Emerging Leaders Class of 2027 Kicks Off 10-Month Experience

APTA’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) Class of 2027 officially began its 10 month-long leadership development journey with a three-day opening session leading up to the APTA Rail Conference in Baltimore, MD.

Participants from the thirteenth cohort of the program engaged in an immersive learning experience designed to strengthen leadership skills, expand industry knowledge, and foster meaningful professional connections. The opening session focused on key leadership competencies, including networking, emotional intelligence, conflict management, presentation skills, and team building.

An “Enhance Your Networking Skills” session equipped participants with strategies to confidently engage with APTA members and maximize opportunities for meaningful interactions during the conference. Class members also participated in the popular Transit Café, where they connected with subject matter experts from across the public transportation industry, gaining valuable insights into disciplines outside their own areas of expertise.

Another key component of the program, “Conflict Management for Transportation Professionals” explored various types of workplace conflict, their causes and impacts, and practical approaches for resolving challenging situations. The training session provided participants with tools to navigate complex professional environments and strengthen collaboration within their organizations.

Throughout the opening session, class members benefited from the knowledge and experience shared by ELP Committee members, mentors, alumni, industry leaders, and numerous employees from Rail Conference host agency the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), who served as presenters and facilitators.

Looking Ahead

As the program year progresses, participants will begin working closely with both national and local mentors. National mentors will provide individualized guidance, leadership development support, and career insights, while local mentors will help participants navigate opportunities and challenges within their own organizations.

Beginning in September, class members will present organizational projects and initiatives during monthly webinars that will continue through February 2027. These presentations will provide opportunities for peer learning, professional development, and the exchange of innovative ideas across the industry.

The class will reconvene in October for a two-day mid-year session held in conjunction with APTA’s TRANSform Conference and EXPO in Chicago, IL. The program will culminate in spring 2027 with a final session and graduation ceremony held alongside APTA’s Mobility Conference in Seattle, WA.

Capstone Projects Address Industry Challenges

A cornerstone of the Emerging Leaders Program is the capstone project experience. Participants work in teams to research and develop recommendations on issues affecting the public transportation industry. Through collaboration with transit agencies, industry organizations, and transportation professionals, participants conduct interviews, surveys, and research to identify solutions to pressing challenges facing the industry.

The projects are designed to provide actionable insights and recommendations that support APTA members and committees in addressing critical issues, advancing industry knowledge, and promoting innovation.

To strengthen the impact of these projects, APTA committee leaders are encouraged to submit research questions and topic ideas for ELP groups to explore. Projects developed in partnership with committee leadership often provide the greatest value to the industry. Since many APTA committees meet during the Mobility Conference, ELP participants have the opportunity to present their findings directly to committee members and industry leaders.

Committee leaders interested in proposing research topics should submit their ideas to Karen Donald at kdonald@apta.com by September 4. Emerging Leaders project teams will finalize their capstone topics in early October and begin research activities throughout the winter in preparation for presentations in spring 2027.

Class of 2027 Members and Sponsoring Organizations

The 36 members of the Emerging Leaders Class of 2027 and their sponsors are:

Nick Abel, housing mobility program manager based in Seattle, WA, sponsored by King County Metro.

Brandin Adams, senior transit scheduler based in Pittsburgh, PA, sponsored by Pittsburgh Regional Transit.

Michael Alves, Clipper program coordinator based in San Francisco, CA, sponsored by Bay Area Metro.

Amanda Baird, director of communications and marketing based in St. Petersburg, FL, sponsored by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority.

Alyssa Bashor, business development specialist based in Spokane, WA, sponsored by the Spokane Transit Authority.

Klevisa Berberi, manager, business partner support based in Toronto, ON, Canada, sponsored by the Toronto Transit Commission.

Rachel Braga, senior account services director based in Newport Beach, CA, sponsored by Celtis Ventures, Inc.

Alvaro Caviedes, senior associate 2 based in Portland, OR, sponsored by Jarrett Walker + Associates.

Jason Francis, transportation manager based in Burnsville, MN, sponsored by the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority.

Dimitre Guenov, associate planner based in Arlington Heights, IL, sponsored by Pace Suburban Bus.

Zachary Hartzler, assistant transportation manager based in Des Moines, IA, sponsored by the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority.

Hannah Isaac, senior consultant based in Washington, DC, sponsored by DB E.C.O. North America.

Scotty Johnson, operations manager based in Minneapolis, MN, sponsored by Transit Team/Beacon Mobility.

Rippal Kanda, operations systems supervisor based in San Jose, CA, sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.

Beth Ko, transportation planner based in Park City, UT, sponsored by High Valley Transit.

Nathan Leventon, senior program manager, APTA Standards, based in Washington, DC, sponsored by APTA.

Lauren Lynch, project manager based in Columbus, OH, sponsored by AECOM.

Vic Mireles, transportation funding analyst based in Orange, CA, sponsored by the Orange County Transportation Authority.

Olivia Mudong, systems analyst based in Lone Tree, CO, sponsored by Kiewit.

Matthew Nakano, government relations coordinator based in West Covina, CA, sponsored by Foothill Transit.

Andrei Neacsu, hiring and training transit supervisor based in Park City, UT, sponsored by Park City Transit.

John Passmann, manager of energy based in San Carlos, CA, sponsored by Caltrain (Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board).

Zane Patterson, project and performance leader based in Cleveland, OH, sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.

Maddie Peña, senior account manager based in San Francisco, CA, sponsored by Swiftly, Inc.

Jesus Peraza Garcia, manager of service development based in Tampa, FL, sponsored by the Hillsborough Transit Authority.

Phil Plevin, maintenance manager based in San Francisco, CA, sponsored by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

Brianna Ruffner, assistant manager, bus operations based in Portland, OR, sponsored by TriMet.

Josée Sabourin, ­partnership operations based in Montreal, QC, Canada, sponsored by Transit app.

Chelsea Schultz, senior manager, strategic and environmental planning, based in San Carlos, CA, sponsored by the San Mateo County Transit District.

Curtis Tiplady, senior project manager based in Seattle, WA, sponsored by Mott Macdonald.

Kathleen Tran, principal financial analyst based in Oakland, CA, sponsored by San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District.

Alicia Valenti, senior BRT project coordinator based in Minneapolis, MN, sponsored by Metro Transit.

Jazlynn Wee, manager, solutions engineering based in Vancouver, BC, Canada, sponsored by Spare Labs Inc.

Olivia Wineski, transit planner II based in Atlanta, GA, sponsored by HDR, Inc.

Rowyn Wreggit, civil engineer based in Everett, WA, sponsored by Kimley-Horn.

Ana Zanza, transportation planner based in Chicago, IL, sponsored by HNTB.