Women in Transportation
Women in Transportation - The Series
The transportation industry offers many challenging and rewarding career opportunities for women, yet they continue to be underrepresented. This series highlights the important contributions women are making within the industry and captures their story.
Kristy Blystone
Locomotive Engineer, Herzog Transit Services
Kristy Blystone began her career with the New Mexico Rail Runner Express 10 years ago as a Ticket Agent. After working her way up the ladder, she accomplished her goal of becoming a Locomotive Engineer. In this profile, Blystone discusses the significance of women in the industry as coaches and mentors, how her colleagues have played an important role in her life and career, and the gratification she feels when training individuals to become conductors on the train.
Delilah D. Garcia
Transit Planning & Service Coordination Manager, Transit and Rail Division, New Mexico Department of Transportation
Delilah D. Garcia has had a versatile career in transit. From bus operator to grant management to working on construction projects, her skill set in the industry is well-rounded. In this profile, Garcia, Transit Planning & Service Coordination Manager for the New Mexico Department of Transportation's Transit and Rail Division, discusses why transit services are vital, the importance of teamwork, and how her grandmother's fear of using public transportation was the motivation behind learning to drive a bus.
Janice Convery
Operations Manager, Santa Fe Southern Railway
Janice Convery has worked with railroads for the entire 22 years she has lived in New Mexico. She has held a variety of positions since entering the industry in 2002 - conductor, engineer, and assistant general manager for Santa Fe Southern Railway; engineer and dispatcher for the New Mexico Rail Runner Express; and now operations manager for the recently rebooted Santa Fe Southern, popularly known as Sky Railway. In this profile, Convery discusses being fascinated by all things that moved as a child, the influences of both her mother and father on her choice of career and conviction to pursue her goals and interests, being the first female engineer for the Rail Runner, and more.
Gabrielle Chavez
Transit Director of Administration, Santa Fe Trails, City of Santa Fe
"The transportation industry kind of found me," says Gabrielle Chavez, Transit Director of Administration for Santa Fe Trails. Chavez was finishing coursework for her master's degree in 2015 when she accepted a job with the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). After moving up through various positions at the NMDOT, Chavez transitioned to her current position with the City of Santa Fe in 2023. In this profile, she discusses why transit is important to the quality of life for many individuals and the community as a whole, lessons she has learned from the women in her own life, how transit colleagues quickly become a transit family, and more.
Elizabeth Nauman
Chief Safety Officer, Rio Metro Regional Transit District
Elizabeth Nauman began her career in transportation in 2011 as a ticket agent on the Rail Runner, often being the first point of contact for regular passengers and leisure travelers alike. Now, as Chief Safety Officer, she works both with the public and behind the scenes, doing outreach and teaching safety classes to internal stakeholders such as contractors. In this profile, Nauman discusses the importance of being mindful, how women bring a "safe space" element to the industry, and why she loves to see kids on the train.
Bianca Borg
Regional Planning Program Manager, Mid-Region Council of Governments
Bianca Borg came into her current career following many years in the restaurant industry. After returning to school in her thirties and receiving a degree in Planning, she found fulfillment in working at a regional scale with land use and transportation planning. As Regional Planning Program Manager, Borg oversees several projects and especially enjoys helping the rural and tribal communities in the region. In this profile, she discusses what influenced her choice of career, how women have made a difference in the industry, working with communities to make meaningful change, and more.
Melissa Drake
Administrative Director, New Mexico Transit Association
Melissa Drake has been with the New Mexico Transit Association for 16 years. As Administrative Director, she has many responsibilities from answering phones, bookkeeping, and coordinating training sessions to organizing an annual bus roadeo and conference. In this profile, Drake discusses the importance of prioritizing workflow, women's natural ability to bring high levels of leadership into the workplace, how family unity and serving others are attributes that help her daily in her career, and more.
Allyne Clarke
Marketing Manager, Rio Metro Regional Transit District
Allyne Clarke started with Rio Metro eleven years ago. As the first Advertising Sales Manager, Clarke created the advertising sales program on the New Mexico Rail Runner Express and Rio Metro buses from the ground up. In her current role as Marketing Manager, she continues to challenge herself and the marketing team to creatively engage and educate the community about Rio Metro and its services. In this profile, Clarke discusses the importance of education, building relationships, and thinking long term.
Elizabeth Olson
New Mexico Rail Runner Express Projects Manager, Rio Metro Rio Metro Regional Transit District
Elizabeth Olson started working on the New Mexico Rail Runner Express as a conductor in 2008. Since then, she has grown her career with the Rail Runner and Rio Metro, becoming a locomotive engineer and then working as a train dispatcher. In her current role as Projects Manager for the Rail Runner, Olson works with people in a variety of fields from rail operations to political decision makers. In this profile, Olson discusses her professional journey, ideas on how to attract women to the transportation workforce, and more.
Amy Myer
Senior Finance Manager, Mid-Region Council of Governments
Amy Myer says she came into the transportation industry "accidentally" after several years in public accounting and auditing. She learned about an opportunity at the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) from a former boss, and the timing seemed perfect. Now a Senior Finance Manager, Myer has been working for MRCOG for 12 years since that accidental transition. In this profile, Myer discusses the importance of women in leadership roles and how women are making strides to overcome barriers in a male-dominated industry.
Marla Montiel
Special Projects Manager, Mid-Region Council of Governments
Marla Montiel was drawn to the transportation industry by the implementation of the New Mexico Rail Runner Express. She began her career with the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) more than 17 years ago, and has held several roles within the organization.
In this profile, Montiel discusses embracing the challenges of ever-changing technology, implementing new ways of disseminating information, and the importance of getting involved and constantly learning.
Josephine Vigil
Senior Finance Manager, Rio Metro Regional Transit District
Josephine Vigil has been working with the Rio Metro Regional Transit District for more than 15 years. She started her career path as an Accountant, and is currently the Senior Finance Manager.
In this profile, Vigil discusses the value of public transportation, how women have made a difference in the industry by challenging stereotypes, and the importance of connecting with mentors and experienced professionals when pursuing a career in transit.
Kendra Montanari
Transportation Planning & Technical Services Manager, Mid-Region Council of Governments
Kendra Montanari began her work with the Mid-Region Council of Governments more than 20 years ago. She joined the organization in 2002 as a Travel Demand Modeler, and naturally moved through different roles in the organization. For the past three years, she has worked as the Transportation Planning and Technical Services Manager.
In this profile, Montanari discusses evolving and adapting to the ever-changing industry, the positive impact a professor and mentor had on her approach to work and life, the value of making face to face connections, and more.
Augusta Meyers
Communications Manager and Economic Development Program Manager, Mid-Region Council of Governments & Rio Metro Regional Transit District
A long-time communications professional, Augusta Meyers was hired to provide media facilitation for the Mid-Region Council of Governments 18 years ago. Fast forward to the present, and she continues to oversee communications for MRCOG and its entities, including Rio Metro, and has also taken on the role of Economic Development Program Manager. In this profile, Meyers describes what it was like to witness the Rail Runner go from conceptual to operational, discusses why she thinks women bring a unique perspective to the transportation industry, and expresses gratitude for her role, which she says allows her to frequently interact with others and regularly see the fruits of her labor.
Elizabeth Carter
Operations Review & Policy Compliance Manager, Rio Metro Regional Transit District
Elizabeth Carter began her career in transportation as a Secretary at Santa Fe Trails, the public transit agency in Santa Fe, NM. Since then, she has advanced in the field, working for both small and large transit agencies and spending nearly the last 10 years with Rio Metro. In this profile, Carter discusses the cousin who inspired her to continue working in transportation, the benefits of networking and education, and the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone to learn new things.
Conni Vigil
Director of Finance and Administration, Rio Metro Regional Transit District
Conni Vigil is well established in the transportation industry between her 13 years with Rio Metro and her previous work with the City of Albuquerque's Transit Department. In this profile, Vigil discusses what attracted her to pursue a career in transportation, the contributions of public transit to the community, and her love of sharing knowledge with people entering the field.