The staff at the Traffic Injury Research Foundation USA, Inc. (TIRF USA) in collaboration with the professional team of TIRF (Canada) provides a unique blend of research and technical expertise, gained through decades of work in traffic safety.
The combined TIRF staff possess expertise in relation to:
- Experimental & epidemiological research
- Qualitative & quantitative analyses (& specialized multivariate techniques)
- Crash analysis & causal assessment
- Public opinion, population & roadside surveys
- Observational studies
- Database design, construction & management
- Literature reviews
- Knowledge transfer
- Event hosting
Rachel Hamel is an accomplished interdisciplinary researcher with extensive evaluation and consulting experience.
With a Ph.D. in Applied Psychology and a specialization in Organizational Behavior, Rachel brings a robust methodological foundation and a passion for translating complex data into actionable insights that inform public policy and strategic decision-making. Her interests include behavioral safety research topics such as risky driving behaviors, traffic enforcement issues, safety performance indicators, implementation of road safety programs, evaluation methodologies, and survey research. Rachel is actively involved in TIRF’s technical assistance, supported by NHTSA, on alcohol ignition interlocks and impaired driving countermeasures.
Rachel previously served as a Research Psychologist at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), where she led behavioral safety research and evaluation studies aimed at reducing traffic-related deaths and injuries. Her expertise spans quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including survey design, statistical modeling, experimental design, and behavioral data analysis. She has managed large-scale research projects across national, state, and local levels, applying behavioral science principles to evaluate the effectiveness of safety programs and interventions. Rachel has also held key roles in higher education, including Assistant Director of Data Analytics at Temple University and Analysis and Planning Consultant at Penn State University, where she led data-driven initiatives to support institutional strategy and student success. Her work is characterized by a collaborative approach, strong communication skills, and a commitment to methodological rigor and innovation.
Professional memberships:
Friend of the Transportation Research Board (TRB)
- Impairment in Transportation Committee
- Safety Data, Analysis and Evaluation Committee
- Traffic Law Enforcement Committee
Carl Wicklund has over 50 years of experience in the corrections/human services field.
Most recently, he served as the Community Justice Division Director for Volunteers of America (VOA) – Minnesota and Wisconsin. Previously, he was the Executive Director of the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) for nearly two decades where he administered well over 100 grants and training and technical assistance projects related to community corrections, public safety, highway safety, and services for victims of crime. He oversaw the development and delivery of numerous face-to-face training and distance learning programs, research projects, monograms and guidebooks, and policy and practice advocacy endeavors. Earlier in his career, he served as the director of a three-county adult and juvenile probation and parole department as well as developed and managed a variety of community-based, private sector programs for juveniles and adults involved with the justice and/or social services systems. He was also a volunteer counselor at the Minneapolis Sexual Assault Crisis Center.
He has been a leader and/or member of numerous local, state, national, and international governance, advisory, and working groups that include a wide range of criminal and juvenile justice, public safety, and social service organizations and agencies. He was an inaugural 16-year member and the vice chair for eight years of the Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative Advisory Committee (consisting of 35 national organizations and several federal departments) which advises the U.S. Attorney General on cross domain information sharing and was a 10-year member of the Criminal Justice Information System Advisory Policy Board which advises the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He has been involved with TIRF in various capacities for over 20 years including an inaugural member of the DWI System Improvement Working Group.
Awards:
- The first Minnesota Citizens Council on Crime and Justice – Gisela Konopka Award in 1984 for humane and creative treatment of juvenile delinquents
- 2001 Florida Community Corrections Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award
- The first U.S. Congressional Crime Victims’ Rights Caucus Allied Professional Award in 2006
- 2007 Justice Leadership Award from Family Justice (NY)
- 2015 Justice Leadership Award from the U.S. Department of Justice
About our Canadian partners
The Traffic Injury Research Foundation USA, Inc. (TIRF USA) maintains a close collaborative relationship with the Traffic Injury Research Foundation of Canada (TIRF Canada), although these two organizations are unique with each having their own Board of Directors and staff. TIRF Canada is a road safety research institute sharing its commitment to reducing traffic-related injuries and fatalities. Both organizations bring distinct yet complementary areas of expertise to the field of road safety research. On the basis of this partnership, TIRF USA and TIRF Canada engage in a reciprocal subcontracting arrangement, with staff from each organization contributing to the other’s projects as needed.
The TIRF Canada staff listed below work on select TIRF USA projects in a subcontractor capacity, lending their specialized knowledge to advance our shared research mission.
Ward Vanlaar, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator & Quality Assurance Manager
Ward Vanlaar received his Ph.D. in Transportation Science from the University of Hasselt in Belgium in 2009.
Dr. Vanlaar has a Master’s degree in Criminology from Ghent University (1999) and a Master’s degree in Quantitative Analysis from the Catholic University of Brussels (2001). He has 26 years of experience in road safety. He began his career in 1999 in the Belgian Road Safety Institute, where he served as Head of Research from 2001 to 2005 before moving to Canada. He is well-published (Elsevier h-factor: 21) in the academic literature on a variety of topics, including speed, aggressive driving, impaired driving, distracted driving, young and old drivers, and active road users, to name a few. Dr. Vanlaar served as an Associate Editor of Accident Analysis and Prevention, and is an editorial board member of the Journal of Safety Research. He is highly experienced with project management having observed this role in many projects throughout his 20-year career at TIRF. He has worked extensively in the US, Canada and other countries around the globe, not only conducting scientific research but also working with practitioners to implement research findings in a meaningful, context-sensitive way.
Hannah Barrett, M.A.
Project Lead
Hannah Barrett, M.A. has a Master’s of Arts in Criminology & Criminal Justice Policy from the University of Guelph.
Ms. Barrett has eight years of experience across various road safety research topics. She has conducted surveys, focus groups and key informant interviews, data collection and analysis, and the dissemination of data findings. She has considerable experience in assessments, specifically TIRF’s DWI Dashboard and Action2Zero tools; she has overseen the implementation of these assessments and their findings in multiple American communities. Ms. Barrett has assisted in leading the Action2Zero efforts in many communities, completing data collection, analysis, reports of findings, and presentations of results. In addition to utilizing surveys for data collection, Ms. Barrett has led multiple focus groups, most recently conducting eight in Belize, collecting data from participants using a semi-structured interview style. In addition to focus group moderation, she has utilized thematic analysis methods to determine recurring patterns and themes among focus group conversations. Ms. Barrett has also been involved in community engagement work, most recently in supporting community road safety efforts in the East End District of Houston, TX, and the Blackfeet Tribal Nation, MT.
Tho (Bella) Dinh-Zarr, PhD, MPH
Advisor
T. Bella Dinh-Zarr, PhD, MPH, works at the intersection of public health, transportation, and good governance with the goal of safe, clean, and ethical transportation for all.
Dr. Dinh-Zarr has 30 years of executive and technical experience in government, non-profit, corporate, philanthropic, and academic settings. From 2015 to 2019, she served as Vice Chairman, Acting Chairman, and Board Member of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Previously, she was the North American Director and United Nations NGO Representative for the FIA Foundation.
Dr. Dinh-Zarr conducted the first systematic reviews on problem drinking interventions to prevent injuries, with University College London and the Cochrane Collaboration, and on seat belt use, with the U.S. Guide to Community Preventive Services at the CDC. She has worked at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), AAA, and NHTSA/USDOT. Recently, she helped the Blackfeet Nation, the East End District, and the City of Houston Fire Department on road safety action plans and created the 5i Framework for Crash Investigation and Prevention, based on the Safe System Approach. Dr. Dinh-Zarr has MPH and PhD degrees from the University of Texas School of Public Health and an undergraduate degree from Rice University.
Karen Bowman
Communications/Media
Karen Bowman has received multiple awards for her Drop It And Drive® (DIAD) road safety education program.
Ms. Bowman has over 25 years of experience in communications, road safety, and educational program development in both the public and private sectors, successfully managing a public relations business for more than a decade. She holds a Writing for Children and Teenagers Diploma from the Institute of Children’s Literature, West Redding, Connecticut. She developed several successful road safety education programs, including a toolkit for distracted driving prevention, offered through the award-winning DIAD program, founded in 2010. DIAD has reached over 65,000 participants across North America through its interactive, science-based programs. Karen designed DIAD to educate youth, communities, and workplaces on the risks of distracted driving, providing practical strategies and tools to encourage safer behaviors. To raise DIAD and TIRF USA’s profiles, Karen employs media outreach, safety conferences, youth engagement initiatives, and partnerships with community policing and emergency first responders. She has also organized crash extraction simulation events in coordination with first responders and schools, generating media attention and raising awareness about distracted driving. Karen is active in the US National Distracted Driving Coalition (NDDC), providing support through communications outreach and the development and promotion of educational materials.
Jennifer Hall
Brand Designer
Jennifer Hall plays a key role in the design and production of publications, communications, and materials for TIRF USA.
Ms. Hall ensures publications and resources are delivered on time and aligned with TIRF USA’s brand standards. Jennifer leads the visual design and layout of reports, educational resources, and outreach materials, helping translate research into clear, engaging products for diverse audiences. She also supports organizational operations by coordinating administrative processes and collaborating with staff across media, finance, and research teams to ensure efficient project delivery.