March is Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the contributions women have made and the work yet to be done to achieve gender equity. To help commemorate, women who have broken ground at Metro Transit shared their stories.
Sarah Baker, Police Officer
Why did you choose to become a police officer?
I earned a degree in psychology and became a police officer to gain experience as I continue my education and pursue a career in forensics psychology. People are sometimes surprised to hear what I do. But I started with a class that was about half women and it has been great to be surrounded by other driven, accomplished women who lift you up.
What do you like about your current role?
I’ve had several assignments since becoming a police officer in 2019. Right now, I work out of the Mall of America substation and respond to calls mostly in the Bloomington and Richfield area. I like the variation and I find the role to be physically and mentally fulfilling, which complements my active lifestyle. And I like that I can help solve problems.
What advice would you give to other women who are interested in law enforcement?
Be confident, because if you let people think you don’t belong, you’re already at a disadvantage. Be tenacious in attaining your goals, take advantage of training opportunities, improve your physical fitness, and find a healthy balance with your personal life. If you show up and do the hard work, the results should speak for themselves.
What can be done to support women in the workplace?
As an organization, I think it’s important that we continue to improve support for all individuals, to recognize our differences but not treat people as though they are different, and to practice respectful communication.
Catrina Boucher, Assistant Manager, Rail Transportation
What is your role at Metro Transit and what do you like most about what you do?
I’ve been an assistant transportation manager at light rail since 2017. Before that, I served as a bus operator, train operator, rail supervisor and senior supervisor. I’m a people person, so what I like most about what I do now is that I get to spend a lot of time talking to other people and trying to help operators as much as I can.
What advice would you give other women who are interested in a career in transit?
I would say that you shouldn’t be intimidated, even if most of your co-workers might be male. I have always been one of, if not the only, minority women in the room but my voice has always been heard and valued.
What more can be done to support women in the workplace?
Only about 10% of our train operators are women. I’m the only African American woman who has ever served as an assistant manager at rail. So, I think we have to continue trying to attract more women, and a more diverse workgroup in general.
Part of that is education, and part of it is being willing to take the extra step. When I applied for the train operator position, I was working as a bus operator and didn’t think I’d be able to make the interview while on my split. But Marcia Padden (Labor Relations Program Manager) offered to pick me up so I could make it on time. I’ve never forgotten that.
Tonisha Reynolds, Mechanic Technician
How did you become a technician?
I grew up in Chicago and began my career with a rental company, cleaning and fueling cars. There, I was inspired to get my CDL so I could start driving a shuttle bus. I started at Metro Transit in 2012 as an operator, and then moved to Bus Maintenance as a helper.
I’ve worked on cars all my life, so I thought I could go back to school and learn what I needed to and become a technician. In 2017, I started taking classes at Hennepin Technical College and began interning here as a technician. Two years later, I graduated and passed the test. Today, I inspect buses from bumper to bumper and top to bottom to see what work needs to be done. I enjoy the work because you have time to think, learn, and gain new skills.
What motivated you to pursue a career in maintenance?
When I went back to school, there was only one other female in my class and all the other students were young enough to be my son. Today, I’m the only woman on my shift (third shift, Ruter Garage). But I’ve always been encouraged to go after what I wanted and was inspired by my granny who hustled all her life. I never wanted a job where I didn’t look forward to coming into work, so I’ve always searched for new opportunities.
What advice do you have for other women interested in this field?
I think culture is the only thing holding people back. But women should do whatever their heart desires, no matter what it is. Even if this is a male-dominated field, don’t get intimidated – everyone is here to help you.
Alicia Vap, Project Manager
What has your career path been like and what is your current role at Metro Transit?
I started as a transit planner, which was very accidental really. I was always interested in government and studied political science in college. After getting my degree, I was looking at graduate programs and decided to get a master’s in urban planning. I worked as a planner in Des Moines, at MnDOT and at Ramsey County before joining the Central Corridor Project Office, where I managed the station design and supported construction of future Green Line stations.
After several years working on the Blue Line Extension, I joined Engineering & Facilities in 2020. Today, I manage public and support facility projects, like recent improvements to the Brooklyn Center Transit Center and Orange Line stations. One of my upcoming projects is a remodeling of the Rosedale Transit Center. It’s exciting to work on a project from beginning to end and then see customers using it.
How has the role of women changed over the course of your career?
Many of the designers, engineers, and architects I’ve worked with over the years have been male. But things have changed a lot – all the leads on a recent project to create a Light Rail Training Center were women, which was a first in my career, and we’re much more focused on inclusivity now than when I started working.
Having more women in the industry can be helpful because we’re not just process-driven but are more likely to think about how something might feel to an end user. For example, when we’ve talked about having light rail stations that sit below grade, women can speak to how that could make them feel less safe.
What more can be done to support women in the workplace?
One of the pieces of advice I got early on and that has always stuck with me is to clearly convey that I’m in charge if I’m running a meeting. So, as women I think it’s always important to show confidence and be assertive. And one thing I think men can do is to always be looking for a broad section of perspectives.