Consultant Q&A: Ryan White on regulation, funding, and community-centered solutions

As design services growth leader for Southeast Transportation at Stantec, Ryan White brings over 20 years of experience in transportation planning, engineering, and public involvement. In addition to leading projects, Ryan has led outreach efforts for long-range and project-specific plans in diverse urban and rural settings. His work includes facilitating community and technical advisory committees, organizing in-person and virtual meetings, and engaging legislative bodies. Beyond engagement, he has developed community impact assessments and led aesthetic design initiatives to address visual impacts on local communities.

As part of METRO Magazine’s annual Consultants Roundtable interview series, executive editor Alex Roman sat down with Ryan to discuss transit project delivery across the US. In their conversation, they cover navigating regulatory hurdles such as NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act), funding challenges, and the benefits of authentic community and stakeholder engagement. They also talk about the trends shaping the future of transit infrastructure. Ryan shares insights learned from his decades of experience in transportation planning, engineering, and public involvement.