The Virginia Railway Express Operations Board today unanimously approved a slate of officers for 2021. Installation of the new officers will take place at the board’s January 15 meeting.
City of Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker will chair the 15-member Operations Board. Bennett-Parker, who joined the board in 2019, served as vice-chair this past year. She represents the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC).
Prince William County Supervisor Jeannine Lawson will serve as vice-chair. Lawson, who was first appointed to the Operations Board as an alternate in 2015, became a board member in 2019. She served as board secretary this past year. Lawson represents the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC).
Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw will serve as secretary. Walkinshaw joined the Operations Board in 2020 and served as treasurer in his inaugural year. He represents NVTC.
City of Manassas Park Vice Mayor Preston Banks will serve as treasurer. Banks was appointed to the Operations Board in 2019. He represents PRTC.
VRE’s bylaws stipulate its parent commissions, NVTC and PRTC, provide two officers from among its Operations Board members. The offices of the chair and vice-chair may not be held at the same time by members representing the same jurisdiction or the same appointing commission. The office of chair rotates each year between the two commissions.
The 13th largest commuter rail service in the U.S., VRE is a transportation partnership of the Northern Virginia and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commissions. The 4.5 million rides the railroad provides annually remove some 100 million vehicle miles from Northern Virginia’s interstates.
