Josh Ensign has been named the president of Proterra Transit. He joined the company more than five years ago to serve as chief operating officer and has executive leadership experience from his time at Honeywell International and Tesla Motors.
Ensign holds a bachelor’s in engineering from Gonzaga University and an MBA from the University of Southern California and his track record includes leading global operations for 42 factories in 15 countries and managing the supporting supply chains.
But he also has a drive to see the electrification of the transportation sector, and specifically, the transit sector through to fruition.
“Transportation remains one of the leading sources of air pollution and damaging emissions,” Ensign wrote in a Sept. 1 blog. “For me, electrifying transportation is personal.”
Ensign credits a childhood rich in experiences surrounded by nature as driving him to take action to help preserve and protect the environment.
He notes that when he first joined Proterra, the question being discussed was if the transit market would embrace electrification. That question, he says, has been answered and the transition is underway.
“Delivering clean, quiet transportation is an opportunity to meet the needs of our communities while protecting our environment and public health, particularly for those who are most at risk from the threats of pollution,” said Ensign. “The road to the future of zero-emission transportation begins with public transit and the time is now.”
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
