Nathan Bernier is a transportation reporter at KUT News, Austin’s NPR station. Nathan has worked in newsrooms across the U.S. and Canada, including in Boston, Montreal and Ottawa. As a reporter and producer at KUT, he focuses on in-depth, investigative reporting and audio-rich radio stories. Nathan won numerous awards including two national Edward R. Murrow Awards. Earlier this year, he was named the Texas Association of Broadcasters’ Reporter of the Year for the second year in a row. Nathan lives in South Austin with his wife Sonia and their two children.

James M. Bass was named Executive Director of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority on January 27, 2021. Mr. Bass began his new duties upon the conclusion of Texas’ 87th Legislative session (June 2021). As Executive Director, Mr. Bass will manage, direct and implement the Agency’s policies, projects, programs, budgets and operating strategies. Previously, Mr. Bass served as Executive Director of the Texas Department of Transportation (appointed in 2016). Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, Mr. Bass served as the Department‘s Chief Financial Officer.

Andy Brown serves as the Travis County Judge, presiding over the Travis County Commissioners Court which oversees the county’s $2 billion annual budget, acts as the County’s chief administrator, and is the Director of Emergency Management for the County. He grew up in Austin and graduated from The University of Texas School of Law. Andy served as a legislative aide to former Texas Speaker of the House Pete Laney, a campaign manager for Congressman Lloyd Doggett, a law clerk for the US District Court in McAllen, finance director and senior advisor to Beto O’Rourke, and Travis County Democratic Party Chair.

Andy Jent is an investment advisor with Kleinheinz Capital Partners. Andy has over 30 years of experience serving as a partner in a hedge fund, as a board member of both public and private companies, as a partner in an advisory firm, and as an executive officer across multiple industries.

Caroline Mays AICP, serves as director of Planning and Modal Programs. In this role, she is responsible for the management and control of the Aviation, Maritime, Public Transportation, Rail, and Transportation Planning and Programming divisions. She is a recognized regional, state, and national leader experienced in multimodal transportation planning and programming, policy, and project development. Mays joined the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in late 2012 and has held several positions including, Statewide Freight Coordinator, Freight Planning Branch Manager, Director of Freight and International Trade/Border Section, and Director of Freight, Trade and Connectivity. She was responsible for TxDOT’s statewide multimodal freight, international trade, and statewide corridor planning programs and was instrumental in establishing the multimodal freight planning program, developing the first multimodal Freight Mobility Plan, and the Texas-Mexico Border Transportation Master Plan.