Power Players in Transportation

As vice president of landside operations-east, Michael Joseph is involved in a plethora of ABM contracts and endeavors. Closest to his heart, Michael Joseph continues to be a resolute and driving force in the PANYNJ parking operations for over 25 years and coming up on “many” years for both the taxi dispatch and fleet shuttle operations.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Some would say, “a career in transportation” pursued me! Prior to joining the parking operation at JFK and LGA many years ago, my background was in banking and numbers. This actually was quite a benefit because my understanding of numbers allowed me to understand the intricacies of all the “moving” parts that go into transportation operations. The ability to analyze schedules, revenue collection, and staffing needs for example, has served me well.

What is your favorite travel experience?
Land, sea, and air travel has always been good to me. Drifting on the wide-open ocean when cruising allows for much needed rest. Exploring and touring some of the world’s greatest sites like The Great Pyramids offers wonder and insight to the past, and a weekend road trip to attend an event allows for some good old-fashioned fun! Each experience is a blessing.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
We are now increasingly seeing electric vehicles and very recently sustainable fuel being explored within the airline industry. While that may be considered progress on many levels, I would hope to see overall affordable and comfortable, traveling options for the public as we all move forward. 

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Being so connected to the airports, I would have to say that I do love to fly! I am still amazed that a place like John F. Kennedy International Airport can get you almost anywhere else in the world, and often on a direct flight. While it might take 12+ hours to get there, in a relatively short time, you are in a whole new world!

With 20+ years of experience in wireless communications, Christos Karmis, Boldyn Networks’ US CEO, has successfully driven the growth of the company’s tower, small cell, DAS, fiber, Wi-Fi, and private network solutions. Under his leadership, Boldyn Networks has secured some of the largest and most complex transport connectivity projects in the country, including deployments for New York City’s MTA subway, Seattle’s Sound Transit system, Bay Area Rapid Transit, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

Sarah M. Kaufman is the executive director of the NYU Rudin Center for Transportation, where she directs research and discussions aimed at catalyzing transportation improvements in the realms of sustainability, equity and technology. Ms. Kaufman teaches both Advanced Projects in Urban Planning and Intelligent Cities at the NYU Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service. She also serves on the board of commissioners of the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Transportation touches every aspect of our lives: job opportunities, social outlets, and where we choose to live. I want every New Yorker’s relationship with the city to be as positive as possible, and key to that relationship is ensuring seamless, safe and accessible travel. While NYC is home to the best transit and is the most walkable city in this country, there’s some work to be done.

What is your favorite travel experience?
Last summer, my family traveled cross-country on Amtrak. It was such a lovely way to see the U.S. – plains, mountains, and rivers – while chatting and playing card games with our kids. We played catch at rest stops in corn fields, learned about landmarks we passed, and met people from all over the world. A truly unforgettable experience, and the delicious cake on board didn’t hurt either!

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
I’d like to see more automation in vehicles: not necessarily fully driverless cars, but improving vehicles’ safety and navigation systems to make streets safer for everyone.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
I am a huge fan of the joys of Citi Bike: hopping on a bike on a beautiful day to complete my commute, using it to visit a part of the city I haven’t before, and taking rides alongside friends and family.

As president and CEO of Skanska USA, Richard is a 25-year construction executive responsible for Skanska’s US construction operations. Under Richard’s leadership, the organization secured critical infrastructure projects that shape the way communities live, work, and connect. Projects include the $1.6 billion transformation of the new Moynihan Train Hall at NYC’s Penn Station, and the $4 billion redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport Terminal B, UN Headquarters Renovation, and World Trade Center Transportation HUB, among others.

In his role as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Senator Tim Kennedy has prioritized investment in NY’s infrastructure. Tim collaborated closely with the families of victims involved in limo crashes in Schoharie and Cutchogue to strengthen limo safety standards, and is a strong supporter of the SAFE Streets Act, which includes key reforms to reduce traffic violence impacting all roadway users. As part of the Democratic Conference, Senator Kennedy has nearly tripled road funding statewide and was instrumental in shaping a historic $32.5 billion five-year capital plan that is infusing money into infrastructure projects across NY. 

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
We have major transportation issues to tackle, and the only way we’ll be able to accomplish our goals is by asking ourselves what kind of state we want – and what kind of world we want our kids and our grandchildren to live in – 50 or 100 years from now. I believe that building strong transportation networks and systems directly impacts our economy, our workforce, and our environmental goals. By investing in New York’s roads and transit agencies now, we’re incentivizing smart growth within cities statewide, and creating opportunities to foster efficient, person-centered communities. 

What is your favorite travel experience?
Any experience that’s with my family – whether that’s taking the train to NYC to see a Broadway musical with my daughter, or flying to Ireland with my wife to visit cousins and friends, or even something as simple as taking a road trip to drop my son off at college for the first time this year. Transportation has the ability to connect people, whether it be family or complete strangers, and time spent together is invaluable.  

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
I’d like to see more projects that incorporate safety, accessibility, and inclusivity. The Senate Democratic Conference has worked hard to strengthen existing standards, whether that be within the limo industry, or within freight rail. We need to have that same intentional focus when we’re looking forward – investing in projects that prioritize safety and the useability of all transit users. New York is also leading the way in efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, particularly within the transportation sector. We need to ensure that momentum continues. 

What is your preferred mode of transportation?
Running! Complete street concepts are a vital part of developing healthy, walkable communities, and I see this every day when I’m out on Western New York’s streets. It’s not a quick fix, but we do have the ability to incorporate and incentivize strategic elements that encourage connectivity, and I wholeheartedly support these efforts.

Patrick leads Citi Bike, where he oversees the bikeshare system’s strategy, operations, marketing, product launches, and expansion, including growing the system to more than 2,100 stations and 16,000 ebikes this year. He previously worked at the Boston Consulting Group and holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School. A Brooklyn resident, Patrick can frequently be spotted riding in the Dean Street bike lane.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I love cities. They generate the innovation, culture, and socialization that make life interesting. And I’m happiest in walkable cities, where I can get anywhere on foot, by bike, or on public transit. Jeff Speck’s Walkable City inspired me to pursue a career where I could enable more people to have these walkable, bikeable urban journeys. I’m lucky to witness tangible results of my work daily, in the form of Citi Bike riders cycling by.

What is your favorite travel experience?
In February 2020, I hiked Japan’s Nakasendo Trail. The hike itself was beautiful – we spent several days walking from town to town, frequently stopping for soba noodles. But the journey there was a transit nut’s dream. To get to the trail, we rode the Tokyo Metro, the Shinkansen, a local train line, and a city bus. Apologies to my (very patient) husband.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
We need to accelerate investment in curbside electrification for ebike charging. Cities are already doing this for electric cars. But ebikes are the answer for a greener, less congested future. Because they help you climb hills, cross bridges, and take longer trips, ebikes replace more car trips than a standard pedal bike. Last year, Citi Bike saw a 50% increase in ebike rides. Curbside ebike charging would help us sustain even more ebike ridership.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
I’m always thrilled about a multi-modal journey. It turns every journey into an adventure, even my commute. In the mornings, I first take the subway. It’s the perfect time to listen to a podcast, read a book, or catch up on email. When I reach Herald Square, I then hop on a Citi Bike to our offices near the Hudson. There’s no greater joy than passing gridlock traffic in the bike lane.

Nivardo Lopez has been serving as the deputy secretary for transportation under New York State Governor Kathy Hochul since November 2021. In this capacity, he functions as a senior advisor to the Governor, overseeing policy, budget, and operations decisions for transportation issues across the state. Before joining the Governor’s Office, Nivardo worked in New York City government and his most recent position there was as the Bronx borough commissioner for the NYC Department of Transportation.

Assembly Member William Magnarelli represents the 128th Assembly District which includes the Northside, Westside, Eastwood, Valley and Downtown areas of the City of Syracuse – Syracuse University Area, Outer Comstock, Eastwood – as well as the Town of Geddes, including the Village of Solvay, and the Town of Van Buren, including a portion of the Village of Baldwinsville. Assembly Member Magnarelli serves as chair of the New York State Assembly Transportation Committee, which reviews legislation and oversees the State’s management of transportation systems within New York.

Fabiola Mendieta-Cuapio is a quintessential community organizer, bringing her deep empathy, strategic savvy and lived experience to her work in New York and beyond. She is a devoted mother of Indigenous Mexican origin using her fluency in multiple languages to be of service to her community. Many years after losing her son Bryan, Fabiola discovered Families for Safe Streets and is now the co-chair of the New York chapter fighting traffic violence across the city.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Transportation is not my career, fighting for safe streets is my passion. I do so as a volunteer because I know firsthand the pain of losing someone in a crash and don’t want it to happen to anyone else.

What is your favorite travel experience?
I love to escape to the woods where there is no traffic and no cars. Nature provides solace and a sense of safety I still never feel navigating our streets.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
After Bryan’s death, I never expected to lose other friends and loved ones in crashes. Traffic violence disproportionately impacts communities of color because we are not getting proven safety fixes like complete streets, daylighting, and raised crosswalks as well as expansion of the school streets program so our children have a safe place to play. We need more than promises and look forward to celebrating with our city leaders once these changes become a reality. 

What is your preferred method of transportation?
How else should a New Yorker get around but by public transportation? It’s easy and gets me where I need to be. Most importantly, for me, it limits our greenhouse gas emissions and protects Mother Nature.

For years, Paul Monte has provided legal advice and support to contractors building New York’s critical infrastructure and transportation projects. He has led P&A teams working with clients on high-profile projects such as LaGuardia Airport, the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement, East Side Access, Second Avenue Subway, LIRR Third Track, among dozens of other highway, rail and transit projects around the city and state.