Executive Leadership Team

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.

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.

Richard Clark

Senior Vice President/Chief Administrative Officer

Richard Clark is the Chief Administrative Officer for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA). He brings over two decades of public and private sector leadership to Northeast Florida's operational and political landscape.

Before assuming his current role, Clark served as JTA’s Vice President of Regional Mobility and Director of Economic Development, where he spearheaded multi-county integration, advanced the $800 million First Coast Commuter Rail project, and secured over $350 million in state and federal grants. His extensive background in transit also includes a successful tenure as Executive Director of Monroe County Transit, where he launched the county's inaugural transit system, "Conch Connect".

Earlier in his career, Clark spent a decade on the Jacksonville City Council, including a term as Council President, and led a 300-person workforce as the President of North Florida Building Services. A University of Florida graduate, he is recognized for his financial resilience, crisis management skills, and ability to build deep, bipartisan intergovernmental relationships across local, state, and federal levels.