Hakim is responsible for collaborating with HNTB leadership nationwide on strategic planning and implementation, industry representation, business development, service delivery, and client collaboration and satisfaction.
Hakim brings to HNTB 33 years of industry leadership experience. She most recently served as managing director of the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority, where she was responsible for leading more than 70,000 employees in five operating agencies, overseeing transit systems that carry 9 million riders each day. She also was responsible for promoting the 2015-2019 $32.5 billion MTA Capital Program as well as working on the framework for the 2020-2024 $51.5 billion Capital Program.
Hakim’s executive leadership experience also includes serving as president of MTA New York City Transit, executive director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, and executive director of New Jersey Transit, the only statewide transit system in the country and the nation’s third largest operator of buses, rail and light rail transit.
She also served as executive vice president and general counsel of the MTA’s Capital Construction subsidiary, the unit that manages the largest improvement and expansion projects in the nation, including East Side Access, where the Long Island Rail Road is being expanded to serve the iconic Grand Central Terminal.
Over the course of her career, Hakim has been recognized as an industry leader by professional associations, including the American Public Transportation Association, American Council of Engineering Companies, Women’s Transportation Seminar, the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, General Contractors Association, Women Builders Council, the Alliance for Action, and the Subcontractors Trade Association. She is sought as a speaker by many industry associations.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
