LIT wraps inaugural Navigate Mentorship Program

Latinos In Transit (LIT) has completed hosting its inaugural Navigate Mentorship Program, a six-month leadership development initiative the organization says it designed to empower and equip emerging professionals across the public transportation industry.

The LIT Navigate Mentorship Program—launched as a structured, low-cost opportunity for active LIT members—focused on intentional growth, workforce development, mentorship, networking and education to drive career success. Through 12 virtual sessions, participants engaged in specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) goal setting, individual development planning, industry trend analysis, leadership and soft skills development, networking expansion, job shadowing, community engagement strategies and long-term career planning.

This inaugural cohort included professionals representing major transit agencies, engineering firms, consulting organizations and emerging industry leaders. Participants include:

• Roxana Beyranvand, Maryland Transit Administration (MTA)
• Tomas Bolivar, Chicago Transit Authority
• Alma Cervantes, Metra
• Stephanie Daniels, Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority
• Tamara D. Hunté, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)
• Gonzalo Armijos, The Solís Group
• Elena Lasheras, VST Engineering
• Carina Solis, TriMet
• Nicolas Uribe, Student

Throughout the program, LIT says that participants strengthened not only their technical knowledge, but also their leadership clarity and professional confidence. 

“Participating in the inaugural Navigate Mentorship cohort through LIT was exactly the mentorship support I had been seeking, providing a structured and inspiring space to grow with intention,” said MTA Rider Experience Director Roxana Beyranvand. “The journey strengthened my leadership purpose and focus while also fostering meaningful relationships with incredible peers across other agencies that I truly value.”

Other participants also noted that the impact of the program extended beyond professional development.

“The LIT Navigate Mentorship Program was truly educational, productive and career changing, as it was marked by meaningful mentorship, honest conversations and shared knowledge,” said MARTA East/West General Superintendent Tamara D. Hunté. “Being one of the first graduates of such a remarkable and rewarding program will have a lasting impact on me and my career trajectory that I will forever take pride in and always cherish.”

LIT notes that a defining component of the Navigate Mentorship Program was the capstone project, which is designed to challenge participants to think strategically about their professional brand and future positioning within the industry. To complete the program, LIT notes that each participant developed a formal conference proposal aligned with their area of expertise, professional network and long-term career goals.

This capstone experience required participants to:

• Identify a relevant industry topic reflective of their expertise.
• Develop a compelling session proposal suitable for a professional conference.
• Clarify their target audience and learning objectives.
• Demonstrate subject matter credibility.
• Update and refine their CVs.
• Present themselves in a professional and competitive manner to stand out among industry peers.

LIT says the conference proposal process was not just an academic exercise—it required participants to envision where they want to lead, how they want to contribute and how they can leverage their network and resources to position themselves as thought leaders in public transportation. Through the refinement of their resumes and professional narratives alongside their session proposals, the organization says that graduates strengthened both their confidence and their visibility within the industry through the project.

“The Navigate Mentorship Program was created to be intentional, rigorous and transformative,” said LIT Executive Director Christina Villarreal. “We wanted participants to walk away not only with mentorship conversations, but with tangible deliverables that elevate their professional presence. The capstone project challenged them to think like industry leaders—how to present ideas, how to position themselves competitively and how to step into spaces where their voices belong. This cohort has demonstrated exactly the kind of leadership our industry needs.”

At the end of the course, rather than a traditional certificate, graduates received a customized professional blueprint—a forward-looking, individualized roadmap designed to keep them on track with the goals and objectives established throughout the program. This blueprint outlines refined career goals, leadership development priorities, networking strategies and measurable next steps to aid in continued growth beyond the six-month program.

LIT says the success of the inaugural Navigate Mentorship cohort reflects its broader mission to strengthen the pipeline of leadership in the public transportation industry and to create meaningful, measurable workforce development opportunities nationwide.