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Statement of Ethical Practice

Maintaining Professional Integrity in Public and Private Work

This page outlines the principles that guide my work and how I maintain a professional separation between my duties as Executive Director of the Connector JPA and the educational or advisory content I create through my personal social media or personal website consulting.

⚖️ 1. Public Role Separation

I currently serve as the Executive Director of the Capital SouthEast Connector Joint Powers Authority (JPA) — a public agency committed to delivering high-quality infrastructure to the region it serves.

  • My personal website, products, services, and newsletter are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Connector JPA or any government agency.
  • No public funds, staff time, or resources are used in the development, marketing, or delivery of any product or service offered on this site.
  • The ConnectorJPA.com website remains the official online source for agency communications, documents, and public notices.

💼 2. Private Ventures & Content

DerekMinnema.com is an independent platform designed to:

  • Educate public-sector leaders and private-sector professionals on transportation funding and project strategy
  • Share lessons learned from my personal experiences in the field
  • Offer toolkits, templates, and frameworks that simplify complex processes based on best practices

Any digital products offered here are based on real-world experience but are not official policy guidance or legal advice.

🔄 3. No Conflicts of Interest

I do not solicit or accept contractual consulting income from:

  • Agencies that fall within the Connector JPA project corridor
  • Partners currently under contract with the JPA
  • Projects where I have influence in my official capacity

All paid advisory work is conducted outside of my public role, on personal time, and with full respect for disclosure and ethical boundaries.

🧩 4. Podcast & Media Integrity

The Between Two Shovels podcast is produced by the Connector JPA as an educational public engagement effort, and I am its host. It mostly features leaders involved with JPA work, and is hosted on JPA youtube channel. On occasion clips I may pull from the podcast are:

  • Hosted on my personal social and digital infrastructure
  • Not funded by the Connector JPA
  • Clearly labeled as personal content

📬 5. Email & List Management

Email marketing, automation, and newsletter distribution through this site are operated independently using private tools and infrastructure.

  • Subscriber lists are never shared with public agencies or vendors.
  • All outreach complies with best practices for consent, data protection, and unsubscribe access.

🤝 6. Core Commitments

✅ Operate transparently across all roles

✅ Disclose financial interests where applicable

✅ Maintain clear lines between public service and private products

✅ Use personal platforms to educate, not exploit

✅ Center the public interest in all decision-making