experience in the right-of-way profession and has worked in several states across the country. Kameron is currently serving as the President-Elect for Chapter 7 and has been an active member of the IRWA since joining in early 2018. Kameron has previous experience in project management and various other leadership roles. As a member of the Young Professionals group, Kameron will continue to co-represent Region 5. Kameron enjoys networking and embracing new challenges and is eager to assist in the success and development of the YP team.

Region 06 Representative

Matthew J. Carroll, SR/WA-TN

Matthew Carroll is a Right of Way Project Manager for THC, Inc. He has worked in the Right-of-Way field for seven years for THC in Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Matthew has worked for various agencies to acquire right of way and provide relocation services, including; GDOT, SCDOT, TNDOT, FAA, and many local public agencies. Mr. Carroll attended the University of Georgia, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Terry College of Business. Mr. Carroll has been a member of his local IRWA Chapter 32 since 2015 and received his SR/WA-TN designation in 2021. He has served his Chapter in many roles, most recently as the Chapter’s President, and has now assumed the duties as the YP Committee Chair for Chapter 32 and Region 6.

Region 07 Representative

Ms Rouke Aboubacar, MAI

Rouké Aboubacar is a Senior Director of Valuation & Advisory at Cushman & Wakefield. Ms. Aboubacar has particular expertise with appraisals for public agency acquisitions, including valuations of temporary and permanent easement rights, air rights, subsurface rights, covenant restrictions, and other complex acquisitions. She has assisted clients with project cost estimates, appraisal reviews, and consulting, as well as mediation and litigation in support of eminent domain proceedings.

Ms. Aboubacar graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, focusing on the social and religious histories of Early Modern Europe. She later received her Master’s Degree in History from the University of Washington.

Region 07 Representative

Ms Hannah A Halpenny, SR/WA

Hannah Halpenny works for HDR, Inc. as a Senior Right of Way Agent in Vancouver, Washington. She has 10 years of experience in the Right of Way field and primarily manages teams and high density transportation projects. Hannah is a member of Chapter 3, is currently serving as a YP Co-Representative for Region 7, and has been an active member of the IRWA since joining in 2013. Hannah’s favorite part about the IRWA is the community, mentoring and education opportunities that it provides for her and her cohorts.

Region 09 Representative

Kalan Falbo

Kalan is a Right of Way and Permitting agent at Xcel Energy in Denver, Colorado. He acquires land rights required for all electric distribution, high pressure and distribution gas projects. Kalan has worked as a Real Estate professional for 13 years, 8 years in public infrastructure right of way and previously as an independent Landman in Colorado. Kalan currently serves as the vice president of Chapter 6 IRWA in Denver, CO. He holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his wife and three beautiful kids.

Region 09 Representative

Alyssia Padilla, SR/WA-GN

Alyssia Padilla is the new Divisional Director for the Public Sector at ORC. With a rich background in the right-of-way industry, spanning the electrical utility and transportation sectors, Padilla is poised to bring a wealth of experience to her new role.

Her appointment underscores ORC's commitment to bolstering its leadership team and enhancing its public sector services. Padilla will manage and coordinate the activities of multiple Project Managers, spearhead business development initiatives, and oversee complex right-of-way projects across Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah. However, her role is not limited to these states, as she will have the opportunity to explore and contribute her expertise to projects in other regions as well. "Alyssia's extensive experience and consistent success make her a truly valuable asset to our team," said Jordan Hohn, Executive Vice President at ORC. "Her leadership acumen capacity for innovation promise to enhance our initiatives in the public sector division."

Before joining ORC, Padilla served as the Right of Way Manager at United Power, Inc., managing over 500 projects of varying sizes and scope. She also held a position at the Colorado Department of Transportation, where she handled complex acquisitions and relocations in line with the Uniform Act. "I'm incredibly excited to become part of ORC, a company renowned for its longstanding history and stellar reputation in the right of way industry,” said Padilla. "I’m eager to apply my skills and experience to foster growth of the public sector division."

Padilla holds the International Right of Way Association's highest designation as an SR/WA and is a certified PEAK Instructor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Communication, and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Advisor

Conner McDonald, SR/WA

Conner McDonald – SR/WA is a Project Manager with CMD West, providing real estate and right-of-way services on projects throughout California and the Western States. Throughout Conner’s career in infrastructure real estate, he has worked with public agencies, utilities, non-profits, and educational institutions, overseeing all aspects of project delivery and land management, including project planning; valuation; negotiation; condemnation; relocation; and property management, on a diverse array of projects from high-speed rail and transportation, to water storage and flood control. Conner has served with the IRWA in past roles as Chapter President, International Public Agency Committee Chair, and Young Professionals Committee Regional Representative. He is currently the IRWA Region 1 Vice Chair, member of the IPEC Instructor Development Subcommittee, and Past Recipient of the Region 1 Professional of the Year Award.

Staff Liaison

Jaime Rose Tieu

Hi everyone! My name is Jaime Rose Mathews and I¹m IRWA¹s Manager, Field Operations and staff Liaison for our Young Professionals! I work very closely with Regions 4,5,7,8, and 10. In addition, I¹m a very active traveller and mentor. I feel incredibly lucky to be working so diligently with great minds, remarkable personalities and incredible ideas. I see great things happening with our group-and I can only imagine what we will accomplish together!