People on the move: Denver RTD, Lawrence Transit, L.A. Metro, NCTD, SJJRC

The Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD), city of Lawrence, Kan., Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro), North County Transit District (NCTD) and San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) have made new appointments to their respective leadership teams. 

Denver RTD selects next CFO 

Denver RTD has selected Kelly Mackey as the agency’s next CFO. Mackey brings 22 years of experience to the role and is a strategic and results-driven finance executive, specializing in complex financial operations and organizational transformation. As CFO, she will oversee the agency’s $1.4 billion budget, steward resources with fiscal integrity on behalf of more than 3,000 employees and drive financial strategies that support Denver RTD’s mission to make lives better through connections. Mackey will officially join the agency on Monday, May 12. She assumes a role that was vacated earlier this year when the agency's prior CFO, Doug MacLeod, retired after nearly 15 years of service to the agency. 

“I am honored to join [Denver] RTD at such a pivotal moment in its transformation journey,” Mackey said. “Transit is a vital connector for our communities and sound financial leadership is essential to achieving the agency’s ambitious vision. I look forward to partnering with our board, leadership team and employees to enhance fiscal transparency, strengthen operations and build a resilient financial foundation—rooted in public trust and aligned with the values of the communities we serve.” 

Mackey will be charged with leading the agency’s finance, accounting, treasury, investment and asset management teams. She will focus on enhancing operational efficiency, strengthening capital planning and positioning the agency for long-term financial resilience.  

"I am excited to have Kelly’s dedication and commitment to [Denver] RTD’s employees and customers at a time when the agency is focused on the strategic priority of financial success and the strategic initiative of back to basics,” said Denver RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson. “Her more than two decades of experience and leadership will ensure the agency can continue to successfully manage its financial resources." 

The agency notes Mackey offers a diverse and robust background to the CFO role, most notably through her 15-year career at Staples. There, she held multiple leadership roles supporting the company’s B2B e-commerce distribution and delivery business. Mackey’s leadership enabled measurable improvements in financial discipline and operational efficiency across supply chain, customer experience and field operations. She led an 88-person team for the organization, driving operational execution, data-driven decisions, and planning for one of North America's largest private delivery networks.  

Most recently, Mackey brought her financial and operational expertise into the technology and cybersecurity sectors, as vice president of finance at Trellix, a global enterprise cybersecurity company. In that role, she served as a key leader for financial planning and analysis, product line restructuring and merger-and-acquisition readiness. Prior to Trellix, Mackey served as vice president of revenue operations at GHX, a Colorado-based healthcare supply chain software firm, where she led digital transformation initiatives, streamlined financial operations and successfully integrated multiple acquisitions. 

A certified public accountant and an alumna of Harvard Business School through the Advanced Management Program, Mackey holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Colorado Denver. She earned her Bachelor of Science in finance, summa cum laude, with a minor in Spanish from Oral Roberts University. 

City of Lawrence names new director of Lawrence Transit 

The city of Lawrence has appointed Felice Lavergne as the new director of Lawrence Transit following a national recruitment process. Lavergne, who has served in multiple roles with the city since 2021, brings a deep commitment to public service, community partnership and innovative transit solutions. 

“Felice was selected through a rigorous national recruitment,” said Lawrence Assistant City Manager Brandon McGuire. “She is an engaged community member and enjoys widespread support from her fellow city team members and public transit partners. Felice’s appointment reflects positively on her professional abilities, as well as the city’s commitment to engaged and empowered team members who can thrive in their public service careers.” 

Since joining Lawrence Transit as a transit planner II in 2021, Lavergne has led transformative projects that have improved rider experience, expanded access and enhanced community connection. Her accomplishments include securing over $8 million in grant funding, overseeing more than 50 bus stop improvement projects, building public engagement tools and cultivating meaningful partnerships through programs like Transit Poet Laureate and the Fruit Tree Project. 

“Lawrence Transit is such a vibrant and connective part of our community,” Lavergne said. “As I take on this new role, I do so with a strong sense of responsibility to our riders and to our city. Having been with the transit team since 2021, I understand both our transit operations and their impact. I look forward to continuing our many community partnerships, as well as our commitment to transparency and strong public processes.” 

Lavergne brings both national experience and local understanding to the role. Before her work in Lawrence, she served as a transportation planner and project manager in New Orleans, where she supported major infrastructure and green space initiatives. She holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of New Orleans and is a certified member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.  

L.A. Metro selects first chief of police and emergency management 

L.A. Metro has selected William “Bill” Scott to serve as the agency’s first chief of police and emergency management. With more than 35 years of law enforcement experience, including eight years as chief of police in San Francisco and 27 years with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Scott returns to the city where he built his career to lead one of the most significant public safety transitions in L.A. Metro’s history. The decision follows an extensive engagement process with the L.A. Metro Board, employees and community stakeholders to identify the qualities essential for the department’s next leader.  

Scott joins L.A. Metro to lead its new public safety department, which was approved by the L.A. Metro Board last June as the Transit Community Public Safety Department and will unify and oversee all of L.A. Metro’s safety operations under one command structure. As chief, Scott will be responsible for building the department from the ground up, overseeing everything from command staff selection, training standards, to uniforms, technology systems and deployment strategies.  

Scott will also lead L.A. Metro’s security coordination for many upcoming high-profile global events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

“This moment demands a leader like Chief Scott, who brings vision and integrity to this important role,” said L.A. Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn. “He understands that real public safety is about more than enforcement, it’s about trust, transparency and working with the community to make every rider feel safe.” 

L.A. Metro notes Scott’s appointment comes after an extensive national search and stakeholder engagement process informed by feedback from employees, community members and public safety experts. L.A. Metro conducted a series of listening sessions where participants emphasized characteristics they wanted in a new chief. 

“We heard the community’s call for a leader who is calm under pressure, emotionally intelligent and politically astute,” said L.A. Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “Someone who can balance enforcement with empathy and collaboration, Chief Scott brings all of that and more. His experience leading reform in San Francisco, coupled with his decades of service in our own neighborhoods with LAPD, make him uniquely qualified to deliver the safe, responsive and equitable security system our riders deserve. This is a defining moment for [L.A.] Metro’s public safety strategy.” 

During his tenure in San Francisco, Scott was nationally recognized for his implementation of 21st Century policing reforms, completing all 272 recommendations issued by the U.S. Department of Justice. Under his leadership, San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) significantly reduced use-of-force incidents, prioritized de-escalation training and improved violent crime clearance rates well above national averages. He also introduced innovative tools like automated license plate recognition cameras and drones to address organized retail theft and property crime.  

“This is an incredible opportunity at this point in my career,” Scott said. “How many people can say they have built a public safety operation from the very beginning? I’m honored to be back in L.A. but even more honored to have this chance to lead this next chapter for L.A. Metro. Together, we have an opportunity to create something that reflects the values of this region, supports our frontline teams and earns the trust of the public we serve.” 

Scott will officially assume his role on June 23, 2025. 

NCTD hires new deputy COO of bus and security 

NCTD has hired Jeff Hiott to serve as the agency’s deputy COO of bus and security, effective April 14. 

In this role, Hiott is responsible for daily management and operational efficiency of bus operations and maintenance, including safety and security, ensuring peak performance and productivity. Hiott reports to the COO of bus operations and security and will serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and NCTD’s Board of Directors, helping to guide NCTD’s departmental objectives. 

“Jeff’s contributions to this industry speak for themselves and can be seen by the communities that he has impacted and our industry on a national scale,” said NCTD CEO Shawn M. Donaghy.  “On the doorstep of North County Transit – San Diego Railroad’s 50th anniversary, Jeff is the right choice to join our incredible leadership team to help define what the next 50 years will be for our world-class agency.” 

Hiott brings more than 20 years of experience in public transportation and engineering and is an alumnus of Georgia Institute of Technology. He began his career in transportation as the vice president of technical services and innovation at the American Public Transportation Association in Washington, D.C. In this role, he served for 14 years, exhibiting his leadership for the association’s mobility management and innovation technology initiatives, including, zero-emission bus implementation, mobility as a service, fare payment and transit technologies. 

“I’m honored to join NCTD and contribute to a forward-thinking agency that prioritizes innovation, service reliability and public safety,” Hiott said. “I look forward to working with the team to strengthen transit services for the region and support the agency’s long-term vision.” 

In his most recent role as senior vice president of operational transformation at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority, Hiott demonstrated the capacity and capability to deliver programs and initiatives such as prioritizing projects in the Strategic Transformation Plan’s Action Programs portfolio. 

SJRRC executive director steps down 

SJRRC Executive Director Stacey Mortensen will step down from her role, effective Aug. 31, 2025, concluding more than 27 years of visionary leadership and transformative contributions to passenger rail in Northern California. 

Under  Mortensen’s leadership, the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) has grown from a modest operation into a vital commuter rail system, connecting the Central Valley and the Bay Area. In her dual roles as the founding executive director of the SJRRC and the agency it manages, the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA), Mortensen has been instrumental in expanding rail mobility, securing major investments and advancing a rider-focused vision for public transportation across the region. 

In a public statement, Mortensen said, “After over 27 years of service, I have shared with the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission and the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority Boards my intent to step down as executive director, with my final day planned for Aug. 31, 2025. What began as a small, passionate team operating out of rented space at the Stockton Airport has grown into a dynamic organization with state-of-the-art facilities, a dedicated staff and a bold vision for the future of rail in Northern California. It has been the honor of a lifetime to work alongside so many exceptional people— staff, board members and community partners—whose collective commitment has driven our success.” 

The SJRRC Board has initiated the executive recruitment process and will share updates in the coming months. The individual hired for the role will continue in Mortensen’s footsteps, overseeing critical expansions as part of the Valley Rail program, including new rail services, station developments and infrastructure upgrades that will significantly enhance connectivity between Sacramento, the Bay Area and the San Joaquin Valley. 

Mortensen will remain in her role through August 2025 and continue supporting the transition to new leadership.