People on the move: AC Transit, Sound Transit, ACES Mobility Coalition, Trapeze Workforce Management

The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), Sound Transit, the ACES Mobility Coalition and Trapeze Workforce Management have made new appointments to their respective leadership teams. 

AC Transit selects next assistant general manager/CEO 

AC Transit has selected Paul Kincaid as its next assistant general manager/CEO. Kincaid served on the Transportation Agency Review Team, which helped prepare the Biden-Harris Administration and former U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg for leadership of the USDOT and for the confirmation process. He later served as a presidential appointee at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), where he led a 22-person enterprise team overseeing congressional strategy, public communications and legislative affairs tied to more than $21 billion in annual transit investments. 

During his tenure, Kincaid formed and led an internal Tiger Team that brought together FTA headquarters, regional offices and key external partners to accelerate the completion of 12 major grant agreements. He also contributed to the preparation of numerous House and Senate hearings spanning cross-modal transportation strategies. As FTA’s associate administrator for communications and congressional affairs, he served as the principal liaison for major global events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games. 

 Kincaid will begin his new role on March 9. 

Sound Transit names new leadership members  

Sound Transit has named new members to its leadership teams. Jessyn Farrell has been named executive director of government and community relations; Marshall Foster has been appointed chief planning and development officer; and Brooke Belman has been named deputy CEO. 

“This year marks a pivotal chapter in Sound Transit’s history,” said Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine. “With major Link expansions reaching completion, our enterprise initiative driving long-term financial stability and preparations underway for the 2026 World Cup, these leadership additions equip the agency to seize the moment and deliver transformational transit investments that will benefit generations to come.”  

A long-time transit advocate, Farrell brings experience across the public, private, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, including service as a Washington State legislator for the 46th District, executive director of transportation choices and most recently deputy mayor for Seattle. In her Sound Transit role, Farrell will lead the agency’s legislative engagement and partnership strategies with local, state and federal stakeholders.  

Foster will lead the newly established Office of Planning and Development within the agency’s executive department. With more than 25 years of experience in large-scale project planning and development, Foster will help ensure the agency can plan effectively not only for major capital projects, but can also deliver an agency-wide strategy for both growing and maintaining a high-quality regional transit system. 

Belman is a former Sound Transit leader that has nearly two decades of experience at the agency, most recently as interim CEO and deputy CEO of system expansion. She led the development of the agency’s first transit-oriented development policy, reimagining the program in service of creating transformational affordable housing projects near agency facilities. Belman will support strategic planning, build relationships with the FTA and co-lead the senior leadership team. 

ACES Mobility Coalition appoints next executive director  

The ACES Mobility Coalition has appointed Joshua Schank, Ph.D., as its new executive director. He will lead the coalition as it accelerates efforts to increase the deployment of shared autonomous mobility solutions across the U.S. Schank brings nearly three decades of leadership in public transportation, policy, innovation and technology. 

“Joshua brings a rare combination of strategic thinking, deep policy expertise and hands-on experience delivering transportation initiatives,” said Jacksonville Transportation Authority Senior Vice President and Chief Infrastructure and Development Officer and ACES Mobility Coalition Board President Greer Johnson Gillis. “The board selected him because we are confident in his ability to build consensus, advance policy and help communities move pilots to permanent, scalable shared autonomous mobility solutions.” 

Schank serves as a partner at InfraStrategies LLC, where he leads a practice focused on innovation, strategic planning and technology. He is also a senior fellow at the Institute for Transportation Studies at UCLA and a research associate at the Mineta Transportation Institute.  

Prior to joining InfraStrategies, Schank was the chief innovation officer at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro), where he founded and led the Office of Extraordinary Innovation. In that role, he helped shape L.A. Metro’s long-term strategic vision and spearheaded the Vision 2028 Strategic Plan, Metro Micro, Mobility on Demand, Metro’s Traffic Reduction Study, Better Bus and major public-private partnerships. 

Schank holds a Ph.D. in urban planning from Columbia University and a Master of City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  

“ACES represents the future of transportation and a tremendous potential opportunity for public transit riders and agencies,” Schank said. “I’m honored by the board’s confidence and excited to work with the coalition’s members to help make shared autonomous mobility a permanent, and integrated part of public transportation solutions that improve access, safety, sustainability and quality of life.” 

As executive director, Schank will lead ACES’ strategic direction, policy engagement and member collaboration, with a focus on scaling shared autonomous mobility as a core component of public transportation systems nationwide. 

Trapeze Workforce Management appoints next general manager   

Trapeze Workforce Management has appointed Paola Realpozo as its next general manager. Realpozo brings more than 20 years of experience across rail and public transportation, with a career focused on applying technology to support mission-critical transit operations. In her role, she will lead overall business strategy, performance and growth for Trapeze Workforce Management while maintaining close alignment with customer and partner priorities. 

“Public transit agencies depend on reliable systems and trusted partnerships to support their workforce and daily operations,” Realpozo said. “My priority is to ensure our customers continue to experience the same consistency, responsiveness and high-quality care they rely on today while we thoughtfully strengthen our solutions to meet their real-world operational needs.” 

Realpozo is transitioning from another Modaxo company, TransTrack Systems, and brings prior senior-level experience across Trapeze Group’s broader solution portfolio. Her return to Trapeze Workforce Management builds on an established understanding of the business, its customers and the operational realities of public transit. 

“Paola’s leadership style and industry experience make her well suited for this role,” said Portfolio Manager and Head of Americas/ANZ, Modaxo, Rod Jones. “Her proven ability to drive operational excellence and her deep commitment to customer success have made a significant impact throughout her career. Paola understands the responsibility that comes with supporting transit agencies and their workforces and brings a steady, customer-focused approach that aligns with how Trapeze Workforce Management serves the industry today. I am confident in her capacity to lead our team and advance our mission of delivering innovative, reliable solutions to public transit agencies.