Executive Leadership Training Program (Chicago Transportation Authority)
The CTA implemented this program in order to build transit leadership across the US. The program is aimed at agency executives 1-2 levels below the top CEO level. The idea is to prepare executives who already have significant management experience to run an transit agency as a CEO or executive in the near future. The program works with MTA in New York, the Chicago Transit Authority, Connecticut DoT, New Jersey Transit, and many other agencies to find participants and maintain standards. It is an 18 month program conducted through 5 day gatherings every 2-4 months, avoiding winter months in which executives need to be at their home agencies.
Contact: Geisha Ester, Director, Training and Professional Development
Leadership Development Academy (Orange County Transportation Authority)
This program lasts a full year and is modelled off of other executive training programs such as Leadership APTA. OCTA employees in upper management can self-select and apply to this program. Each cohort has roughly 13-15 people, and cohorts are run every couple of years. The program meets for one full-day session each month, and has been run for 3 cohorts so far. During the most recent session, the trainees were broken up into 3 teams and developed their own independent projects in these groups with the help of an advisor over the course of the program. The program focuses on teaching innovation and “de-siloing” OCTA, exposing executives to different departments of the organization to give them a more holistic perspective for future decision making.
Contact: Julie A. Espy, Manager, Learning & Development
MAX Program (Los Angeles Metro, Regional Transportation District – Denver, Utah Transit Authority, Dallas Area Rapid Transit)
The MAX Program is an exchange among the leadership of several transit agencies across the country in order to exchange best practices and ideas for future development. these agencies are in a variety of states and operate many different modes of transit, providing a diversity of viewpoints. Eight to twelve people participate in the exchange each year, and it has been running for the past six years. This year, the program was run in collaboration with the Eno Institute, a think tank that focuses on public transit. In the future, many of the participants are hoping to expand MAX to more agencies across the country.
Contact: Daniel A. Dzyacky, Service Operations Superintendent
Midwest Transit Leadership Exchange (Various Agencies)
The Midwest Transit Leadership Exchange is another exchange program for senior executives. Like the exchanges detailed above, the Midwest Exchange focuses on providing a forum for agency leaders to exchange knowledge and develop their programs by observing other agencies. This exchange includes members in Pennsylvania, New York City, and other agencies, as well as GCRTA.
Contact: George F. Fields, SPHR, Director, Training & Employee Development
