As deputy director of the center, Jason assists the Director in accomplishing the mission of the center and in developing the Center’s research, education and outreach programs in transportation infrastructure management. He is an Associate Researcher at the University and participates in on-going research activities of the center including the Upper Midwest Freight Corridor Study through analysis of policy and technical barriers to multi-state collaboration.   

Jason holds Liaison Responsibilities with Center sponsors and develops research work plans, conducts independent and collaborative research, writes interim and final reports, and prepares and delivers presentations on research results. He serves as a peer reviewer of research problem statements, proposals, and reports for the Center, the Wisconsin Highway Research Program (WHRP), and other national and  WisTrans programs as appropriate.

He represents the Center within the university to academic departments and other research centers and outside the university to government, private sector, academic partners and other universities.

Jason is responsible for general operations of the Center.  He advises the Center Director on technical and policy research related to transportation asset management and works with other Center staff and faculty on educational activities, including the development of the Transportation Management and Policy graduate program.  He manages the Center's $2 million annual budget and coordinates most other Center activities. He is responsible for the creation of technology transfer programs, including the development of a short course on Integrating Maintenance into Street & Highway Design. He currently is the Program Chair for the 7th National Transportation Asset Management Conference. He served previously on the planning committee for the 6th and 5th National Transportation Asset Management Conference and was lead staff person for the 4th National Transportation Asset Management Workshop and the 2002 Diversity in Transportation Workforces Conference.

Jason was selected as a 2000 Eno Transportation Foundation Fellow and was the 1999 Student of the Year in Transportation for the Midwest Regional University Transportation Center.  He is Communications Subcommittee Chair for the Committee on Conduct of Research of the Transportation Research Board and is a member of the American Society for Public Administration, Section on Transportation Policy Analysis. He is an affiliate member of the American Society of Civil Engineering, the American Society for Engineering Education, and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, Research and Education Division. He is currently the liaison for the Committee on Conduct of Research to the Council of University Transportation Centers.

Jason holds his MPA from the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His bachelor's degree is cum laude in Political Science and Public Administration from The American University in Washington D.C. where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, Epsilon Iota chapter.  Prior to pursuing his graduate education, he worked as an Assistant Municipal Manager for the Municipality of New Lebanon, Ohio, responsible for economic development activities and council relations.    

Jason’s transportation interests include alternative financing, the effects of aging on mobility, and development of multi-state partnerships for transportation research and education. He has presented for the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition, the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, the Council of University Transportation Centers, and many others. He also served as a guest editor for a special focus issue on Transportation Asset Management of Public Works Management and Policy.

Jason is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Edgewood College.  He teaches Introduction to the American Political Process and Public Policy Process.  He holds a Wisconsin license as an amateur baseball and football official.  He is a member of the Southern Wisconsin Officials Association, the National Association of Sports Officials, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Home Talent League Umpires Association.

Jason resides in Madison, is married to Attorney Sarah Kissel, and they have two daughters, Emma (born March 2001) and Charlotte (born February 2004).

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