Session 2

Chad Edwards, a public transit professional with more than 20 years of experience, has joined Trinity Metro as Vice President of Planning & Development in June of 2021. Edwards will oversee planning, scheduling, government relations, facilities, grants and project management.

He previously served as the assistant director and regional mobility and innovation officer for the City of Fort Worth, where he managed the Transit Moves Fort Worth transit plan to create a 25-year projection for future transit investment. His other experience includes working as an assistant vice president for capital planning at DART and as program manager at the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG),

Edwards earned a Bachelor of Arts in geography with a minor in environmental studies from Texas Tech University. He earned a Master of City and Regional Planning and a graduate certificate in geographic information systems from the University of Texas at Arlington. He serves as the co-chair of the Metropolitan & Municipality Planning Subcommittee for the American Public Transportation Association and as a member of the Surface Transportation Technical Committee for NCTCOG.

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Shannon Stevenson has been on staff with the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG),the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Dallas-Fort Worth area, since April 2001. She is a Senior Program Manager overseeing the collaboration of public transportation planning, funding, and operations for North Texas. Together with regional transportation partners, Shannon and her team identify opportunities for increased service, establish transit service in locations where it currently does not exist, and work to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of current systems. Before assuming responsibility for transit planning and operations for the region two years ago, Shannon managed a variety of NCTCOG air quality programs aimed at expediting the use of advanced technologies, implementing demonstration projects to study the feasibility of control measures for possible region-wide deployment, and drafting policies/legislation supporting emissions-reducing activities. Prior to joining NCTCOG, Shannon worked in research with the Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms at the University of Oklahoma where she oversaw various outreach programs and served as a liaison to American Airlines’ weather unit. Shannon received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma in 1998.

Beth Watson is executive vice president and chief human resources officer for United Way of Tarrant County where she is responsible for all employee relations across the organization. She joined the organization in the fall of 2017.

In her role, she manages all recruitment, onboarding, talent management, and health and safety programs; ensures organizational and leadership development, performance management, and strategic human resource planning; and the creation and implementation of policies. She oversees a competitive compensation and benefits program and ensures compliance with employment-related laws, regulations, and best practices.

Before United Way of Tarrant County, Beth served as a human resources consultant for WhitneySmith Company, where she advised clients of diverse sizes and industries regarding human resources best practices.

Ms. Watson received a Bachelor of Business Administration, Management and Marketing from Texas Christian University, Neely School of Business, and is a Certified Professional in Human Resources.

Fort Worth native, raised in Arlington, currently living in Fort Worth
University of Notre Dame; BA & MNA (Master of Nonprofit Administration)

Professional experience:
The Farm of the Child; Trujillo, Honduras (2009-2011)
Catholic Charities Fort Worth; Fort Worth, TX (2012-present)

Current role:
Transportation Specialist (2018-present)
Work with case managers/navigators to plan to meet client's immediate transportation needs as well as develop customized plans with the client to work toward their transportation goals.
Utilize multiple modes of transportation: public, private, TNCs
Assist with DL accessibility & navigating tickets and warrants
Provide curated information to help clients prepare for vehicle repairs, purchase, car insurance, refinancing, etc.
Goal: help our clients achieve safe, legal, affordable, reliable transportation