Transit Board Members Seminar Program

THEME OF THE MORNING:  NATIONAL AND GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY

Welcome Remarks

• Jeff Nelson, APTA Chair; CEO/Managing Director, Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District (MetroLink), Moline IL
• Paul Skoutelas, President and CEO, APTA, Washington DC
• Doug Tisdale, Chair, APTA Transit Board Members Committee, Board Director, Regional Transit District, Denver, CO
• Kathryn Smith, Chair, APTA Transit Board Administrators Committee; Board Liaison, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL

Utah Transit Authority Board of Trustees and Leadership Round Table

Moderator:  Beth Holbrook, Chair, TBM Legislative Subcommittee; Board Trustee, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UT

• Ward McCarragher, Vice President, Government Affairs and Advocacy, APTA, Washington DC
• Dan Renberg, Partner, Arentfox Schiff LLP, Washington DC

• Jeff Travillion – Chair, CapMetro, Austin, TX
• Rita Scott – Chair, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Atlanta, GA
• Robert Clark – Board Member, Memphis Area Transit Authority, Memphis, TN
• Jessica Dauphin, Board Member, We Go Public Transit, Nashville, TN

THEME OF THE AFTERNOON:  TRANSFORMING TRANSIT FOR A NEW MOBILITY ERA

Moderator: Kevin Holzendorf, Vice-Chair, APTA; Immediate Past-Chair, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL

• Ehren Bingaman, Managing Principal, TransPro Consulting, Spring Hill, FL
• Caitlin Vargas, President of the Board, Lane Transit District, Eugene, Oregon
• Katie Valenzuela, Board Member, Sacramento Regional Transit District, Sacramento CA

Moderator:  Troi Taylor, Member, APTA Board of Directors; Secretary of the Board. Houston Metro, Houston TX

• Beth Holbrook, Board Trustee, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City UT
• Tracy Hadden Loh, Board Member, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Washington DC
• Chessy Brady, Manager, Transit-Oriented Development, Regional Transit District, Denver CO

Moderator:  Ari Jolly, Member, APTA Board of Directors; Chair of the Board, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL

• Marlon Moore, Board Vice-Chair, Central Ohio Transit Authority, Columbus OH
• Michele Wong Krause, Secretary, APTA TBM Committee; Board Chair, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas TX
• Robert DeJournett, Board President, Metro Regional Transit Authority, Akron OH

Location:  Rice-Eccles Stadium, University of Utah

THEME OF THE MORNING: GOOD GOVERNANCE

Facilitator:   Dr Kenston Griffin, CEO, Dream Builder Communications, Inc.

It is no secret that times have and are continuing to change like never before due to post pandemic effects, demographic and economic shifts, a changing workforce and new board & staff development and retention needs. According to Forbes magazine, organizations are being forced to conduct business differently from resource allocation to data-based decision-making to unlocking innovation and creativity and ultimately better understanding customers’ evolving needs. Developing a constructive leadership environment for the Board and transit executive leadership is more important than ever.

This interactive keynote address will provide the opportunity for thought provoking engagement for transit board members and administrators. Key areas of focus will include:

• Defining your new normal
• Tools to strengthen effective two-way communication
• The importance of supportive change management processes
• Best practices to work together as one

Co-facilitated by:

• Caitlin Vargas, President of the Board, Lane Transit District, Eugene, Oregon
• Valarie McCall, Board Member, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Cleveland, OH

Facilitated by:

• Doug Tisdale, Chair of the TBM Committee; Board Director, Regional Transit District, Denver, CO

THEME OF THE AFTERNOON: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Moderator:  Gary Giovanetti, Vice-Chair, APTA TBM Committee; Vice-Chair of the Board, San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD), Stockton, CA

• Kimberly Shanklin, Chief People Officer, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UT
• Geisha Ester, Vice-President, Development and Training, Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago, IL
• LaShanda Dawkins, Chair, APTA Workforce Development Committee, AGM Labor and Employee Relations, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Atlanta, Georgia
• George Fields, Deputy General Manager, Human Resources, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Cleveland, OH

Moderator:  Julie Hile, Chair, TBM Subcommittee on Safety; Vice-Chair, Board of Directors, Connect Transit, Normal, IL

• Dr. LaVerne Lewis, Board Director, Trimet, Portland OR
• Vince Buzek, Board Chair, Regional Transit District, Denver CO
• Craig Treneff, Board Chair, Central Ohio Transit Authority, Columbus, OH

Location: Garden Patio and Grand Ballroom, Weber State University

THEME OF THE MORNING:  INNOVATION, INTEGRATION, THE NEW MOBILITY LANDSCAPE AND FARE  AND PROCUREMENT POLICIES

• James Harper, Jr., Director, Office of Acquisition Management, Federal Transit Administration

Moderator: Carmen Garcia, Board Member, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas TX

• Francis Julien, Deputy CEO, RTC of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas NV
• Martin Gombert, Board Chair, Access Services, Los Angeles, CA
• Jaron Robertson, Director of Innovative Mobility Management, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UT

Moderator:  Carlton Christensen, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UT

• Jay Fox, Executive Director, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UT
• Nichol Bourdeaux, Chief Planning & Engagement Officer, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UT
• Representative of Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, Kansas City, MO