Youth Transportation Summit

Opening Remarks, City Councilmember Rob Saka 

Councilmember Rob Saka is a public-school dad of three, attorney, community safety advocate, Air Force Veteran, and West Seattle resident. His father, a Nigerian immigrant and former frontline warehouse worker, taught him the importance of hard work and selfless service – guiding principles that are pillars in his everyday life. Councilmember Saka graduated from Kent-Meridian High School. Like many young Americans, he felt called to service after the 9/11 attacks, enlisting in the U.S. Air Force with the intention of protecting his country. Under the G.I. Bill, Commissioning program. He is a Veteran of the Iraq War, having served during the height of the “troop surge” in 2007. 

After 10 years in the military, he resigned his commission to focus on serving others as a civilian attorney, intending to help his community overcome some of the systemic barriers that he navigated growing up with stints in the foster care system. He attended law school at the University of California, Hastings Law, before moving back to Seattle to continue his work in legal and policy advocacy.  

Councilmember Saka is Chair of the Council Transportation Committee, Vice-Chair of the Council Public Safety Committee. He led the Council’s review and adoption to prepare the renewed city-wide Transportation Levy, which was passed by the voters in Fall, 2024 with over 60% of the voters. He is also member of the Housing & Human Services, Finance, Native Communities and Tribal Governments, and Sustainability, City Light, and Arts & Culture Committees, and several important external Regional Committees. In the community, Councilmember Saka has previously served on nonprofit boards, represented fellow veterans in need pro bono, helped underserved microentrepreneurs start and grow their businesses, and more. In his spare time, he enjoys running. He is a qualifier-finisher-survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. 

Keynote Speaker, Celeste Gilman, Washington State Department of Transportation, Strategic Policy Administrator 

Celeste Gilman is nationally recognized as a Complete Streets Changemaker by Smart Growth America and was the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals 2025 Public Sector Professional of the Year.

Celeste is the Strategic Policy Administrator in the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Active Transportation Division, where she leads implementation of the requirement to deliver Complete Streets for state transportation projects.

She also leads strategic efforts to work with partners across the state to utilize land use as a tool to manage transportation demand and give more people the opportunity to walk, bicycle and take transit for their daily trips. 

Concluding Remarks, SDOT Director Angela Brady 

 Angela Brady is the Acting Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), bringing over 31 years of leadership experience delivering transformative projects to ensure a reliable, safe, and equitable transportation system in the greater Seattle area. Angela has spent the past two decades leading and delivering complex infrastructure projects for the City of Seattle, including the recently completed $1.2B Waterfront Seattle Program which created over 20 acres of new parks and public spaces, all-new multimodal transportation facilities, and an entirely upgraded utilities system along downtown Seattle's new waterfront.  She also holds key City leadership responsibilities over Sound Transit’s ST3 Program, working to advance a once-in-a-generation, multi-billion dollar investment in light rail expansion to West Seattle and Ballard through the heart of downtown, in close partnership with Sound Transit.  
 
She previously led major projects like the $260M Mercer Corridor Program, which transformed over 30 blocks connecting South Lake Union, the Seattle Center, and Downtown Seattle, providing all-new multi-modal transportation and utility improvements – a project that was instrumental in the transformation of Seattle’s South Lake Union area from a low-density industrial zone to a high-density mix of residential, commercial and business use.  
 
With her strong track record, robust leadership experience, and clear vision, Angela is prepared to lead SDOT through this important time for the city’s transportation future.  
 
Angela is a licensed Professional Engineer in Washington State, with a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington, and is a licensed Project Management Professional with the Project Management Institute. 

We are excited to include Breakout Sessions featuring SDOT staff working on projects to make our public spaces safer. Sessions will feature the:  

• “Keep the Earth Cool: Walk and Bike to School!” by Safe Routes to School Team
• “The Experience of Safety” by Downtown Activation Team
• “Safer Streets” by Vision Zero

The Resource Fair is an opportunity for youth and young adults to learn about local projects and get involved in transportation safety efforts. People from the following agencies, organizations, and groups will be tabling at the Resource Fair: King County Metro, Central Puget Sound Youth Transportation Alliance (CSYTA), HearMeWA, UW Public Health, Public Health – Seattle & King County, SDOT Shared Mobility Team, and SDOT Transportation Access Program Team.

Alison Holcomb, City of Seattle’s Executive Operations Manager for Public Safety 

Alison is an attorney, policy strategist, and executive leader with 25+ years of experience shaping complex legal, criminal justice, and public policy systems at local, state, national, and international levels. She is recognized for designing and advancing high-impact legislative reforms, managing cross-functional teams, and advising public officials and organizations navigating high-stakes legal and political environments.  

Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office in January 2026, Alison served as Deputy General Counsel to the King County Executive where she advised the Executive, Executive Office, and executive branch departments on complex legal matters and, in coordination with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, developed strategies to sue the Trump Administration to defend County values. Before joining the County, Alison led teams and built coalitions that passed transformative public safety legislation with the ACLU, including cannabis legalization here and abroad, police use of deadly force, and Oklahoma drug and property crime sentencing reform. In the private sector, after a couple of years litigating complex employment discrimination and commercial disputes,

Alison defended clients from local, state, and federal criminal charges and civil asset forfeiture, and sued for civil rights violations, for more than a decade. 

Alison received her JD from the University of Washington School of Law and her BA from Stanford University. 

Renee Hosogi (she/her), King County Metro’s Safety, Security, and Fare Enforcement (SaFE) Reform Initiative lead    

Renee is a born and raised Seattleite who grew up in central Seattle. She attended Seattle Academy and did her undergraduate studies at Boston University in Boston, MA. After she completed her undergraduate degree studies in Art History and French Literature, she taught middle and high school students English in a small town in the Bordeaux countryside. Since then, Renee has toggled between public and private sectors, ranging from launching internal education modules for continuing professional education to equity, racial, and social justice, to performance metrics for workforce, finance, and continuing education.  

She’s an avid traveler and user of public transportation in countries she visits. To date, she’s traveled to 40 different countries and knows that public transportation is not a given. When there is public transportation, safety looks different for everyone. When Renee isn’t on the go, she’s usually baking something from Ina Garten, watching movies, and napping with her cats, Domino and Luna. They are affectionately known as her Sailor Moon cats. 

Tina Castillo (she/her/ella), Cascade Bicycle Club  

Tina has an extensive background in youth & family services, education access, and equity-centered community engagement.

Her unique experience in facilitating equity in the outdoors led her to a lifechanging role as a ride leader where she discovered her passion for youth cycling education and access. 

Feyruza “Faye” Omar, King County Metro Bus Driver 

I have been with King County Metro since May 2016. Prior to joining Metro, I worked in various transportation services, which helped build my passion for driving and connecting with people. What I enjoy most about this work is the freedom it brings and the opportunity to meet individuals from all walks of life across King County. 
I migrated to Seattle, Washington from Ethiopia in the late 1990s. I attended TOPS K-8 for elementary school, McClure Middle School, and Franklin High School. I grew up in Capitol Hill and later moved to South Seattle during high school. Although I rarely used public transportation growing up, that changed in high school when I began riding Metro. I remember feeling safe and welcomed—the drivers made a lasting impression on me, and that experience continues to inspire the level of service I strive to provide today. 

Throughout my career at Metro, I’ve had the opportunity to operate a variety of routes and work out of different bases. I especially enjoy working out of Bellevue, where I’ve been actively involved in several committees. I was selected by my peers to serve on the Safety Committee and also participate in the Security and Base Activities Committees, and now the Senior Leadership Committee (SLC) as well. 

In December 2025, I was honored to be nominated by my Base Chief and voted by my peers as Bellevue’s Operator of the Month. This recognition reflects my commitment to providing safe, reliable, and positive service to the community. 

I take pride in creating a safe, welcoming, and enjoyable experience for every passenger, and I remain dedicated to upholding the high standards of King County Metro. 

Mike Rizzo, Community Transit Operator 

Mike Rizzo has driven buses for 12 years, the last 7 at Community Transit. He volunteered to be a Youth Engagement Specialist (YES) driver because he has kids and wanted them to be able to use public transit without fear. He wants other kids to feel at ease when riding transit and this is a great way for them to learn about it. He’s finishing writing his 15th book and spends the rest of his time with family or working on his house. 

Kenny Sin, Sound Transit Fare Ambassador  

Currently serving as a Supervisor of Fare Engagement with Sound Transit, Kenny Sin leads frontline efforts to improve rider experience and fare compliance through education, equity, and community engagement. His career spans leadership roles in transportation, logistics, and marketing both in USA and Asia. With experience bridging frontline operations and strategic planning, Kenny brings a well-rounded perspective on transit, customer experience, and organizational leadership. 

Panel Moderator Jacqueline “Jax” Billups (she/her),  Cascade Bicycle Club 

Jax combines her background in community development and systems change to implement social impact initiatives. Projects have ranged from national public health campaigns to financing fair trade coffee farmers in Central America.