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Carolyn Flowers

Partner


Las Vegas, Nevada

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Carolyn Flowers has 30 years of experience developing a deep knowledge of ​transportation at the local and federal levels. Carolyn is intimately familiar with the ​federal funding and financing programs available to transportation projects, including ​the Capital Investment Grants, RAISE, Bus and Bus Facilities, and TIFIA programs. ​Carolyn began her career serving in various financial and operations roles at Los ​Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), rising to Chief ​Operating Officer, where she oversaw bus operations and labor negotiations with ​Metro’s employees and was responsible for developing and managing a $1 billion ​operating and capital budget for bus and rail operations. Carolyn then served as the ​CEO and Director of Public Transit for the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) from ​2010 to 2015, navigating the agency through a time of severe budget constraints and a ​major expansion of its light rail and streetcar system through federal, state, and local ​partnerships. Carolyn joined the FTA as a Senior Advisor in January 2015 and later ​served as the FTA Acting Administrator under President Barack Obama, leading a staff ​of more than 500 in the FTA headquarters office in Washington, DC and 10 regional ​offices throughout the US, and implementing an annual budget of over $10 billion in ​formula, discretionary, and special grants programs. Carolyn joined InfraStrategies LLC ​as Managing Principal in February 2019.


Carolyn is a long-time member of several industry boards and committees, including her ​service as a board member of the Eno Foundation, APTA, TRB, and TCRP TOPS ​Committee. She recently served on the International Board of the Women’s ​Transportation Seminar (WTS), on APTA Board of Directors, and as Co-Chair of the ​Reauthorization Task Force. She is a member of APTA’s Publication Advisory, ​Leadership, Legislative, and Awards committees. She also served on the Board of ​Directors for the North American Transit Services Association (NATSA) and the TCRP ​Oversight and Project Selection. In addition, she is a member of Conference of Minority ​Transportation Officials (COMTO).


In 2007, she was recognized as the Tom Bradley Alumnus of the Year by the UCLA Black ​Alumni Association. The award is named for the first African-American Mayor of Los ​Angeles, a champion of public transportation for Los Angeles County. In 2008, she was ​named Woman of the Year by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women’s Transportation ​Seminar. She also received the Ambassador award for her volunteer work with the ​American Stroke Association and was given a special recognition award by the Greater ​Los Angeles African- American Chamber of Commerce. She was named by UCLA ​Anderson School of Business as one of 75 most Inspirational graduates in their first 100 ​years. She was also 2018 recipient of the Friends of Eno Award from the Eno ​Foundation. She is a graduate of the 2003 APTA Transportation Leadership Class. She ​participated in a 2005 international study project for the National Association of ​Sciences, sponsored by the Eno Foundation for Transportation Studies, as well as the ​executive development program sponsored by the Eno Center for Transit Leadership. ​She has served on Johnson C. Smith University Board of Visitors, the Foundation for the ​Carolinas Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fund Board of Directors, the Institute for ​Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) Board and the Women’s Intercultural ​Exchange (WIE) Advisory Council.


Carolyn received a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science and a master’s ​degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). ​School of Management.