April 8, 2026

GM/CEO announces departure from RTD in May 2027

In an email to all employees this morning, General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson announced her intention to remain in her role with the agency through the end of her current employment agreement with RTD, which extends through May 8, 2027. She said the Board last month offered her a contract extension beyond this point, and that she “decided to decline the offer, recognizing my many years of service at RTD, as well as for personal and professional reasons.”

“With this information in mind, please know that I will continue to steadfastly lead this organization with purpose and intentionality, as I have been doing since Nov. 9, 2020, until my contract sunsets next year,” Johnson wrote. In the coming months, she said, she will provide any requested assistance to support the Board’s recruitment efforts for the agency’s next General Manager and CEO.

“RTD is comprised of dedicated individuals who show up each and every day to make lives better through connections,” Johnson wrote. “Over the last nearly six years, I have had a front row seat to that dedication, and it has been my honor to recognize and celebrate countless wins, milestones, and accomplishments. This region is made better by the contributions of this agency’s passionate employees, and I am grateful to continue as one of your colleagues.”

Deputy CEO announces leadership appointments

In an email sent Friday to all employees in the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO)'s Office, Angel Peña announced the appointment of six leadership roles. They are: 

• Kiernan Maletsky, Director of Long-Range Planning
• Lauren Cely, Director of Real Estate
• Aprajit "Jeet" Desai, Director of Infrastructure Delivery
• Sean Moran, Director of Facilities Maintenance
• Jyotsna Vishwakarma, Chief Engineer
• Caitlin Arnold, Program Controls Analyst

Click the link below to read the email.

Two managers named to Training and Quality Systems team

In a memo to all Operations employees Friday, Director of Training and Quality Systems Jason Cathey announced the appointment of two managers to the team’s leadership: Mhamed Bouqssim as Manager of Quality Systems and Nick Rorres as Manager of Engineering, Operations, and Maintenance (O&M).



Click the link below to read the memo. 

Diversity Spotlight: Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day): Honoring memory. Advancing equity. Reimagining transportation as a force for good

Diversity Spotlight celebrates the diversity of RTD employees and the larger community that RTD serves and fosters an appreciation of our social and cultural similarities and differences. Diversity Spotlight supports RTD’s values of passion, respect, diversity, trustworthiness, collaboration, and ownership.

Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, is a time to honor the 6 million Jewish lives lost during the Holocaust, as well as the millions of others who were persecuted under Nazi rule, including Roma and Sinti people, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and political dissidents. It is also a time to recognize the resilience of survivors and the enduring responsibility we share to uphold human dignity and justice.

Meet payroll practitioner David Kuhn, who calls his 50-year career with RTD ‘an incredible gift’

If you’ve been at RTD for a while, chances are David Kuhn’s life has intersected with yours – even if you didn’t know it. The payroll practitioner has quietly and carefully ensured that employees are paid properly since his career at the agency began 50 years ago today.

Kuhn has handled light rail operator pay since day one. The 77-year-old takes a dedicated midday exercise break every day to visit an RTD fitness center or jog along the South Platte River Trail next to District Shops, where he is based. He takes Thursdays off during the winter to ski without the lift lines. Kuhn didn’t plan on being with the agency for five decades, he said, “but sometimes life unfolds. And I knew that if I made it 50 years, it was something I could hold in my heart the rest of my life.”

Transit Police debut cowboy hats during special event patrols

Some Transit Police officers donned new cowboy hats Friday while patrolling Denver Union Station and surrounding areas for the Rockies home opener. Chief of Police and Emergency Management Steve Martingano said the optional uniform addition was inspired by a desire to celebrate Denver’s historic Western culture. Officer Michael Claiborne said wearing a hat felt special — something distinct from day-to-day attire.

In memoriam: Lee Greene, accounting clerk

RTD mourns the loss of longtime accounting clerk Lee Greene, who died March 29. She joined the agency in 2010 and immediately made a lasting impression on her colleagues. In a memo sent Monday to all employees, Chief People Officer Lili Tran noted that Greene was known for her kindness, positivity, reliability, and strong work ethic.

Greene’s family welcomes anyone who would like to pay their respects to attend her memorial service. It will be at 11 a.m. April 15 at Horan & McConaty, 9998 Grant St., Thornton.

To speak with someone about this loss, call RTD’s Employee Assistance Program at 1.877.237.3954. Employees in accounting are invited to contact HR Business Partner Cori Norton (cori.norton@rtd-denver.com). All impacted employees are encouraged to reach out to their supervisor, mentor, or another member of management for assistance.

Every day across the Denver metro area, RTD employees are making lives better through connections. The agency is proud to spotlight our exceptional workforce who go above and beyond in their roles and embody RTD’s core values. Join us in celebrating colleagues who personify the values of passion, respect, diversity, trustworthiness, collaboration, and ownership.

FlexRide operator returns customer’s lost phone to house

I would like to commend my driver, Petr Kroupa, on the Louisville FlexRide, as he went above and beyond today. I left my cell phone in his vehicle, and he brought it back to my house. I really appreciate him. This driver is very pleasant. 

Information specialist helps visually impaired customer use RTD for outing

I want to thank information specialist Alex Guzman for his assistance today. I am a blind customer, and I was trying to get directions to a wing spot with

my friends using public transportation.

RTD hosts police K-9 training to strengthen public safety

On March 25, Transit Police’s K-9 handlers hosted a 10-hour training of Front Range Explosive Detection (FRED) multi-agency teams, part of an ongoing partnership between law enforcement and military K-9 teams across Colorado.

The recent training included five exercises based on real-world scenarios to challenge the handlers and K-9s alike, keeping them prepared for situations they may encounter while on duty.

Transit Police officer and K-9 handler Corey Averill, who organized the full-day session, noted that these training exercises are more complex than odor detection alone. “It's more than just putting something out and having the dog find it; the overall goal is to build a strong reliable team between the handler and the dog,” he said.



Other agencies in attendance included sheriff’s offices from Adams, Chaffee, Jefferson, and Pueblo counties; police departments from Brighton, Commerce City, and Denver; the Colorado State Patrol; and the Colorado Office of the Inspector General. 

Operations staff host cookouts on Rockies home opener

On Friday, Operations staff hosted cookouts for employees at all operating divisions in celebration of the Rockies home opener! Each facility grilled hot dogs and offered colleagues a wide spread of game day-inspired snacks to enjoy. Click the link below to view a photo gallery of these events. 

RTD welcomes fans heading to the Rockies' first home game

As thousands of dedicated Colorado Rockies fans arrived at Union Station to attend the Colorado Rockies’ home opener Friday, RTD was there to welcome them to downtown! Customers and fans swung by the RTD booth to enjoy games and learn how to use the agency’s services to get to and from the games. Impact Team members were at the commuter and light rail platforms, as well as the underground bus concourse, to assist customers with wayfinding and provide service-related information.



Click the thumbnail above to watch a recap of the day’s festivities. 

5 years

Hakeem Muhammad

Bus Operator

Getachew Malore

Bus Operator

Austin Riker

Signal Maintainer, CRT

Bera Oliva

Bus Operator

Fessahaie Beyene

Bus Operator

Temesgen Jemale Molago

Bus Operator

Alem Beyene

Bus Operator

David Lockridge Jr.

Unit Shop Technician

10 years

Timothy Dyche

Bus Operator

Patrick Ortega

Sign Fabricator I

Andrew Gioia

Electronic Technician, Revenue Systems

Ray McNamara

Budget Analyst IV

Bailee Manfro

Business Support

Lane Hines

Public Safety Dispatcher

Sean McVeigh

Video Investigation Specialist

James Kyle-Fischer

Service Person

Mourtala Maman

Bus Operator

Craig Messinger

Bus Operator

Daniel Schnese

Bus Operator

Terren Ester

Service Person

Jessie McClinton

Bus Operator

Armando Mejia-Alvarado

General Repair Certified Mechanic

15 years

David Dozal

Custodian/Public Facilities Maintenance

Bryon Martinez

Bus Operator

Carolyn Cousins

Service Person

20 years

Brian Nicholson

LRT Field Supervisor

Todd Nikkel

Senior Manager, Budget

30 years

Lila Riggins

Bus Operator

35 years

David Merritt

Dispatcher

50 years

David Kuhn

Payroll Practitioner

Best Dressed Operator of the Week: Tiara Riley

This week’s best dressed operator is instructor Tiara Riley from District Shops. Thanks, Tiara, for setting a great example for RTD’s trainees! 

Supply chain champions: Meet the Materials Management Team

Materials management is a valuable part of RTD’s Contracting and Procurement Division. The Materials Management Team provides end-to-end support for the parts, materials, and supply chain functions that keep RTD’s bus, rail, and facility operations running reliably. Through coordinated efforts across inventory control, warehouse operations, and materials purchasing, the team ensures that critical materials are available, accurately tracked, cost-effective, and delivered safely and on time.



The team, pictured below and listed from left to right beginning with the front row, is Sonia Rocha, Joe Rivera, Pennie Rice, Maria Lanford, Ricardo Saucedo, Sandi Simpson, Craig Butler, Ronal Isby, Tony Morales, Arturas Zebrauskas, Matthew Cruz, and Kristy Sena; and in the back row: Jim Bailey, John Barber, Cody Rock, Craig Summers, David Kenyon, Morrigan Sparrow, Matthew Stebbins, Daniel Villarruel, Jonathan Magallon, Daryell Bolding, and Michael Karol-Chik. Not pictured are Vincent Vedan, Brian Notman, Robert Ritchie, Tyrone Head, and Michael Buelter.

Thinking about taking the next step in your educational journey? Attend a virtual career fair next week

Whether considering enrolling in college for the first time, returning to finish a degree program, or simply looking to expand a skill set through higher education, attend the 2026 RTD Virtual Education Fair, taking place April 14-16. 

Over three days, attend webinars from nine U.S. educational institutions and learn about the programs they offer for prospective students. Those attending are:

• American Intercontinental University
• Colorado Technical University
• San José State University
• Colorado Christian University
• AllCampus
• Post University
• Employers Council
• Strategic Education Inc.
• University of Denver College of Professional Studies

The virtual fair is free for RTD employees to attend. Click the link below for the schedule and registration links for each presenting institution. 

1.) Gerry Suazo 🥇

2.) Tami Redmond 🥈

3.) Kyle Mahanes 🥉

4.) Andrew Mahn

5.) Kyle Cizenski

6.) Gary Keppy

7.) Matt Johnson

T-8.) Austin Nettleton

T-8.) Nick Campbell

T-10.) John Grygorcewicz

T-10.) Brad Maier

12.) Erica Kruk

13.) Jennie Waski

14.) Jenea Covington-Davis

15.) Lev Youngblood

16.) Corey Inman

17.) Mike Powell

18.) Kristina Horton

19.) Denise Jewell

20.) Brandon Figliolino

21.) Robert White

The college that was picked the most to win this year's championship was a tie between the University of Arizona (Mahanes, Cizenski, Campbell, Kruk, and Waski) and Duke University (Keppy, Johnson, Grygorcewicz, Maier, and Powell).

The Communications and Engagement Department thanks all employees for making the inaugural agencywide bracket challenge so successful, and congratulates Suazo again for claiming the first-ever crown. Well done!

RTD Solicitations

RTD has a number of solicitations currently underway at the agency or planned for the near future. To view and download current solicitations, see upcoming opportunities, and review pending and awarded contracts, follow the links below.

Debra's Quote of the Week

"Courage doesn't always arrive on time. Sometimes it shows up in the smallest moments."

— Denika Fercho

Need to report a concern with a vehicle, bus route, rail line or customer facility? Fill out the OneRTD Care Reporting Form by clicking the link below.

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