The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board of Directors has selected Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., former Chief Executive Officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), as the agency’s next President and Chief Executive Officer following a 9-4 vote by the Board. Ford’s appointment marks the beginning of a new era for North Texas’ largest public transportation agency. It also concludes a national search that drew experienced transit leaders from across the country and ultimately reaffirmed DART’s commitment to selecting accomplished public servants to lead one of the region’s most influential public institutions.

While the Board’s vote reflected differing opinions on who should lead DART into its next chapter, one outcome remained consistent throughout the search: the agency’s executive leadership would continue to reflect the diversity of the communities it serves. A national search focused on experience following the departure of former President and CEO Nadine Lee. When announcing the finalists, DART Board Chair Randall Bryant described the candidates as “the best public transportation leaders from across the country.” The Board also emphasized transparency throughout the process by inviting residents, stakeholders, and employees to participate in a public meet-and-greet before making its final decision.

The three finalists included:

• – Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., Chief Executive Officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority
• – Dee Leggett, AICP, Director of Business Operations for Herzog Transit Services and former DART Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer
• – Monica Téllez-Fowler, President and CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority

Although DART never identified diversity as a formal hiring criterion, the finalist pool itself tells an important story. Not because representation outweighs qualifications, but because the qualifications themselves were found within an exceptionally diverse group of nationally recognized transit leaders. Public transportation is more than buses and trains. It is a gateway to employment, education, healthcare, housing, and economic opportunity. For many communities across Dallas County—including many historically underserved neighborhoods—DART serves as a critical lifeline connecting residents to opportunity. Leadership that reflects those communities can bring valuable perspectives to conversations about service, investment, accessibility, and long-term planning.

At the same time, representation alone is never enough. Ford assumes leadership of an agency facing significant challenges, including strengthening relationships with it’s 13 member cities, improving customer confidence, increasing ridership, maintaining financial stability, and preparing DART for the next generation of regional growth. Like every public executive, his legacy will ultimately be defined by results.

Ford’s selection came after weeks of interviews, executive sessions, and public engagement. The Board invited the public to meet each finalist and submit feedback before the final vote—an effort designed to make the selection process as transparent as possible. When the Board cast its final votes, Ford emerged as the choice in a 9-4 decision, reflecting that members held differing opinions about who should guide the agency through its next chapter. The split vote should not overshadow another important fact: throughout the process, Board leadership consistently described all three finalists as highly qualified transit executives capable of leading one of the nation’s largest public transportation systems. Ford also succeeds Nadine Lee, whose tenure as DART’s first female President and CEO included overseeing major infrastructure investments, the completion of the Silver Line, the mobilization of FIFA traffic and guiding the agency through the challenges of the post-pandemic transit landscape. Her leadership represented a historic milestone for DART.

The DART board sought the nation’s best transit leaders and found that excellence existed within a remarkably diverse field of candidates. As Ford begins his tenure, the focus now shifts from the hiring process to the work ahead.

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