METRO's People Movement covers the latest personnel moves in the public transit, motorcoach, and people mobility industries. 

In this latest edition, METRO covers the latest announcements at Metro-North Railroad, Southern California's Metrolink, and HDR. 

Vonashek Named President of Metro-North Railroad

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chair/CEO Janno Lieber announced the appointment of Justin Vonashek as president of Metro-North Railroad. 

Vonashek will succeed Catherine Rinaldi, the first woman to lead the railroad, who is retiring after nearly seven years in the role.

Vonashek, who takes over leadership of the railroad April 1, joined Metro-North as VP, system safety, in January 2016, part of the railroad’s push to improve safety following a series of incidents in 2013. He was elevated to sr. VP, operations, overseeing critical operational functions in December 2020 and finally to executive VP/COO in September 2023, where he has managed all aspects of the railroad’s operations, including ensuring safety and operational excellence throughout the agency.

HDR Taps Nagorsky to Lead its Global Transit Planning Practice

Becca Nagorsky has joined HDR to lead the firm’s global transit planning practice. 

Based in Toronto, Nagorsky will collaborate across HDR’s global rail and transit markets to develop a vision and goals that will align HDR's world-class resources with the needs of its clients and the communities they serve. Her work will span all transit modes, including paratransit, fixed-route bus, express bus, bus rapid transit, light rail, subway, commuter rail, intercity passenger rail and more.

Most recently, Nagorsky served as VP, stations planning, at Metrolinx, a regional transit agency serving the greater Toronto region. In this role, she led long-range planning and visioning for heavy rail and subway stations with a focus on station access. 

Metrolink Names New Chief Safety, Security, and Compliance Officer

Southern California’s Metrolink appointed Hilary Konczal as its new chief safety, security, and compliance officer, effective immediately. 

In this critical role, Konczal will also serve as the organization’s compliance officer for Federal Railroad Administration-mandated initiatives and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), while fostering a proactive safety culture that permeates all levels of the organization.

Konczal joins Metrolink from Chicago’s Metra where he spent more than three decades in progressively senior roles, ultimately ascending to the post of chief regulatory compliance officer, responsible for safeguarding passengers, employees, and contractors, as well as overseeing public safety initiatives along Metra’s 487-mile system.