FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LIT

Contact: Christina Villarreal

Executive Director

(626) 495-1548 

c.villareal@latinosintransit.org

LIT Announces the 2026 Leadership Academy Class — Largest in Program History

The LIT Leadership Academy is a premier career development program designed to strengthen leadership pipelines within the public transportation industry. Curated and facilitated by transportation industry leaders, LITLA provides a high-quality, structured learning experience that combines theoretical knowledge, professional networking, and practical leadership application.

[Covina, CA February 13, 2026] LIT is proud to announce the official launch of the 2026 LIT Leadership Academy (LITLA) Class, welcoming 64 participants, making it the largest cohort in LITLA history.

The LIT Leadership Academy is a premier career development program designed to strengthen leadership pipelines within the public transportation industry. Curated and facilitated by transportation industry leaders, LITLA provides a high-quality, structured learning experience that combines theoretical knowledge, professional networking, and practical leadership application.

“This year’s Leadership Academy class reflects the incredible growth and momentum of LIT,” said Christina Villarreal, Executive Director of LIT. “With 64 professionals participating, we are building the strongest leadership bench in our program’s history. LITLA is about empowering transit professionals with the tools, confidence, and connections to lead our industry forward.”

Leadership Tracks

The 2026 Academy consists of three specialized training and development tracks:

• The Making of an Executive

• Leading in Middle Management

• New Careers in Transit

Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of public transportation leadership and operations. The curriculum covers management practices, finance, procurement, labor relations, and regulatory compliance. Each area includes five structured modules designed to support career advancement and executive readiness.

The Academy runs for five months, beginning with an orientation in March 2026. Participants will complete one module each month, with each session lasting approximately 3.5 hours. All training is conducted virtually by experienced industry leaders.

To graduate, participants must complete a capstone project culminating in an in-person presentation during the 2026 LIT Leadership Summit, taking place September 10–13, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio, hosted by COTA.

Graduation will be celebrated in person during the Leadership Summit at the 10-Year Anniversary LIT Gala, where alumni and members will gather to honor a decade of impact and celebrate the 2026 graduates. The graduation dinner and ceremony will be sponsored by WeDriveU.

“You can expect a fun and meaningful opportunity to reconnect with other alumni, share stories from our LITLA experiences, catch up on career journeys, and strengthen the relationships that began in the Academy,” said Cristina Hallner, LITLA Chair.

Participants were selected through a competitive committee review process chaired by Cristina Hallner, LIT Board Member and Chair of the Leadership Academy.

2026 Participant Roster (By Track)

New Careers in Transit

• Daniel Garcia — COTA

• Larrilyn Fernandez Canonio — WeDriveU

• Celeste Cruz — MeVa Transit

• Fabian Morales — Palm Tran

• Carina Solis — TriMet

• Ana Jurado — Dallas Area Rapid Transit

• Amani Lee — Dallas Area Rapid Transit

• Laura Varela — Dallas Area Rapid Transit

• Riley Zane Warton — Rose & Thorn

• Maria Signes — WSP

• Henry Meza Lopez — North Central Regional Transit District

• Fidel Gutierrez — North Central Regional Transit District

• Daniela Gutierrez — South Central Regional Transit District

• Danielle Ornelas — South Central Regional Transit District

• Seline Magtoto — HNTB

Leading in Middle Management

• Thomas Goldsworthy — WeDriveU

• Mariah Carranza — WeDriveU

• Michael A. Lane — WeDriveU

• Sheila Alexander — WeDriveU

• Monica Pena — Dallas Area Rapid Transit

• Andy Mezquita — Keolis

• Bryan Pena — Keolis

• Cresencio Ortega — Keolis

• Raul Ramos — Keolis

• Maria Rogers — North County Transit District

• Raquel Reyes — VIA Metropolitan Transit

• Dr. Nekya Young — Washington Department of Transportation

• Merby Curtis — Cincinnati Metro

• Navadha “Nikki” Modha — Dallas Area Rapid Transit

• Pam Floyd — Dallas Area Rapid Transit

• Mathunia Washington — Dallas Area Rapid Transit

• Amanuel Habte Ghebretsadik — Dallas Area Rapid Transit

• Mikaela Deckner — Long Beach Transit

• Rafael Regan — SF Bay Ferry

• Michelle Bisceglia — WSP

• Cynthia Martinez — North Central Regional Transit District

• Veronica C. Buentello — REAL, Inc.

• Lydia Villalobos — REAL, Inc.

• Cheyanne Salinas — REAL, Inc.

• Maricela Perez — REAL, Inc.

• Michael Rivera — Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

• Fanny Mata Ferrer — Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

• Danielle J. Fugate — Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

• Mateo Gomez — HNTB Corporation

• Victoria Morales — Transdev

• Adam Beltran II — Transdev

The Making of an Executive

• Kevin Alvarado — Metrolink (SCRRA)
  

• Angel Grajeda — Uber Technologies Inc.

• Yuri Sanz — WeDriveU

• Carlos Balderas — CapMetro

• Jose C. Feliciano Jr. — GCRTA

• Willy Perez — Keolis

• Cristin-Andrea Medina — Liberty Lines Transit

• Alexander Houck — Maryland Transit Administration

• Bernadette McDermott — Sound Transit

• Thomas “TJ” Nass — TSI Video

• Mario Zavala — Dallas Area Rapid Transit

• Laura Anglada — GO ITHACA

• Dalila Ortiz — Foothill Transit

• London W. Lee — Foothill Transit

• Jesus Cervantes — MV Transportation

• Regina Flores — MV Transportation

• Richard Gonzalez — MV Transportation

• Smirlys Perez — MV Transportation

Summit & Raffle Opportunities

Join in on the celebration and support LIT by entering for a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2026 Leadership Summit by purchasing raffle tickets here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/latinos-in-transits-annual-raffle--2026

Learn more about the 2026 LIT Leadership Summit in Columbus, Ohio here:
https://latinosintransit.org/LeadershipSummit2

ABOUT LIT

Founded in 2015, 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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