People News: CTA, Sound Transit, Port of LA, HNTB, APTA, RAC
CTA
Dorval R. Carter Jr., who has served as CTA President for 10 years, will step down on Jan. 31, and become President and CEO of Saint Anthony Hospital on Chicago’s West Side, according to CTA, which provides rapid transit rail and bus services.
Carter was on the Saint Anthony’s Board for more than a decade, most recently as Board Chair. He will continue a family tradition of serving the hospital, where his father, Dr. Dorval R. Carter Sr., worked for 40 years and served for more than 10 years as Chair of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.
Dorval R. Carter Jr.’s retirement from CTA ends a 40-year career in public transportation that includes a combined 26 years at CTA and nearly 15 years in senior leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration. Carter joined CTA in September 1984 as a staff attorney. He also served as Acting President, Executive Vice President, and Chief Administrative Officer, and held various legal roles.
As CTA President, Carter has overseen more than $11 billion in projects that have been completed, begun or announced. Among them: the $5.7 billion Red Line Extension, $2.1 billion first phase of the Red Purple Modernization Program, $280 million renovation of the 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal, and $203 million Wilson Station Reconstruction project.
Carter has also been responsible for several equity-focused initiatives, such as the All Stations Accessibility Program (on which the FTA modeled its own $1.75 billion federal program that has provided CTA with $118.5 million) and the Second Chance Program (a program established in 2011 that has given more than 2,200 “individuals with barriers to employment an opportunity to work at CTA”), according to CTA.
Carter currently serves as Chair of the American Public Transportation Association’s Bus Manufacturing Task Force; Co-Chair for the Equity in Infrastructure Project; a member of the Board of Directors for Mpact; and Chair of the Board of Trustees for Carroll University, his alma mater. He has also received numerous awards and honors, including the Council of University Transportation Centers’ 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award for Transportation Professional and Public Service; APTA’s Outstanding Public Transportation Manager Award in 2021, the same year that CTA was recognized with the Outstanding Public Transportation System Award; the 2021 Thomas B. Deen Distinguished Lectureship Award from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Transportation Research Board; and the 2019 Motorola Foundation Excellence in Public Service Award from the Civic Federation of Chicago.
“The City of Chicago is grateful to President Dorval Carter for his decades of service with the Chicago Transit Authority,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “His leadership reimagined the movement of our city. His stewardship of the Red Line Extension project is just one of the notable achievements in his historic career.”
“President Carter is an internationally recognized and highly respected leader in the public transit industry, and CTA has been fortunate to benefit from his leadership and vision over the past decade as President,” Chicago Transit Board Chairman Lester Barclay said. “Since I became Chair in 2021, I have seen firsthand his unwavering commitment to equity and his passion for this agency, which is exemplified through transformative projects like the Red Line Extension. His legacy will leave a lasting impact on CTA, and we are grateful for his dedicated service.”
“Serving as President of this great agency has been an extraordinary privilege and I am forever grateful for what has been the opportunity of a lifetime,” Carter said. “It has been an honor to work on behalf of CTA customers s and to advance our mission in a city that I love so dearly.”
Further Reading:
- Metra, CTA Boards OK 2025 Budget Proposals (UPDATED 11/14)
- CTA Celebrates 40 Years of Rail Service to O’Hare
- CTA Implements ZeroEyes AI-Based Technology for Gun Detection
Sound Transit
Nadia Anderson has signed on as Sound Transit’s Chief Strategy Officer, a new role created to guide the Seattle-based agency’s approach to the technological, environmental, and economic future of the region. She will oversee Government and Community Relations; Communications, Marketing and Engagement; Board Administration; and ORCA ROOT teams. She will also oversee two new divisions: Innovation and Transformation, and Strategic Planning, Policy and Programs.
Anderson served previously as Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President of Policy Strategy and Operations at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. Her professional experience spans all levels of government, both domestic and international, and her résumé includes major corporations like Uber, AAA (American Automobile Association) and Cruise, the General Motors majority-owned fully electric self-driving car company.
Anderson holds a doctorate in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the University of Delaware and is a graduate of Virginia State University (M.A.) and the University of Virginia (B.A.).
“Nadia is an innovative, mission-driven leader who truly understands the key role that transit plays in our region,” said Goran Sparrman, Interim CEO of Sound Transit, which provides Sounder commuter rail, Link light rail, and ST Express bus services in Washington’s Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties. “She brings a depth of experience and a record of results that make her the right leader to lead our strategic planning, innovation, and policy teams into a new and dynamic future.”
Sound Transit’s next Link light rail extension is slated to open to Downtown Redmond this spring, followed by connections across Lake Washington later this year and to Federal Way in 2026.
Further Reading:
Port of LA
The Port of LA has tapped Jeffrey Strafford as Chief Financial Officer, overseeing the Accounting, Debt and Financial Analysis, and Financial Planning and Analysis divisions.
Before assuming the interim Chief Financial Officer role last spring, Strafford served as the Port’s Director of Financial Planning and Analysis. His duties included administering the $2.6 billion budget; improving fiscal systems; and overseeing forecasting, resource allocation, and revenue optimization, among other financial processes. He served previously as Budget Director. Prior to joining the Port in 2011, Strafford was Purchasing Manager for the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, and Tax Compliance Officer for the City of Los Angeles Office of Finance. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business management economics, with a minor in legal studies, from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
“Jeff brings nearly three decades and an incredible résumé of work to this executive position, one that plays a key role in managing the Port’s financial performance and strategic direction,” Port of LA Deputy Executive Director of Finance and Administration Erica M. Calhoun said. “His strong work ethic, proven track record of excellence and outstanding leadership qualities make him the perfect choice for our new CFO. It’s a well-deserved promotion.”
Further Reading:
- Port of Los Angeles: November Cargo Volume Up 16%
- Harbor Commission Greenlights Port of LA’s $52MM On-Dock Rail Project
HNTB
Mike Smith, former Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Transportation, has joined HNTB as National Practice Consultant and Vice President. He brings more than two decades of strategic and operations management, transportation policy, stakeholder engagement, and leadership experience to the firm’s highway and toll clients in the Great Lakes Division.
Smith most recently served as Chairman of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District and Indiana Toll Road Oversight Board and was a Board Member of Connexus Indiana. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in management from Indiana University.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mike to our team to support the continued growth of our transportation practice,” said Chris Gale, HNTB’s Great Lakes Division President and Senior Vice President. “His experience as a transportation agency executive, insight, and relationships strengthen our ability to successfully deliver our clients’ most complex and important projects.”
“Mike’s achievements and contributions in the transportation industry are remarkable, and his innovative approach to solving complex challenges sets him apart,” said John Barton, HNTB’s Chairman of Professional Services and Senior Vice President. “His expertise in transportation and financial acumen will be invaluable in advancing policy and program initiatives for the firm’s DOT clients.”
Separately, HNTB recently named Alexis Howland as Supervising Transportation Planner and Janet Campbell-Lorenc as Rail Planning Practice Consultant.
APTA
Taria Barron has been appointed General Counsel at APTA, a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 public- and private-sector member organizations representing all modes of public transportation, including bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. She served previously as Attorney-Advisor in the General Law and Ethics Division for Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Barron also spent 10 years in progressive roles at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of the Chief Counsel and had a two-year fellowship with the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation in Tokyo, where she fostered U.S.-Japan cooperation on transportation initiatives.
Barron holds a Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Vanderbilt University.
“Taria brings a wealth of legal expertise and leadership experience that will be instrumental in advancing APTA’s mission,” APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas said. “Her deep understanding of transportation law and policy will help guide our organization through today’s evolving regulatory landscape.”
“I am honored to join APTA and contribute to its mission of promoting and advancing public transportation,” Barron said. “I look forward to working alongside APTA’s talented team to support our members and strengthen public transportation across America.”
Separately, the association last fall issued its 2024 Transit Equity Report and 2024 Public Transportation Vehicle Database.
RAC
RAC on Jan. 10 reported the departure of President and CEO Marc Brazeau, effective Feb. 28, 2025, after nearly seven years of service. RAC represents close to 60 railway companies and more than 60 associate members (suppliers, consultants, etc.).
Under his leadership, the association advocated on behalf of its members on a number of key regulatory and policy files while building strong relationships with key stakeholders, including elected and government officials, RAC said.
An announcement regarding a new association leader will be made “in the near future,” according to RAC.
“We thank Marc for his leadership and all his contributions, and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” RAC Chair and CN Senior Vice President and Chief Stakeholder Relations Officer Janet Drysdale said.
“Leading the incredible team at RAC has been a privilege since Day One,” Brazeau said. “I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together and am confident that the association is well-positioned for continued success.”
