Latinos In Transit Names 2 New Board Officers

Latinos In Transit (LIT) added two new officers to its board of directors: Lisa Rivera-LaMantia, senior project manager at the Central Ohio Transportation Authority (COTA), and Walter Weichselbaumer, strategic account manager at Clever Devices.

Rivera-LaMantia was the first recipient to receive the American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF) MV Transportation Inc./LIT Scholarship in 2019. The scholarship is awarded to a Latino/a pursuing a career in public transportation. Rivera-LaMantia has a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the Ohio State University and a master’s in Infrastructure Planning and Management from the University of Washington.

Weichselbaumer is responsible for business development and key accounts in the southeast, specializing in Intelligent Transit Solutions (ITS). He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas, Venezuela, with honorary mention for his thesis. He is also a Fulbright Scholar and subsequently earned a master’s degree in Telecommunications Management from the University of Maryland.

Formed in 2016 to promote the advancement of Latinos to executive positions, as well as other positions of influence within the transportation industry, LIT continues to grow its influence and membership. Most recently, LIT celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with a virtual symposium “Juntos Podemos 2020” sponsored by New Flyer of America. The symposium featured top transit leaders across the nation, including APTA Board Chair and CEO of Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Nuria Fernandez and Alice N. Bravo, P.E., director of Miami-Dade Transit.

“I am very pleased with the addition of our two new board members,” said Alva Carrasco, LIT’s board president and WSP USA’s transit and rail market lead, zero emissions bus for Northern California. “They represent two important sectors, public transit and business members, where Latinx are making a positive impact on public transportation. I am looking forward to working closely with Lisa and Walter to help us continue to develop into a nationally recognized organization for the advocacy of Latinx in transportation.”