The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has announced the hiring of two new executives. Greer Johnson Gillis has been named the new vice president of system development and Bonnie Todd has been chosen to lead transit operations as the new chief operations officer and senior vice president.
Johnson Gillis joins JTA’s executive leadership team to lead the authority’s robust system development division and to oversee the JTA’s construction and capital programs department.
“Greer is a dynamic leader who comes to Jacksonville during an extraordinary time for the JTA,” said CEO Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr. “Throughout her career, she’s proven her ability to successfully lead large and complex projects in the public and private sectors. I’m excited she is bringing that experience to northeast Florida.”
In her role, Johnson Gillis leads the JTA’s construction and capital programs department, which oversees maintenance, facilities and the system development and system planning divisions. Those duties include oversight in the completion of the new Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla (JRTC), the JTA’s new administrative headquarters, bus transfer facility and multimodal hub in downtown Jacksonville. She also leads a vast and comprehensive infrastructure and roadbuilding initiative called JTAMobilityWorks.
JTAMobilityWorks leverages funding from the JTA’s portion of the local option gas tax to design, build and complete 13 roadway projects and other initiatives along 14 mobility corridors throughout Duval County. She will also oversee the development and construction of several miles of sidewalks, multiuse paths and other mobility enhancements through the JTA’s Safe Routes to Schools and system development initiatives.
“I am excited to join the JTA as vice president of systems development,” said Johnson Gillis. “Belonging to a team that is advancing transportation with innovative solutions to solve the mobility needs of northeast Florida provides both personal and professional fulfillment. My family resides in Jacksonville and I hope to improve their mobility needs.”
Johnson Gillis comes to the JTA after serving as a District of Columbia Public Service Commissioner since 2018. That is an independent quasi-judicial body and regulatory agency responsible for regulating landline telephone, electricity and gas utility companies operating within the District of Columbia. Commissioners are appointed to four-year terms by the Mayor of D.C., with the advice and consent of the D.C. Council. Prior to that, Greer served as director of the District of Columbia Department of General Services (DGS), where she oversaw the leasing, construction, operations, maintenance and security of facilities owned and operated by the District government.
She previously served as the deputy director for the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT), where she oversaw agency operations, major infrastructure and sustainability projects. She formerly was the deputy chief engineer for DDOT, where she directed infrastructure projects pertaining to the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI) program, Stormwater Management Branch, Safety Standards and Quality Control Division, ITS Division and Citywide Special Projects.
Johnson Gillis holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of Science in Civil Engineer with a concentration in transportation, both from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She also is a licensed professional engineer in Washington, D.C., and Virginia.
Todd joins JTA as senior vice president and COO
As senior vice president and COO, Todd oversees the JTA’s fixed-route bus operations, paratransit services, the Skyway automated people mover system, the St. Johns River Ferry and alternative transportation modes. These include JTA’s ReadiRide on-demand service, Connexion and Connexion Plus paratransit and transportation disadvantaged options and the Door-to-Store program, which provides complimentary rides to select grocery stores in North Jacksonville.
“Bonnie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in transit operations, safety and security to the JTA,” said Ford. “That background will no doubt help us achieve our mission of providing world-class public transportation services and expanding mobility options for our entire region.”
Todd also manages a growing portfolio of regional mobility options such as the Nassau Express Select, Clay Community Transportation and new services planned for Baker and St. Johns Counties. Her divisions of responsibility comprise two-thirds of the JTA’s 800-plus employee base.
"I am thrilled to be back in Florida and working with an innovative organization like the Jacksonville Transportation Authority,” said Todd. “I have watched the JTA from afar in recent years grow into a forward-thinking agency under Nat Ford’s leadership. The progress here has been impressive."
Before moving to the JTA, Todd served for 12 years as the executive director of operations at Sound Transit in Seattle, Wash. Todd was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the multi-modal transit system which includes light rail, commuter rail, commuter bus and a streetcar system operating in the 1,100-square-mile service district covering the Seattle Metropolitan Area.
Before moving to the West Coast, she served Miami-Dade Transit as the chief of safety and security. Her career has also included roles with the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in the nation’s capital.
Todd served as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Reserves. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Florida International University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland.
