RTA services are now provided under the direction of a new management team. Listed below is information on the team.

Executive Staff

 
Chief Executive Officer
Paul J. Ballard
Email: paul.ballard@nashville.gov

Paul Ballard was appointed chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Nashville and Davidson County in January 2002. He has served as the chief executive officer or general manager of six transit systems, including those in St. Louis, Mo., and Birmingham, Ala. He also has been president of two national transit management firms and operated or consulted on transit operations in 38 U.S. cities in 19 states. Ballard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business, transportation and public utilities management from the Indiana University School of Business; a Master of Arts degree with distinction in public administration from Webster University in St. Louis; and has training in customer service from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business.
 

Chief Administrative Officer
Lora Baulsir
Email: lora.baulsir@nashville.gov

Lora Baulsir was named director of customer care of the Metropolitan Transit Authority in June 2006. She oversaw the merger of the Customer Service and AccessRide call centers as well as supervises the new unit and handles other special projects. Prior to this appointment, Baulsir served as director of human resources for 19 years. She has been with MTA since 1981, serving first as executive secretary and then as benefits administrator. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Freed Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn.
 

Chief Financial Officer
Edward W. Oliphant
Email: ed.oliphant@nashville.gov

Edward W. Oliphant was named chief financial officer of the Metropolitan Transit Authority in October 2002. Prior to his appointment, Oliphant was the director of finance at Private Business Inc. in Brentwood, Tenn. Oliphant is a certified public accountant and has more than 20 years of professional experience in accounting and finance. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a major in accounting from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, graduating with high honors.
 

Chief Operating Officer
Robert Baulsir Jr.
Email: robert.baulsir@nashville.gov

Robert Baulsir Jr. became chief operating officer of the Metropolitan Transit Authority in January 2004. He is responsible for overseeing operations, maintenance, training, scheduling, human resources, procurement, safety and security. Prior to this position, Baulsir was assistant general manager for the MTA. He has more than 29 years of professional experience with public agencies, including transit organizations in Tennessee and Ohio. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.
 

Director of Communications
Patricia Harris-Morehead
Email: patricia.harris.morehead@nashville.gov

Patricia Harris-Morehead was named director of communications of the Metropolitan Transit Authority in November 2002. She is responsible for MTA's media relations, marketing and information technology initiatives. Prior to joining the MTA, Harris-Morehead worked in state government as the communications director for the Tennessee Department of Human Services for 11 years; as a program director for the Department of Labor and Workforce Development for two years; and in television news for nine years in Memphis, Chattanooga, and Nashville. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in mass communications with an emphasis in broadcast journalism from Middle Tennessee State University.
 

Director of Planning
James McAteer, AICP
Email: james.mcateer@nashville.gov

James McAteer was named director of planning of the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority in October 2006. He is responsible for all planning processes, including system analysis, service development, scheduling, and data collection. Prior to joining the MTA, McAteer spent four years at the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization as a project manager on a wide range of transportation projects. He also has worked for the Nashville Planning Department in the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) division. McAteer received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland, and he attained a Masters of Arts in Geography and Environmental Planning with a specialization on Transportation Planning in 2002. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Departments

Customer Care

Customer Care Manager – Brenda Miller
Email: brenda.miller@nashville.gov

EasyRide Manager – Eric Beyer
Email: eric.beyer@nashville.gov

Communications

Information Technology Administrator – Rob McElhaney
Email: rob.mcelhaney@nashville.gov

Communications Supervisor – Wendy Smith
Email: wendy.smith@nashville.gov

Communications & Marketing Specialist – Tom Wilson
Email: tom.r.wilson@nashville.gov

Operations/Maintenance

AccessRide Manager – Cynthia Whitehead
Email: cynthia.whitehead@nashville.gov

Contract Manager – Lee Jackson
Email: lee.jackson@nashville.gov

Maintenance Manager – Bruce Buck
Email: bruce.buck@nashville.gov

Operations Manager – Dawn Distler
Email: dawn.distler@nashville.gov

Safety Manager – Earl Rhodes
Email: earl.rhodes@nashville.gov

Security Manager – Roger Farley
Email: roger.farley@nashville.gov

Training Manager – Steven Fields
Email: steven.fields@nashville.gov

Planning

Planner/GIS Specialist – Eric Haga
Email: eric.haga@nashville.gov

Program Coordinator – Sharon Simmons
Email: sharon.simmons@nashville.gov

Scheduling and Service Planning Manager – John Cannon
Email: john.cannon@nashville.gov

Service Planning Supervisor – Tammy Tate
Email: tammy.tate@nashville.gov

Administration

HR Manager – Rob Ladd
Email: rob.ladd@nashville.gov

Benefits Administrator – Ellen Davis
Email: ellen.davis@nashville.gov

Recruiter – Cheri Burr
Email: cheri.burr@nashville.gov

Finance

Capital Grants Administrator – Patricia Downs
Email: patricia.downs@nashville.gov

Controller – Shelly B. McElhaney
Email: shelly.mcelhaney@nashville.gov

Other

ADA Coordinator – James McAteer
Email: james.mcateer@nashville.gov

EEO/Affirmative Action Compliance Officer – Ellen Davis
Email: ellen.davis@nashville.gov

Title VI Officer – James McAteer
Email: james.mcateer@nashville.gov

RTA Office Address

Regional Transporation Authority
130 Nestor Street
Nashville, TN 37210
Phone: 615-862-8833
Fax: 615-862-6208
Email: rta@nashville.gov

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