Mark Kempton
Principal
Mark has over 28 years of experience managing corporate programs related to infrastructure development, strategic performance and public policy, including 15 years for Fortune 500 and Fortune Global 500 companies. Mark has been recognized with a global "Market Maker" award by one of the 10 largest construction companies in the world, and an “Invaluable Project Contributions” award by Europe’s largest engineering conglomerate. In addition, as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force Auxiliary, Mark has been decorated three times with the Meritorious Service Award for "achievements and services which are clearly outstanding and unmistakably exceptional," and was awarded the Pacific Region Government Relations Officer of the Year in 2022.
For the last two years, Mark has been a guest lecturer on Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) for San Jose State University's Master of Science in Transportation Management program.
Prior to starting Kempton Strategies, Mark was responsible for the development of PPPs in the Western United States and Canada for Skanska. In that role, Mark identified and assessed public projects for private partnership potential and then led those projects through to commercial and financial close, significantly contributing to Skanska’s growth objectives in North America.
Mark also spent time as Director of Strategic Performance for Skanska’s heavy civil business unit in North America, supporting the executive team in the development and execution of corporate strategy, including the integration of separately-acquired businesses into Skanska’s best performing business unit during a period of global economic downturn.
Kat Janowicz
Consultant
A “big-picture” thinker who is redefining sustainability.
Kat Janowicz redefines sustainability by taking an all-inclusive lifecycle approach for informed decision-making at the energy-transportation nexus. She complements organizations’ strategies by assessing risks and opportunities related to innovative technology, resilience, and long-term asset sustainability. Kat not only advises clients on technical, commercial, and strategic issues but also guide them through the complex 3-way junction between energy, transportation, and global trade.
Kat is a leader and strategist with expertise in business strategy, transformative technologies, and stakeholder engagement. She has more than twenty-three years of international experience in energy, transportation, freight, and logistics real estate. Her expertise includes a holistic approach to the total asset lifecycle and spans from planning through construction to operations and maintenance. She managed large commercial and industrial facilities, and infrastructure projects. She not only developed business strategies for national and international transportation and energy markets but also remains a driving force for energy and sustainability procurements.
Kat is an advisor and mentor to startups and established technology firms. She is an active member of trade associations and serves on boards, including FuturePorts, Harbor Association of Industry and Commerce, and Metro Sustainability Council.
Will Kempton
Strategic Advisor
Transportation innovator and manager, Will Kempton has more than 43 years of experience in transportation, public service and government affairs. Mr. Kempton is retired but most recently served as Executive Director of Transportation California, an industry-based transportation advocacy group dedicated to the advancement of California’s transportation program. Transportation California worked for years to increase funding for the state’s ailing transportation infrastructure and was a leader in the effort to pass Senate Bill 1 approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor in early 2017.
Prior to his latest stint with Transportation California, Mr. Kempton served as Executive Director of the California Transportation Commission (CTC), responsible for advising and assisting the Legislature and the Administration in the development of transportation policies and plans for California. As Executive Director, he administered and facilitated the programming and allocation of funds for highway, passenger rail, transit and active transportation improvements throughout California.
Throughout Mr. Kempton’s career, he has moved between public and private posts, starting with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in 1973. In 1985, Mr. Kempton assumed the role of Executive Director of the Santa Clara County Traffic Authority, managing its billion-dollar highway sales tax construction program, the first of its kind in the state. In 1992, Mr. Kempton became a partner in Smith, Kempton & Watts, a Sacramento advocacy firm where he consulted in programs and policies to enhance the effectiveness of public and private resources.
In 2004, Kempton was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger as the Director of Caltrans, overseeing an annual operating budget of more than $13.8 billion and 22,000 employees. He served in this capacity for five years before taking over as the Chief Executive Officer of the Orange County Transportation Authority, a county-wide transportation agency responsible for county transit services and management of the local half-cent sales tax program. Mr. Kempton retired from public service in 2013 before returning to the private sector, and ended his career in December of 2016.
Since 2005, Mr. Kempton has served on the board of the Mineta Transportation Institute, a university transportation center located at California State University, San Jose. For four years, he taught transportation funding and finance through the Institute’s graduate program in Transportation Management and has worked with his fellow board member’s and staff to secure a solid financial base in support of the center’s activities. He is also a board member of the California Transportation Foundation, an organization that provides support for injured and fallen transportation workers and offers educational opportunities for college students and the broader transportation community.
Will has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of San Francisco and completed graduate studies in Government and Public Administration at California State University, Sacramento. He resides in Folsom, California with his wife Beverley. They have four adult children and four grandchildren.