Andrew Hussein

Background and vision for PPT

I live in North Versailles/Mon Valley. My primary routes are 59, 55, P76, 69, and P69… but to be truthful, you can find me on just about any route (no exaggeration) because I eat/sleep/breathe/live all things public transit. Anyone who knows me knows that that is true. Transit is my sole means for transportation so I am acutely aware of the very real need for public transit to have a positive community impact. I am a long-time member of PPT who has been working with the org since a brief few-month stint in the early days, back in an earlier iteration of the org called “Save Our Transit”. Years later I reconnected with PPT on their community campaign in Baldwin. We won that campaign and restored service to that neighborhood and I never looked back. The skills that I bring to PPT are a significant all-around and general knowledge of the Port Authority system. I have a sincere passion for transit and its improvement. When I think of better transit I think of transit that is Fair, Equitable, reliable, useable, sustainable, readily and widely available – for as many folks as possible. Transit needs to fit as diverse a clientele and public needs as much as possible and I think that that is what we need to fight for together.

Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building

• Current President of the Allegheny County Transit Council (ACTC) =
• current Executive Committee Member, and have been involved at PPT for 8 years
• I am also the founder and COO of the Bus Info Hotline, a Twitter and phone info line that is open for people to find out info and ask questions about Port Authority that I’ve been running for nearly 25+ years. Check out our Twitter at @PGH_BUS_INFO
• Involved in many of the successful neighborhood service campaigns started in 2014 that restored service to transit deserts through our county.
• I am a PPT Communications Committee Member.
• I lead the creation of our Blog Series on the Quarterly Service Updates.
• I have a significant all-around and general knowledge of the Port Authority system, PPT staff calls me all the time with questions about our system.

Bill McDowell

Background and vision for PPT

Bill McDowell is a long-time disability rights advocate. He has been a member of PPT for more than eight years and is passionate about equitable infrastructure, accessibility, and fair fares. Bill has been a member of the PRT’s Committee for Accessible Transportation for many years and in that role has listened to the concerns and needs of the disability community in depth and has learned from those conversations over the years. Bill also believes that no one should be turned away from public transportation for the inability to pay a fare. Bill’s fight for an equitable transit system in Pittsburgh has been long, but is long from over. He appreciates the ability to do the work alongside so many other passionate transit justice advocates. In his new term, Bill is excited to oversee PPTs transition to a 5O1C4 and working on the campaign to create more accessible seating on buses.

Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building

• PRT Committee for Accessible Transportation
• PPT Research Committee
• Fair Fares Coalition
• PPT Organizing Committee – organizing for better sidewalk infrastructure

Elise MacDonald

Background and vision for PPT

I’ve worked as a grade 5-12 educator, proofreader, editor, and career ed counselor (including helping folks with their job search documents, presentations, public speaking, etc.) I was the founder and admin for a Facebook group called Citizens for NH Capitol Corridor Regional Rail in Nashua, New Hampshire, fighting for the return of regional/commuter rail to a city of nearly 100K in NH; the 600+ member group is still thriving two years after I passed on admin duties to other members. When I commuted from NH to Boston over a period of five years, I ran a Twitter account called @MbtAtrophy which documented infrastructure/facilities problems on Boston’s T, bringing them to the attention of local officials; it became a community hub where other T riders also sent in their own photos and videos of emergent or chronic transit infrastructure issues.

Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building

• PPT sidewalk audit, summer 2025
• Co-led transit tour during Spring Training weekend
• Various phone banks
• Canvassed transit riders re: Bus Line Re-Design
• Addressed attendees at unveiling of new North Side bus stop, February 2026.

Kristen Greene

Background and vision for PPT

I started at PPT in May 2025; I’ve been involved in a lot of campaigns since then. I started with the Mon Valley Fellowship and went from there. My vision is for public transit to just get better! I would be a good PPT board member because I know our system really well, and I love helping people figure out the system. I’ve been riding these buses my whole entire life! I pay attention to the system and what people need from it. I depend on public transit to get around, and we need to know what’s going on! I’m friends with so many operators, and that gives me a really good perspective on the system. I have a really good relationship with a lot of operators. My vision is for us to improve bus service and win! Not just here in Pittsburgh, but for all of us. Not everyone can drive; public transportation it is. We need to be voices for people who ride the system. Like we always say: when we fight, we win!

Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building

• The Mon Valley Organizing Fellowship
• Determining sidewalk, bus stop, and bus shelter needs in the Mon Valley
• Speaking at public hearings to save bus service
• Fighting to keep bus service at the Waterfront
• Going to Harrisburg to speak to legislators and fight for transit funding

Margot Nikitas

Background and vision for PPT

I am a labor union attorney with the United Electrical Workers (UE) and a longtime public transit user. I have been a dues-paying member of PPT since 2023, and would be honored to help lead the organization by serving as a board member. I believe that PPT’s power comes from its members. I am committed to helping PPT grow in Allegheny County and statewide by uniting all transit drivers and riders to fight for a more accessible, equitable and just transit system. As a board member, I believe that my legal skills will be an asset to PPT as it transitions to a 501(c)(4) structure and revises its bylaws. Thank you for your consideration.

Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building

• Assisted with/attended PPT Spring Training
• Participated in PPT membership drive
• Participated in PPT legislative visit
• Served as Organizing Chair for Fight Back Pittsburgh, a former community organizing project of United Steelworkers Local 3657

Nickole Nesby

Background and vision for PPT

My journey with PPT began in 2017, rooted in a shared baseline belief that transit is a fundamental civil right and an economic lifeline for our working-class communities. Building upon my previous six years of dedicated service—spanning three full terms on the board, including my time serving as Treasurer—I am ready to step back onto the front lines to continue our collective fight for accessible, affordable, and equitable transit for all. 

My commitment to transportation justice is deeply intertwined with my executive leadership as the Mayor of the City of Duquesne from 2018 to 2022. Serving the Mon Valley firsthand showed me how structural transit austerity disproportionately impacts marginalized, transit-dependent neighborhoods. During my time on the board and in office, I worked tirelessly alongside riders and workers to protect our transit network. I am incredibly proud of our grassroots organizing campaigns that successfully pushed to restore the 61-series services, ensuring our vital corridors stayed connected. Beyond community-level organizing, I have consistently taken our fight straight to decision-makers by participating in lobby days at our state capitol in Harrisburg, advocating face-to-face with state legislators to demand the robust, dedicated funding our transit networks desperately need.

Our regional transit infrastructure is navigating a critical juncture, facing shifting route networks and high-stakes state funding choices. Now more than ever, PPT needs experienced leadership that seamlessly bridges local municipal governance, grassroots organizing, and statewide legislative advocacy. I believe that my voice should be utilized not to speak for the community, but to uplift all of our voices collectively—ensuring that the real, lived experiences of transit-dependent residents and workers remain the driving force behind every policy decision.

I look forward to bringing my historical knowledge, executive experience, and unyielding passion back to the board to ensure we build a public transit system that truly serves everyone. Thank you for your consideration.

Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building

• 3 full terms on PPT Board, including one as Treasurer
• Mayor of City of Duquesne, 2018-2022, serving marginalized, transit-dependent neighborhoods
• Campaign restoring service to 61-series buses
• Participation in lobby days at state capitol in Harrisburg

Sue Scanlon (Running for Transit Operator seat)

Background and vision for PPT

I’m in my 26 year as an operator for PRT, a member of Local 85 of the ATU, and very proud long time member of PPT/Transit for All PA. I have enjoyed being part of PPT and am so impressed with our growth as an organization built on rider and worker determination for better transit.

Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building

• Developing the Riders Bill of Rights, way back in PPT’s early years
• Winning service restoration on the 59
• Increasing service on the 75
• Stopping the Mon-Oakland connector
• Being a part of the board as we moved from small grassroots to a 501c3 to a 501c4
• Developing better communication with local politicians by taking part in ride alongs with candidates
• The list goes on and I’m so proud to be part of the incredible growth and accomplishments we’ve made.