Crichlow takes the role after serving in interim capacity since May 2024 with a focus on safety and security and after a decades long career at the MTA. As President, Crichlow will oversee the 50,000-person workforce, including operations for New York City subways, buses, paratransit services, and the Staten Island Railway.
During his time as Interim President, Crichlow oversaw major service changes on the G line, ensuring customers had reliable alternative bus service while the G line was closed for a critical signal modernization project, according to the agency. He also oversaw enhanced service on the B, D, J, M, 3 and 5 lines. Crichlow’s efforts have led to recent ridership records with more than 4.35 million riders on a single day, MTA noted.
“Demetrius Crichlow spends most of his waking hours thinking about what’s great about transit service and how it can be even better for millions of New Yorkers,” said Lieber. “And that’s exactly who need leading a 24/7 system that moves our lives. Demetrius has proven that he’s the right leader for this moment of challenges and opportunity.”
“I’ve been here for 27 going on 28 years and I’ve learned the system, the people. but I’m always learning more and we’re at a point where this organization is prepared to change with new cars, new infrastructure and it needs a steady hand to guide it, said Crichlow. “I’m honored to be taking on that role, it means the world to me and acknowledges a lifelong career of public service and now it’s time to get to work.”
Previously, Crichlow led NYCT’s Department of Subways as its Senior Vice President for more than three years, a period where the subway “maintained the best on-time performance in at least a decade and recorded improving customer satisfaction,” according to the agency. Crichlow is a lifelong New Yorker who started his career with the MTA in 1997 as an Assistant Signal Maintainer at the Long Island Rail Road, rising through the ranks at the LIRR to become Train Movement Supervisor overseeing operations at Penn Station Central Control. In 2007 he transferred to MTA Headquarters to become Special Assistant for Operations for then-Executive Director Elliot G. “Lee” Sander.
While Crichlow started his career at the LIRR, his father—who retired as a car inspector for Subways—had always hoped he would continue the family tradition of working at NYCT. When Crichlow became Deputy General Manager for the L line, it solidified three generations of service that began with his grandfather. Since then, he took on increasing responsibility within NYCT, including Chief Officer of Field Operations, Chief Officer of the Operations Control Center, and Vice President & Chief Officer of Staten Island Railway.
As the Senior Vice President for the Department of Subways, he led efforts for across-the-board service improvements and steered the department out of the pandemic years with sustained ridership growth, the agency noted.
Crichlow is the 12th permanent President of NYCT since the agency adopted its current leadership structure in 1973. (Previously the New York City Transit Authority had been led by a multi-member board in keeping with tradition established in the 1924 by its predecessor, the New York City Board of Transportation, which unified three competing subway systems and a larger number of bus companies in 1940.)
Tim Mulligan has been appointed as the MTA’s first Chief of Rolling Stock Program, reporting to MTA Chief Administrative Officer Lisette Camilo after serving as the Deputy Chief Development Officer at MTA C&D. In this role Mulligan will “ensure the MTA is a reliable and engaged business partner as it looks to execute the largest rolling stock replacement in the history of the MTA, a major priority of the 2025-2029 Capital Plan which calls for 2,000 new railcars.”
By bringing a career-long dedication to fiscal responsibility to this role, Mulligan will “bolster the MTA’s position to improve pricing, strengthen purchasing power and support a competitive marketplace,” the agency noted. In his previous position, Mulligan ran the Development Department and oversaw C&D’s budget and program management needs.
Mersida Ibric has been appointed Chief People Officer after serving in the role in an acting capacity for six months, bringing more than 16 years of experience in the public sector. In this position she will oversee and execute the MTA’s People management strategy and report directly to Camilo. Ibric joined the MTA in January 2022 as its Deputy Chief Administrative Officer following time at the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Diversity Officer.
Ibric has previously worked at the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services as Deputy Director for Research and IT where she was responsible for maintaining and developing procurement data analytics and reporting, along with planning and developing mayoral procurement initiatives.
Crichlow, Mulligan and Ibric, MTA says, bring a combined 60-plus years in leadership experience that will forward the agency’s mission of “delivering reliable, safe and fast service” and join the most diverse senior leadership team the MTA has ever assembled—of the Chair and CEO’s direct reports, 50% are women and 40% are people of color.
“We’re talking about commitment, pride in the system, its legacy and its importance to New York, which is why I am really proud to announce these appointments today,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Today’s the day for celebrating and getting to work delivering for New Yorkers and I know we are going to be able to because you are the right people.”
