CRT Leadership

Officers

Doug Funke, President

Doug is a long-time transit advocate and user. He is currently President of Citizens for Regional Transit (CRT). Doug has supported a wide range of transit promotional and educational efforts including briefings to government legislative bodies and agencies. Before becoming a CRT Board Member Doug worked for over 30 years as a transportation research engineer at Calspan, Veridian, and General Dynamics. Want to arrange a speaking engagement with Doug? Just contact CRT and we will arrange a presentation to your group.

Seth Triggs, Vice President

Seth has lived in the city of Buffalo all of his life. A transit user, Seth advocates for the expansion of Metro Rail and Bus to provide more equitable access throughout Western New York. Currently, Seth is a downtown resident. He is a geographer, an alumnus of Buffalo State University and the University at Buffalo.

Rebecca Reilly, Secretary

As Chief Operating Officer at Queen City Couriers, Rebecca connects things, people and places. She has studied and lived ground level transportation issues in 50 cities world-wide, working a a bike courier in 12 cities in North America and as a bike Advocate for GObike Buffalo. As the author of Nerves of Steel: Bike Messengers in the United States, she explored the culture and industry of bike messengers in the 1990's against the backdrop of a traffic situation in the nation's largest cities that was becoming increasingly dysfunctional. Currently she is working on the second volume of Nerves of Steel which will focus on the intersection of the bike messenger world, the evolution of traffic and possible futures of bike advocacy to solve the big problems that affect us all.

Jim Gordon, Treasurer

Jim Gordon is a data analyst who understands the need for community involvement in transportation issues. As treasurer, Jim maintains the financial records for CRT. Jim believes that all segments of the community benefit in measurable, tangible ways from a strong, well-funded and managed public transit system.

Executive Board

Anthony Carter

Bradley Bethel, Jr

Bradley J. Bethel Jr. has been a life-long advocate for the status and well-being of the city of Buffalo. His education in urban planning was directly inspired by the city’s grand history, which he has utilized in community development initiatives through various non-profit programs. Among Bradley’s many endeavors include co-developing the communications outreach for the Restore Our Community Coalition, re-launching membership outreach for Preservation Buffalo Niagara, and authoring columns for the Buffalo Rising website. As a board member for Citizens for Regional Transit, Bradley is advocating for the expansion of the NFTA Metro Rail beyond city limits, as the catalyst for a comprehensive public transportation policy that has long eluded the Western New York region.

Tom DeSantis

Tom DeSantis, AICP, is an award-winning retired Director of Planning, Environmental Services and & Economic Development for the City of Niagara Falls. He oversaw all municipal land use planning with service on the City’s Planning Board and Historic Preservation Commission, its GIS and environmental review functions, economic and business development activities, site planning, zoning and environmental review. He was City’s representative on the Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC) for many years and previously worked for the NFTA. He led the development of the Niagara Falls Intermodal Transportation Center. Tom has an MA in Urban Planning from UB where he now serves as an adjunct professor and lecturer. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and a Certified Planner (AICP). We are pleased and honored that Tom has agreed to join the CRT Board.

Alan Oberst

Carl Skompinski

Carl Skompinski is an advocate for fulfilling Metro Rail's initial development plan with focus on the Airport corridor as the next phase. Carl is also a Board Member of Fillmore Forward, an organization to revitalize the Broadway-Fillmore and MLK Commercial Business Districts. He also serves as a Board member of Buffalo's Central Terminal Redevelopment Corporation. He advocates for expanded public transit serving the East Side as a tool to help revitalization of the community.