Lancaster – The Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) is conducting a nationwide search for qualified candidates interested in serving as the agency’s next executive director.
An executive hiring committee has been created to oversee the search for a seasoned professional to lead the agency.
The executive director serves as the chief executive officer of the Authority, and is accountable to the Board of Directors for all financial activities and for the transit system’s operating performance.
AVTA is governed by a Joint Powers Agreement between the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale, along with Los Angeles County, and the Board of Directors is made up of two representatives from each of these jurisdictions.
The executive hiring committee is comprised of one director from each jurisdiction and includes Lancaster Vice Mayor Marvin Crist, Palmdale City Council Member Steve Hofbauer, and Los Angeles County representative Dianne Knippel.
“We are very fortunate to have a dedicated and highly skilled staff in place at AVTA, and the board is confident the transition to a new executive director will go smoothly,” stated AVTA Vice-Chair Marvin Crist. “We are looking to hire a strong leader who will work well with the Board of Directors and understands the importance of being a dedicated community partner.”
The position is expected to generate a significant amount of national interest as it is being advertised in widely read transit publications, according to AVTA officials.
The hiring committee hopes to have the position filled by early April when the current executive director, Julie Austin, retires.
“Our goal is to hire the most qualified candidate to handle the agency’s business as it prepares to undertake the conversion of its diesel fleet to an electric bus fleet,” Crist explained. “The transit system is poised for an exciting future and we intend to put the right leader in place to ensure success.”
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