Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez is taking on her fourth and final role as Chair of the VTA Board of Directors for 2024.  In her address to the board during the first meeting of the new year January 11, she presented three main approaches to the work to be done in the year head: Gratitude, Opportunity, and Accountability.

Chavez said she is grateful for the dedication of VTA staff. “We have the talent and the staff to do really important, big things,” she said. Regarding the opportunity to build our region as a world class region, Chavez said, “We will not be competitive at a national, state or regional level if we can’t move people and goods effectively and efficiently.” She pointed to the Eastridge to BART Regional Connector (light rail extension) the BART Silicon Valley Extension Phase II and the VTA’s role in the Diridon Station Area Plan.

“Our focus needs to be on every single person who wants to move from point A to point B, and make sure they see us as not just advocates but champions for making that happen,” Chavez said.

Chavez called on the board, many of whom are continuing their terms into 2024, to “make sure that we’re managing the resources of this agency in the most rigorous, transparent, robust way possible.”

The new chair referred to transportation as something that “deeply creates opportunity for others.”

“We’re going to put the structures in place to make it possible for other people to dream…that’s what our job is this year, Chavez said.

She also praised the appointment of Campbell City Councilmember and VTA board member Sergio Lopez as the board’s new Vice Chair, and thanked former Board Chair Pat Burt for continuing his service as a board member to stay closely connected to the new leadership efforts.  

Supervisor Chavez previously served as VTA Board Chair in 2006, 2016, and 2020. She will serve as VTA board chair until the end of 2024 when her terms as County Supervisor ends.