Community Leadership Series: Laura Koprowski

300 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive,Toledo OH 43604

21 March, 2023

Description

Leadership Toledo's Community Leadership Series focuses on the core mission words of Lead, Connect, Grow, and ServeLead: Become a more confident leaderConnect: Become more connected to your communityGrow: Grow stronger in self-awarenessServe: Identify service that is meaningful to youWhat to expect:TARTA Next. TARTA Flex. Electric and hydrogen buses. A lot is new and changing at the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA). Learn about the exciting momentum at TARTA from the Authority’s CEO Laura Koprowski. Laura will share how for the first time in TARTA’s history, our region’s transit system is expanding into new communities with a modern approach that is focused on how people need to move and connect to jobs, education and medical appointments. Laura will also discuss introducing organizational changes and an emphasis on employee engagement to drive the transformation at TARTA . Bio:Laura Koprowski brings 25 years of transit and transportation experience to her role as Chief Executive Officer of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA). The Toledo native came home to work for TARTA in April of 2020 after serving as Executive Director of the Ohio Public Transit Association. She has a history of successfully developing and executing innovative transit projects at the Central Ohio Transit Authority and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MOPRC). In less than two years at TARTA, Laura has helped to oversee sweeping organizationalchanges, leading to dramatic improvements in efficiency, customer experience, andcommunity relationships. Most notably, she was instrumental in the success of TARTA’sIssue 12 campaign, which changed TARTA’s funding structure to a sales tax, expanded itsservice area to all of Lucas County, and set the Authority up to fund a bus system redesign and new investments in vehicles, facilities and technology. Laura is actively involved in the transit industry at both the national and state level byparticipating in the American Public Transportation Association, the Ohio Public TransitAssociation Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and as Secretary on the Board of the Ohio Transit Risk Pool. Locally, she represents TARTA on the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Government (TMACOG) Board; is a member of the Toledo Rotary; and is asteering committee member for the Junction McClinton Nunn Choice Neighborhoods Plan being developed by the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority. In December 2021, Laura was recognized by the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities for heroutstanding work to improve the lives and advocate for people living with developmentaldisabilities. Laura earned a Masters in Public Administration from Bowling Green State University andBachelors of Art in Political Science from Ohio University. She is a 2020 graduate of Leadership Ohio and was selected to serve as an ambassador for the statewide organization in 2021. Location:Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza, Grand Lobby (300 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Toledo, OH 43604) Please note Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive is a one-way street Parking: Onsite parking available A light lunch is included in your registration This series is generously sponsored by First Energy Foundation