Latinos In Transit (LIT) completed its inaugural Navigate Mentorship Program — a six-month leadership development initiative designed to empower and equip emerging professionals across the public transportation industry.

The LIT Navigate Mentorship Program was launched as a structured, low-cost opportunity for active LIT members, focused on intentional growth, workforce development, mentorship, networking, and education.

Through 12 comprehensive virtual sessions, participants engaged in SMART goal setting, individual development planning, industry trend analysis, leadership and soft skills development, networking expansion, job shadowing, community engagement strategies, and long-term career planning.

LIT’s Inaugural Launch

The inaugural cohort included professionals representing major transit agencies, engineering firms, consulting organizations, and emerging industry leaders:

• Roxana Beyranvand, Maryland Transit Administration (MTA)
• Tomas Bolivar, Chicago Transit Authority
• Alma Cervantes, Metra
• Stephanie Daniels, Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority
• Tamara D. Hunté, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)
• Gonzalo Armijos, The Solís Group
• Elena Lasheras, VST Engineering
• Carina Solis, TriMet
• Nicolas Uribe, Student

Throughout the program, participants strengthened not only their technical knowledge but also their leadership clarity and professional confidence.

“Participating in the inaugural Navigate Mentorship cohort through LIT was exactly the mentorship support I had been seeking, providing a structured and inspiring space to grow with intention,” said Roxana Beyranvand, director, rider experience team, MTA. “The journey strengthened my leadership purpose and focus, while also fostering meaningful relationships with incredible peers across other agencies that I truly value.”

A defining component of the Navigate Mentorship Program was the Capstone Project, which challenged participants to think strategically about their professional brand and future positioning within the industry.

To complete the program, each participant was required to develop a formal conference proposal aligned with their area of expertise, professional network, and long-term career goals.

This capstone experience required participants to:

• Identify a relevant industry topic reflective of their expertise.
• Develop a compelling session proposal suitable for a professional conference.
• Clarify their target audience and learning objectives.
• Demonstrate subject matter credibility.
• Update and refine their CVs.
• Present themselves professionally and competitively to stand out among industry peers.

Envisioning Leadership

The conference proposal process was not simply an academic exercise — it required participants to envision where they want to lead, how they want to contribute, and how they can leverage their network and resources to position themselves as thought leaders in public transportation.

By refining their resumes and professional narratives alongside their session proposals, graduates strengthened both their confidence and their visibility within the industry.

“The Navigate Mentorship Program was created to be intentional, rigorous, and transformative,” said Christina Villarreal, executive director, LIT. “We wanted participants to walk away not only with mentorship conversations, but with tangible deliverables that elevate their professional presence. The capstone project challenged them to think like industry leaders — how to present ideas, position themselves competitively, and step into spaces where their voices belong. This cohort has demonstrated exactly the kind of leadership our industry needs.”

Rather than a traditional certificate, graduates received a Customized Professional Blueprint, a forward-looking, individualized roadmap designed to keep them on track with the goals and objectives established throughout the program. This blueprint outlines refined career goals, leadership development priorities, networking strategies, and measurable next steps to ensure continued growth well beyond the six-month cohort.

The success of the inaugural Navigate Mentorship cohort reflects LIT’s broader mission to strengthen the pipeline of leadership in public transportation and to create meaningful, measurable workforce development opportunities nationwide.