New appointments and changes in leadership have been made by the Gateway Development Commission (GDC) and city of Madison, Wis., Metro Transit.
GDC appoints Rinaldi
Catherine Rinaldi, who served as president of Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North Railroad (Metro-North) from 2018 until March 2025, has been appointed GDC’s first executive vice president effective April 7, 2025. The GDC says Rinaldi brings deep experience from leading the two commuter rail systems, which includes both her tenure with Metro-North and senior executive positions with the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).
The GDC says during her seven years as Metro-North president, the agency saw on time performance rise to an all-time high and she achieved the highest customer satisfaction of any of the MTA operating agencies. As interim LIRR president in 2022 and 2023, Rinaldi successfully launched service into the new Grand Central Madison terminal, which the agency said marked the railroad’s largest increase in service.
The GDC notes Rinaldi will hold a key leadership position responsible for strengthening the organization’s capacity to deliver the Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP). She will oversee all essential administrative functions, while developing and tracking metrics to ensure GDC achieves its strategic objectives, among other responsibilities.
“Cathy Rinaldi’s impressive track record speaks for itself. At every agency she’s led, she’s succeeded in instilling a results-driven ethic,” said GDC CEO Tom Prendergast. “With half our contracts in construction and more on the way, top talent like Cathy will help keep the Hudson Tunnel Project on scope, schedule and budget.”
Rinaldi began her career in transportation as MTA deputy executive director and general counsel. She subsequently served as vice president and general counsel at LIRR and chief of staff and counsel to the MTA chair. The GDC says that while president of Metro-North, Rinaldi was tapped to concurrently lead the LIRR in an interim capacity. She was the first woman to serve as Metro-North president.
The GDC says Rinaldi joins the team as the organization transitions fully into heavy civil construction. With work expected to rapidly accelerate in the coming months, the first five packages underway are projected to support 20,200 jobs and $4.5 billion in economic output.
Madison’s Metro Transit announces leadership departure
Metro Transit General Manager Justin Stuehrenberg, who has been with the agency since March 2020, has announced he will be leaving his position on May 30, 2025. Since Stuehrenberg first came on to the team, Metro Transit says he has led the agency through transformative growth and modernization, significantly expanding partnerships and strengthening the organization.
“Madison needed to modernize and expand its transit system to adapt to a growing, thriving city. Thanks to Justin’s leadership, Metro Transit is more efficient, sustainable and responsive to community needs,” said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “His impact will be felt for years to come, and we are profoundly grateful for his contributions. Thank you, Justin, for your commitment to public service and for shepherding Metro into a new era.”
Metro Transit notes that under Stuehrenberg’s leadership, it has accomplished several major milestones, including:
- Overhauling the transit network with a comprehensive redesign to improve service efficiency and accessibility.
- Successfully launching a state-of-the-art bus rapid transit (BRT) system.
- Transitioning one-third of Metro’s fleet to electric vehicles while modernizing the entire fleet.
- Growing MetroTransit’s revenue from regional service partners from $4 million in 2019 to $14 million in 2025, greatly enhancing the agency’s financial sustainability and community reach.
- Driving staffing vacancies down dramatically and hiring key leadership positions to ensure Metro Transit has the workforce needed to support its expanding operations.
- Installing a cutting-edge vehicle technology system and a modern fare collection system.
- Renovating a 40-year-old facility and opening a second operations hub.
Metro Transit says that during his tenure he was also able to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding and to build a strong leadership team that will help ensure the agency’s long-term success.
Taking the next step in his career, Stuehrenberg, will be joining a private sector consulting firm.
“I'm incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together over the past five years. From expanding partnerships to driving down staffing shortages and delivering major infrastructure improvements, Metro has made remarkable strides," Stuehrenberg said. "I am confident that the talented team in place will continue this momentum as the agency moves into its next phase of operational excellence.”
Parks Superintendent Eric Knepp will serve as acting general manager of Metro Transit while the city conducts a national search for the next general manager. The hiring process is expected to be completed early this fall.
Eman Abu-Khaled | Associate Editor
Eman Abu-Khaled is a graduate of Kent State University with a bachelors in journalism. She works through Endeavor Business Media with Mass Transit as an associate editor. Abu-Khaled brings a fresh perspective to the visual side of journalism with an interest in video and photography work.
