Diana Mendes, AECOM’s director of transit/rail for Design and Consulting Services, Americas, was appointed to the Board of Directors of Rail~Volution at its annual conference in Dallas this past October.

Mendes has a long history with the organization, having served as a member of Rail~Volution’s National Steering Committee for the past 15 years. As a board member, Mendes will serve a two-year term and will help provide governance and oversight for the organization as it drives its mission to make America’s cities more livable — economically, socially and sustainably.

“I’m proud to represent AECOM as a member of Rail~Volution’s Board of Directors,” says Mendes, who is the only representative from a private sector architecture-engineering firm. “This unique organization encourages the growth of our communities through an exchange of ideas whether it comes from a leader of a transit authority or a professional planner or a person who commutes to work on a bicycle. By investing our ideas towards a common goal, we can watch our communities grow.”

As a newly-minted board member, Mendes joins industry thought leaders including  Gary Thomas, president/executive director of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system; Grace Crunican, general manager of  the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit system; Beverly Scott, Ph.D., former chief executive officer/general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; and Michael Melaniphy, president and CEO of the American Public Transportation Association.

Mendes’ experience encompasses service as a board or committee member across a number of industry organizations including the American Public Transportation Association, the American Planning Association and the National Building Museum. Rail~Volution was founded in 1989 as a way to promote livable communities through transit.