People News: NYCT, NCTD, HNTB, Michael Baker International
NYCT
NYCT on March 20 announced three appointments to senior strategic roles: Bernard Jackson is joining as Chief Operating Officer, William “Bill” Amarosa Jr. is being elevated to Senior Vice President of Subways; and Rachel Cohen is being promoted to Vice President of Paratransit.
With more than 38 years of experience spanning multiple transit agencies, Bernard Jackson takes on NYCT’s Chief Operating Officer role, overseeing and driving performance and service improvements across the departments of Subways, Buses, Paratransit, and Operations Planning. This follows his service at Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, directing the bus, light and commuter rail, paratransit, on-demand, maintenance-of-way, and facilities maintenance divisions. Jackson also gained experience as Chief Operations Officer, Service Delivery at Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He began his career at the Chicago Transit Authority where he worked for 28 years, first starting as a bus service and bus operator and rising through the ranks to become Vice President of Bus Operations and Director of Rail Operations.
Bill Amarosa has served in an acting capacity as Senior Vice President of Subways since the start of the year. Now holding the role permanently, he will continue to lead the team responsible for operating, maintaining and improving the subway system. During his time in the acting position, on-time performance grew to 83% on weekdays and 87% on weekends, according to MTA. Ridership has also improved, the agency said, with February ridership up 9% over the same time in 2024.
Amarosa previously held the role of Vice President of Operations Support, overseeing critical back-of-house functions to support subway operating divisions, according to MTA. Starting his career at NYCT as a high school intern, Amarosa gained 10 years of private-sector experience before returning to MTA in operations planning and budgetary roles.
“For Amarosa, transit is more than just a career, it is his passion,” MTA reported. “He has visited transportation systems worldwide and in 2006, Amarosa broke the Guinness World Record for riding the entire NYC subway system in the shortest amount of time.”
After being named Acting Vice President of Paratransit in May 2024, Rachel Cohen now holds the permanent role and is the first woman to do so. She oversees a team that provides 30,000 daily rides to people who are unable to use the subway or bus system due to a disability. During her tenure, Cohen has overseen Access-A-Ride ridership records including a single-day high of 43,000 scheduled trips on March 19, according to MTA. The agency added that Cohen will focus on more efficient scheduling for customers, fiscal responsibility and improving vendor management.
Cohen joined NYCT in 2018 after working at NYC TLC, the New York City regulatory authority for Access-A-Ride for-hire vehicles, as Director of the Office of Systemwide Accessibility, which was newly formed. She grew the team and led the effort to increase accessibility across all MTA modes of service.
“New York City deserves a world class Transit leadership team,” NYCT President Demetrius Crichlow said. “I’m proud of the team and confident these talented people will continue to serve riders with professional excellence that NYCT can count on. Millions of riders rely on us to get them where they need to go safely and efficiently every day—let’s get to work!”
“I’m proud to join the NYCT team which represents the best in public transit and a world class agency at a time when leadership is laser focused on building and improving a safe and reliable customer experience,” said incoming Chief Operating Officer Bernard Jackson. “The direction and strategy that NYCT has embarked on, a focus on the needs and satisfaction of riders, has never been more crucial to the long-term sustainability of the New York metropolitan region. I am incredibly excited to be a part of this new course, and I look forward to helping steer the agency to its next phase of operational and mobility excellence.”
“Leading Subways for New York City is a job I dreamed about since I was young and just starting my career,” NYCT Senior Vice President of Subways Bill Amarosa said. “As a department, we will prioritize safety, operational excellence, customer service and fiscal responsibility. I am grateful to the leaders and mentors who challenged me to grow, to Demetrius for his tutelage, and to our 30,000-person workforce for their trust in me as we take things to the next level.”
“Accessible transit is my passion, and I am proud to be moving into this new role, and thankful to MTA leadership for the opportunity,” NYCT Vice President of Paratransit Rachel Cohen said. “This is a moment of great opportunities for Access-A-Ride, and I look forward to leading the incredible AAR team as we continue to provide safe and reliable paratransit service to our growing ridership, and every day finding ways to do so more efficiently and effectively.”
Separately, the first set of Kawasaki-built open-gangway rapid transit cars is now running on NYCT’s crosstown G line (see picture, top).
NCTD
Lori A. Winfree is the new Deputy CEO at NCTD, a public transportation agency whose system includes BREEZE buses (with FLEX service), COASTER commuter trains, SPRINTER hybrid rail trains, LIFT paratransit service, and NCTD+ On-Demand throughout North San Diego County and into downtown San Diego. In this role, she will serve as a strategic advisor to CEO Shawn M. Donaghy and the Board of Directors. She will also continue service as NCTD’s Chief General Counsel, with responsibility for the agency’s workers’ compensation, risk management, safety and legal teams.
Winfree, an alumna of the University of California, Los Angeles, began her career in transportation with Lufthansa Airlines as she worked toward her Juris Doctorate. Her work in aviation law helped set the groundwork for her eventual move to public transit at NCTD in 2013.
“Winfree was pivotal during NCTD’s negotiations regarding track rights and usage agreements as the owner of the railroad in San Diego County with partners at Metrolink, Amtrak, and BNSF,” NCTD reported. “Her guidance helped shape the successful insourcing of rail operations and maintenance and will continue to be integral to the upcoming transition of bus operations and maintenance. Additionally, she has assisted in critical projects such as the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Realignment, SPRINTER hybrid rail vehicle replacement, COASTER locomotive and cab car replacement, and other key capital and infrastructure projects.”
Winfree serves as the Secretary for the Passenger Rail Advisory Committee of the federal Surface Transportation Board. She also represents NCTD in various capacities, including through its partners at the California Transit Association and the American Public Transportation Association, as well as with economic development councils and legislative activities at the federal and state levels.
“Lori’s leadership has pushed this agency to be the very best version of itself for more than a decade,” said Shawn M. Donaghy, who took on NCTD leadership in 2023. “Her knowledge of every corner of this agency from bus to rail, maintenance to administration, and—most importantly—the respect that she has earned from our workforce has put her right there with the top leaders in our industry.”
“I am honored to be appointed by the NCTD Board of Directors as the Deputy CEO on the recommendation of our CEO Shawn M. Donaghy,” Winfree said. “I look forward to continuing to support the Board of Directors, CEO, and awesome employees in this expanded capacity as we work together to elevate NCTD’s transit operations and surrounding communities.”
Separately, NCTD on Feb. 21 kicked off a 30th anniversary celebration for COASTER, the 41-mile, eight-station regional/commuter rail service the runs from Oceanside to downtown San Diego. (See photograph, top.)
HNTB
At HNTB, Vice President Sandra M. Bucklew has been named Construction Services Leader for the infrastructure firm’s Southeast Division. She brings more than 33 years of experience in highway and bridge construction engineering and management to the position. Since joining HNTB, Bucklew has been instrumental in growing the firm’s construction services practice in Florida, working on transportation projects including the Moving I-4 Forward Program, Central Florida’s SunRail program, and various projects funded by the Federal Transit Administration across the state, along with construction engineering inspection (CEI) work on the SR 369/US 319 Capacity project in Wakulla County.
Bucklew holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Florida State University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Florida, Illinois, and Indiana.
“We are thrilled to have Sandra step into this critical leadership role,” said Doug Allen, HNTB’s Southeast Division President and Senior Vice President. “Sandra’s extensive experience and proven track record in construction engineering and management make her the perfect fit to lead our construction services practice in the Southeast. Her collaborative approach and dedication to excellence will undoubtedly drive value to our clients and our continued growth in this region.”
“I am honored to take on this new role and excited to work closely with our talented team to deliver value and continue growing our construction services practice in the region,” Bucklew said.
In related developments, HNTB recently welcomed JR Hudnall as Project Controls Director in Denver, Colo.; and elevated Tara Erwin, Mike Estes and David Kinard to regional transportation director roles.
Michael Baker International
Aaron Gies has joined Micheal Baker International as Vice President, Health and Safety. In this role, he is slated to enhance the engineering and consulting services company’s safety culture and strengthen its programs and policies in alignment with company growth. Additionally, he will enhance engagement with Micheal Baker International’s Operations leaders across practices and geographies, as well as on-site field personnel and those who operate fleet vehicles. He will also lead the company’s Corporate Safety Council.
Gies served previously as Regional Safety Director for Infrastructure Southeast & General Building at MasTec Clean Energy & Infrastructure. He oversaw safety for projects such as data centers, mining, bridges and highways. His career also includes senior management roles with the William Charles Construction Company, Aldridge Electric, and CB&I, where he led safety initiatives in the engineering and construction industry that spanned the U.S. and included all aspects of managing and implementing safety requirements for in-house teams and subcontractor partners.
Gies earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Safety and Environmental Health from Slippery Rock University. He is a Certified Safety Professional and a Construction Risk Insurance Specialist.
“Michael Baker is committed to ensuring the safest possible work environment for all employees, whether they are in an office or in the field,” said Daniel Filer, Executive Vice President, Operations, at Michael Baker International. “Our vision is to achieve a workplace free of preventable incidents for all team members as we maintain compliance with industry standards throughout our business practices. Employee health and safety is a corporate value, equal in importance to our business operations and practices, and Aaron will play a key role in sharpening our enterprise focus on getting our colleagues home safe each day. I look forward to partnering with Aaron as we continually enhance our health and safety culture. Our goal is to create an environment where every employee takes responsibility for their own health and safety, as well as that of their team members.”
