Hillary Foose is part of Valley Metro’s leadership team, working directly with the CEO on all marketing and communications strategies. Valley Metro is the regional transit agency for the Phoenix-metro area, serving more than 250,000 residents every day.
Foose joined the Metro team in 2008 as public information office for the light rail line. This turned out to be her true professional calling. As a Valley native, she grew up seeing the urban sprawl spread further and further away from Phoenix. As the new Metro PIO, her job was to increase awareness about the benefits of a regional, multi-modal transit system — a cause she values immensely.
In 2012 Metro Rail and Valley Metro merged, creating one agency for regional transit. Foose was promoted to director of Communication and Marketing and played a pivotal role in the integration of the two systems. She manages the marketing and communications department, overseeing a team of 30 people. She is responsible for the strategy and implementation of campaigns for the light rail line, bus service, dial-a-ride, Commute Solutions (alternate modes of transportation) and future capital projects, including two rail extensions under construction.
Foose has developed and managed many prominent transit campaigns. She was instrumental in the grand opening of light rail, conducting dozens of media interviews and planning a one-of-a-kind, multi-location grand opening event for the community. She spearheaded light rail’s participation in the MLB All-Star game, keeping the trains running and participating in the All-Star parade.
She oversaw the launch of the award-winning Shop On campaign, which helps support small businesses impacted by light rail construction. She also led Stop on Red, a powerful safety awareness campaign involving light rail wraps and an online pledge.
Foose is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and Advancing Women in Public Transit (WTS). Notably, she was selected to the Leadership APTA class of 2013. She has mentored students interested in transportation and is also active in the downtown Phoenix community, doing everything she can to promote local businesses.
“I enjoy the diversity of my day and the people. In a communications role, it provides the opportunity work with a wide cross-section of people, trades and backgrounds and to continuously learn. The workday is very dynamic, moving from one issue to the next. I just never quite know what my day will hold and I enjoy that aspect of public transit and this position.”
“I have always been a creative person, spending my youthful years incessantly writing and drawing. The field of communications and marketing is a natural fit for me; however, what I fell into, and fell in love with, is the public transit industry. Working at Valley Metro has afforded me the opportunity to excel at what I enjoy, work with an amazing group of professionals and help transform my hometown with the development of an excellent transit system.”
