Foothill Transit has promoted LaShawn Gillespie to Director of Customer Service and Operations. Gillespie started with the agency in January of 2006 with over a decade of experience in public relations, marketing, logistics, and business development and quickly advanced to Director of Procurement. In 2008 she expanded her role in transit operations through her role as Director of Planning and has since become more deeply involved in enhancing the customer experience. Gillespie has a Master's in Business Administration from Pepperdine University. She is currently serving on the APTA's Membership committee.
Foothill Transit has also promoted Lauren Festner to Director of Vehicle Technology and Maintenance. Festner joined Foothill Transit's operations department in 2009 in a two-year ARRA-funded position that focused on implementing and monitoring the agency's all electric Ecoliner bus program. She was promoted to Sustainability Manager in 2011 to lead the agency's efforts in implementing a comprehensive environmental management program for bus and maintenance operations. Festner has a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, is a member of the California Transit Association's Program and Conference Planning Committee and Climate Change Task Force, and the APTA Sustainability Committee.
Foothill Transit has also named Joseph Raquel director of planning following the promotion of LaShawn Gillespie to director of customer service and operations. Raquel joined Foothill Transit in 2008 as its director of information technology and was responsible for launching the agency's SMARTBus vehicle data system and HASTUS installations. He is a certified project management professional and has an MBA from the University of California at Irvine.
