ABOUT | OPTA - Ohio Public Transit Association

Ohio Public Transit Association | Leadership

The Ohio Public Transit Association (OPTA) is the primary advocate for public transportation in Ohio. The Association provides a range of services to Ohio’s 63 transit agencies and associate businesses across the state including:

OPTA strives to be a powerful and unified voice of our members, the men and women who work in the public transit industry, and our customers.

Together, we strive to increase funding opportunities, drive economic growth and improve Ohio’s quality of life.

Claudia Amrhein

President

Ms. Amrhein serves as General Manager of PARTA, the regional transit authority serving the citizens of Portage County, Ohio. As General Manager, CEO and secretary-treasurer of the regional transit authority, she leads PARTA’s efforts to advance public transit mobility solutions essential to creating healthy, connected communities and vital local economies.

Ben Capelle

Vice President

Mr. Capelle has been the CEO of Laketran since August 2017. He joined Laketran in 2012 as Operations Manager, serving in that capacity until April 2016 when he was promoted to Deputy General Manager.

Dawn Distler

Secretary - Treasurer

Ms. Distler serves as the Executive Director of Akron Metro Regional Transit Authority, leading the transport of more than six million passengers annually to work, school, medical appointments and to some of the best places in town. METRO RTA works to enhance the quality of life for their community by providing innovative transportation that is safe, dependable, cost-effective and customer focused.

Martin McAvoy

Vice President Small Urban/Rural Systems

Mr. McAvoy, Transit Program Specialist and Administrator, provides oversight of daily operations management, supervising a staff of 40+ drivers, dispatchers and maintenance staff. Serving Knox County Transit for over 13 years, McAvoy also administers federal grants and applications, customer and community relations, all while promoting the system and the impact of public transit.

Blair Taseff

Vice President Associate Members

Mr. Taseff is the Cleveland/Akron Regional Sales Manager for the Transportation Equipment Sales Corp. (TESCO).

Tom Wagner

Vice President Associate Members

Tom.wagner@gillig.com

Tom Wagner is the Regional Sales Manager for GILLIG. With more than 15 years of experience in transportation,

Tom previously worked for Motor Coach Industries as both Vice President for the Public Sector and Regional Sales Manager.

Shannon Webster

Vice President Mobility Manager Members

As Greene County’s Mobility Manager, Webster has been a transportation advocate and travel trainer for the past six years. Located at Greene CATS Public Transit, she works to strengthen partnerships between a diverse range of community organizations to ensure that transportation resources are coordinated effectively.

Carrie Woody

Immediate Past President

Ms. Woody is the director of the Lancaster Public Transit System which provides safe, affordable, reliable transportation throughout Fairfield County in central Ohio.

Matt Carle Esq.

Executive Director

With more than twenty years of experience in government affairs and political management, Mr. Carle has established himself as one of the top political operatives in Ohio. Beginning in 2016, Carle joined OPTA, representing the association and the public transit systems in Ohio at the city, state and federal levels.