Mona Babauta has been named CEO and general manager of SunLine Transit Agency in Thousand Palms, Calif. She will start on Aug. 7.
Babauta comes to the agency with 26 years of public service in California – 24 of which have been in the public transit industry serving communities in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas. Most recently, she served as the deputy general manager for Golden Gate Transit, which is a division of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District that provides transit service in Sonoma, Marin, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties.
Additionally, she was the first permanent executive director of Solano County Transit. During her first five years with the district, she eliminated a structural deficit, initiated the agency’s transition to zero-emission technology and completed several infrastructure projects that were critical for improving public trust, operational efficiency and system safety and security.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, we look forward to welcoming Mona – who brings a wealth of transit knowledge and leadership experience to SunLine Transit Agency,” said Glenn Miller, SunLine Transit Agency Board chair. “We are confident she is the ideal individual to lead SunLine in this pivotal time as we transition to full zero-emission service before the state’s 2040 deadline while maintaining SunLine’s position as a leader in transit innovation and technology.”
Separate from Babauta’s expansive professional career, she has also been active in various state, regional and national committees focused on transit advocacy and sustainability, including serving on the Executive Committee of the California Transit Association and the Board of Directors of The Center for Transportation and the Environment.
“I have always admired SunLine’s innovative spirit and industry leadership in the hydrogen fuel cell space, and I’m both thrilled and honored to be joining its team very soon,” said Babauta. “I look forward to working with the board, the staff and its labor partners, as well as our community stakeholders, to advance projects and programs that will further improve the customer experience and mobility throughout the Coachella Valley.”
Babauta earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
