COMTO Honors APTA Members

The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) held its 13^th Annual Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation awards breakfast April 10 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. APTA Chair Michele Wong Krause, APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas, APTA Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Wharton, former FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez, and several APTA staff attended.

The awards recognize the outstanding contributions of women leading and advancing America’s transportation industry. Honorees included the following APTA members:

• Monica Backmon, CEO, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.
• Donna Berry, deputy director of project delivery and chief engineer, California DOT.
• Gloria Frank, Chief of Police, Port Authority New York, New Jersey.
• Carmencita Mitchell, chair of the Palm Tran Service Board, and professor, Palm Beach State College, FL.
• Charlotte Shaw, executive director/CEO, MAX Transit, Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority, AL.
• Janice R. Thomas, deputy executive director, external affairs, METRA, Chicago, IL.

“Uplifting women in leadership roles propels the wheels of progress in the transportation industry,” said April Rai, COMTO president and CEO. “Recognizing their contributions is an intentional act of appreciation, inspiring the next generation of transportation leaders to emulate their strength, resilience, and perseverance. It is a privilege to honor 10 women who embody these qualities and so much more.”

APTA was a gold sponsor of the event.