As part of its mission to improve American communities through public transportation, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) emphasizes and promotes diversity in the people who pursue that mission. Fifty-three percent of FTA’s workforce are people of color, making it the most diverse mode in the U.S. Department of Transportation. FTA is also committed to gender equity. The agency is currently led by Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool, the latest in a series of women appointed to lead FTA for 10 consecutive years. Vanterpool succeeded FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez, who served from 2021 to 2023 and often highlighted FTA’s diversity in her public events.

Vanterpool shared her perspectives on women in leadership in an article, “Engines of Change, Celebrating Women in Transit,” released in March 2023 during Women’s History Month. Per the article, women, “for decades, have been driving forces behind advancing equity in our public transportation systems. Whether it be drivers, conductors, maintenance staff, engineers, or planners, women have paved the path to more inclusive transportation services, ensuring millions of people have equal access to be able to get where they need to go.” A former chief innovation officer, Vanterpool remains a champion for innovation, often noting that FTA is an “innovation investor.”

In 2024, FTA celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Federal transit program (https://www.transit.dot.gov/FTA60), which came into being on July 9, 1964. For nearly six decades, the program has helped transform transit in America from scattered bus systems and a small number of high-capacity systems to a diverse network of transit providers in thousands of communities. FTA’s leadership, past and present, has worked to remove barriers, improve outreach to underserved communities, and encourage an inclusive culture that celebrates diversity in FTA and the communities it serves.

FTA’s 10 regional offices link these communities to the Federal support for transit, administering a large part of the agency’s $20 billion annual investment for more than 3,500 transit agencies. This includes Federal support for buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, streetcars, and ferry programs.

Seventy-three percent of senior executives leading FTA’s regional offices are women, including Jamie Pfister, the associate administrator who leads the Transit Regional Services (TRS) team in Washington, D.C. TRS staff helps manage regional issues. Carrie Butler, the newest member of the regional administrator (RA) cohort, leads Region 7. Butler joined FTA following the completion of the interviews; however, you can learn more about her through the FTA website. (See information at the end of this article.) Together, these women are making a difference in the lives of people who rely on public transit around the country.

“There are so many paths to the field, and there is something for everyone, whether it’s your passion or your skill set or just something you’re really good at.”

- FTA’s Jamie Pfister

When asked about their careers, the seven FTA leaders interviewed for this article said that public transportation is a welcoming world for women and has provided many amazing career opportunities. Along with Pfister, six RAs were interviewed for this article:

• Terry Garcia Crews, Region 3 (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia).
• Yvette Taylor, Ph.D., Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).
• Kelley Brookins, Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin).
• Gail Lyssy, Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).
• Cindy Terwilliger, Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming).
• Susan Fletcher, Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington State).

Leading FTA’s programs from offices in Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Fort Worth, TX; Denver, CO; and Seattle, WA; each RA relies on a deep well of expertise and experience that has shaped their careers in public transit. The conversations highlighted below delve into the evolution of their careers in transportation, major changes they have witnessed in transit during the last 20 to 30 years, and the important partnerships they forged to effect positive change. They also shared personal insights on how they unwind and rejuvenate after work (e.g., their hobbies), and advice they give to other women considering a career in public transit.

Getting Started: Pathways to Transit Careers

FTA’s regional leaders hail from a variety of backgrounds. Pfister, Fletcher, and Lyssy are engineers; Taylor began in business; Garcia Crews comes from the banking and marketing sector; and Terwilliger rose through the ranks of public policy and urban planning. For many of these leaders, transit became essential to their early lives. Growing up outside Washington, D.C., Fletcher experienced the roll out of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) subway system and became an avid transit rider. Upon moving to Seattle, she quickly learned to use the city’s bus system.

Fletcher started her career as an engineer with Washington State Ferries. For many in the Puget Sound region, ferries are a primary mode of transportation, particularly those living on the San Juan Islands. During that time, she seized an opportunity to join FTA, which supported the ferry system. As an FTA engineer, she loved the magnitude and complexity of the projects she oversaw. Fletcher also watched the birth of Seattle’s light rail system; she had already seen much of WMATA’s growth, but this time was as a professional. Fletcher saw that moment in history as the opportunity of a lifetime. Twenty years in, she says the weight of the world is often on her shoulders as an RA, but notes, “We are here to provide the best technical assistance and funding to our transit partners to make our arteries like there’s no cholesterol!”

Pfister started her 22-year Federal career at FTA in Region 4, then moved into leadership positions at the agency’s headquarters in the Office of Program Management and the Office of Research. Her career also included time working at the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. When the office of regional services (TRS) was created in 2021, she became its first associate administrator. With regional leadership, Pfister facilitates collaboration, knowledge sharing, and communication across FTA’s headquarters and regional offices.

Lyssy’s began in the private sector as a civil engineering consultant working on major infrastructure projects for municipal city governments and medical facilities in Texas. Her Federal career began 28 years ago at FTA when she joined Region 6 as the regional engineer.

As part of her portfolio, she wrote transit feasibility studies that gathered community input and assessed the potential for implementing or expanding transit services. Lyssy says, “It was fun to step out of roads and the municipal side of things to focus on how best to move people. This was a shift from a focus on ensuring cars can get from point A to B quickly and with enough parking spaces. The shift ignited a passion for helping people and making a difference.”

Growing up in Chicago with a mother who didn’t drive, Brookins took transit. As she grew older, transit enabled her to access her community while avoiding the expenses of owning a car. In 1986, Brookins got a job at the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to supplement her college scholarship, receiving free rides as a perk. Brookins was elated. She thought at the time, “What could be better than this? They’re going to pay me to work, and they’re going to give me the opportunity to continue to ride the trains for free.” What seemed like a brief stop at CTA became a career in transportation, where she has had opportunities to make a difference. Thirty-eight years later, she is a senior executive at FTA. Given her time in transportation, Brookins stresses the importance of exemplary customer service, so riders have the same positive transit experience that shaped her life. For her, “Transit has been a life connector.”

Witnessing Transformations: 30 Years on the Path

On average, these FTA leaders have worked in public transportation for more than 30 years. During their careers, there have been incredible positive changes in public transportation around the Nation. Garcia Crews has worked in transit since the mid-1980s. She started as a marketing director in Tucson, AZ, and later held leadership positions in Poughkeepsie, NY; Lexington, KY; Austin, TX; and Cincinnati, OH. One of her accomplishments include witnessing a double-digit growth in ridership under her leadership.

Garcia Crews praises the technologies that have transformed transit, whether operationally through automatic vehicle locator systems or live-feed cameras installed on buses to enhance security. “Unfortunately, our society has changed quite dramatically, and [surveillance measures] and bus compartment barriers help to protect our employees and our transit operators,” says Garcia Crews. She also is anticipating the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in transit.

In overseeing Region 3, Garcia Crews observes how transit systems like WMATA and the Southern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in Philadelphia experiment with AI technologies to support operations. She’s interested in seeing how AI can aid rider choices, such as route options or whether there’s enough time to grab a cup of coffee before the next train arrives.

In her region, Garcia Crews and her team support innovation through a rigorous strategic planning process they implemented in 2015. Every 2–3 years, the process repeats, ensuring that regional transit goals align with FTA and USDOT goals—but more importantly—that they are “always pushing the envelope,” she says. “We’re always pushing forward to make sure that we are in sync with what our stakeholders want and with Federal programs.” Those Federal programs also give Garcia Crews an opportunity to get back to her roots. True to her marketing background, she loves to support ribbon cuttings and outreach events where she can connect with riders and other stakeholders.

Terwilliger has worked with FTA since 1991 in offices within Regions 2, 7, and 9, overseeing FTA’s investment in a wide range of transit systems. Her experiences have led to interacting with large transit agencies in New York and Los Angeles and small transit systems in Iowa. Her current role, leading Region 8, finds her in the Mountain West region and the Dakotas. She views recent transit delivery models, such as microtransit (i.e., an on-demand service), as having a positive impact on transit operations, including maintenance and transit asset management.

As an example, Terwilliger referenced the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) based in Salt Lake City. UTA serves a large area, including less populated and denser urban locales. Last year, UTA established a mobile application through which riders can reserve on-demand rides. Ridership tripled, as shared rides (multiple riders headed in a similar direction sharing a single vehicle) allowed for quick, efficient trips. Mobility options improved by UTA’s initiative, which was well-received by both riders and operators. Terwilliger credits one thing for the success: strong partnerships. “Strong partnerships at the local, State, and Federal levels are the key ingredients to successfully delivering public transportation in general and delivering infrastructure projects,” she says.

Building infrastructure remains key to community development. Terwilliger describes another example of strong partnerships and development while discussing the new bus maintenance facility in Grand Forks, ND. Federal funds were needed for the project. For the transit authority to apply for such funds, the city council and county government needed to support the project and identify local funding. Fostering those partnerships reinforced for Terwilliger that the key to success for any major transit project is that everyone must row in the same direction, working toward the same goal.

Like many transit employees, Terwilliger did not set out to work in public transit. As a graduate student, she worked part-time for the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City. The committee was created as a voice for users of the MTA system, including the Long Island Railroad and Metro North commuter rail systems. The position allowed her to focus on urban planning. She learned more about public transportation and its important role in moving commuters and supporting jobs.

Walking the Transit Path Together

During Taylor’s tenure as an RA, she also was part of technological transformations in transit; Taylor refers to the electric ferries planned for Savannah, GA, as transformational. Their new propulsion technology will be more sustainable and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Taylor recently presented Chatham Area Transit (CAT) with nearly $8 million in Federal funding for the project. CAT is part of a new focus nationwide to reduce transit’s carbon footprint by transitioning to zero-emission transit fleets. With a Federal goal to completely reduce emissions by 2050, transit agencies are considering the best ways to convert their fleets. This requires significant operational planning: training technicians, planning routes, and developing agreements with electric utilities. FTA is providing significant resources to assist this transition, with its regional offices playing a major role.

While working at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, DC, Taylor was intrigued by FTA’s mission and wanted to return to the South, where she grew up. For nearly 19 years, Taylor has managed Region 4, a large and diverse area spanning the southeastern United States. For her decades of work supporting transit, Taylor recently received the Presidential Rank Award—one of the highest civil service awards.

As part of her portfolio, Taylor oversees Region 4’s work with Puerto Rico to address complex transit needs. To support this diverse environment, encourage collaboration, and share best practices, Region 4 leads the One DOT Puerto Rico Forum. Recently, Taylor suggested rotating the forum’s leadership across the different USDOT modes and Federal agencies so the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Lands, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and other agencies will have an opportunity to shepherd the forum.

Balancing Career and Personal Paths

Supporting transit agencies can be demanding. The work involves an array of responsibilities, including addressing agencies’ technical assistance needs, ensuring prompt disbursal of funds, leading employees, and providing regional oversight. For work-life balance, each RA has her unique way of focusing on self-care. Lyssy, a member of a dog-training club, likes to train her pets and certifies other dogs to serve as emotional support animals.

Garcia Crews likes to shop for antiques, such as vintage toys and household items like old-fashioned farmhouse Hoosier cabinets. She also enjoys looking at houses. Years ago, when she moved to Austin, TX, Garcia Crews looked at more than 50 houses before settling on a new home.

Taylor, a mom of two kids, plays tennis and enjoys cheering her son at baseball games. Her favorite way to relax is by visiting a spa. Her response each year to “Mom, what do you want for Mother’s Day?” is always the same—a spa day.

As an avid bicyclist, Fletcher enjoys cycling around her community. She often uses transit to travel to an outlying area and then cycles to see new sights. Pedaling around new places gives her insights into how different neighborhoods rely on transit and other mobility options (or the lack thereof). In 2024, she cycled around Belgium and the Netherlands, meeting new friends, taking in new sites, and generating new ideas.

Pfister also finds balance in mixing her personal and professional pursuits; she uses her process improvement skills as an industrial engineer and experiences as a mother to solve the logistical challenges that come with her family. “I probably use my degree a little bit more at home than at work!” Pfister jokes. She coordinates her schedule with those of her husband and three children. She and her husband also advocate for safe bike and pedestrian-friendly roadways around their Alexandria, VA, home.

Likewise, Brookins mixes her professional and personal interests with creativity. She likes to embroider transit scenes. As the ultimate transit aficionado, she enjoys combining craft activities that reflect her love of trains and buses.

Terwilliger loves live music, especially rhythm and blues, and travels to musical events like the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. She collects vinyl records and follows the new vinyl releases of blues musicians from one of the best-known music venues in New Orleans.

Finding One of the Many Paths to Transit

As mentioned earlier, FTA’s regional leadership team members come from different occupational and educational backgrounds such as engineers, urban planners, policy experts, former business leaders, marketers, and bankers. This diversity is a reason they recommend a career in public transit to everyone, including women. For Brookins, Garcia Crews, and Fletcher, transit was a vital resource during their early years, and it developed into a passion and career. For Pfister, Lyssy, Terwilliger, and Taylor, transit was a job opportunity that developed into a passion and career. Pfister’s advice to everyone is the same: “Plan it, design it, build it, ride it, study it, innovate about it, fund it, oversee it. Whether you go straight to public transportation, study planning or environment or engineering or policy, or have a master’s degree, there are so many paths to the field, and there is something for everyone, whether it’s your passion or your skill set or just something you’re really good at.”

Lyssy agrees that there are limitless opportunities in public transportation. Transit agencies need good people to make their systems run. She views a career in transit as a way of helping other transit employees, transit system users, and communities.

Pfister also believes that getting involved in the field, the attraction of helping others access education, healthcare, and jobs is magnetic. Lyssy finds similar fulfillment in her career, “Where else can you … play in the sandbox with these major projects and have some influence in how a community moves their programs forward? It is fun!” Her advice to girls and women is to seek out a career in transit.

Brookins advises, “Look at transit opportunities and the possibilities, then have discussions with transit agencies to see where there’s an alignment and where those careers connect with your interest in making a difference in the lives of other people.”

Taylor hopes that women pursue their passions and consider a career in transportation, as it is critical to the fabric of the United States and its economy: “Transportation is one of those industries that really has no limit. Anywhere you go, you’re going to need transportation.”

Mary A. Leary, Ph.D., served as the FTA associate administrator for the Office of Research, Demonstration, and Innovation (TRI), retiring in January 2025. TRI leads FTA’s innovative research investments, training, workforce development, transit bus testing, and technical assistance programs. During her tenure leading TRI, its portfolio of projects has doubled to more than $200 million in transformative projects. Prior to joining FTA, Mary served in executive leadership roles in the nonprofit and private sectors. She has a doctorate in public policy from George Mason University and specialties in human services transportation, accessible mobility, aging in place, team building/leadership development, organizational informatics, and enterprise business solutions.

For more information about FTA, see https://www.transit.dot.gov/ or contact FTAPressOffice@dot.gov.

For more information about Carrie Butler, visit https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/officials/biographies/carrie-butler.