Governor Baker Appoints Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority Board of Directors
BOSTON — Governor
Charlie Baker today appointed the seven-member Massachusetts Bay Transportation
Authority (MBTA) Board of Directors and designated Betsy Taylor as chair. In
July, Governor Baker signed legislation that established a new, permanent board
of directors for the MBTA.
“I am pleased to appoint this distinguished group that together will
bring years of leadership and knowledge to serve on the MBTA Board of
Directors,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The expertise and diversity of
perspectives that make up this Board will allow the MBTA to continue to focus
on providing safe and reliable service to riders as it invests record levels of
funding across the system, and I am thankful for the Board’s willingness to
serve.”
“The guidance and insight of this Board will be valuable and
significant as the MBTA continues to build a resilient and robust system
working with multiple communities,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We
look forward to working with the Board to maintain the MBTA’s progress.”
The Administration previously proposed the Board in its Fiscal
Year 2022 budget recommendation and before that, in its Fiscal Year 2021 budget
recommendation, to replace the Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB)
created by the Administration following the winter of 2015.
“The MBTA has become a safer, more reliable and equitable service
provider that riders can depend on thanks in large part to the dedicated,
strategic and transparent leadership provided over the last few years to
address a system that had been overlooked and neglected,” said
Transportation Secretary & MassDOT CEO Jamey Tesler. “As the MBTA turns
this corner, and we collectively emerge from the pandemic, the General Manager
and his team are well positioned to continue to address ridership and revenue
challenges, while successfully building on the record capital investments and
customer-focused initiatives that have improved on-time performance, safety and
reliability. I look forward to working with the Directors to serve as a
strategic resource, and see that the MBTA’s progress continues.”
“The MBTA looks forward to working with and receiving direction
from the new Board as we continue to invest in the system and build back
better, more equitable service for our current and future riders,” said MBTA
General Manager Steve Poftak. “We’re committed to working with the new
Board to continue to invest billions of dollars, not only this year, but in the
coming years, to modernize MBTA infrastructure and to continue to make
dependable improvements for our riders in order to provide the safest, fastest
service possible.”
By statue, the MBTA Board of Directors will consist of seven
members. The Secretary of Transportation will serve as an ex-officio member.
The MBTA Advisory Board appoints one member who has municipal government
experience in the MBTA’s service area and experience in transportation
operations, transportation planning, housing policy, urban planning or public
or private finance. The Governor appoints the remaining five members, including
a rider and resident of an environmental justice population, and a person
recommended by the President of the AFL-CIO.
About the MBTA Board of Directors:
Betsy Taylor (Chair) has served as the Treasurer and Chair of the Finance & Audit
Committee for the MassDOT Board since 2015. During this time, she inspired the
creation and hiring of a department-wide Chief Compliance Officer and is a
Co-chair of the Allston I-90 Financing Team. Previously, Taylor worked at the
Massachusetts Port Authority from 1978 to 2015 in a variety of financial roles
and continues to serve as an elected board member of the Massport Employee
Retirement system. While at Massport, she established the Authority’s first
Treasury Department in 2001, and secured and maintained its Aa3, AA-, and AA
credit ratings. Taylor also worked for the University of Massachusetts, Boston
as the Assistant Director of the Office of the Budget. A longtime resident of
Massachusetts, Taylor received her Bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and
her MBA from Stanford University.
Robert Butler
serves as the President of the Northeast Regional Council of the International
Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), a
post he has held since May of this year, as well as serving as the Vice
President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Previously, Butler served as the
Business Manager of Sheet Metal Workers Local 17, where he was responsible for
managing over 5,000 Union members and oversaw millions of dollars in
investments and Union funds. Butler spent almost 20 years as a Journeyman in
Local 17, giving him a strong understanding of the needs of trade employees
that he uses to advocate for worker’s rights.
Thomas “Scott” Darling is an independent consultant where he provides advice and
expertise to organizations to help them improve their safety, security,
environmental, and change management performance. Previously, Darling served as
the Chief of Safety, Security, & Control Center Operations for the Chicago
Transit Authority (CTA), where he directed the function and Activities of the
CTA’s Safety Department. He also served as for three years as the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administrator at the United States Department of Transportation
after being confirmed by the Senate. Darling had previously served at the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as the Acting Administrator and as
its Chief Counsel. Darling also worked at the MBTA from 2008 to 2012 as a
Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant General Counsel, as well as working for the
Conservation Law Foundation from 1999 to 2005 in various capacities. He
received his Bachelor’s degree from Worcester’s Clark University and later went
on to receive his Master’s degree from Tufts University and his Juris Doctorate
from Suffolk University Law School.
Travis McCready is the Executive Director, US Life Sciences Market for JLL.
Before this, McCready most recently served as President and CEO of the
Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and before that, the Vice President of
Programs for The Boston Foundation (TBF). In this role he focused the TBF’s grant
awards on education, health, economic development, the arts and local
neighborhoods. McCready previously served as TBF’s Chief of Staff and Corporate
Secretary from 2001 to 2003. From 2010 to 2013 McCready was the Executive
Director of the Kendall Square Association, where he increased membership and
represented the organization as a member of Governor Patrick’s Economic
Development Advisory Committee. McCready also has experience working at the
Massachusetts Convention Center Authority in a variety of leadership roles and
as Director of Community Affairs for Harvard University. He received his
Bachelor’s degree from Yale University and his Juris Doctorate from the
University of Iowa College of Law.
Mary Beth Mello is the principal at Mello Transportation Consulting, where she
helps consult with the MassDOT Rail and Transit Division on matters related to
the Commonwealth’s Regional Transit Authorities. Previously, Mello worked at
the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) from 1993 to 2010, first as a Deputy Regional
Administrator and then later as the New England Regional Administrator. While
there, Mello oversaw federal funding for a variety of local initiatives,
including the MBTA’s Green Line Extension project and Connecticut’s Walk Bridge
Railroad Bridge Replacement project. She received several awards while working
at the FTA, including the USDOT Secretary’s Gold Medal and Silver Medal. Mello
is a graduate of Smith College, where she received her Bachelor’s degree, and
Boston University, where she received her Master’s degree.
The MBTA Advisory
Board has appointed Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch as its designee.
