FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact

Christina Villarreal, LIT Executive Director

Raquel OLIVIER Announces $10,000 Scholarship in Honor of Transit Leader Nuria I. Fernandez at 2026 LIT Leadership Summit

Latinos In Transit to invite industry and community partners to help grow scholarship fund supporting the next generation of public transportation professionals

Covina, CA — September 12, 2026 — Latinos In Transit (LIT) recognized Raquel Olivier, CPA, MBA, Founder and President/CEO of Olivier, Inc., as a recipient of the LIT Legacy Award during the 2026 LIT Leadership Summit in Columbus, Ohio, honoring her continued support of LIT’s programs, services and mission to develop the next generation of public transportation leaders.

Olivier, Inc. is a professional consulting firm supporting the construction and operational sectors of public transit, aviation, education, municipalities, healthcare and other industries. Founded by Olivier, the firm focuses on delivering solutions in areas including project and program support, project controls, workforce development, client sustainability and quality assurance.

During the LIT Leadership Luncheon, Olivier expanded that legacy of support by announcing a $10,000 scholarship contribution in honor of Nuria I. Fernandez, one of the nation’s most respected public transportation leaders and a longtime supporter of LIT.

The scholarship recognizes Fernandez’s decades of leadership and public service and celebrates her selection for induction into the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Hall of Fame Class of 2026. The APTA Hall of Fame is reserved for individuals whose long and distinguished careers have made extraordinary contributions to public transportation.

Fernandez served as the 15th Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration and has held senior leadership positions across some of the nation’s largest transportation organizations. 

She also served as Chair of APTA’s Board of Directors and has been a longtime champion of professional development and expanding opportunities for future transportation leaders.

Her relationship with LIT has been equally meaningful. Fernandez helped ensure LIT had a voice within the broader public transportation industry and supported the collaborative relationship between LIT and APTA. In 2023, LIT presented Fernandez with its Founders Award, the organization’s highest honor, following her keynote address at the LIT Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C.

“Raquel’s $10,000 commitment represents exactly what the LIT Legacy Award is intended to recognize — someone who does more than support our organization in words, but invests in the people and programs that will shape the future of our industry,” said Christina Villarreal, Executive Director of LIT. “It is especially meaningful that this scholarship will carry Nuria’s name. Nuria helped open doors for LIT, and now, through Raquel’s generosity, we have an opportunity to open doors for students who will become the next generation of public transportation professionals. Our goal is not to stop at $10,000. We are asking our industry partners, members and friends to help us build upon Raquel’s extraordinary gift and grow this scholarship into something that can create opportunities for students for years to come.”

LIT Calls on the Industry to Build Upon the $10,000 Gift

LIT will open the scholarship fund to additional contributions from individuals, businesses, transit agencies and industry partners, with Olivier’s $10,000 commitment serving as the foundation of the campaign.

LIT invites the public transportation community to join Raquel Olivier in honoring Nuria Fernandez’s legacy by investing in the professionals who will carry the industry forward.

Every contribution will help LIT expand the scholarship’s reach and provide greater educational opportunities to students pursuing careers connected to public transportation.

Help Us Build the Next Generation of Transit Leaders

Donate to the Nuria I. Fernandez Scholarship Fund and help us build upon the first $10,000.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/nuria-i-fernandez-scholarship-fund 

Scholarship Applications to Open in January

LIT’s Scholarship Committee will administer the scholarship and select recipients through a competitive application process. A call for applications will open in January 2027 for students pursuing an eligible course of study that provides a career pathway into the public transportation industry.

Additional information regarding eligibility requirements, application deadlines, award amounts and the selection process will be announced by Latinos In Transit prior to the opening of the application period.

About Raquel Olivier and Olivier, Inc.

Raquel Olivier, CPA, MBA, is the Founder and President/CEO of Olivier, Inc., a professional consulting firm supporting major public and private-sector organizations. Olivier has built her company around workforce development, client sustainability, quality assurance and solutions that strengthen organizations and the communities they serve.

Olivier is also active within the transportation industry, including leadership and service through the American Public Transportation Association and the American Public Transportation Foundation.

About Nuria I. Fernandez

Nuria I. Fernandez is a nationally recognized public transportation executive with more than three decades of leadership in the industry. Her career has included serving as Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, General Manager and CEO of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Chief Operating Officer of the New York Metropolitan Transportation 

Authority, and senior leadership roles with the Chicago Transit Authority and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

Fernandez was selected as a member of the 2026 APTA Hall of Fame, recognizing her distinguished career and lasting contributions to public transportation.

About Latinos In Transit

Latinos In Transit (LIT) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing workforce and economic development within the public transportation industry through leadership development, mentorship, scholarships, professional development, networking and programs that create pathways into transportation careers.