Votes Are In: PPT Membership Elects New Coordinating Committee Members

Pittsburghers for Public Transit believes in transparency, accountability, public participation, democracy, collaboration, and shared leadership.

And we want to practice what we preach.

So each year PPT runs an open nomination and election process for our general membership to choose 5 people to serve on our Coordinating Committee (aka our Board of Directors). The Coordinating Committee is an 11-member body that helps to guide PPT’s campaign strategy, committee work, and fundraising efforts. Two of those seats are reserved for members of Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 85 (the union that represents all of the Port Authority’s bus operators and mechanics) because PPT believes fundamentally that riders and operators are the ones that are best fit to improve the system. Each elected member serves for a 2-year term.

For those that are doing the math, the final unelected seat is filled by the Executive Director of The Thomas Merton Center or their appointee because they act as PPT’s fiduciary.

Pittsburghers for Public Transit is very excited to announce the winners of 2019’s Coordinating Committee election!

Congratulations to the next slate of Coordinating Committee members who will serve until Summer 2021 (and possibly longer if they run for reelection!):

James Hanna, Port Authority Bus Operator & Member of ATU Local 85

James Hanna, Port Authority Bus Operator with ATU Local 85

Kevin Joa, Port Authority Bus Operator & Member of ATU Local 85

Kevin Joa, Port Authority Bus Operator & Member of ATU Local 85

Dean Mougianis, Filmmaker & PPT Cofounder

Dean Mougianis, Filmmaker & PPT Cofounder

Briann Moye, Environmental Justice Organizer with OnePA

Briann Moye, Environmental Justice Organizer with OnePA

Mayor Nickole Nesby, Mayor of Duquesne

Mayor Nickole Nesby, Mayor of Duquesne

These people were selected in what was our largest election to date – 13 people in total were nominated! This is perhaps the most exciting thing to celebrate. Because this large candidate pool shows that there is a strong and diverse network of leaders who want to take part in our organization.

See the full list of PPT Coordinating Committee Members and Staff here.

Everyone has a role to play in winning more equitable transit. So whether you won this years Coordinating Committee election, ran in it, voted in it, or observed it – you are a leader in this work.

PPT holds open Membership Meetings on the second Wednesday of each month at 1 Smithfield Street, with a social hour potluck that starts at 6pm and the meeting that starts at 7pm. Come out and join us in this work.