People on the move: NCRTD, Denver RTD, Metro Transit Minneapolis, NMDOT, ENC

The North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD), Denver Regional Transportation District (Denver RTD), Metro Transit in Minneapolis, the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and ENC have made new appointments to their respective leadership teams. 

NCRTD Blue Bus appoints next deputy executive director of operations

The NCRTD Blue Bus has appointed Bryan Walck as its new deputy executive director of operations. 

Walck joins the Blue Bus from CityBus in Lafayette, Ind., where he most recently served as COO and provided executive oversight of operations, fleet and facilities, customer experience and information systems. He led a systemwide fixed-route network redesign focused on equity, access and long-term sustainability, implemented account-based fare technology to improve rider access and helped secure more than $18 million in federal funding for fleet modernization, including zero-emission bus deployment. 

“Bryan is a proven operational leader who understands transit from the ground up,” said NCRTD Blue Bus Executive Director Nicholas A. Sofoul. “His experience strengthening service reliability, building organizational culture and leading complex operational change will be invaluable as NCRTD continues to expand and modernize service across our region.” 

As deputy executive director of operations, Walck will oversee the Blue Bus Operations Department, including fixed-route, express, demand response and paratransit services, fleet and facility maintenance, dispatch and customer service operations and transit safety. He will also serve as a strategic partner for the executive director and leadership team. 

“I’m honored to join the Blue Bus and excited to contribute to a system that places equity, safety and community connection at the center of its mission,” Walck said. “I believe strong transit systems are built by investing in people and partnerships, and I look forward to supporting reliable, respectful and community-focused mobility throughout northern New Mexico.” 

Denver RTD names Kellie Irving as civil rights division director 

A civil rights, equity and regulatory compliance leader, Irving’s career spans more than two decades across major public agencies, transportation authorities, health care organizations and municipal governments. She will join Denver RTD on March 16, where she will develop, plan, direct and manage the operations of the division, which is responsible for furthering civil rights goals through programmatic strategy development and implementation, training, community outreach, regulatory compliance and complaint investigation.   

Irving served most recently as director of the office of equal opportunity for the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration, where she oversaw compliance with federal, state and local civil rights laws; managed a team of 20 professionals; and directed a $1.5 million departmental budget. Prior to that, Irving was the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program Manager for the Maryland Transit Solutions Joint Venture, supporting the $2.3 billion Purple Line project. She led DBE program guidance, staff supervision, outreach and all written project communications. 

“My career in regulatory compliance has been an exciting journey, defined by a deep respect for fairness and transparency,” Irving said. “Through years of honing my craft across this great nation in different states and agencies, I have learned that while governance is visionary and leadership is necessary, our employees are priceless, and the citizens are the reason we serve. I am truly honored to have been selected as director of the civil rights division for [Denver] RTD. As a dedicated public administrator, I commit myself to the Denver community with a standard of excellence and a heart for service."  

Twin Cities Metro Transit promotes two to leadership team 

Metro Transit in Minneapolis has promoted Katie Roth to assistant general manager of planning and project delivery, where she will lead the strategic vision, direction and management of the teams leading work to expand and improve service, advance arterial bus rapid transit (BRT) projects, support transit-oriented development and maintain and improve public facilities.  

Roth joined the agency in 2012 as a senior planner. She has served as the director of arterial BRT for the past four years, successfully bringing projects like the METRO E Line, METRO B Line and METRO D Line to fruition. 

The agency has also named Miles Turpin as its next deputy COO of transportation, where he will provide leadership and direction for the agency’s bus and rail transportation departments, including nearly 1,600 bus and train operators, instructors, supervisors and managers and growing the Transit Rider Investment Program, which puts personnel on proof of payment lines to inspect fares and support riders.  

Turpin brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the role, having previously held leadership positions at Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority and Denver RTD. Born in Minneapolis, he spent two seasons in the National Football League before transitioning to a career in transit. 

New Mexico Governor names acting secretary of NMDOT 

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has named David D. Quintana as acting secretary of the NMDOT. 

Quintana has more than two decades of experience at the department, rising through the ranks from engineer in training to his most recent role as programs and infrastructure division director and chief engineer—a position in which he oversees more than 220 employees and manages an annual budget exceeding $500 million. 

“David Quintana has spent his career delivering transportation projects that connect our communities and move New Mexico forward,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “He is well prepared to lead the department of transportation.” 

Quintana has experience directing the department’s statewide design and construction program, managing six district offices and overseeing project development, bridge design, environmental review, right-of-way acquisition and the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan. Earlier in his career, he served in district engineering roles across Northern New Mexico and as roadway and drainage section manager for the city of Santa Fe, N.M. 

ENC promotes John Obert to vice president of transit sales 

ENC notes that Obert previously served as its regional sales manager. Obert brings more than 35 years of transit industry experience to the role, including leadership positions at Nova Bus, Daimler Buses North America and Luminator. Throughout his career, he oversaw major sales initiatives across North America, managed national accounts and played a key role in shaping procurement strategies for some of the country’s largest transit agencies. 

In his expanded role, Obert will lead the company’s full sales organization and work closely with transit agencies to support fleet modernization and zero-emission transition goals. 

“John’s promotion reflects the caliber of leadership we are building at ENC,” said ENC CEO Jason Lee. “He has earned the trust of transit agencies across the country over a career spanning more than three decades. As we continue to ramp production and deliver on our commitments, John is the right leader to drive our commercial growth and strengthen the partnerships that are central to our mission.”