Carolyn Gonot | Executive Director
Utah Transit Authority

Carolyn Gonot recently joined Utah Transit Authority as Executive Director. She heads the agency of over 2600 employees, delivering bus, light rail, commuter rail, and paratransit services to Salt Lake City and the Wasatch region.  Before joining UTA, Ms. Gonot had over 23 years at Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and held various executive management roles.  In 2016, Ms. Gonot was assigned an interim Chief Officer role while VTA was pursuing, and what became, the successful Measure B for ½ -cent sales tax projected to raise over $10 billion for transportation improvements in Santa Clara County. In the year she was in this role, she was responsible for developing the implementation plan for the multi-modal Measure B sales tax.  In addition, under her oversight, the Board adopted a new comprehensive transit service plan balancing the demands for ridership and the needs for coverage.  As VTA’s Chief Engineering and Program Delivery Officer and Chief SVRT Program Officer, she has been responsible for delivering the $2.4 billion, 10-mile BART Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension with a cost projecting $100 million + under budget. In addition, she was responsible for managing a series of light rail and systems engineering projects on track to meet the Super Bowl 50 timeframe.  She has successfully worked with stakeholders, regional and local agencies, as well as the Federal Transit Administration to receive $900 million of federal New Starts funding program for the Berryessa Extension. Ms. Gonot was key in discussions with the Board and local stakeholders on options for the operations and maintenance funding for the BART to Silicon Valley extension leading to the successful ballot measure for operating assistance. At VTA, she has been designated as the Congestion Management Agency Director for Santa Clara County responsible for integrating transportation and land use policy for mobility options.   

Ms. Gonot worked for transportation consulting firms before joining VTA.  Her education includes a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University.