RMTA - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• City of Ricmond Representative

Job Titles:

• Government
• City of Richmond Representative

Barrett Hardiman is a government relations professional with more than a decade of experience. He is Senior Government Relations Manager for Genworth Financial with responsibility for all 50 states. Previously, he served as Director of Government Affairs for Luck Companies - focusing on state and federal transportation funding and policy, economic development, and local land use issues. Mr. Hardiman has also worked for a variety of state trade associations covering diverse topics from broadcast television to home construction. Mr. Hardiman received a B.A. from the University of Virginia with a double concentration in Economics and American Politics. He serves as the chairperson of the Virginia Solar Energy Development and Energy Storage Authority, and previously served as the chairperson of the Transportation and Infrastructure sub-committee of the Greater Richmond Chamber's Government Relations Committee.

Job Titles:

• Commonwealth Transportation Board Representative

Carlos M. Brown was appointed to the Board as a City of Richmond representative in February 2011 and served as Chair of the Board from July of 2012 to July of 2015. Brown is the Director of Alternative Energy Solutions Business Development and Commericialization Strategies for Dominion Resources Services, Inc, a subsidiary of Dominion Resources, Inc., one of the nation's largest energy companies. Prior to his current role Brown served as Senior Counsel for Dominion, where he was responsible for the legal execution of the company's intellectual property, capital markets, merger and acquisition, and venture capital transactions. Prior to joining Dominion Resources, he co-founded and served as managing partner of Brown Martin, PC, advising private corporations, non-profits and limited liability companies on organization, strategic transactions, governance and shareholder dispute issues. Brown earned his Bachelor's of Arts and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia.

Job Titles:

• City of Richmond Representative

Job Titles:

• Chesterfield County Representative / Back to Company
• Representative from Chesterfield County

Donald C. Williams was appointed as a representative from Chesterfield County in June of 2018. He is the owner and principal of The Donald Williams Group LLC, a Richmond area-based consulting firm. Prior to founding DWG, Williams served as the Administrator of the U. S. General Services Administration's National Capital Region and on the executive committee of the Downtown Business Improvement District in Washington, DC. He previously served as Director of the Virginia Department of General Services and has also been appointed to Gubernatorial and Presidential Transition teams. Williams earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (MCL) from the University of Richmond and a Master of Business Administration from Old Dominion University.

Job Titles:

• Richmond City Representative

Job Titles:

• Chesterfield County Representative

Gregory A. Whirley was appointed to the Board as a Chesterfield County representative in July 2014. Whirley retired from the Virginia Department of Transportation after 26 years of service progressing to the Commissioner and Vice Chairman of the Commonwealth Transportation Board. Whirley is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of Virginia State University with a Bachelor's of Science in Accounting.

Job Titles:

• Henrico County Representative

Harvey Hinson was appointed to the Board as a Henrico County representative in July 2014. Hinson is retired from Henrico County after 46 of service in various positions serving the last 15 years as Deputy County Manager for Community Development. Hinson is a Rotarian and a U.S. Army veteran. His degrees include a Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning, a BS in Urban Studies and a Certificate in Drafting and Design from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Job Titles:

• Chesterfield County Representative

Ian Millikan was appointed to the RMTA Board as a representative from Chesterfield County in December 2021. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC). Mr. Millikan has worked in the public sector both for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Chesterfield County and is currently working in the private sector as a civil engineering manager for Wallace Montgomery and Associates. He has a Master's Degree in Transportation Policy, Operations, and Logistics from George Mason University and a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech. His is a licensed Professional Engineer in Virginia.

Job Titles:

• Director of Finance

James Madison joined the RMTA as Director of Finance in January 2017. Mr. Madison has 20+ years of Finance and Accounting experience, starting as an auditor with the accounting firm, KPMG. He has held leadership roles in the public and private sector across diverse industries that include transportation, energy, manufacturing, telecommunications, and broadcast media. He has worked as a consultant on various strategic projects to include business development and start-ups, acquisition valuation and integration, system implementations, tax research, and internal control assessments. His most recent role was financial management of a New York State Transportation Authority that provides public transit services and a regional transportation center. In his role, Mr. Madison will oversee all financial, investment, and risk management operations. He will develop fiscally sound policies and strategies to ensure robust stewardship of RMTA assets. Mr. Madison received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of the State of New York and a Master of Business Administration from Regis University. He is a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Madison is a veteran and served in engineering and security roles for the U.S. Navy.

Job Titles:

• Henrico County Representative

Jane DuFrane was elected to the Board as a Henrico representative in October 2019. She serves as Richmond Division Vice President for Highwoods Properties, a publicly traded real estate investment trust specializing in office development. In this role, she is responsible for for all aspects of the division, including the marketing and leasing, wholly-owned and third-party property management and development opportunties. Ms. DuFrane graduated from Old Dominion University with a B.S. in Business Adminstration, Real Estate Finance. She earned the CCIM designation in 2002, the SIOR designation in 2011 and her Managing Brokers License in 2018. She is Past President of the Richmond CREW and GRACRE chapters. She is the current President of the Innsbrook Owners Association Board. She also serves on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Va. and is a board member at The Steward School.

Job Titles:

• Chief Executive Officer
• Dean

Joi Taylor Dean currently serves as the CEO for the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority ("RMTA"), a regional transportation authority that operates and maintains critical transportation infrastructure in the Richmond Metropolitan area. As CEO, Ms. Dean is responsible for developing and directing the Authority's long-range planning and development activities, including financial management systems, legislation, planning and design work, and construction activities. She also leads the organization's regional partnerships with the regional local governments, civic and special interest groups. Prior to her current position, Ms. Dean served as the RMTA's Chief of Staff where she worked closely with the CEO providing input and was responsible for all facets of the Authority including developing policy related to RMTA operations, managing RMTA public relations, tracking and monitoring state and federal legislation, and conferring with RMTA legal counsel as necessary on a range of issues. Ms. Dean's other career highlights include: Founder and President of the Dean Strategy Group, a company that provided management and consulting services in the areas of political consulting, strategic communications, business development, government affairs, grass roots advocacy, and coalition building. Ms. Dean used her diverse background with linkages to government, the political arena, the legal community, and the nonprofit world to develop and manage relationships and achieve results for her clients. A decade of experience in the legal and political arena where she served as a Special Assistant to New Jersey Attorney General, Peter Harvey, and worked as a liaison between the Attorney General and federal, state and local elected officials as well as religious organizations and community based organizations. Additionally, Ms. Dean served as a Legal Specialist in the Consumer Fraud Prosecution, Antitrust, and Affirmative Litigation sections of the New Jersey Attorney General's Office Division of Law where she worked on cases to protect the finances of the citizens of New Jersey by helping to identify and prosecute consumer and mortgage fraud and preventing business monopolies. An active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first sorority founded for African American women, Ms. Dean has served as the Business Manager for the North Atlantic Region, as a member of the North Atlantic Standards Evaluation Team and as the New Jersey State Coordinator for AKA Connection. Ms. Dean holds a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Political Science from Hampton University and a Juris Doctor from William and Mary Law School.

Job Titles:

• Chesterfield County Representative
• Managing Principal of DecideSmart

Lane Ramsey was appointed to the Board as a Chesterfield County representative in October 2016. Ramsey is a Managing Principal of DecideSmart, a consulting firm aiding organizations in effecting real change. Ramsey served for over 35 years in Chesterfield government, including 20 years as the County Administrator. In 1997, he received the Academy for Public Administration's prestigious national Public Service Award. His expertise is in strategic planning and assisting entities with operational and efficiency reviews. Ramsey has a BBA in Business Administration and Management from Mars Hill University.

Job Titles:

• Chief of Staff

Leslie Chambers Mehta joined the RMTA as Chief of Staff in February 2018. She has nearly two decades of legal experience and has worked in law firms and nonprofit organizations. Most recently, Ms. Mehta was the legal director at the ACLU of Virginia where she was the head of the legal department and managed all aspects of complex litigation. As Chief of Staff, she works closely with the CEO to provide input on all RMTA matters, including managing public relations, tracking state and federal legislation, developing policy related to RMTA operations, cooperating and coordinating with RMTA legal counsel on legal matters, and assisting with prioritizing issues of concern to the organization. Ms. Mehta received a B.A. in English Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a J.D. from Howard University School of Law. Ms. Mehta is an active member of the Virginia state bar and is inactive with the state bars of Maryland, Missouri, Kansas, and California.

Job Titles:

• City of Richmond Representative

Marilyn West was appointed to the Board as a City of Richmond representative in September 2012 and elected Chair of the Board in June 2020. West is Chairwoman and CEO of M.H. West & Co., a 22 year old Virginia-based consulting company specializing in management, planning and education services. West has over 30 years of experience working with CEOs, executive management, and governance of public and private sector businesses. She holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Waynesburg College in Pennsylvania and a masters degree from University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health.

Job Titles:

• Henrico County Representative

Marvin Tart, Sr. was appointed to the Board as a Henrico County representative in July 2014 and elected Vice-Chair of the Board in June 2020. Tart represents the Fairfield District on the County Transportation Safety Commission where he has served for six years. He is a retired VDOT employee with over 40 years of experience. At VDOT, Tart held various positions as a transportation designer and planner. His vast experience also included stints as a project and program manager. Tart earned an Associate's degree in Engineering Technology from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, a Bachelor's degree in Urban Studies and Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. Additionally, Tart has earned certificates in project management from The George Washington University and traffic management from Northwestern University. Tart is a 1995 graduate of Leadership Metro Richmond.

Job Titles:

• Director of Human Resources
• Human Resources Manager

Sheryl B. Johnson joined the RMTA in February 2001 as human resources manager. She transitioned to director of human resources in July 2014. Johnson is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all human resources activities of the Authority, including policy and program development, recruitment, performance management, employee relations, compensation, and benefits management. Ms. Johnson received a B.A. in Foreign Language (Interdisciplinary Major Program) from the University of Virginia, and holds the Professional in Human Resources designation (PHR). Johnson is a member of the National Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR). Ms. Johnson brings 20+ years of professional human resources experience to the RMTA.

Job Titles:

• Chesterfield County Representative

Steve A. Elswick served two four-year terms as the Matoaca District Supervisor. He was elected as the Board's Vice Chairman in 2013 and 2014 and the Board's Chairman in 2015 and 2016. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Chesterfield County Shepherd's Center. Mr. Elswick began his service to Chesterfield County as a firefighter in July 1973. During his 31 years of faithful service and a broad variety of assignments, he gained experience and knowledge in the areas of leadership, management, and finance. Working through the ranks, ultimately he led nearly 500 highly-trained professional and volunteer fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel during the last 6 ½ years of his career as Chesterfield County's Fire Chief. He earned his Fire Science degree from J. Sergeant Reynolds and continued his development through The National Fire Academy, The University of Virginia Executive Leadership Institute, Leadership Metro Richmond, and The Dale Carnegie Course, where he also served as an assistant instructor. He has been a resident of Chesterfield County for over 40 years.

Job Titles:

• Director of Operations
• Director of Operations / Back to Company

Theresa M. Simmons, P.E. joined the RMTA in September 2010 as the RMTA engineer. In December 2013, she was promoted to director of operations. She is responsible for the operation of the Powhite Parkway, the Downtown Expressway, and the Boulevard Bridge; operations at The Diamond baseball stadium and Main Street Station. Ms. Simmons also represents the RMTA as a voting member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The MPO is the region's federally designated regional transportation planning organization that serves as the forum for cooperative transportation decision-making in the Richmond Region. Her role also includes working with the General Manager on short-range and long-range planning. She also analyzes project designs and interprets data in an effort to provide sound advice and to make recommendations to the General Manager and Board of Directors on operational and project specific matters. She is also involved in the evaluation, designing and planning of new projects and major improvements to RMTA assets. Ms. Simmons received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of South Alabama with a work background in site construction, material testing, highway design, and geotechnical experience. In addition Ms. Simmons earned a MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University. She also has a B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of Alabama and is a graduate of the executive development program from International Bridge, Tunnel, and Turnpike Association Leadership Academy. Ms. Simmons brings 16 years of project planning and engineering design to the RMTA. Ms. Simmons is a registered Professional Engineer in Alabama and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Job Titles:

• Henrico County Representative

Thomas Hawthorne was appointed to the RMTA Board as representative from Henrico County in 2018. Mr. Hawthorne retired from the Virginia Department of Transportation after a 38 year career where he held several field management positions including Richmond District Administrator as his final assignment. Mr. Hawthorne is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia.

Job Titles:

• Henrico County Representative

Tyrone Nelson was appointed to the Board as a Henrico County representative in July 2014. Nelson serves on the Henrico County Board of Supervisors representing the Varina District. He is also pastor of the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church in Richmond. Nelson earned an Associate's degree in Business Administration from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Master of Divinity in Practical Theology degree from Virginia Union University.