COTA’s Joanna Pinkerton Appointed Chair of DriveOhio Government Advisory Board

March 5, 2019
The Central Ohio Transit Authority has announce that President/CEO Joanna Pinkerton, PE, has been appointed chair of DriveOhio’s Government Advisory Board.

The Central Ohio Transit Authority has announce that President/CEO Joanna Pinkerton, PE, has been appointed chair of DriveOhio’s Government Advisory Board. She will lead the board representing local government in an effort to accelerate smart vehicle and connected vehicle projects in Ohio. It is an advisory board which operates under the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

“I am honored to serve the administration in this role,” Pinkerton said. “DriveOhio’s executive team is taking bold steps to collaborate with local communities throughout Ohio to see how technology advancements in the mobility industry can support their infrastructure capacity and safety needs, while aligning with employers and schools to focus on workforce training. At COTA, we are proud to support these efforts, which align with our philosophy of investing in communities and people.”

Pinkerton has been President/CEO of COTA since April 2018. Prior to that, she was chief operating officer of Transportation Research Center Inc., at The Ohio State University.

“I can think of no one more qualified to lead the DriveOhio Government Advisory Board than Joanna Pinkerton,” said DriveOhio Executive Director Jim Barna. “Her experience in the transportation industry and insight into opportunities for smart mobility technology will ensure the Board is an active and engaged body that helps DriveOhio achieve its goals and fulfill its mission.”

The Government Advisory Board is one of two board at DriveOhio. While the Government Advisory Board represents local government, the Expert Advisory Board represents the transportation industry.

“Having worked with Joanna before at Ohio State and TRC, I am thrilled that she will join DriveOhio as leader of the Government Advisory Board,” said Brett Roubinek, chair of the DriveOhio Expert Advisory Board. “I look forward to great collaboration between the Expert Advisory and Government Advisory Boards as we work to further focus DriveOhio and Ohio’s mobility future.”

Pinkerton is a licensed professional engineer. She has also served in leadership roles at ODOT and in Union County, which is home to the state’s first connected vehicle corridor, the U.S. 33 Smart Mobility Corridor.