The newly organized
San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority (WTA) has hired its
first staff members. Here they are:
Thomas G. Bertken, Chief
Executive Officer
Mr. Bertken has 46 years of
experience in the planning, engineering, and management of major
transportation projects, including rail, rapid transit, ports,
airports, highways, roads, and bridges. He most recently fulfilled
dual roles, as program manager for the $2.5 billion Bay Area Rapid
Transit (BART) Extensions project, and as a market sector manager
in Bechtel’s Surface Transportation Group. Mr. Bertken has
worked extensively with local, state, and international government
agencies to create, improve, and expand transportation systems
worldwide. He supervised the development and implementation of a
strategic plan for the Santa Clara County Highway Improvement,
Measure A, Program, which was completed years ahead of schedule
with cost controls that resulted in savings of over $116 million.
Before joining Bechtel, he worked for the California Department of
Transportation and local port and airport authorities for 26
years.
Lisa Klairmont, Secretary to
the Board and Executive Administrator
Ms. Klairmont was Assistant to
the Chair and the Management Team of the Blue Ribbon Task Force
and was involved in practically all facets of the two-year study.
Prior to that she was a Consultant to the GGNRA in planning a
water shuttle system to link all of the key parklands and the
waterfront. Lisa has also been active in SPUR serving on the Board
of Directors and as their Assistant Director. She has a B. S.
degree from the Univ. of Illinois and a Masters degree from
Brandies University.
Veronica Sanchez, Manager,
Community and Governmental Relations
Ms. Sanchez has been the
Manager of Governmental Affairs for the Port of San Francisco for
the last 12 years. In that position she has had broad
responsibilities in legislative affairs, public finance and
project management. Prior to that she served as an administrative
assistant in the Mayor’s Office of Business and Economic
Development and in the Office of Assemblyman Art Agnos. She has a
BA from the University of San Francisco and a law degree from
Boalt Hall.
Mary Frances Culnane, Manager,
Marine Engineering
Ms. Culnane is a graduate of
Kings Point Maritime Academy and was the first woman to hold the
position of Chief Engineer with the Exxon Shipping Company. As
Chief Engineer she would be the ranking officer on a ship
"below deck.." Her recent experience has been with
Chevron Shipping Company where she has been a project manager for
the construction of two new LPG carriers and serves as Chevron’s
representative on the Western States Petroleum Association Marine
Committee.
Steven Castleberry, Manager,
System Planning
For the past three years Mr.
Castleberry has be the Deputy Director of the Alameda County
Transportation Authority. That Authority’s major recent
accomplishment was to put together a campaign that achieved an 81%
vote of the public for the extension of their sales tax program to
support transportation. Prior to this assignment, he was a program
manager with CH2M-Hill a major consulting firm providing capital
improvement project delivery services. He has a B.S. in Civil
Engineering from the Univ. of the Pacific and a Masters degree
from Stanford in Infrastructure Planning and Management.
Angela Rae, Interim Manager,
Business and Fiscal
Ms. Rae is currently a
Freelance Consultant offering services in organization
development, office administration and data base development. She
is currently assisting us in setting up our office and in general
organizational duties. Recently, she served for 6 years as the
Executive Administrator for the Peninsula Commuter Services
Alliance. This organization is dedicated to reducing air pollution
by increasing the use of alternative commute modes, such as
company sponsored shuttle services to public transit. Angela has a
B.A. from San Jose State University and a Masters in Non Profit
Business Administration from the Univ. of San Francisco.
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