Board of Directors

Chris Nicholson was elected to the RTD Board of Directors in November 2024 and represents District A, comprising the neighborhoods of Central Denver south of Colfax Ave, Capitol Hill, Upper Downtown, and the city of Glendale.

Chris is a proud urbanist and a dedicated full-time transit rider who has relied on RTD since moving to Colorado in 2017.

Professionally, Chris has built a career in public policy, technology, and professional politics. He co-founded Global EIR, where he helped craft policy solutions for immigrant entrepreneurs navigating the U.S. immigration system. In addition, Chris has spent twenty years serving as technical consultant, campaign manager and political advisor to state and local elected officials.

Chris is active in LGBT and Jewish life, and advocates for increased housing production in his spare time as a leader of YIMBY Denver. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Southern California.

Outside of work Chris can often be found walking along the 16th Street Mall—his neighborhood since moving to Denver—heading to a great downtown restaurant, a Broadway show at DCPA, or grabbing a beer with friends. If you see him, please say hello!

Director JoyAnn Ruscha (they/them) was elected to the Board in 2022 and represents District B, which spans the Denver neighborhoods of Park Hill, Central Park, Montbello, Green Valley Ranch, DIA, a portion of East Colfax, as well as north of Colfax in Aurora and parts of unincorporated Adams County.

Director Ruscha is public affairs and grants advisor specializing in disability, labor, and consumer protection rights, as well as transportation equity. JoyAnn is also a pro bono advisor to an international ecology NGO and has extensive board experience, having worked with several Colorado nonprofits and as a Governor Polis appointee to two commissions.

JoyAnn has a deep connection to District B schools—a former teacher, JoyAnn worked at the original Montbello High School in Denver and at a school for at-risk youth in Aurora. JoyAnn’s son, a longtime RTD rider, is a DPS graduate (and happily car-less).

In other roles, JoyAnn was a card-carrying member of SEIU Local 105 and Carpenters Local 555. In 2021, as a recognition of their demonstrated commitment to the rights of workers across the globe, JoyAnn was awarded an honorary lifetime membership by Steelworkers Local 3267.

In 2022, JoyAnn was honored with the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition’s George Roberts & Jeanette Klimach Foot Soldier of the Year Award, which is given to a person who goes above and beyond in fighting for the Americans with Disabilities Act. As director, JoyAnn remains inspired by the Gang of 19, a group of disabled ADAPT activists who protested RTD’s inaccessible system in 1978.

JoyAnn is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and Women in Transportation Seminar (WTS), focusing on safety, security, and risk management.

Director Ruscha lives in Denver with their best friend, Max—the most amazing rescue dog ever.

Michael Guzman, the new Director for District C, is a Denver native, a St. Joe's baby, a descendant of Aurarians with proud Chicano and Boricua roots. Currently serving up lattes and fresh coffee, he is in his 8th year as a Supervisor and Coffee Master for Starbucks Coffee Co.

He is a Graduate of St. John's University, Collegeville, MN. with a B.A. conferred in 2003.

Michael's proudest accomplishment has been to return to Puerto Rico, after Hurricane Maria, as a volunteer to plant and repopulate coffee trees. The hurricane devastated the coffee industry. It was a small step to restoring opportunity, hope, and in a deeply meaningful way to help heal both himself and his isla querida. My great-grandma taught me, "if you never put your hands into the earth, you never learn to respect it."

If he isn't brewing coffee or studying languages, he's probably reading, walking and listening to his favorite podcasts, or being still (even though that last one is rare). You'd most likely catch him on the 52, 44, 19, 31 or the G or A trains.

Chris is currently serving as the IT Director for a local healthcare company. Throughout his career he has gained extensive experience in human capital management consulting, working with renowned firms such as Deloitte and Accenture. His diverse background includes consulting for global fortune 100 companies as well as small private businesses. Notably, Chris has deep expertise in industries such as rail transportation (including Amtrak), healthcare, and retail.

In November 2024, Chris was elected to the RTD Board of Directors (District D), where he represents Englewood, parts of South Denver, Littleton, and Jefferson County. His key priorities as a board member are to drive increased ridership, enhance the ridership experience (focusing on safety, cleanliness, and ease of use), and improve operational reliability.

A proud Colorado resident since 2018, Chris lives in Englewood with his wife, Jessica, and their daughter. When traveling on RTD, you’ll often find Chris on the D, E, or A lines, or riding the 0 bus route.

Director Larsen was elected to the RTD Board of Directors in November 2024 and took office in January 2025, representing District E, which includes parts of Aurora, Denver, Greenwood Village, and Centennial.

Matt currently serves as Senior Director of Strategic Projects for a global medical device company. His diverse business career has included advising economic development agencies, consulting for Fortune 500 companies, and managing performance plans for sales teams.

Matt is a lead with YIMBY Denver, a member of Greater Denver Transit, and serves on the board of the Denver Press Club. He lives in the Southmoor neighborhood of Denver with his wife and three children.

Matt graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in English and in Urban Studies, and received an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

Kathleen Chandler, a fourth-generation native of Colorado, proudly represents District F. As a resident of the Aurora/Centennial area since 1992, she has been actively involved in Arapahoe County.

Kathleen’s primary goal is to ensure the safety and reliability of RTD. She believes that safety encompasses not only the well-maintained condition of the system but also the security of riders and drivers. Prioritizing the security of those who rely on RTD is crucial for the system’s overall health. Kathleen is a strong advocate for the para-transit and transit-dependent constituents, recognizing the importance of serving those who use the service daily. Ensuring RTD’s reliability and safety is essential to meet their needs effectively.

Kathleen is deeply connected to Colorado and the western can-do spirit. As a community representative, she strives to include a diverse range of voices in her decision-making processes.

Kathleen is married with two sons, two grandchildren, three chickens, and a cat. She is an avid gardener who enjoys canning vegetables during the summer months. In the winter, she relishes spending time in a hot tub while her husband enjoys skiing.

Director Bouquet was elected to the RTD Board in the 2020 general election on November 3rd. Director Bouquet was sworn in as Director on January 5, 2021. Director Bouquet represents RTD District G which includes most of Parker and Lone Tree and portions of Centennial, Aurora and Castle Rock.

Director Bouquet is a full time middle school teacher for Douglas County School District. He teaches elective classes on media and broadcast production, as well as a class on photojournalism and electronic publishing. His classes have won multiple district and statewide student-media and student-journalism awards.

He has grown up in Douglas County and has lived most of his life in the county. Director Bouquet is a frequent RTD rider, and was first introduced to RTD while attending the University of Denver. He used the E or F line almost everyday in college. Director Bouquet graduated from the University of Denver in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

Director Bouquet has been involved in several political campaigns since 2012. He has served as a non-paid volunteer, an organizer and a canvas manager. He is also a proud Eagle Scout and credits most of his civic engagement from his time in the scouts.

Patrick has spent his career working at the cross section of infrastructure development and public policy. Starting his career on Capitol Hill working for Colorado Congressman Dan Schaefer on a wide range of issues, he learned the importance of thoughtful collaboration and principled stands on the most important issues.

He transitioned to practical implementation of policy ideas working in the private sector. As a senior executive for a Colorado-based Fortune 500 engineering company, he was able to work with teams delivering some of the most iconic and challenging infrastructure in the world…and right here in Colorado. In 2020, he started a growing small business focused on infrastructure advisory services helping clients build projects on-schedule and within budget to solve the needs of a growing Front Range economy.

Patrick and his wife Karen raised three children in Highlands Ranch, where they have lived for over two decades. He is active in the community serving on the board of a non-profit committed to food security. In his free time, he loves playing ice hockey, fly fishing, bumbling around a golf course and reading history.

Karen previously served two terms on the RTD Board in the 1990s representing District M where she worked hard to build the SW rail line--now known as the D Line. She now serves District I which covers Longmont, Broomfield, Lafayette, and Erie.

She loves reading government budgets because she worked many years in the Colorado Governor’s budget office and was the Budget Director for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Prior to that she lived in Washington D.C. working for the National Association of State Budget Officers.

Karen co-founded the Fort Morgan Humane Society and now serves on the Board writing grants and holding fundraising events. The small, but mighty, humane society on the Eastern Plains saves over 650 dogs and cats each year. She also is the owner of her small dog biscuit company – Furry Friends Biscuit Bakery.

Director Vince Buzek was elected to the RTD Board of Directors in November 2018 and took office in January 2019, representing District J. Director Buzek’s District includes the cities of Westminster, Northglenn, Federal Heights, portions of western Thornton and portions of unincorporated Adams and Jefferson Counties.

A Chicago native, Director Buzek grew up in a transit dependent family, relying on public transportation for much of his early life. As a Council Member for the City and County of Broomfield from 1999 – 2007, Director Buzek was active in transit issues and participated in the decision for Broomfield to publicly support FasTracks. Director Buzek also served on the Colorado Gaming Commission as a Member and its Chair and has served for the past 6 years on the Adams County Planning Commission as Member, Vice-Chair and Chair. Director Buzek understands the many challenges faced by RTD and its ridership and brings his background and expertise to address the issues faced not only by his constituents in District J, but throughout the entire region.

Director Buzek, an attorney with over 30 years’ experience in Chicago and Colorado, currently operates his own firm in Broomfield focusing on estate planning and mediation. Director Buzek enjoys travelling with his wife, Karen; bee keeping, reading, and attempting to garden.

Director Troy Whitmore was elected to the RTD Board of Directors in November 2018 and took office in January 2019, representing District K. District K is RTD’s most northeastern district which includes Brighton, Commerce City, much of Thornton and unincorporated Adams County.

Troy Whitmore is an active community servant who has been a United Power employee for more than 30 years. In his current position as Public Affairs Officer, he oversees communications, marketing, key accounts, governmental affairs and community relations functions for the electric distribution cooperative based in Brighton, Colorado.

A northeastern Colorado native, Troy is a 1983 graduate of Northeastern Junior College and a 1985 graduate of Colorado State University.

A former Thornton City Council member, Troy remains very active in his community. He is past Chair of the Board of Directors of the MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce, past Chair and Board member of the Brighton Economic Development Corporation and past President and Board member of Almost Home, Inc. He serves as a Board Member for Smart Commute MetroNorth and Adams County Economic Development. He also chairs School District 27J’s Bond Advisory Committee and is Vice Chair of the Board of Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC) which is Colorado’s premier energy assistance foundation.

The MetroNorth Chamber named him Business Person of the Year in 2011 and recognized him with the Chairman’s Award in 2016. He was awarded the Pathfinder Award by Northeastern Junior College in 2015. In 2017, Whitmore was honored by Pro 15 with the Alumni of the Plains recognition. Director Whitmore is committed to building a world-class transit system that effectively serves constituents in all socio-economic classes and prompts economic development throughout the RTD service area.

Ian Harwick is a mostly native of Colorado, having spent his first 6 months in Ohio. He moved to Arvada in 1988 and has spent a good portion of his life there.

He graduated with a degree in Business Management from Johnson & Wales University, attending at their Providence campus, as well as their now-closed Denver campus.

Ian joined RTD in January 2023 after a write-in campaign in 2022. He has been a staunch advocate for transit, cycling, walking, and adaptive mobility for the last 20 years.

For his day job, Ian works for the City of Denver in the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency. His prior work at the city included a small stint at DDPHE (during the start of the Covid pandemic) and then a longer stay at the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner. Prior to his time there he spent ten years running a small consulting business and has been highly involved in the Athmar Park Neighborhood Association, Denver’s YIMBY’s and New Leaders Council.

He is now back in Arvada where he parents a feisty 6-year-old girl with his wife, Kristin. He spends his spare time fixing up his house, playing volleyball, and attempting to read more books.

Bio coming soon.

Director Peggy Catlin was sworn in as Director for RTD District N on March 27, 2018. She was selected by the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Tina Francone. District N is entirely in Jefferson County and serves unincorporated Jefferson County as well as the communities of Evergreen, Conifer, Morrison, Willow Springs and Ken-Caryl Ranch.

Director Catlin is a licensed professional engineer with a 39-year multi-disciplined engineering and management career holding leadership positions in both public and private sectors primarily focused in transportation. She has a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Colorado State University and is currently the owner of Catlin & Company, which provides transportation consulting services in areas such as strategic planning, project management and alternative delivery systems. She is also currently serving on the National Academy of Sciences Transportation Research Board Congestion Pricing Committee. She was the deputy executive director for Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) from May 2000 until June 2011 and represented the department on the DUSPA Board. Prior to her state service she was vice president for HNTB Corporation from May 1994 until March 2000 culminating in the design/build contract for Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Director Catlin served on the WTS (Women’s Transportation Seminar) International Advisory Board May 2002 to May 2006 and was a Charter Board Member for the Colorado Chapter where she was named WTS Woman of the Year in 2002. She was a member of Colorado State University Civil Engineering Advisory Board from 2003 to 2007, and served as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials from July 2004 to July 2005. Her work on the conversion of the I-25 HOV lanes to High Occupancy Toll lanes in partnership with RTD was awarded the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials annual award for planning in 2007. She was honored by the Mile High Girl Scout Council as a Woman of Distinction in 2009.

Director Lynn Guissinger was elected to the RTD Board of Directors in November 2018 and took office in January, 2019 representing District O. District O represents the most northwestern portion of the RTD area including all of the City of Boulder, Jamestown, Louisville, Lyons, Nederland, and Ward, the portion of Longmont west of North 95th St. and south of Mountain View Ave., all of Superior within Boulder County, and the majority of unincorporated Boulder County, generally lying west of North 95th St.

Director Guissinger is a small business owner and former attorney with broad experience in managing a business, and in financial analysis and creative fundraising.

Guissinger’s business, Catalyst Communication, partnered with city transportation departments around the country (including Seattle, Cambridge, Denver, Boulder, Tucson, Anchorage, and others) to market and promote their transit, biking, and walking options. Catalyst Communication worked for years in the bicycle and outdoor industries, and Guissinger has worked with advocacy efforts in these areas.

Guissinger graduated from CU Law School, and practiced law for a number of years. She clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. After practicing law at Holland & Hart, Guissinger taught Land Use Planning and Local Government Law at CU Law School.

Civic and community activities include:

• City of Boulder Transportation Advisory Board (chair), 2005-2009
• Chair, Successful campaign for 2M and 2N, the Community Culture and Safety tax, 2017
• Commuting Solutions board
• Boulder Housing Partners Foundation board, president
• Colorado Fourteeners Initiative board
• Senior Fellow, Getches Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources and Environment, CU Law School, current
• Community Cycles Capital Campaign
• Focus Reentry, treasurer
• Emergency Family Assistance Foundation, past president, 1990s
• Intercambio Uniting Communities, past member 2009-2011
• City of Boulder Greenways Advisory Committee, 2007-2009
• Democratic Women of Boulder County, past president

Director Guissinger is passionate about helping build strong communities through transportation options that work for people’s lives. She is excited to represent much of Boulder County and the Northwest Corridor on the RTD board.