NS
Anil Bhatt on Aug. 19 will join NS as Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer. He will partner with Chief Marketing Officer Ed Elkins “on driving better technology solutions for customers to enhance service and build a platform for growth” and work closely with Chief Operating Officer John Orr “on finding ways that technology can further safety, operational productivity, and efficiency,” according to the Class I railroad.
Bhatt most recently served as Global Chief Information Officer at Elevance Health (formerly Anthem), a Fortune 25 healthcare company. Throughout his 28-year tech career, he has worked with IAC Inc. and Procter & Gamble. He graduated from BSF Institute of Technology & Science. Bhatt is also a sponsor of Women in Technology and Kids who Code, and was recognized as one of the 2022 Forbes Top 100 Chief Information Officers and as a 2023 winner of the Super Global ORBIE award that recognizes the country’s top CIOs.
“Anil has a successful track record and reputation for working across teams to deploy technology that will advance the execution of our balanced strategy of service, productivity, and growth, with safety at its core,” NS President and CEO Alan Shaw said. “Along with his technical expertise, Anil brings a leadership style that reflects our values, with demonstrated success as a collaborative leader who serves customers with excellence, nurtures a culture of innovation, and invests in the growth of the teams he leads and works alongside.”
MARTA
Steven Parker has joined MARTA as Assistant General Manager of External Affairs, with responsibility for directing and overseeing federal, state, and local government affairs; community engagement; marketing; sales; and communications.
Previously, Parker was the Chief Innovation Officer for the Transportation Security Administration. He has also served as Deputy State Director for U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), where he developed and implemented the Senator’s outreach strategy to Georgia’s local, state, and federal elected officials, as well as business, community, and religious constituencies. Prior to that, he was Political Director for the Jon Ossoff for U.S. Senate campaign. Parker was formerly a Senior Attorney for the City of Atlanta, handling Commercial Real Estate and Municipal Law; Director of Logistics for the Jon Ossoff for Congress campaign; an attorney at Balch & Bingham LLP; and Vice President and Senior Counsel with Fidelity National Title Group. He earned his Juris Doctor degree at North Carolina Central University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from California State University.
Parker was recently appointed by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and confirmed by the Atlanta City Council to serve on the Metro Atlanta Land Bank Authority, which acquires dilapidated properties and transforms them to productive use with an emphasis on affordable housing.
“I am excited to welcome Steven to our team,” MARTA CEO and General Manager Collie Greenwood said. “His deep experience engaging with government officials and the community around policy will be key to our success going forward. He’ll be leading a great team of professionals focused on helping advance and communicate our most important priorities.”
HNTB
HNTB has promoted David Leard to Program Management/Construction Management Group Director and Program Manager in the Capital Region. He will support clients in advancing and delivering large-scale projects and programs that improve transit and rail infrastructure and passenger experience and lead a of team of program delivery professionals, according to the infrastructure firm.
Leard joined HNTB in 2019 as a Project Director in Houston, Tex., responsible for managing and delivering major projects and working to expand HNTB’s services to its regional transit clients. Throughout his career, he has worked on projects for Houston METRO, Capital Metro Transit Authority, Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, Charlotte Area Transit System, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, MARTA, VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority, and others. He has also successfully guided both BRT (bus rapid transit) and light rail projects through every phase of the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Improvement Grants Program.
Leard earned master’s degrees in civil engineering and city and regional planning, and a Bachelor of Administration from The Ohio State University. He is an active member of APTA and the American Planning Association.
“David is a well-respected program manager with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with delivering world-class, high-capacity transit,” said Mike Voinis, HNTB’s Capital Region Office Leader and Senior Vice President. “Having worked on some of our country’s most visible and complex transit projects, he will provide significant value to our clients as they deliver transformative projects essential for the region’s long-term mobility and economic prosperity.”
