The Long Beach Transit Board of Directors elected Maricela Renteria de Rivera as LBT’s new board chair, Sumire Gant as vice chair and Mary Zendejas as secretary-treasurer on Jan. 25 at its annual election board meeting.
Board Chair de Rivera has served on the Long Beach Transit Board of Directors for four years. Prior roles on the board include vice chair and secretary-treasurer. She is a longtime customer and advocate of public transit. She most recently served on the executive committee of the Leadership Long Beach Board of Directors, is newly appointed to the breastfeedLA Board of Directors and is the director and co-founder of Long Beach Breastfeeds. In 2014 she was a finalist in the Press-Telegram’s Amazing Women Volunteer category and has been recognized by Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal as a Steward of the Second District.
Prior to becoming a full-time mother, de Rivera had a career dedicated to public service, with positions in public affairs with the City of Long Beach, community organizing and coalition building for the Campaign for College Opportunity, as well as recruiting minority communities for the National Marrow Donor Program at the American Red Cross.
“I take the role of public transportation in our community very seriously, as it affects the quality of living for so many people, from job access to maintaining a healthy environment,” de Rivera said. “Long Beach Transit does a great job at efficiently serving our customers, and I’m proud to have the opportunity to lead policy in which to continue to improve our products and services for the community.”
Continuing on the Long Beach Transit Board of Directors are: April Economides, Barbara Sullivan George and Nancy Pfeffer. New to the board is Colleen Bentley. Long Beach Transit bylaws allow for two non-voting city representatives appointed by the city manager. Amy Bodek (Development Services) and newly appointed Eric Widstrand (Public Works) fill those two positions.
