Who we are

Qualities of the positions:

• Two-year terms
• Six appointed by Mayor
• Five appointed by City Council
• One Get Engaged member
• Appointments confirmed by City Council

Boardmember Bios

Priyadharshini Balan

Priyadharshini is an Urban Planner and Architect with four years of experience in Transportation Planning. Her expertise includes curb space management, parking, transportation demand management, shared mobility, and Mobility-as-a-Service. She believes that public transit systems are vital for exploring, understanding, and connecting communities, and an integral part of placemaking. Outside work, Priyadharshini loves exploring the Pacific Northwest and enjoys playing badminton and bouldering

Deborah Barnard

Deborah Barnard is a mixed medium artist tiding their brine along the shores of the Salish Sea. Since the late 20th century, they have lived in Seattle and commuted via regional transit. Barnard has worked for The Seattle Public Library for over 18 years, and runs lights and sound in Seattle's entertainment industry. They advocate for more late night transit services and last mile transit options, as well as plain language in government communication.

Ashwin Bhumbla

Ashwin is a recent college graduate, receiving a bachelors in both English and Computer Science, and is passionate about transit systems and creating safe, sustainable urban areas. He believes that creating a city that is walkable and bikeable with frequent reliable bus and rail service is not only desirable, but necessary. He is committed to improving transit access and experience. In his spare time, Ashwin can be found backpacking or playing Spikeball in Cal Anderson Park.

Zachary Burton 

Zach is a resident of Capitol Hill and made Seattle his chosen home over four years ago. He has been an advocate for transit and alternative modes of transportation since high school. While attending college in his hometown of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, he was a member of the Livable Streets Advisory Board, which is a volunteer advisory board that advocates for livable streets and alternative modes of transportation. Growing up in a suburb that puts cars above people and understanding the negative impacts of car-oriented infrastructure, he is committed to advocating for better transit service, safer streets, and environmentally friendly neighborhoods. Outside of the Transit Advisory Board, Zach is a barista and a cafe manager at a Seattle based coffee roasting company.

Shirley Chu

Shirley is a Seattle native who grew up in South Seattle and had used public transportation extensively to get from South Seattle to Shoreline during her grade school days. She is very passionate about equity in accessibility, design, and efficiency for public transportation. She is involved with the local Chinese community and is happy to be serving on the TAB.

Dana Coppernoll-Houston 

Dana is currently studying Public Policy at the University of Washington, hoping to focus in Environmental and Climate Policy. They are passionate about public transportation and other methods that help reduce carbon emissions from cities. In their spare time, Dana enjoys hiking and playing music.

Katie Freeman 

Katie Freeman is a geriatric social worker and the current Manager of Programs and Community Engagement for the American Parkinson Disease Association, Northwest Chapter.  They have been riding transit and living in Seattle since 2007.  Katie recognizes the important role that transportation has in achieving health equity and they are passionate about increasing transit access for older adults and people with disabilities.  Outside of their professional and volunteer work, Katie enjoys singing in a local vocal ensemble and leading a romance novel book club.

Dexter Jenkins

Dexter has lived and worked in multiple states nationwide, gaining experience in various cityscapes and multimodal transformation systems. Transit has remained a focal point in his passion for community outreach since adolescence, starting with galvanizing his community to start a transit system, Clayton County Transportation “C-Tran.” Through volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and Forgotten Harvest, he has also helped combat food and housing insecurity. Relocating to Seattle, Dexter is optimistic about helping his neighborhood as a TAB member. 

Art Kuniyuki

From riding Seattle Transit buses as a child, to joining a Metro Transit Community Advisory Group for the Long-Range Plan that resulted in METRO CONNECTS, watching over ORCA Business Passport Cards and transit issues for his employer, and now living in West Seattle, and seeing the transportation issues that will result with the bridge closing, Art enjoys all aspects of transit planning, and hopes to help his city and neighborhood as a member of the Seattle Transit Advisory Board.

Sandro Pani

Sandro has dedicated his career to transit design. He was born and raised in Mexico, lived on both east and west coasts, and has been a Seattle resident for the last 5 years. He received his MSc in Railway Systems Engineering & Integration from the University of Birmingham, UK. As a civil engineer he has delivered design, planning, and program management for over a dozen separate public agencies across the country. Sandro is passionate about rail and improving public access to multi-modal transit systems.

Kyler Parris

Bio to be updated. 

Carolyn Tillinger

Transit has always played a role in Carolyn’s life, from growing up in Bremerton and using Kitsap Transit, to commuting on Seattle busses and the Link Light Rail since she moved to Seattle in 2013. She now works on the real estate development team at Nitze-Stagen and primarily manages the development of multifamily buildings in Seattle. Carolyn is passionate about improving movement between different modes of transportation and the safety and accessibility of the routes we use to connect to transit. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Resource Management, a Bachelor of Arts in Community, Environment, and Planning, a Master of Science in Real Estate, and a Graduate Certificate in Housing Studies, all from the University of Washington. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two cats and dog, skiing, and film photography.

Former Board Members