Power Players in Transportation

Mark J.F. Schroeder has served as commissioner of the NYS DMV since 2019. Previously, he was comptroller of the City of Buffalo, an Erie County legislator and a New York State assembly member. As an assemblyman, he sponsored legislation banning text messaging while driving and a law safeguarding children from sexual predators. Commissioner Schroeder and his wife, Kate, have three children – Michael, Allison and the late Matthew Schroeder and two granddaughters, Lily and Marlee.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Transportation was always an important issue during my time as an Erie County legislator, since the region lies at the confluence of two Great Lakes and is in close proximity to the U.S.-Canadian border. From there, my interest in transportation continued to grow, through my work in the Assembly and NYS DMV. Today, in addition to my role as commissioner of the DMV, I’m also proud to serve as chairman of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

What is your favorite travel experience?
Without a doubt, visiting all 51 county clerks who provide service as our agents and 27 DMV offices across New York State and meeting the many people who work tirelessly to keep the Department of Motor Vehicles running smoothly.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
Governor Kathy Hochul’s ongoing investments in clean transportation. Recently, the Governor announced $100 million toward zero-emission school buses under the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. New York is investing more than $1 billion in zero emissions vehicles over the next five years and adopting clean car and clean truck regulations that require 100%  zero-emission passenger car and light-duty truck sales by 2035.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Walking

Carlo A. Scissura, president and CEO of the New York Building Congress, plays an indispensable role in New York’s built environment and economic development. Carlo and his team have spurred tremendous growth within NYBC and throughout New York. Prior to joining NYBC, Carlo was president and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and served as chief of staff and general counsel to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. 

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I believe that connecting our communities across New York City’s five boroughs and the northeastern corridor is critical. With strong transportation systems, we can better connect people to good-paying jobs and bolster our shared economy. Too many of our transportation systems need investment, and there are too many communities forced to live in transit deserts across the Northeast. That’s why we must use our voices to advocate for further investment in sustainable and accessible transit.

What is your favorite travel experience?
As a proud Italian, my favorite travel experience has to be my trips to my family’s homeland. Naturally, our Roman ancestors knew how to build — especially roads. I’ve been able to see and learn so much about my heritage thanks to the centuries-old infrastructure that still holds today and inspires how I look at our investments for the future.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
We have to keep up with the Gateway Program’s momentum. We saw significant progress and investment in Gateway this year with the groundbreaking on the Hudson Tunnel project. But the whole of this project is greater than the sum of its parts, and we need to make sure we avoid delays in funding for the remainder of this project, which is incredibly important for the entire region.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
You can’t be a New Yorker without knowing your way through the world’s biggest subway system. Our public transit system is the lifeblood of our economy, not just keeping communities connected but helping entire neighborhoods thrive. As a lifelong New Yorker, taking the subway is a daily reminder of why we need to invest in a transit system that is accessible, sustainable and efficient for generations to come.

Brendan Sexton has spent 18 years building worker power among low-wage workers. He leads the largest gig worker center, as president of the Independent Drivers Guild, a Machinists Union affiliate representing 300,000 rideshare drivers in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Illinois and Florida. IDG won higher wages and led the largest protest in gig worker history. Previously, Brendan was the organizing director and political coordinator for the largest grocery union in New York.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
As a New Yorker, I saw first-hand how Uber and Lyft drivers and their families were struggling with poverty while the Silicon Valley app companies were making record profits off rideshare business. I knew it didn’t have to be that way and wanted to help. 80,000 New Yorkers make their living as rideshare drivers, most of them immigrants. They deserve fair wages, union rights and protections that other workers enjoy.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
I’d like to see fair pay, workplace protections, union rights and sectoral bargaining for all for-hire vehicle drivers. I’d also like to see a European city model implemented here in which for-hire vehicles can utilize bus lanes, which incentivizes more people out of reliance on personal vehicles and brings them into the transportation network.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Lyft or Uber of course! And I always tip my driver!

Brian works with clients from across the board in health care, nonprofits, financial services, infrastructure, tourism, technology, and education to develop opportunities and provide legislative and regulatory guidance. He is the former director of government and community relations at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Brian also served as senior staff in the United States Congress as deputy state director to US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and executive director to Congressman Gregory Meeks.

Mike Simpson joined Worldwide Flight Services as the chief financial officer, the Americas in 2016. He was promoted to executive vice president, the Americas in 2019 where he is responsible for the North and South American operations. Mike brings more than 30 years of executive leadership, financial management, and merger and acquisition experience to WFS.  Mike holds an MBA in finance from St. Mary’s University, and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Abilene Christian University.

Yanisa Techagumthorn is dedicated to improving public transit systems to ensure equitable, sustainable, and thriving cities. She works as a senior transportation planner at Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, where she helps cities and transit agencies across the country redesign their bus networks, prioritize transit investments, engage with community members, and develop ways to advance equity in transportation. She is based in Brooklyn, NY, and is a graduate of MIT’s city planning program.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Transportation is such a large part of our daily lives, and improving transportation can help alleviate a lot of other societal issues like climate change and social inequities. I grew up riding buses, and I know firsthand how hard it is to rely on buses that are infrequent and unreliable. Once I learned about transportation planning, I knew I wanted to focus my career on helping people by improving public transit.

What is your favorite travel experience?
In graduate school, I was involved in a transportation class that took us to Guadalajara, Mexico, my first time in Latin America. We rode their Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, and I was amazed at how sleek, efficient, and reliable it was. It gave me a vision of how good BRT could be in the US if we didn’t compromise on each component and inspired me to work towards high-quality BRT.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
In the near future, I would love to see transit signal priority (where signals prioritize longer green lights and shorter red lights when a bus is approaching) along every bus corridor in NYC. It’s not as flashy as other improvements, but it can go a long way towards making our buses faster and more reliable. I’m a fan of any improvement that helps people not have to think or complain about transit as much.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
As much as I love public transit, I actually would walk everywhere if I could. It’s fun to people-watch and check out new stores and restaurants as I walk around my neighborhood.

Bradley Tollefson manages commercial developments at JFK, LAX, Chicago O’Hare, and World Trade. Currently overseeing a $125 million project at JFK Terminal 8, he spearheads URW’s role as the exclusive commercial developer and manager for the New Terminal One at JFK. With 20+ years of experience in development, design, construction, and finance, Tollefson has led airport commercial programs nationwide. He holds degrees in construction management from University of Florida and real estate finance from NYU.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
My career pursuit began in the built environment – architecture, construction and development. It was the 2008 recession that serendipitously married my experience with transportation in the form of commercial aviation. From that moment on I was hooked. Helping to envision and build the future of transportation is incredibly rewarding. Improving the travel experience for millions of people is both challenging and gratifying professionally.

What is your favorite travel experience?
I have a passion to travel the world. I enjoy both urban landscapes and the natural environment and experiencing different cultures. In particular, I love exploring the gateways to different countries and cities such as airports and train stations and learning of the fascinating road and rail networks. At the core of my travel experience, there must be great food and drink in inspiring surroundings – both inside and out.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
I am fortuitously involved in the commercial aspects of the New Terminal One project at JFK – a $10B+ mega-project at full build that is being developed by the best in the business on the sites of Terminals 1, 2 & 3. The aspiration when it opens in 2026 is to be a top-five Skytrax terminal globally. Completing this premier gateway to the United States and the NYC region will raise the bar for aviation in the US.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
For regional travel I find the train to be a very economical and efficient means of transportation. But my true love of travel is flying through the sky – I still find human flight magical. I’m particularly fascinated by the golden age of air travel and am trying to do my part to bring some of the best service, elements and feelings of that era to how we use airports today, tomorrow and in the future.

Jim Venturi is the founder and principal designer of ReThinkNYC. Through his experiences in information technology, planning, and architecture, Venturi focuses on solving the infrastructural, social and economic challenges of transportation planning. This holistic approach is reflected in both the work of ReThink Studio. For the past decade, ReThink Studio have been thought leaders in urban planning in New York, forcing larger, more established entities to react and rethink what they have proposed.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Transportation, land use, economic development and strategic planning are all wrapped up together. My experience in IT gave me an insight into the potential rethinking transportation that differs from the conventional planning school education. Based on this, I thought I could offer something new to the conversation. 

What is your favorite travel experience?
I enjoy exploring new cities and finding out about their histories. 

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
The Bigger Apple Plan

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Walking, biking, bus, rail. Personal health and how we move around are tied together. 

Carl’s distinguished 40-year career in public service and urban development has been dedicated to building accessible, resilient, and economically vibrant communities. An internationally-sought after expert on city planning, affordable housing policy, and public-private real estate development, Carl has guided some of New York’s most significant public agencies and transformative development initiatives in leadership roles at HR&A Advisors, as chairman of the NYC Planning Commission, and as director of the NYC Department of City Planning.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Transportation is one essential component of a highly functioning urban environment along with planning, economic development, education, and social equity. As we look to the future, I want to continue asking how transportation – particularly public transportation – can most effectively contribute to the lifeblood of a functioning, connected, resilient, and equitable urban environment.

What is your favorite travel experience?
It is certainly not sitting in a traffic jam! 

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
After serving as the chair of the MTA’s Traffic Mobility Review Board, I was pleased with MTA’s recent embrace of our recommendations, leading to the nation’s first congestion pricing plan. It’s a transformative change in how people will experience New York City and the region, with the expected easing of traffic that will significantly improve transit times along with reduced carbon emissions and increased use of public transit while providing critical funding for public transportation infrastructure.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
As a lifelong New Yorker, of course, my favorite mode of transit is the subway. It’s the largest and most iconic transit system in the world, and I’m proud to have navigated most of my life traveling along its many routes. Its daily riders reflect the diversity of the city’s residents and visitors. Its pace and density reflect the excitement and rhythm of New York – the world’s greatest city.

Helena Williams is a seasoned operations and infrastructure professional with long-standing experience leading multi-faceted strategic initiatives in transportation and public safety — across both the public and private sectors. She currently oversees project delivery, operational performance and community relations for JFK Terminal 6. Prior to this she served as chief deputy county executive for Nassau County, and previously held leadership roles as president of LIRR, executive director of MTA and president of Long Island Bus. 

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I had a strong interest in public sector service when I completed law school. I started in labor and employment law and joined the MTA, which offered both the opportunity to deliver subway, bus and train services and also developing the physical infrastructure to rebuild and expand NYC’s future mass transit network. I realized I had a knack for operations, and having done buses and trains, I’m excited to have now moved onto planes! 

What is your favorite travel experience?
My husband and I enjoy exploring new cities. We like to walk around as much as possible, try new foods, visit different museums, and see the sites.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
JFK airport’s redevelopment is an incredible $19 billion investment undertaken by Governor Hochul and PANYNJ Executive Director Rick Cotton. It’s a multi-year, multi-developer effort, and I look forward to the completion of our part – the new $4.2 billion, 10-gate T6 by 2028. This two-phase project will see the first gates open by 2026. I’m excited to build a state-of-the-art terminal that our international guests will love, and that all New Yorkers can be proud of. 

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Locally, I use mass transit including the LIRR and subways. For leisure travel, using JFK for a plane ride is terrific.