Employee Spotlight
Communications, Engagement thanks employees who assisted with rail reconstruction project open houses
The Communications and Engagement Department expresses its gratitude to the employees who volunteered their time to assist with the five Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project open houses across the Denver metro area in April and May! Because of your efforts, customers and stakeholders were given the tools needed to successfully navigate this summer’s rail project disruption.
– Communications and Engagement Department
Talent acquisition partner uses bilingual abilities to make onboarding easy for Spanish-speaking new hires
I would like to acknowledge and appreciate talent acquisition partner Jesús Quiñónez. Jesús is bilingual and participates in our orientation classes to help our new employees who have Spanish as their first language navigate the process of onboarding. Thank you, Jesús, for helping to create a welcoming environment.
Me gustaría reconocer y apreciar al socio de adquisición de talentos, Jesús Quiñónez. Jesús es bilingüe y participa en nuestras clases de orientación para ayudar a nuestros nuevos empleados que tienen el español como primer idioma a navegar el proceso de incorporación. Gracias, Jesús, por ayudar a crear un ambiente acogedor.
– Monica Oakes, HR Specialist II
Eldora Mountain Resort thanks RTD operators, staff for strong partnership during 2023/24 season
I feel I can speak on behalf of the entire executive team here that we are so grateful for this ongoing partnership with RTD. The increase in mountain access that you all create is truly amazing. I know it doesn’t come without its challenges, so thank you so much for working with us and providing the public with accessible ways to reach the wonders of sliding on snow. RTD rocks!
– Lexi Kagan, Executive Operations Administrator, Eldora Mountain Resort
Civil Rights business support is invaluable to entire division
Nia Rollins has been a wonderful addition to the Civil Rights Division (CRD). She is a champion of the work that we do, and the all-star cast of CRD teammates speaks exceptionally highly of her.
“Nia's careful review of correspondence for accuracy has noticeably enhanced the quality of our work. Her proactive approach and readiness to help with any task have been instrumental in ensuring the seamless operation of the Transit Equity Office and the CRD. Thank you, Nia, for your valuable contributions and your ability to keep us on track. We truly appreciate all that you do!”
“I want to express my sincere appreciation for Nia's invaluable support throughout my onboarding process over the past few weeks. Her attentive nature and reassuring check-ins have been incredibly beneficial during this transition. Nia, thank you for being the cornerstone of the Civil Rights Division! Your dedication deserves a multitude of accolades.”
“The Small Business Opportunity office recognizes Nia’s support in planning, organizing and executing CRD meetings with high-level standards that have ended with great experience and enjoyment from all participants. She has been critical with registering, scheduling and notifying the team about participation in community events that represent value to RTD and the communities we serve. Also, she has provided tremendous support in documenting budget spending by developing a phenomenal tracking tool for the division to utilize.”
“The CRD wouldn’t be as efficient without you, Nia! Your hard work does not go unnoticed!”
“Nia is an invaluable member of the team who works hard to lighten the workloads of those around her. Her regular contributions to EEO trainings keep us organized and efficient. Thank you, Nia!”
– Civil Rights Division
IT Service Desk, Cybersecurity provide support for orientations
I would like to send out a huge thank you and appreciation to our IT Service Desk and Cybersecurity teams! They have been coming to orientation using “People Power” to ensure all of our new hires get access to Microsoft 365. Everyone might not realize how significant this is to our new employees’ perception of the welcome they get when starting with RTD. They are able to troubleshoot issues and offer support and solutions in real time. We could not do this without their commitment to ensuring we have a welcoming, supportive and organized introduction to RTD. Thank you!
– Monica Oakes, HR Specialist II
Human Resources staff save critical documents from being deleted
“I would like to commend Aliya Gregory and Darian Xiong in HR Support Services. Aliya and Darian exemplify teamwork and a can-do attitude. We recently discovered that some documents we scanned had been deleted from our scan file, and Aliya and Darian jumped right in to secure and sort the documents to be rescanned before they go off to the shred truck. Thank you, Aliya and Darian, for your hard work every day and for making a welcoming environment, especially on orientation days.”
- Monica Oakes, HR Specialist II
Construction manager uses experience as a designer to better oversee projects
“Kim Neyrinck worked with our agency as a consultant from 2010 to 2018. I began working with him on the North Metro commuter rail construction project in 2014.
Kim’s background as a designer makes him an excellent construction manager. He demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the field of rail engineering.
In addition, in his current role, he is instrumental in developing the Capital Programs construction group's resource allocation model. This model helps us assess our human capital resource needs, which contributes to achieving the work-life balance that our agency strives for.
Kim has been managing several critical facilities improvement projects, and his time management and document control skills are unparalleled.”
-Jeet Desai, Manager of Engineering Construction
Unit Shop machinist designs special tool in-house to address issue with buses
Articulation of the New Flyer buses is designed to be restricted at highway speeds. The special tools required to maintain this critical feature were provided to the vehicle maintenance department as incomplete and the manufacturer is not much help.
David Lockridge, the Unit Shop’s talented machinist, was able to reverse engineer this intricate tool and add the missing components, saving the agency a significant number of resources. On behalf of the vehicle maintenance department, I would like to thank David and the rest of the staff who worked with him to produce these crucial tools!
– Froilan Ticobay, Manager, Quality Control
Quick thinking from MOW crew prevents major service disruption
On March 15, thanks to the vigilant situational awareness of an extremely serious safety hazard, Noah Rawls and Patrick Kelly were able to prevent a potentially major accident. A catenary wire support arm had broken off during the night, which was extremely difficult to see. While Noah and Patrick were in the area, they both spotted the hazard and took immediate action.
The supervisor was promptly called, pictures were taken, and the affected tracks were coned and flagged. Noah and Patrick received certificates of excellence for their quick thinking and responsive action to mitigate a potentially serious situation. We would like to congratulate both Noah and Patrick for their awareness, actions and quick thinking.
We would like to recognize the importance of all personnel displaying this type of situational awareness that Noah and Patrick displayed to help prevent any accidents or injuries.
– Erika Lane, Business Support II
Customer Care manager creates real connections with customers
Sonia Lucero is the manager for Customer Care training and division relations. She provides expert training for new Telephone Information Center (TIC) agents. Her expertise and skill have translated to outstanding performers in the TIC time and again. Sonia also manages Customer Care division liaisons, providing timely, accurate and efficient information to our division partners. She is meticulous and compassionate when working with Customer Care staff, helping find solutions when and wherever necessary. She is always available to answer questions and sees the learning opportunity in every scenario. Sonia is a valuable asset to creating real connection with our customers. She meets people where they are and helps to navigate to optimal outcomes. Sonia, thanks for all you do to exemplify customer excellence and create community value!
– Daniel Shea, Manager, Telephone Information Center
Construction manager expands skills on coping panel project
Matt Druffel has been with RTD since 2001, first as a consultant and currently as an RTD employee. Matt has been involved with numerous construction projects over the years, and I have been fortunate to work with him directly since March of 2024.
Matt has a very good understanding of on-ground construction activities and understands his audience (technical, non-technical, policymakers and other RTD departments) very well.
His current project, the coping panel replacement for the T-REX Project, has expanded his project management skills. He successfully and actively manages expectations by being transparent in his decision-making and collaborative. Matt is an asset to Capital Programs and to our agency.
– Jeet Desai, Engineering Construction Manager
A shout-out for division supervisors in Bus Operations
“I wanted to share accolades we received for the Bus Transportation Platte Division Supervisor team from payroll practitioner David Kuhn, who stated:
‘I do the Friday Platte daily report audit. Having been in payroll for 47 years and gone through many snowstorms and what a mess it can be payroll-wise, I want to say your division supervisors did an excellent job of documenting everything on last Friday’s payroll, and it is appreciated!’
I’d like to second David’s remarks! The entire bus transportation division supervisor staff are invaluable to the success of our organization. Their tireless dedication and commitment often go unnoticed, yet with comments like this it is clear their genuine concern for the well-being of our employees and the community we serve is noticed. This diverse team collaborates with several departments to assign runs, manage proper pay and monitor DOT hours, which is crucial for minimizing service disruptions, especially during challenging times like winter storms and emergencies. Meticulous organization and prioritization of activities ensure that all details are accurate, contributing significantly to the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations. We hope they can be recognized in Inside Connections for proving RTD to be a trusted leader in mobility!”
– Kalee Wallace, Assistant Manager, Transportation Operating Division
Words of appreciation for mobile technologies supervisor Ryan Hull
I would like to nominate Ryan Hull for Transit Employee Appreciation Day. I have been with RTD for just about 10 months, and I have not been out to see all of RTD’sfacilities. Ryan offered to show me around and take a large portion of his day to drive me to each location. He took the time to introduce me to the people I will be working with. He explained how each location works and what the purpose of the location is. Ryan’s knowledge of RTD and its history were invaluable to me as a new employee. He even took the time to give me some history of Union Station. His passion for RTD and what he contributes emanated in our conversation. Ryan’s respect for his employees and for what he does at RTD is an outstanding way to demonstrate to others how to be great partners and collaborators. Thank you, Ryan! You gave me so much to look forward to learning here at RTD.
– Denise Garcia, Senior Project Manager, Cybersecurity
RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson shines as RTD's leader
I would like to recognize our General Manager and CEO,Debra A. Johnson, for Transit Employee Appreciation Day. Leadership is often thankless and can be lonely. It requires one to make decisions that are difficult and often unpopular, but one must stand firm in knowing what is right and true. Ms. Johnson continues to advocate for RTD employees at the state and national level and consistently at RTD Board meetings. She has been bold and transparent in communicating the work needed to maintain a healthy transit system, both in terms of ridership, employee safety and keeping our infrastructure in a good state of repair. As the first woman to lead the agency and a lengthy resume of serving multiple transit agencies across the country, for her many miles traveled nationwide as a fierce supporter of public transit, I would like to recognize her alongside our frontline heroes for this recognition week.
–Betsy Hinojosa, Business Program Manager
Dispatcher goes above and beyond to put RTD's core values at the center of their work
Saul Romero embodies the core values of trustworthiness, passion and ownership in their role as a bus dispatcher. Their deep understanding of bus maintenance, the CAD/AVL system and RTD policies not only facilitates smooth operations, but also makes them an invaluable asset to the entire team. Always ready to assist colleagues, Saul promotes a culture of collaboration and mutual support. Additionally, Saul's versatility shines through as they effortlessly step into the role of lead dispatcher when needed. Their adept handling of canceled run documentation reflects their unwavering dedication to maintaining excellence and reliability in all aspects of their work. Saul truly makes lives better through connections and assists RTD with being the trusted leader in mobility!
– Tina Jackson, Lead Dispatcher
Service persons' long careers highlight by service to agency
Service persons Maria Quiel, Brian Varney and Terry Smith should be recognized for their hard work and commitment to RTD. Maria is a hardworking woman who has been committed to RTD for 26 years and counting. She was one of the employees who didn’t miss work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brian has served RTD for 22 years. He is a very reliable, very respectful employee who keeps to himself and works at his best every day. Terry has been with RTD for 24 years. He does a great job every day, and he also does a great job training new employees. These employees have experienced good and not-too-good times here at RTD, like snowstorms and the pandemic. It’s great to have such reliable and dedicated employees.
– Anonymous
IGM thanks employees for their help with P drive elimination project
To all employees who participated in the P drive elimination project, Information Technology and Information Governance and Management worked together to assist file owners in moving files out of shared drives. The goal was to place the files into appropriate locations since the P drive was not backed up. This project was successful because of you! The P drive started with 62,637 files, and 60,124 files were either moved or identified for deletion.
A big thank you to all who assisted in each department and IT! Special thanks to IT, and kudos to all who participated with the project.
– Raymond Kelley, Information Governance Analyst
Digital Communications Manager quickly assembles rail reconstruction page
During the last week of February, RTD publicly shared plans to undertake a multi-phased project to reconstruct light rail track in downtown Denver. Announcing the project involved teamwork and collaboration on many levels, and it was truly an all-hands-on-deck effort throughout the agency.
I want to commend RTD Manager of Digital Communications Andrea Sucherman, who quickly and skillfully brought numerous communications assets together into a visually pleasing, customer-friendly project webpage. Information was prepared and approved until the last minute, but Andrea was consistently cheerful and responsive, delivering a landing page where customers, media and project partners are able to quickly access key information and resources about the upcoming work.
Andrea’s contributions to this significant effort embodied the agency values of passion, respect, collaboration and ownership. When all comes together this seamlessly, it is a hallmark of excellence. I am grateful for Andrea’s partnership to provide this high level of value to the community.
– Pauline Haberman, Project Manager, Special Projects
Service planners work tirelessly to reduce service impacts of upcoming rail projects
This summer is shaping up to be one of the busiest summers I have seen here at RTD since I joined the agency in 2019. With several projects coming up, including two major rail projects, there are so many employees behind the scenes working hard to mitigate the impacts these projects will have on our customers.
I want to give a special shoutout to our service planners for their tireless efforts to create schedules that will allow crews to safely complete their work while allowing customers to still utilize RTD services. The amount of work that goes into something like this is extraordinary, and our service planners deserve a round of applause for finding ways to keep Denver moving during these projects.
– Austin Nettleton, Senior Specialist, Public Relations
Chief transmission rebuilder rallies colleagues to get dyno working again
Mark Deay-Reusch is our chief transmission rebuilder in the unit shop at District Shops. He will complete his 40th year with RTD in May. Our engine dynamometer that is used to test newly rebuilt engines prior to putting them in service was in need of major maintenance and updating so we can use it with the engines in our current bus fleet. With a significant number of engines in the fleet starting to reach service life expectancy, we really needed to get the dyno functional. Mark took the lead on getting this done, and with his knowledge of the talent resources available, he enlisted many folks to help him get it up and functioning again.
When the group was able to run engines in the dyno test room again, Mark didn’t take a bow; instead, he asked what could be done to acknowledge all those who helped him. Major contributions were made by Shannon Smith, Drake Tran, Silviano (Lee) Nieto, Ian Bundt, Scott Matuska, Jake Nicholson, Keith Huhn, Timothy Wallace, Mark Ringleman and David Lockridge. Also assisting on this project were Ben Carroll, David Johnson, Michael Young, John Grafner, Ron Posey, Mason Niel, Harry Riddle, Craig Henry, Bill Weidenaar, Mike Haley and myself.
Mark embodies the focus on back to basics we are striving for; he exemplifies our people power, and he has readily welcomed our new techs to the unit shop, helping guide them along and feel at home. Mark went way above and beyond in his efforts, stepped completely outside his everyday job expectations, got many others to do the same and had a very successful outcome.
– Orlo Petersen, Manager, Maintenance Operating Division, Bus Operations
Bus operator steps up to fill vacant trips on a moment's notice
“Big thanks to bus operator Charles Blakney for stepping up on Route 0, Block 1, on Feb. 4, when the relief operator didn't show up. Blakney opted to stay on the route instead of the assigned run on Mall Relief Block 81, showcasing a commitment to improving connections and lives – especially since two Route 0 runs were already dropped. Although relief eventually occurred, we appreciate Blakney's dedication to assisting customers, reinforcing RTD's vision to be the trusted leader in mobility.”
– Tina Jackson, Lead Dispatcher, Bus Operations
Employees quickly pivot to operate snow desk during recent storm
“Senior Equipment Engineer Robbie Hunter and Technical Training Manager David Plumisto showed up on Saturday, Feb. 3, to open the snow desk for bus maintenance. We appreciate our employees who will stop what they are doing and do what is needed for the agency.”
– Eric Castillo, Assistant General Superintendent of Maintenance
Operator's quick reaction to a customer's health issue potentially saves life
On Feb. 2, bus operator James Killingsworth’s observations, situational awareness and due diligence potentially saved a person’s life. On this date, while operating a bus on the BOND route around 30th Street and Mapleton Avenue in Boulder, a male customer began having chest pains and suffering a heart attack. By recognizing the medical concern, knowing his surroundings and facilities in the area, and understanding the urgency to seek medical attention, Killingsworth obtained help for the individual by pulling into a fire station at 30th Street and Arapahoe Avenue, where fire department personnel were summoned to assist.
Thank you, James, for your stellar and commendable employee service, but more so, your commitment to professionally serving the general public, one that required a quick decision on this particular day. Your actions exemplify the true meaning of humanity and the spirit of RTD. Without a doubt, you upheld the RTD mission to make lives better through connections.
– Commander Phillip Englishbee, RTD Transit Police Department
A message of gratitude for Deputy Police Chief Steve Martingano
Last week, Deputy Chief Steve Martingano spoke to about 30 members of the Mpact National Steering Committee, a group of transportation supporters from around the country who were holding a meeting in Denver. During a tour of Denver Housing Authority’s Sun Valley development, Steve described the area’s security issues, the evolution of the police force at RTD, the important work of mental health professionals on the team, and the depth of communication and coordination with local police forces. In all this, he displayed impressive experience and thoughtfulness around complicated social issues, as well as sincere empathy. And on top of all that, he told funny jokes! As far as I could tell Steve confidently and effortlessly won over the Mpact group and gave them a lot of ideas to bring home to their respective cities. Steve earned their trust and admiration and made me proud to have him as a colleague.
– Chessy Brady, Manager, Transit-Oriented Development
East Metro's maintenance team reaches zero overdue component change outs
Major kudos to East Metro’s maintenance team for achieving zero overdue component change outs! CCOs prevent breakdowns. The accomplishment was years in the making and reflects great teamwork among Service & Cleaning, mechanics, supervisors and managers. Bus Maintenance is very proud of the East Metro team!
– Sangman Yoon, General Superintendent of Maintenance, Bus Operations
Kudos to light rail operators for supporting our customers
I ride the E, H, or D lines to commute to the Blake Street office for work. Time and time again, I observe our light rail operators demonstrating compassion and respect to our customers in multiple ways. More specifically is how our operators support our customers using the high block and mobility devices to board the train. The patience and dignity shown to our customers using our accessible services is noteworthy and should be commended. Everyone deserves and has the right to a quality transit experience to go about their daily lives, and our operators play a significant part in that. The lives they impact – not just in taking them where they need to go, but in giving them respect – extends beyond when they exit the train. It also demonstrates a message to fellow customers about RTD’s commitment to making lives better through connections. Lastly – and on a personal note, as someone with a loved one who depends upon a more accessible world – it restores my soul and hope, which I can only imagine is the same feeling for those in the lives of these customers.
While I do not know the names of the specific operators, I want to thank them all and let them know we see you! Keep up the great work.
– Betsy Hinojosa, Business Program Manager, Communication and Engagement Department
Dispatchers' close eyes on Olde Town Arvada Station saves woman's life
On Jan. 15, public safety dispatchers Corey Mitchell and Autumn Schoepflin demonstrated outstanding situational awareness and keen observation skills. While actively surveilling the Olde Town Arvada commuter rail station, they noticed a female in the right of way. She was not dressed for sub-zero temperatures and was observed falling twice. Recognizing the potential danger of hypothermia and the woman's distress, Mitchell and Schoepflin coordinated responses from transit security and emergency medical services. As a result of their effort, paramedics were able to reach the distressed individual, who was subsequently transported to a hospital.
– Tammy VanDrake, public safety dispatcher
A message of gratitude for Lex Nast, RTD's print shop wizard
Reproduction clerk Lex Nast has always gone above and beyond to create and distribute training material that our department needs. He takes what you've envisioned and puts it into a tangible teaching unit. He provides a way for me and other trainers to put our creation or product into the hands of the people who need these items. Over the years, Lex has proven himself to be dedicated and steadfast. He pleasantly surprises us with the quality of his work and just how fast he gets the job done – he is a machine. In simple terms, without Lex, it would not be possible for us to teach our classes. He is prompt and professional and has never let us down.
On one occasion, I had to instruct RTD police on the yearly vessel training, where we show them how to quickly immobilize buses in our fleet. They had a request to add more officers to the training class at the last minute. I didn’t have enough first responder manuals on hand. I called Lex, and he told me to come down to Blake Street, where he stopped what he was doing and printed the manuals on the spot! How awesome was that? Being an instructor and showing up to class without any reference material would have been a disaster.
Lex helped me with the final layout of the book for the first basic electrical class I was teaching. Walking into class with the proper materials and having them look professional helps with my confidence as a facilitator of a classroom.
Lex is awesome!
– Jon Paul Mitchell, Technical Training Instructor/Supervisor
Quick action from public safety dispatcher saves life
On Dec. 22, public safety dispatcher Heather Siminas demonstrated exceptional professionalism when she received a call from an individual contemplating suicide at the Peoria commuter rail station. Despite the caller's repeated attempts to terminate the conversation, Heather adeptly engaged the individual, gathering crucial information over the course of approximately 15 minutes. Concurrently, lead public safety dispatcher John Ambroz and public safety dispatcher Thomas Garza coordinated multi-agency response. As a result of this effort, Aurora police officers and paramedics were able to safely contact the distressed individual, who was subsequently transported to a hospital.
– Alex Brodsky, Manager, Public Safety Communications
Kudos to Facilities Maintenance employees for their hard work during the winter months
I would like to highlight our Facilities Maintenance group as they tirelessly ensure that our employees are kept safe during the hazardous winter weather months. Without their continued efforts to keep the walkways clean and dry by coming to work in the early hours, we would likely have more to worry about walking on icy, slippery surfaces. I am particularly grateful for my FM group here at Platte, and I would like to highlight Bobby Mills and his crew, not only for his efforts outside my building, but also inside the Platte Wellness Center. The crew also completes repairs in a timely manner. I believe he and his team exemplify the values of passion, respect, diversity, collaboration, trustworthiness and ownership.
– Momoko Cordova, Physical Therapist
Commuter Rail crew shows collaboration and passion
On the cold morning of Jan. 9, a mechanical issue left a train disabled at Eastlake•124th Station during a.m. peak. Engineer Rocky Bishop and conductor James Russell were the crew operating the train following that disabled train. While heading north, and knowing that the disabled train was already late beyond recovery, they made the astute decision to pick up southbound customers at Thornton Crossroads•104th and Northglenn•112th stations so they could be accommodated on the train’s next southbound trip. Meanwhile, at Eastlake, engineer Patricia Garcia and conductor Floyd King worked alongside the N Line operations control center (OCC) and field supervisor Dustun Martinez to troubleshoot the issue on the disabled train.
Once it was determined that the disabled train could not perform its southbound trip, Garcia, King and Martinez collaborated with OCC to bring the customers on the disabled train onto Bishop’s train, which was coming into Eastlake. Bishop and Russell hustled and got the train turned around and headed south so those customers could get into the city on time. This was a wonderful display of purposefulness in work (passion) and working together to achieve RTD’s mission and vision (collaboration). Incredible job to all involved.
– Phil Washington, Manager of Rail Service Delivery, N Line
Officers focus on customer safety during bomb threat
On Jan. 10, Transit Police Officers Dominick Castiglione, Brian Beary and Erik Giles demonstrated exceptional dedication and professionalism in handling a bomb threat involving a bus near Sheridan Boulevard and West 82nd Avenue in Arvada. The vehicle was inspected by Westminster Police Department and the Denver County Sheriff canine unit, and no suspicious items were located. Despite the tense situation, the officers ensured the safety of passengers and the bus operator during the process.
The caller of the bomb threat was ultimately traced to an address in Denver, and the individual admitted to making the bomb threat as a prank while intoxicated. The suspect was charged with false reporting to authorities and hindering transportation, subsequently arrested and jailed on an outstanding warrant. The suspect was also given a 90-day suspension from RTD property. Please join me in acknowledging the outstanding efforts of these officers to resolve this incident. Their swift response, effective coordination and commitment to public safety reflect the highest standards of our department.
– John Grygorcewicz, Transit Police Commander
Staff display teamwork in delivering New Year’s Eve services
Employees across the agency displayed incredible teamwork and dedication in delivering Zero Fare for New Year’s Eve service, benefiting thousands of customers across the region who relied upon RTD as they celebrated. Thanks go to all rail operators, supervisors and staff, with many going above and beyond to provide additional trips into the morning hours. Also, approximately 35 Transit Police officers assisted customers on New Year’s Eve, many riding trains and buses. A few officers rode bus Routes 15 and 0, as well as the W Line, throughout the night. These employees exhibited RTD's values of passion, collaboration and ownership.