Felicia Friesema hit the ground running, almost literally, as Foothill Transit's public information officer in 2003. Her first day on the job coincided with a massive union strike in a neighboring transportation agency in Los Angeles, and she often credits that day with cementing her commitment to a career in public transit.
Within hours Friesema was on the streets, greeting and directing customers and answering media calls about Foothill Transit service. She was promoted to marketing and communications manager in 2005 and was recently promoted to interim director of marketing and communications.
In her nearly nine years at the agency, Friesema has managed numerous media campaigns and marketing initiatives, including two pivotal website redesigns, the agency's first forays into social media and has had articles published both here and in Europe about Foothill Transit's unique public-private partnership.
Friesema works closely with colleagues at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) on both the social media task force and the annual Dump the Pump campaign, and recently completed the Eno Center for Transportation Leadership's Transit Mid-Manager Seminar.
She's a staunch advocate for Foothill's riders and is a champion of its sustainability initiatives. In her spare time, Friesema volunteers with the UC Cooperative Extension in Los Angeles to teach safe food preservation to low-income communities and schools.
Connecting with the Riders
"I love writing for multiple audiences. Each requires a new voice, approach and perspective. Boredom is non-existent when you have to weave a story that has to engage an audience accustomed to seeing the same messages over and over again. It requires you to stay fresh, be creative, read as much as you can and improve your skills."
What Do You Enjoy About Transit?
"I think across the board this answer will be repeated over and over — it's the people. The customers, the coworkers, the stakeholders — transit brings so many diverse parts of our community together to advance a common goal. It's one of the few places where you can find common ground between disparate interests.
"Once everyone is on the same page, it becomes something increasingly rare — a force for bringing people together."
The Future of Transit
"So often public transportation is seen as an alternative to the car; I'd like the car to be the alternative. That's asking a lot for a place like L.A., but we're working on it."
Outside the Office
"I'm a Master Food Preserver with the University of California Cooperative Extension here in Los Angeles County. It's a volunteer commitment that requires that I teach safe home food preservation to at-risk communities throughout Los Angeles. That translates into lots of farmers market trips and making a lot of jams, jellies and pickles — all things I love to do."
"It's a big commitment that requires continued education, but it's worth it every time someone proudly hands over their first jar of jam."
