2025 New Shared Mobility Summit

Matthew Weidner leads strategic planning and systems analysis for King County Metro’s demand responsive transportation (DRT) practice. Matthew leads the agency’s DRT research and spearheads translational technology initiatives to turn theoretical research into operational reality for DRT. He also advises the agency’s DRT strategic technology direction and guides its investment in innovative and emerging mobility programs. With nearly 20 years in the industry, Matthew has been honored to speak at numerous conferences both nationally and internationally, and serves on numerous transportation technology committees across the United States.

Phirun Lach is the Director of Transportation at Sound Generations, where he leads accessible mobility programs serving older adults and people with disabilities across King County, WA. With over a decade of experience in transportation operations and community-based service, Phirun brings a collaborative and equity-driven approach to mobility planning and service delivery. He has a strong background in coalition building, cross-sector partnerships, and managing complex grant-funded programs. A U.S. Army veteran with experience in human resources and leadership, Phirun grounds his work in discipline, service, and a deep commitment to building inclusive, people-centered transportation systems.

Kirk leads Transportation Choices Coalition, Washington State’s non-profit advocate for fast, frequent, and reliable transit. Prior to Transportation Choices Coalition, Kirk served as Executive Director of Commute Seattle, the non-profit that makes walking, biking, and transit the first choice for everyone in the Emerald City.

Kirk previously served as the Executive Director of Move Redmond. During his six years at TransitCenter, he developed the organization into a nationally recognized leader in transit policy. He has spoken about ridership trends and what makes transit useful in national outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Wired, and Governing.

Tom Hewitt joined the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) in 2021 where he leads all aspects of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance as the ADA Coordinator and Program Manager. With nearly 20 years of professional experience, Tom has grounded his work in accessible transportation projects aimed at connecting people of all ages and abilities to the places they want to go, whether it is via transit, bike, and/or walking and rolling. Tom promotes the importance of network connectivity, community input, and interagency coordination in providing safe, accessible capital improvements and transportation operations.

Tom previously served as Director of Service Development for the Maryland Transit Administration, where he oversaw service planning, scheduling, and bus stop capital improvements. He holds a Master of City and Regional Planning, as well as a double major in Criminology and Sociology, with a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), from the Ohio State University, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).