Nashika Stanbro has been selected to lead Community Transit’s new diversity, equity and inclusion program, which aims to align the agency’s policies, practices and resources to provide equitable opportunities in the agency’s workforce and in the transportation services offered.
Stanbro has been a crisis communications public information officer and media relations specialist at Community Transit for two years. She has been involved in workplace equity initiatives in previous positions at Washington State University-Everett and The Everett Clinic. Stanbro is a board member of the Community Foundation of Snohomish County and the Everett High School Blue & Gold Foundation, and serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the Public Relations Society of America, Puget Sound chapter, The Everett Clinic Implicit Bias Task Force and is a youth development mentor for the NAACP of Snohomish County.
“Nashika is uniquely positioned for this role given her experience as a professional communicator and an equity champion with strong ties to organizations throughout the county,” said Community Transit Director of Employee Engagement Cesar Portillo. “Her work experience, volunteer interests and personal experience demonstrate a track record of supporting diverse populations and building strong relationships with those in communities that have historically faced challenges due to access and achievement gaps.”
Community Transit’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program begins at a time that the agency is working with various community groups to improve engagement with riders and populations that have historically not been included in the local transit planning process in an equitable way.
“Community Transit is committed to being a fair and equitable partner with the communities we serve and our employees,” said Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz. “Creating a culture of inclusion is one of our core values and strengthens our commitment to provide equitable and just service to our customers.”
Community Transit is restructuring its service network in Snohomish County ahead of the arrival of Link light rail in 2024. At that time, the agency will no longer run buses into Seattle. Between now and 2024, the agency will be seeking public input on its service changes and plans to reallocate service within the county.
