The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is an independent state agency in Florida, serving Duval County and Northeast Florida with multi-modal responsibilities. 

Transportation

Jacksonville Transportation Authority

Greer Johnson Gillis is a senior vice president of System Development and Capital Programs for the JTA. During her 27-year career, Ms. Gillis has implemented sustainable policies, managed large-scale infrastructure projects, and advocated for diversity within the engineering, energy, and construction industries.

Ms. Gillis joined the JTA in April 2020, overseeing Construction and Engineering, Planning and System Development, and Facilities Management. She also focuses on increasing workforce-development initiatives and small business participation in the City. In her first months at the JTA, Ms. Gillis established the JTA's Capital Projects Office to focus on efficient project delivery, the Sustainability Program Office to elevate sustainability and resiliency initiatives throughout the agency, and initiated the first phase of the Authority's strategic planning efforts.

In 2014, Ms. Gillis was honored by President Obama and U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx as a White House Champion of Change: Transportation Ladders of Opportunity for her efforts in expanding diversity in the engineering industry. In 2017, she was honored by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) with the Women Who Move the Nation Local Government Award. In 2008, she was appointed by the interim director of District (DC) Department of Transportation to serve as the city's transportation lead for the 2009 presidential inauguration.

Greer Johnson Gillis

Cleveland Ferguson III is Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the JTA. He focuses on transforming the JTA’s administrative operations, strategic planning and economic development strategies.

Ferguson’s innovative leadership has led the JTA in developing and deploying JTA University, JTA Enterprise Metrics Management System, as well as the JTA See and Say app. Under Ferguson’s leadership, the JTA was inducted into the North Florida Small Business Hall of Fame and received the 2018 Community Partner Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the 2018 Gold Bus Safety Excellence Award and the 2019 First Place APTA AdWheel Award.

He previously served as the Deputy CAO for the City of Jacksonville where he led the effort to expand the use of analytics through JaxScore, reform the delivery of citizen-based services and increase transparency into city operations.

Ferguson has a distinguished record of board service in civic, nonprofit, legal and international associations, including serving as a mayoral appointee to the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission. This year, he serves on the Jacksonville Regional Chamber Board of Governors and is a member of Leadership Broward Class XXIII, Leadership Jacksonville (2010), Leadership Florida Class XXXIII, the 2017 Eno Center for Transportation’s Senior Executive Program and the2017 APTA International Study Mission on Safety and Infrastructure.

Ferguson received his Juris Doctor from Florida State University College of Law, and a B.S. degree from Nova Southeastern University (NSU). He was conferred with a Doctor of Humane Letters by NSU in 2018.

Cleveland Ferguson Iii

Charles D. Frazier is the senior vice president and chief operating officer for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority directing the performance of passenger transportation services, along with overseeing the department of Human Resources & Organizational Development. Frazier is responsible for the safety, productivity, and accountability of transit operations, including service planning, operations, and maintenance of all vehicles related to JTA's transit systems including fixed route, bus rapid transit, paratransit, micro transit, and waterborne systems. Frazier has served more than 22 years spearheading local government projects and facilitating the work of human service organizations, nonprofit corporations, and industry associations.

Before joining the JTA, Frazier served for four years as the chief executive officer of Rock Region METRO, the public transit system serving central Arkansas providing fixed route, express bus, paratransit, micro transit, and rail streetcar services, and generating more than 2.5 million trips annually. Frazier also served as the assistant executive director of Palm Tran, Inc. with a fleet of 150 vehicles and providing more than 11 million trips annually. He managed all aspects of public transit operations and specialized in equal employment opportunity, cost reduction, service improvement, and federal grant funding. In 2013, after graduating from Leadership Palm Beach County, he was elected by his class to LPBC Board of Governors. He then served as treasurer of the organization in 2014 and 2015, 1st vice president in 2016 and 2017, and then elected president of the organization in 2018.

In 2021, Frazier received the prestigious Arkansas Traveler from the Governor of the State of Arkansas and named an Ambassador of Good Will from Arkansas to other states and nations beyond the borders of the United States in recognition of his distinguished accomplishments for the state.

Frazier earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and finance and information systems from Gonzaga University. Frazier is a member of the America Public Transportation Association (APTA) and in 2018 was one of 25 industry leaders in the nation appointed to APTA's most prestigious development program, Leadership APTA.

Charles D. Frazier

Stephanie Burch joins the JTA Board of Directors after being appointed by Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and approved by the Jacksonville City Council in October 2022.

Burch is General Counsel for Concept Companies, where she leads the legal team that supports a portfolio of companies that are vertically integrated to provide a best in class commercial real estate development experience. 

Burch’s prior experience includes nearly a decade in commercial and residential real estate and more than 11 years in state and local government in various legal and administrative roles. This includes five years in the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) General Counsel’s office where she focused on public transportation, public-private partnerships, and procurement issues.  

Her experience as an attorney in private practice and state government proved to be invaluable for success in her roles with the City of Jacksonville, where she led several initiatives that combined her background in real estate, finance, and administration to assist in reviving the Neighborhoods Department, creating financial assistance programs for families and individuals, and the City’s first Community Land Trust.  

Burch holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University, a Juris Doctor degree from Florida Coastal School of Law, and is a member of the Florida Bar.  Stephanie previously served on the Board of Directors for the City of Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority, was a previous Board Member of CREW Jacksonville, member of JWLA, FAWL, and served for 2 years as a Committee Member of the Florida Bar’s Leadership Academy.   

Stephanie Burch

Aundra Wallace is president of the JAXUSA Partnership, the private, nonprofit regional economic development arm of JAX Chamber overseeing efforts of the seven counties of Northeast Florida. He directs a staff of 14 in the areas of business development, international investment, workforce development, research and marketing. JAXUSA’s mission is to be a catalyst for economic growth and maximize the region’s unique resources to aggressively recruit jobs and capital investment. Mayor Lenny Curry appointed him in February 2022. 

Prior to joining JAXUSA Partnership in October 2018, Mr. Wallace served as CEO of the City of Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority (DIA). In this role, he spearheaded a diversified portfolio of infrastructure improvement projects, led economic development initiatives, invested in real estate development projects, managed the Downtown Development Design Review Board and oversaw the City’s Public Parking Division. 

He holds a Master of Public Administration from Clark Atlanta University and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Georgia Southern University. He is a Certified Housing Development Finance Professional and a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional.

Aundra Wallace

Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr. is the Chief Executive Officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), in Jacksonville, Florida. His distinguished career in the public transportation industry spans nearly four decades and includes tenures leading the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.

Ford is a champion for innovative multimodal transportation solutions, complete streets, walkable neighborhoods, public-private partnerships and transit-oriented development. He is known for being a thought leader and is often tapped by national and international groups to share his industry-leading insight on transportation matters through trade and study missions around the world.

During his nine years in Jacksonville, Ford and the JTA have received numerous awards for his transformational and community-focused initiatives in the Northeast Florida community. He was named APTA Outstanding Public Transportation Manager in 2020, the same year the JTA won the APTA Innovation Award for its innovative response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Eno Center for Transportation named Ford its Thought Leader for 2019. President Barack Obama named Ford a White House Champion of Change in 2015. Ford was named an “Ultimate CEO” by the Jacksonville Business Journal, and is an inductee in the First Coast Business Hall of Fame. He is also the 2016 recipient of the Jacksonville Urban League’s Clanzel T. Brown, Sr. Award. Under his leadership, the JTA received the APTA Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award in 2016.

He is also a past member of the United Way Board of Director and a past member of the Board of Trustees for Daniel’s Kids.

Ford holds an Executive MBA from the Davis School of Business at Jacksonville University, and a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in organizational leadership from Mercer University. He is a graduate of the Executive Development Consortium Program at Emory University, and has completed executive training at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is a graduate of Leadership Florida (2015) and Leadership Jacksonville (2014).

In Jacksonville, Ford oversees a state agency responsible for multimodal public transportation and infrastructure programs. The JTA operates fixed-route bus service in Duval and Clay counties, including the largest Bus Rapid Transit network in the Southeast United States; paratransit in Duval and Clay counties; the St. Johns River Ferry; the Skyway automated people mover (APM); ReadiRide on-call neighborhood shuttles; Express Select commuter shuttles from Nassau and St. Johns counties; and a growing portfolio of public-private partnerships to provide first-mile / last-mile options for customers. The JTA is currently developing the Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C), a 10-mile autonomous vehicle network in Downtown Jacksonville to modernize and expand its Skyway AMP system.

In addition to its role as a public transportation provider, the JTA oversees a large capital programs division responsible for building complete streets, bridges, sidewalks, and other mobility infrastructure to improve the quality of life for all citizens.

Nathaniel P. Ford Sr.

Greg Evans was appointed as the Florida Department of Transportation District Two Secretary on February 6, 2012. Mr. Evans is responsible for the day-to-day administrative, planning, production and operations activities for District Two, which encompasses 18 counties, covers nearly 12,000 square miles in North Central Florida, and maintains 8,200 lane miles of roadway and over 1,200 bridges. The area is also served by two deep-water ports and three major rail lines.

Evans has over 21 years of experience in the management and operations of public infrastructure. He is an alumnus of Southern Institute of Technology, with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Technology.

Evans joined the Board in 2012 as an Ex-Officio Member representing the Florida Department of Transportation, District Two.

Greg Evans

G. Ray Driver, Jr. has been practicing law for over 20 years and is a founding partner of Driver, McAfee, Hawthorne & Diebenow. He represents clients in business acquisitions, dispositions and mergers, and provides ongoing counseling regarding business formation, corporate governance, contract law and ancillary legal issues. Driver was added to the Florida Super Lawyer list in 2011 and his experience has led him to be recognized as Jacksonville Business Journal’s Ultimate Attorney. He was also named Lawyer of Year in 2019.

A graduate of Leadership Jacksonville, Driver is the current Chair of JAXUSA Partnership and the Chair-Elect for the JAX Chamber Board of Directors and Trustees. He also has chaired the Jacksonville Bar Association, served on its Board of Governors and served as the president and treasurer of the Young Lawyers Section.

Driver received both his Juris Doctorate and master’s degree in accounting from the University of Florida in 1994.

He was appointed to the JTA Board by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2019.

G. Ray Driver Jr.

Abel Harding is the market president for IBERIABANK and First Horizon Bank, responsible for the North Florida and Southeast Georgia markets. His banking career spans more than two decades and includes senior roles with several financial institutions.

He previously served as a senior advisor to the mayor of Jacksonville and as the director of communications for the City of Jacksonville. Prior to that, Harding was an award-winning journalist for the Florida Times-Union. In this role, he worked as a columnist, covering business and politics, and worked special assignments as an investigative reporter.

Harding serves as the chair of JAX Biz, the political committee of the JAX Chamber. He is a long-time member of the Chamber’s board of directors. He is the secretary of the board of directors for the Jacksonville Humane Society and previously served as a mayoral appointee to the Jacksonville Planning Commission. Harding is a member of the Florida Banker’s Association Government Affairs Committee.

He has served on several community boards during his time in Jacksonville, including the Cultural Council of Jacksonville, where he served as chair, the Cathedral Arts Project, co-chair of United Way’s first Atlantic Circle class, and founder of Rotaract of Ponte Vedra. He is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville (2013) and is a member of the 2020-2022 class of Leadership Florida.

A seventh-generation Floridian, Harding is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Abel Harding

Debbie Buckland is Market President for Truist Bank in Jacksonville, Florida.

Buckland currently serves as Board Chair of the JAX Chamber. She has also served as Chair of Downtown Vision, Inc., the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center and the American Cancer Society. She is a member of Wolfson Children’s Hospital Women’s Board, Jacksonville Women’s Network, Women’s Giving Alliance and First Coast YMCA.

Buckland was recognized as a 2006 Woman of Influence by the Jacksonville Business Journal, is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Jacksonville and, in 2011, was named by the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women as one of Jacksonville’s Women Making a Difference.

Buckland is a 1979 graduate of Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia, with a B.A. in Business & Economics and Philosophy.

Buckland was appointed to the JTA Board by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2019.

Debbie Buckland

Ari Jolly is a Senior Assistant General Counsel at Florida Blue and provides corporate development as well as board governance support related to the various Florida Blue subsidiary and joint venture companies. Prior to joining Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida in 1993, Jolly was an officer in the United States Navy from 1983 - 1990 and the recipient of a Navy Achievement Medal (1987).

Jolly is a member of the Florida Bar and the Jacksonville Bar Association, served as the Chairman of the Board of the Greater Jacksonville Area USO, serves on the Fleet Landing Board and previously served as the Chairman of the Veterans Network at Florida Blue, where she spoke on the topics of women veterans and the multicultural US Armed Forces. In addition, Jolly is the corporate secretary to the Boards of Florida Health Care Plan, Inc., Navigy Holdings, Inc., GuideWell-Sanitas, LLC, Florida Blue Medicine, Inc., GuideWell Core Solutions, Inc., and GuideWell, Inc. and has supported several Florida Blue conferences on the topic of board governance best practices.

Jolly graduated from Jacksonville University and the Florida State University College of Law. She is also an honors graduate from the Naval Legal Justice School, Newport, Rhode Island.

Jolly was appointed to the JTA Board in 2015 by Governor Rick Scott and reappointed in 2019 by Governor Ron DeSantis.

Ari Jolly

Jacksonville Transportation Authority's CEO and Executive Team includes Nathaniel P. Ford Sr..

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