Mayor's Press Release
New METRO Board Members Approved
Historic Number of Women Serving on the Board
April 10, 2024 -- The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO Houston) Board of Directors today welcomed its newest members appointed by Mayor John Whitmire and approved by vote during this morning’s Houston City Council meeting.
The Board of Directors serves as the governing body of METRO. Members guide decision-making in order to deliver a public transportation system that is an attractive option for means of travel throughout the Houston region. The shared vision of the Board of Directors is to provide customers with safe, clean, reliable, and accessible mobility options.
Mayor Whitmire’s appointments now mark a historic number of women serving on the board at one time including the first Vietnamese American woman appointee and its first Hispanic female chair, with the appointment earlier this year of METRO Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock.
The new appointees are:
- Judge Kathy Han, the first Vietnamese American woman appointed to a full-time presiding judge position in Houston, TX.
- Reverend T. Leon Preston II, Senior Pastor, Yale Street Baptist and Law Enforcement Chaplain for the Harris County Constables Office; and
- Chad McMillan, a leading community advocate for inclusivity initiatives and champion for Houston’s disabled population to live fuller, more independent lives.
- Terry Morales, Vice President of Amegy Bank in the Corporate Banking Division was reappointed to the board.
Pictured from left to right: Terry Morales, Judge Kathy Han, Mayor Whitmire, Chairman Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock, Reverend T. Leon Preston II, Vice Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Castex-Tatum.
"I am proud to make history with my METRO appointees; each one represents a diverse community. Having a METRO Board with diverse representation recognizes the value of varied experiences and the importance of accessibility for all," said Mayor Whitmire. "Now it is time to go to work. I expect METRO to operate with transparency and maintain and create additional mobility options. The board's collective leadership will enhance METRO's capacity to positively impact the continued growth and success of the City of Houston and region."
- Additional photos are available here (Ride Metro website opens in a new tab)
The members were then sworn in by METRO Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock in the Proclamation Room in City Hall.
“I am excited to welcome the newest customer-centric board members and to continue collaborating with our existing leaders,” said Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock. “This is a robust team that is fully committed to making METRO a safe, clean, accessible and viable option that people choose to use.”
The nine-person board has five positions nominated by the mayor of Houston and approved by Houston City Council, , two appointees of Harris County Commissioners Court, and two appointed by the mayors from 14 other cities in the METRO service area (METRO Multi-Cities). Board members serve two-year terms with METRO and can serve a maximum of eight years.
For more information on METRO and its leadership team, please visit www.ridemetro.org.