Leadership

Aundra Wallace

Chair

Aundra Wallace is president of the JAXUSA Partnership, the private, nonprofit regional economic development arm of JAX Chamber overseeing efforts of the seven counties of Northeast Florida. He directs a staff of 14 in the areas of business development, international investment, workforce development, research and marketing. JAXUSA’s mission is to be a catalyst for economic growth and maximize the region’s unique resources to aggressively recruit jobs and capital investment. Mayor Lenny Curry appointed him in February 2022.

Prior to joining JAXUSA Partnership in October 2018, Mr. Wallace served as CEO of the City of Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority (DIA). In this role, he spearheaded a diversified portfolio of infrastructure improvement projects, led economic development initiatives, invested in real estate development projects, managed the Downtown Development Design Review Board and oversaw the City’s Public Parking Division.

He holds a Master of Public Administration from Clark Atlanta University and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Georgia Southern University. He is a Certified Housing Development Finance Professional and a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional.

Patricia Gillum Sams

Vice Chair

Patricia Gillum Sams was formerly manager of the Emerging Workforce Strategic department at JEA. She managed projects and programs that promoted employee engagement and branded the JEA as an employer of choice in the community.

Additionally, she is President & CEO of The Legacy Group L-A-M, LLC. Sams also serves as Founder/CEO of The Legacy League, Inc., a leadership development program designed to mentor and empower young professional women of color to positively impact their communities.

Sams has served on numerous boards and has held countless leadership roles in organizations such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Jack & Jill of America, Inc., and the Jacksonville Chapter of The Links, Inc. She was also in the Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2021 and earned her Bachelor of Science in Communications with an emphasis on Broadcast from Florida State University.

Max Glober

Secretary

Glober is the Vice President of Marketing at First Coast Energy, LLP. Active in his community, he previously served as a member of the Jacksonville Historical Preservation Commission. Glober earned his bachelor’s degree in government from the College of William and Mary and his master’s degree in business administration and juris doctor from the University of South Carolina.

Elaine Brown

Treasurer

Elaine is a graduate of Massey Business College, Majoring in Business Administration she is married to Richard Brown, former City Council member and Former Mayor of Neptune Beach. They have six grown children and currently live with 2 cats.

Alan Hopkins

Board Member

Hopkins is a Consultant at Hopkins Consulting Florida and the Chief Economic Strategist for Manchester Financial. Active in his community, he has served as a member of the Sherwood Country Club Board of Directors, the Era Aviation Board of Directors, and the Wellness Community Valley Venture Board of Directors. Hopkins earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Brigham Young University and his master’s degree in business administration from Pepperdine University. Hopkins was appointed to the JTA Board of Directors by Governor Ron DeSantis on January 30, 2026.

Madelen Salter

Board Member

Madelen Salter is a highly respected business and community leader. Salter’s leadership experience spans strategic development and execution, change management, communications strategy, client experience and stakeholder engagement, talent development and leading innovation.

Salter is the Senior Vice President of External Affairs for W. W. Gay and serves on the JAX Chamber Board of Directors, the JAXUSA Partnership Policy Council and as the 2025-26 JAXUSA Partnership Business Development Committee Chair. She serves on the Leadership Jacksonville Board of Directors, the Build Up Downtown Board of Directors, the San Marco Preservation Society Board of Directors, and the ULI Center for Leadership. Salter serves on Solomon Coyle Advisory Council and on the American Heart Association Heart Ball Executive Leadership Team. She is a former American Heart Association Leader for Life, an alumna of Elevate Women Northeast Florida, and was named Professional Business Woman of the Year by the JAX Chamber’s Jacksonville Women’s Business Center. Salter has a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University.

Jonathan “Daniel” Vallencourt

Board Member

Vallencourt is the Vice President of Vallencourt Construction Company and the Owner of Clay Theatre Events, LLC. Active in his community, he is a member of the Clay County Development Authority. Vallencourt attended the University of Alabama. Vallencourt was appointed to the JTA Board of Directors by Governor Ron DeSantis on January 30, 2026.

Cleveland Ferguson III

Interim Chief Executive Officer

Cleveland Ferguson III serves as Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), leading one of Northeast Florida’s most significant public agencies through a period focused on fiscal discipline, operational performance, accountability and the delivery of safe, reliable transportation services to the community.

Ferguson has served in senior executive leadership at the JTA for more than a decade, most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. In that role, he oversaw key administrative, technology and economic development initiatives for the Authority. His work has included leading public-private partnership efforts supporting transit-oriented development, advancing initiatives addressing food access and expanding the use of data science and analytics across the organization.

Throughout his tenure, Ferguson has represented the JTA before congressional leaders and the U.S. Department of Transportation on issues including federal support for safety-sensitive transportation operations, housing and transit, autonomous vehicle technology, workforce development and the use of advanced analytics in public transportation. He also has provided transportation industry leadership and subject-matter expertise through the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the Florida Public Transportation Association (FPTA).

Before joining the JTA, Ferguson served as Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Jacksonville from 2012 to 2015. During his tenure with the City, he helped expand the use of performance analytics, improve the delivery of citizen services and increase transparency in government operations. His work included initiatives involving property asset management, procurement innovation, employee performance management and Renew Jax, which secured $50 million in investments in infrastructure and community development projects.

Ferguson previously served as a tenured professor at Florida Coastal School of Law. His scholarship in contracts, regulatory policy and constitutional law has been translated into multiple languages and cited by courts and regulators. He also has an extensive record of civic, nonprofit, legal and transportation industry service, including service as a mayoral appointee to the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, Chairman of the Florida Legal Services Board of Directors and Secretary of APTA’s Legal Affairs Committee.

Onyx Magazine recognized Ferguson as a 2023 “Man of Honor.” He is a graduate of Leadership Broward Class XXIII, Leadership Jacksonville (2010), Leadership Florida Class XXXIII and the 2017 Eno Transit Senior Executive Program. He is a member of The Florida Bar and the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Ferguson earned his Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Nova Southeastern University. Nova Southeastern University conferred upon him a Doctor of Humane Letters in 2018. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution.

Nathaniel P. Ford Sr.

Executive Advisor / Senior
Advisor to the Interim CEO

Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. is an award-winning transportation expert and leading advocate for using autonomous vehicles (AV) and other advances to improve the quality of life for travelers throughout the nation. His proven track record as a change agent and visionary who embraces state-of-the-art technology and innovations has made him a highly sought-after advisor, consultant, and executive coach.

Ford began his stellar career at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York, where he learned every facet of the industry before he went on to become CEO of two of the 10 largest transportation authorities in the US - the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) in California, and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in Georgia.

Those positions gave Ford the distinction of ushering in industry firsts – the first 100% transit smart card and multimillion dollar transit-oriented development at MARTA, and the first real-time smart parking app and oversight of a regional authority spearheading a multibillion development in San Francisco, to name a few. That expertise and forward-thinking was the compass that helped guide Ford when he was named CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA). Since joining the JTA in 2012, Ford has been lauded for leading the total transformation of the mid-sized Authority from a local company focused on buses, roads, and bridges, into a best-in-class, regional organization that is held in high regard locally, nationally, and even globally. 

One of the Ford administration’s crowning achievements is developing an autonomous vehicle program centered on the JTA’s Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C). This cutting-edge innovation was in the world spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic when the JTA partnered with autonomous vehicle providers to transport COVID-19 tests for Florida’s esteemed Mayo Clinic. Phase I of the U²C, the Bay Street Innovation Corridor, is under construction, with full deployment of the autonomous vehicles scheduled for Summer 2025.

Ford served as the 2022 Chair of the prestigious Transportation Research Board (TRB), a division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that promotes innovations, technology, and transportation research. He is a former chair of the influential American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Currently, he serves as National Ambassador, USA, for the Union Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP) Policy Board, on the Board of Directors of ITS America, on the Board of Advisors for UC Davis, Institute of Transportation Studies, and on the Board of Directors of TEAMFL., he was appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of ITS America.

Ford's influence extends beyond the national level, as evidenced by his participation in study missions to various countries. His global perspective, gained from providing consultation and advice about transportation policy, management, and sustainable infrastructure development in Australia, Canada, China, England, France, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Sweden, has enhanced his value to corporate boards and commissions.

In recognition of his immense dedication to enhancing transportation services with compassion and innovation, he received the 2023 Sharon Banks Award for Humanitarian Leadership in Transportation earlier this year. Ford has received multiple awards and recognitions throughout his career due to his outstanding leadership, including the Honorable Ray LaHood Award from the Women’s Transportation Seminar of Northeast Florida in 2022 and the “2020 Outstanding Public Transportation Manager” by APTA. In 2019, he was inducted as a “Thought Leader” by the Eno Center for Transportation, and in 2016, Ford was named a “White House Champion of Change in Transportation” by the US Department of Transportation for embracing innovations and improving the quality of all modes of transit, the same year that under his leadership the JTA received the “Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award” by APTA.

Always committed to the community he lives in, Ford serves on the boards of multiple non-profit organizations, including the Sulzbacher Center, Baptist Hospital, Jacksonville University’s Davis College of Business & Technology, and Goodwill Industries of North Florida, where he served as Chair from 2021 to 2024.  

Ford has an MBA from Jacksonville University’s Davis School of Business. He also has a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science in organizational leadership from Mercer University and is a certified Master Executive Coach. He graduated from the Executive Development Consortium Program at Emory University and has completed executive training at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Jeffrey H. Smith

Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer

Jeffery H. Smith is the Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) directing the performance of passenger transportation services serving Jacksonville, Florida metropolitan region with an annual budget of $175M, 850 employees and providing public transit service seven days a week to the communities of Duval, Nassau, Clay, and St. Johns counties.

Smith is responsible for the safety, productivity, and accountability of transit operations, including service planning, operations, and maintenance of all vehicles related to JTA's transit system including fixed route, bus rapid transit, paratransit, microtransit, and waterborne systems. Smith joined the JTA in 2021 with over 35 years of experience in the transportation industry. He was hired as the Assistant Vice President and Chief Transportation Officer. In 2023, he was promoted to Vice President of Transit Operations.

Before arriving in Jacksonville, Smith worked in the following capacities for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA): Director of Training and Instruction, Director of Rail Operations, Director of Bus Operations, GM of Rail Operations, GM of Bus Operations and Senior Manager of Bus Operations. Prior to working for the CTA, Smith was the President and CEO of Omega Transport Services, Inc. He is an expert in strategic planning, contract negotiations, management consulting, operations management, business needs assessments, and proposal development.

Smith holds an MBA from Purdue University and the following certifications from Villanova University: Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Six Sigma Lean Belt, and Six Sigma Green Belt. He also holds certifications in Transit Rail and Transit Safety and Security from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Greer Johnson Gillis

Senior Vice President/Chief Infrastructure & Development Officer

Greer Johnson Gillis is a senior vice president and Chief Infrastructure & Development Officer for the JTA. During her 29-year career, Ms. Gillis has implemented sustainable policies and managed large-scale infrastructure projects.

Ms. Gillis oversees the System Development Division and is responsible for the following departments: Automation & Innovation; Construction & Engineering; Planning & Sustainability; Facilities Management & Transit Amenities; Small Business & Community Impact; and the Capital Projects Office. Ms. Gillis joined the JTA in April 2020. In her first months at the JTA, Ms. Gillis established the JTA's Capital Projects Office to focus on efficient project delivery, the Sustainability Program Office to elevate sustainability and resiliency initiatives throughout the agency, and initiated the first phase of the Authority's strategic planning efforts.

In 2014, Ms. Gillis was honored by President Obama and U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx as a White House Champion of Change: Transportation Ladders of Opportunity. In 2017, she was honored by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) with the Women Who Move the Nation Local Government Award. In 2022, Ms. Gillis was honored with the COMTO Thomas G. Newsom Founders' Leadership Award, which is the highest award given by the organization. It honors transportation executives and policymakers who have contributed to the growth and development of people of color within their organization. In 2008, she was appointed by the interim director of District (DC) Department of Transportation to serve as the city's transportation lead for the 2009 presidential inauguration.

Prior to serving at the JTA, Ms. Gillis held several executive positions in the District of Columbia Government, including commissioner on the Public Service Commission, director of the DC Department of General Services, and deputy director of the District Department of Transportation. She also has many years of private-sector experience working for several engineering companies.

Ms. Gillis is an active member of the Women's Transportation Seminar NE Florida Chapter and serves as the 1st Vice President of the COMTO Jacksonville Chapter. She is also a steering committee member of Elevate Women NE Florida, the City of Jacksonville's Better Jacksonville Plan Finance and Project Administration Committees, and a member of the Jacksonville' Women Network. She is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2022, and a graduate of the 2022 Eno Center for Transportation's Senior Executive Program.

Ms. Gillis holds a Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, and a Master's of Science degree in civil engineering with a concentration in transportation, both from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a licensed professional engineer in Virginia and Washington, DC.

Randall Barnes, CTP

Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer

Randall Barnes, CTP, is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), where he oversees the Authority's Finance and Technology Division. He brings more than 25 years of progressive financial leadership in treasury management, capital markets, debt administration, budgeting, financial planning, investments, liquidity management, risk management, and enterprise finance.

Barnes joins the JTA from Georgia Transmission Corporation, where he served as Director of Finance, Rates and Treasury. In that role, he oversaw treasury operations, managed a $3.3 billion debt portfolio, directed development of a $500 million operating budget and more than $1 billion in annual capital investments, and provided long-range financial planning and strategic recommendations to executive leadership and governing boards.

He returns to Jacksonville with deep roots in the local financial community, having previously served as Treasurer for both JEA and the City of Jacksonville. At JEA, he restructured a multi-billion-dollar debt portfolio and led the termination of the utility's interest rate swaps in 2024, reducing the overall risk profile of JEA’s debt. At the City of Jacksonville, he oversaw a $2.3 billion debt portfolio, refinanced more than $800 million in debt, and reduced outstanding debt by $462 million, producing significant annual debt service savings to improve the City’s credit ratings and allow the continued provision of services to the community. Across both roles, he led complex financing initiatives, strengthened investor relations programs, and worked closely with governing boards, rating agencies, financial institutions, and community stakeholders.

Earlier in his career, Barnes spent more than 16 years at the Tennessee Valley Authority in roles spanning accounts payable, treasury, corporate finance, and corporate investments, including managing corporate cash, long- and short-term debt programs and overseeing investment strategy for multibillion-dollar trust portfolios.

Barnes holds an MBA in Management Information Systems and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, both from Tennessee Technological University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. He is a Certified Treasury Professional (CTP). He and his wife, Nikki, have two daughters – Sydney and Sunny – and are members of Glenwood Baptist Church in Jacksonville.

Jessica Shepler

Senior Vice President/Public Affairs

Jessica Shepler is Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA). In this role, Jessica oversees local, state and federal Government Affairs, Economic Development and Marketing, Communications and Customer Experience Departments.

Prior to her current role, Jessica served as AVP and as Director of Government Affairs for the JTA. She also previously worked alongside her husband to start a family business, served as the Director of City Policy at the City of Jacksonville and as Director of Public Policy for JAX Chamber.

Jessica is a native of Jacksonville and attended the University of North Florida. Her expertise in public affairs and government relations helps guide the JTA each day.