The United Way Women United Program

An experienced executive in the infrastructure and transportation industries, Michelle Pourciau heads MP Synergy in Washington, D.C., as its president. To give back to the community, Michelle Pourciau supports a number of causes, including the United Way Women United program, which includes more than 70,000 women working to create new opportunities for other women across the United States.

One of the key focuses of the Women United program is teaching leadership skills to new generations of young minds. To this end, the program supports Girls Today, Leaders Tomorrow, an initiative that offers mentoring, college preparatory guidance, and academic support to young women in grades seven through 12. Participants connect directly to local women leaders, who help them develop skills and forge a positive path forward.

Since the program was initiated, more than 400 girls have participated. Through the program, these girls had the chance to explore colleges, hear from successful women, and get connected to more than 100 female leaders. The mentorship offered through the program helps young girls gain the confidence to set high goals and develop the skills necessary to become strong leaders. 

Leadership Courses at the Eno Center

Michelle Pourciau is an experienced public sector senior executive who holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Howard University. To supplement her professional work, Michelle Pourciau has completed professional development and credentialing programs through organizations such as the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials and the Eno Center for Transportation.

Since being founded by William Phelps Eno in 1921, the Eno Center for Transportation has fostered creativity and leadership in the transportation sector. Currently, the center focuses its efforts on three core areas: policy forums, publications, and professional development programs.

Professional development programs at the Eno Center include virtual webinars, conferences, and leadership development. The center’s leadership development coursework is offered through Transportation Mid-Manager Program (TMM) Virtual, an interactive, fully web-based conference designed for mid-level transportation executives. Designed as a bridge to senior leadership, the TMM program covers essential leadership and transportation management skills over the course of a week.

For further information on professional development programs at the Eno Center, visit www.enotrans.org.

WTS International 2019 Leadership Program Highlights

An executive in the transport and infrastructure industry, Michelle Pourciau is the former director of the city of Baltimore’s Department of Transportation. A resident of Washington, D.C., Michelle Pourciau supports Women’s Transportation Seminar International (WTS).

WTS is dedicated to advancing the future of transportation through the empowerment of women in the industry. The organization holds an annual leadership training event (open to both men and women) to prepare industry practitioners for leadership in the changing field of global transport.

The 2019 WTS Leadership program was held from October 1 to 5 in Washington, D.C. The program had two training modules, the first for mid-level managers and the second for executives. Training for mid-level managers focused on helping them understand transportation industry trends, learn from industry innovators, and develop the skills necessary for career advancement.

Training for executives was focused on facilitating peer-to-peer research-based industry discussions, as well as providing insight on media outreach beneficial to driving favorable transport policy. In addition, at both modules, participants completed 360 degree assessments of themselves, gaining a deeper understanding of their leadership styles. The training was facilitated by Denis Rabius, president of Rabius Consulting, a group that creates industry-specific organizational development programs.