Episode 78: Culture Change in Cleveland
A 1-1 Conversation with Billy Terry, Executive Director of the National Transit Institute, and India Birdsong Terry, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.
Unedited Transcript – Mpact Podcast Episode 78: Culture Change in Cleveland
On this episode of the Mpact Podcast, India Birdsong Terry, CEO and General Manager of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), and Billy Terry, Executive Director of the National Transit Institute at Rutgers University, talk about culture change in Ohio’s biggest transit agency – from leadership to hiring to finding the voice that resonates with your audience.
India Birdsong Terry came to RTA (as the agency is known) just before COVID. It was, she says, “grind time,” a chance to look with staff at what they could improve to emerge from the pandemic stronger. Among the priorities: transit-oriented development, housing, workforce development, mobility to jobs, diversity and safety. This is in the context of greater Cleveland, a wealthy city in terms of history but also one with economic disparities.
Listen to the podcast for more about internal efforts to build a strong team – including the agency’s first African American, female LGBTQ+ police chief – and strong community relations, through a Community Advisory Committee and Community Oversight Committee. “We’re doing this in a place of positivity,” Terry says. The overall vision is for an agency that is an economic driver for the region and a workplace that attracts people who want to be part of the change.
“We grind hard, but I think we grind in silence. And I think that’s a benefit, right? Because you can get the work done and you can get the shine later. Don’t worry about, don’t chase the award. So that’s the culture change that we’ve gotten into over the last few years.” — India Birdsong Terry
Featured Guests
India Birdsong Terry, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
India L. Birdsong Terry took the wheel as Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) in 2019. She guides Ohio’s largest transit system—directing over 2,300 employees and managing a $292 million annual budget to provide more than 35 million annual rides across 457 square miles. With commitment to transparency and accountability, she pilots the GCRTA fleet towards innovative solutions that increase ridership, improve service, and contribute to the economic development of Greater Cleveland. – from RideRTA.com
Billy Terry, Executive Director of the National Transit Institute at Rutgers University
Billy Terry serves as the Executive Director of the National Transit Institute (NTI) in the School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. NTI is the federally designated training and education program for the U.S. public transit industry. He assumed the role of Director in December 2018 after serving as Associate Director.
The National Transit Institute is an Mpact Champion.