Meet the APTA Staff: Shelley Taggart Kee
6/12/2024
Vice President, Human Resources and Administration
Human Resources & Administration Department
Q: What are your primary responsibilities at APTA, and those of your department?
A: As vice president of human resources and administration, my responsibilities encompass a wide range of functions. I lead strategic HR initiatives, including overseeing recruitment, benefits, compensation, performance management, and employee relations, while ensuring compliance with local and federal employment laws. Additionally, my department manages office administration, employee engagement activities, and strives to ensure a positive work environment.
Q: To what extent do you have direct contact with APTA employees and/or members?
A: I have significant direct contact with APTA staff throughout the employee life cycle, which includes recruitment, onboarding, development, engagement, retention, and separation. My role also involves collaborating closely with the senior leadership team to ensure HR and administrative policies are effectively communicated and implemented throughout the organization. Additionally, I have been fortunate to expand my role to work with member agencies on HR peer reviews, allowing me to build external connections and gain valuable experiences.
Q: Please describe the type of guidance that APTA employees can turn to you for.
A: In addition to my day-to-day responsibilities, employees can turn to me for any number of matters, including career development and growth, performance issues, work-life balance, and wellness. I would love to be a resource to them in as many ways as possible, with the goal of creating a positive, productive, and engaged workforce.
Q: When did you join APTA?
A: I have been working in the human resources field for more than 20 years. I joined APTA in July of 2018 as senior director of human resources and administration and was promoted to my current role one year later. Before joining APTA, I held various positions as director of human resources, where I was responsible for an organization of more than 200+ employees, interns, and expert affiliates. I have met many interesting people and impacted countless lives. Human resources is a field that I love and that I am passionate about.
Q: Have you worked in or around public transportation besides APTA? What interests you most about public transportation?
A: This is my first career opportunity in the transportation industry, and I absolutely love it! The community of employees and members I have met while working at APTA and in the transportation industry continues to inspire me. The deep level of respect, appreciation, and admiration they have for each other, as evident at our conferences, almost feels like a family reunion where the bonds are long-lasting.
Growing up in the inner city of Detroit, Michigan, I took public transportation to and from middle school and high school. I never realized until working at APTA what a significant role the industry plays in enhancing sustainability and the positive impact it has on communities. By far, this experience of being an employee of APTA has been my most rewarding.
Q: Do you have any professional affiliations? Are you a member of any associations or organizations?
A: I am a member of several professional organizations, including the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and the local District of Columbia SHRM chapter. I hold a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI), and a (SHRM-CP) certification. Additionally, I am a proud member of the HR Roundtable, the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, CHIEF, Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Q: Could you tell us something about yourself that might surprise us?
A: As a junior in high school, I moved to Washington, DC, for six months and served as a United States Senate Page for my senator from Michigan, Carl Levin (D). This opportunity inspired me to attend college at Howard University. It was here in DC that I met my husband of 32 years, and together we have raised two adult sons. The bus ride to my high school changed my life, providing me with the opportunity to live and work in the nation’s capital. Public transportation got me here!!