Feonix - Mobility Rising Announces Appointment of 3 New Board Members and Officers for 2023-2024
Lincoln, NE, April 13, 2023 – Feonix – Mobility Rising, a national leader in mobility solutions focused on equity, today announced the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors: Komal Doshi, Nicole Fincham-Sheehan, and Ashley Hutto and election of new officers.
Elected at the March Board meeting, each member brings a unique perspective and passion to inspire new mobility solutions and partnerships. Valerie Lefler, Founder of Feonix and Executive Director said, “We are thrilled to welcome Komal, Nicole, and Ashley as new directors at this important time of growth. Their expertise and insight will be critical as we grow and expand to serve even more communities in the coming years.
Komal Doshi; Komal brings over a decade experience working at the intersection of mobility, technology, and cities. She currently holds the position of Director of Mobility at Walker-Miller Energy Services where she works to advance the deployment of equitable clean mobility and support development of a diverse workforce in this growing space. She has worked extensively on supporting growth of innovative mobility technology companies through her endeavors like launching new programs, building tools, and advancing strategic public-private partnerships to further deployment of technology in the public realm.
Nicole Fincham-Shehan; Nicole is the Assistant General Manager at Transdev, which serves the Greater Hartford Transit District (GHTD). Prior to Transdev, Nicole worked at Palm Tran in Palm Beach County, Florida as the Disability Accessibility Specialist. During her time at Palm Tran, Nicole created and implemented ADA sensitivity training for all employees and also worked with local units of government and the state to advocate for continuous funding for the State Transportation Disadvantaged Program, as well as Paratransit. In addition, Nicole has worked in transportation in Maryland for over 20 years as a member and Chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee for Accessible Transportation with the Maryland Transit Administration.
Ashley Hutto; A fierce community advocate and activator, Ashley is currently the West Dallas Community Center Manager where she works with many community based organizations to provide a diverse portfolio of programs and services that meet the stated needs of local residents. Ashley brings a wealth of expertise as the former Operations Manager for the Baylor Scott & White – Health and Wellness Center at Juanita J Craft Recreation Center, and Dallas Director of the Texas A&M Institute for Obesity Research and Program Evaluation. Ashley is the author of Texas Department of Health and Human Services certified Community Health Worker Instructor curriculum for the Baylor Scott & White Community Health Worker Training Center. Additionally, she facilitated the development and authored the collaborative action plan Charting The Course Action Plan providing a pathway for Dallas to eliminate childhood obesity in the community.
At the March Board Meeting, the Board also elected new officers for the upcoming year.
Charnelle Hicks-Gungor – Board President; Charnelle is President of CHPlanning, Ltd., a multidisciplinary urban planning firm addressing complex planning and infrastructure challenges for clients nation-wide. She has worked with CHPlanning since 1998 after working for 15 years in municipal planning, infrastructure, and management consulting.
Karina Ricks – Vice President; Karina is a Partner at Cityfi where she leverages her international, city, federal and private sector experience to bring together government, community and companies in collaborations that advance core values of equity, safety, climate preservation and economic growth. Her previous roles include serving as Associate Administrator for Innovation, Research and Demonstration at the Federal Transit Administration of USDOT; founding Director of the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure; Director of Transportation Planning for Washington, DC; and Office Director and Sector Leader for Nelson\Nygaard Associates.
Peter Appel – Treasurer; Peter is a Director at Alix Partners and has more than 30 years of leadership and consulting experience in transportation across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He served as the Administrator of the US Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, where he led major safety management initiatives along with research and development on technologies to advance transportation safety, sustainability, and efficiency.
John Peracchio – Secretary and immediate past Board President; John is Managing Member of Peracchio & Company, LLC providing strategy consulting services in the intelligent transportation sector for public and private sector clients. Previously, John chaired the former Michigan Council on Future Mobility and currently serves as a senior advisor to the succeeding Michigan Council on Future Mobility and Electrification. He is an active member of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America and serves on its Standing Advisory Committees on Smart Infrastructure and Sustainability and Resiliency. He is also active with the International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association serving on its Emerging Technologies Committee, Sustainability and Resilience Task Force, and Road User Charging Working Group.
“I am honored to lead the Feonix Board of Directors this upcoming year. We have an ambitious program ahead and including key projects that will set the foundation for new growth”, said Charnelle Hicks-Gungor, incoming President. “I’m so proud of our team and leadership. Every day they demonstrate commitment to removing mobility barriers in urban and rural communities across the nation.”
The officers will lead the new and current board members Dr. Colleen Casey, Crissy Ditmore, Kere Greene, Dr. Ipek Sener, and Valerie Lefler (CEO & Executive Director). In addition, during the meeting, the Board of Directors recognized Flora Castillo for 5 years of service and leadership to the organization.
About Feonix – Mobility Rising:
Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, Feonix is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing mobility options for underserved communities. Using innovative technology, education, training, and volunteer driver programs, Feonix breaks down barriers in access to healthcare, employment, education, and social services.
Press Contact:
Valerie Lefler
Feonix – Mobility Rising
[email protected]
Tel: 1-833-653-6544