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Leadership

Leadership

Experts With Business Acumen

At Acumen, our experienced consultants have the brain power and technical skills to improve transportation infrastructure and mobility throughout the world. We have pooled our talent and moxie to build a diverse, inclusive organization that inspires our employees, partners and clients to develop sustainable transportation solutions that will help save the planet for future generations.

Meet Our Leadership Team

Walter E. Allen

CEO & President
Former U.S. Navy officer, Walter E. Allen is chief executive officer and principal-in-charge for numerous project management and project controls, systems engineering and technological innovation projects. He is an active California High Speed Rail Business Advisory Council Member and a Brandywine Workshop Board Member. For over 25 years, since founding Acumen, some of his greatest achievements have been to oversee the development of contactless fare collection technology solutions in use by major transit agencies and to create jobs for young engineers fresh out of college. Walter is passionate about green transportation, models the core values he instills in his staff and steers the ship with gratitude, respect and a penchant for adventure (and art!).

Clair Song

Vice President

As Vice President, Clair Song, P.E., draws on more than 20 years as a structural engineer and program manager to lead Acumen’s public agency programs. She holds civil and structural engineering degrees from UC Berkeley and is a licensed Professional Engineer in California, Nevada, Washington, Maryland, and Georgia. Clair serves on BART’s Business Advisory Council and the Caltrans State-Wide Small Business Council (alternate), is Vice President of AAAE Northern California, and values ethics, transparency, and high standards.

Elizabeth Chege

Controller
Financial manager and controller, Elizabeth Chege adeptly manages the accounting department and staff and multimillion-dollar budgets — and is responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, month-end close and financial reports and statements. She has cultivated her accounting, analysis and supervision skills for over 30 years, and has achieved a new level of accounting excellence for Acumen. Whether she works closely with an auditor, client or Acumen’s CEO, her priority is to fight for and protect Acumen’s fiscal health.

Chukwuma Umolu

Subject Matter Expert – Rail

Chukwuma Umolu, P.E., is Acumen’s subject matter expert for rail, bringing more than 40 years of experience on high-speed rail, heavy rail, and FTA-funded transit programs. A registered civil engineer in California and Georgia, he has served as track lead and Engineer-of-Record on California High-Speed Rail, The Portal, BART, LA Metro, and Miami-Dade major projects. He holds civil engineering degrees from Stanford University and Brown University and is a member of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials

Philip Adams

Subject Matter Expert – Quality Assurance & Rail Operations

Philip Adams brings four decades of public transit rail experience to his role as Acumen’s subject matter expert for quality assurance and rail operations and maintenance. A former Director of Transportation and Deputy General Manager at San Francisco Muni, he has led quality assurance programs for Denver RTD’s Eagle P3 and Sound Transit and served as a quality assurance expert for FTA project oversight. He also managed system safety and security for Caltrain’s electrification project.

Janelle Wong

Subject Matter Expert – Grants & Technical Writing

Janelle Wong uses her Juris Doctor in taxation and 24 years of experience as a grant and technical writer to lead Acumen’s technical writing and grant services. A former tax consultant at Accenture and Grant Thornton and former Executive Director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, she turns complex regulations into clear, persuasive writing. Janelle serves on the board of San Francisco Transit Riders and on the MTC-ABAG Community Advisory Council and supports diversity and inclusion in transportation.

Marlene Barrett Headshot

Marlene Barrett

Human Resources Manager

From the very first phone call or email, Marlene Barrett makes it a point to advocate for the well-being of potential candidates and employees. As human resources manager for over two decades, she works closely with management and leads the search for and onboarding of experts and support personnel to ensure that departments are staffed to match anticipated business demands. Some of her professional achievements include supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and going to bat for employees to ensure they have a competitive benefits package. Marlene values a strong work ethic and is renowned for her attention to detail and excellent communications, problem solving, interpersonal and organizational skills.

Douglas Van Blaricom

Senior System Engineer

Doug Van Blaricom is a senior systems engineer with more than 25 years of experience in network design, embedded systems, software development, and fare collection technology for transit agencies. At BART, he has developed Java and Kafka-based software for Communications-Based Train Control projects, designed smart card readers, and built custom test equipment for fare and wayside systems. Doug has also provided technical reviews for WMATA’s SmarTrip program and evaluated automation of Alameda County’s three movable bridges.