LIT

Contact: Christina Villarreal

Executive Director

(626) 495-1548 

c.villareal@latinosintransit.org

For Immediate Release

February 14, 2025

LIT announces cohort for 2025 Leadership Academy Program

Forty two public transportation industry professionals from various experience levels and backgrounds were selected for the program’s fourth year.

The LIT Leadership Academy (LITLA), a program that gives participants the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of public transportation and learn about management practices, finance, procurement, labor relations and regulatory compliance, announced the 2025 LITLA Class members selected to participate in the program. The program is divided into four different development tracks: Making of An Executive, Leading in Middle Management, Transit Board Leadership, and New Careers in Transit. The 42 participants selected come from both the public and private sector from across the country. 

The 2025 LITLA Class participants for each track are:

The Making of an Executive

• Sonsia Wise - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (GA)

• Aslyne Christina Rodriguez - Central Ohio Transit Authority (OH)

• Jessenia Fernandes - Merrimack Valley Transit (MA)

• Laura Bailey - MV Transportation (TX)

Leading in Middle Management

• Taylor Devon Ford - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (GA)

• Timothy E Parson - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (GA)

• Victor Cuate - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (GA)

• Jasmin Mejia - Jacobs (CA)

• Sergio Moreno - Alameda Contra Costa Transit District (CA)

• Angela M Martinez - HDR Engineering, Inc. (TX)

• Valerie Cortes - Sound Transit (WA)

• Julio Feliciano - Keolis Transit America (FL)

• Elvin E. Villegas - Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority/Cincinnati Metro (OH)

• Beronica Carriedo - Monterey-Salinas Transit (CA)

• Isidro Cortes-Reyes - Keolis (VA)

• Maya Esparza - Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (CA)

• Marcela Perez de Estrada - Central Ohio Transit Authority (OH)

• Dulce Maria Mora - SunLine Transit Agency (CA)

• Ruchi Mohinder - Jacobs (VA)

• Eloy LaQue II - VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority (TX)

• Ashli Molina - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MA)

• Victor A Garate - Transdev (CA)

• Marta Lacko - Transdev (NV)

• Lorenzo Varela - Transdev (CA)

• Elger Godinez - WeDriveU (IL)

• Vanessa Valdes - WeDriveU (CA)

• Oaris Ortiz - WeDriveU (NY)

• Richard Cerecerez - WeDriveU (CA)

• Jonathan Lopez - WeDriveU (CA)

Transit Board Leadership

• Michell Rodriguez - Utah Transit Authority (UT)

New Careers in Transit

• Eddie Castro - SunLine Transit Agency (CA)

• Daisy Leon - TriMet (OR)

• Itzel Moreno Rosas - AECOM (CA)

• Victor Scantlebury Rente - HNTB (CA)

• Ursulla Scardina - Monterey-Salinas Transit (CA)

• Jesse Morones - TriMet (OR)

• Jasmin Ortega - Merrimack Valley Transit (MA)

• Odalis Lopez - North County Transit District (CA)

• Richard Burgos - Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (OH)

• Melissa Ibarra - Victorious Gold Partners LLC (CA)

• Alma L. Ramirez - Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (CA)

• Luis Tetatzin - Sound Transit (WA)

“LIT takes great pride in offering an impactful professional development program in which its application is open to all transit professionals nationwide. Our goal with LITLA is to continue strengthening the workforce pipeline by equipping professionals with the knowledge, skills, and leadership tools necessary to drive innovation and shape the future of the transit industry,” said LIT Executive Director Christina Villarreal.

Each track consists of five modules. There will be one module held each month for a period of five months starting in April 2025. The modules will be taught virtually by industry leaders. There will be a team project and presentation required to graduate from the academy.

The 2025 LITLA program year will begin with an orientation to welcome the 2025 class participants. Now in its fourth year, the LITLA Committee incorporated two sessions focused on presentation coaching to help participants refine their public speaking abilities, manage their presentation time effectively, engage their audience and build confidence.

LIT looks forward to celebrating the graduates of this year's Leadership Academy on October 3, 2025, at the Leadership Summit in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Graduation & Awards Ceremony will, for the fourth consecutive year, be proudly sponsored by WeDriveU, a dedicated partner of LIT whose generous support continues to help LIT implement this impactful program. Information on attending the Leadership Summit, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, may be found at https://www.latinosintransit.org/Leadership-Summit.

ABOUT LATINOS IN TRANSIT(LIT)

Founded in 2016, LIT is a nonprofit organization committed to empowering professionals in the transit industry to achieve leadership roles by advancing opportunities for workforce development, mentorship, networking and education.

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