Debra Johnson, the first woman to hold the top leadership post at RTD, and the first CEO since 1995 to be hired from the outside rather than promoted from within, will bring a fresh eye and a multi-city resume that’s relevant to RTD’s challenges.

At the final convening of the first year of the Women Changing Transportation program we asked the members of the cohort to reflect on their year together, the current state and future of transportation, and their experiences as women working in the field.

TransitCenter spoke with Commissioner Calise, a daily subway rider who uses a wheelchair, about his priorities for his tenure on the MTA Board.

During the protests against police brutality and anti-Black racism sweeping the nation, transit agencies in numerous cities decided to curtail and suspend transit service.

Tiffany-Ann is the Deputy Director of Freight Programs, Education and Research at the NYCDOT. We chatted with her about the challenges of managing freight movement on city streets, and the importance of diverse representation in transportation leadership positions. 

Danielle Wallace is the Apprenticeship Program Manager at King County Metro. We recently spoke to Danielle about the value of transit apprenticeships, and why the Women Changing Transportation program matters. 

We're thrilled to announce our brand-new Women Changing Transit mentorship program!

Fifty-five percent of US transit riders are women. But women make up just thirty-nine percent of the transit workforce. Of the nations twenty top agencies, just three CEO’s are women. Why is it so hard for women to rise to the top?