EMBARK has named Suzanne Wickenkamp assistant director of administration and Jesse Rush assistant director of operations.
“Jesse and Suzanne are committed public servants with experience building strategic partnerships. They are known for their personal leadership qualities and have proven they are ready to help lead EMBARK forward,” said Jason Ferbrache, EMBARK administrator and director of Public Transportation and Parking for the City of Oklahoma City.
Most recently, the two served on EMBARK’s Senior Leadership team. Wickenkamp began her career with EMBARK in 2018 as the administrative services manager after three years with the City of Oklahoma City, working in the Office of Management and Budget and the Public Information Department. During her time with EMBARK, she successfully led the work of various administrative teams including human resources, finance, short/long range planning, mobility management, strategic planning and board agenda management. She will serve as EMBARK’s assistant director of administration, continuing to direct all administrative functions for the organization.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Oklahoma City and the surrounding communities,” said Wickenkamp. “EMBARK is a resilient organization with dedicated employees. I look forward to working with each of them to develop forward-thinking, customer-focused mobility services.”
Rush started with the City of Oklahoma City in 2014 as a project manager for MAPS. As project manager for the OKC Streetcar, he managed the design and construction of the streetcar’s route alignment, storage and maintenance facility and was involved in securing vehicle procurement contracts. He joined EMBARK in 2016, seeing the OKC Streetcar project through to completion in late 2018 and served as the first manager of the service. He now will serve as EMBARK’s assistant director of operations for all service lines - bus, ferry, bike share, streetcar and fleet and facility maintenance.
“Working for our city’s transit agency provides a sense of fulfillment that is unmatched, and it drives me to offer my best every day,” said Rush. “Transit services are vital public infrastructure that opens doors of opportunity for residents and the community. I look forward to working alongside our employees and boards to continue EMBARK’s success and further transform public transportation in central Oklahoma.”
“Support for modern transportation solutions continues to be an important issue throughout the Oklahoma City metro. By deepening our leadership bench, EMBARK will be better positioned to strengthen our family of services and enhance our customer experience,” added Ferbrache. “The team we have assembled is crafted and eager to move EMBARK into a new era of public transit, a future that includes a Bus Rapid Transit system and many service and operational enhancements through MAPS 4.”
Rush and Wickenkamp moved into their new roles on Dec. 25, 2020.
