Route to Transit Ballot Success: What to Ask Your Lawyer and When

A panel of seasoned experts will explore how transit campaigns can partner effectively with legal counsel to navigate the requirements and complexities of a ballot initiative.

Presented by APTA’s Center for Transportation Excellence (CFTE), the session will conclude with a live Q&A, giving attendees the chance to ask questions and learn directly from experts working in the field.

The webinar will be moderated by Jessica Grennan, Executive Director of CFTE, and the discussion will feature insights from the following: 

Shayna van Hoften, Public Transit & Transportation Practice Group Chair, Hanson Bridgett LLP, helps clients identify and mitigate government ethics and governance challenges. She is also the Vice Chair of the APTA Legal Affairs Committee, serves as General Counsel for the five Retirement Boards for employees and retirees of the Sacramento Regional Transit District, and is the primary Deputy General Counsel for the San Mateo County Transit District and San Mateo County Transportation Authority. Shayna previously served as Interim General Counsel for the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District. 

John Putnam, Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP, works as an attorney representing transit, rail, and other transportation-related public-sector clients nationwide, helping navigate complex federal, state, and local requirements to deliver innovative solutions for infrastructure, sustainability, and safety challenges. He currently serves as the Chair of the Front Range Passenger Rail District, a Member of the Colorado Rail Industry Advisory Committee at the Colorado PUC, and as Chair of the Legal Resources Section of the United States Transportation Research Board. John has served both as the Senate-confirmed General Counsel for the United States Department of Transportation and as Senior Advisor to the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Governor of Colorado on transit and rail issues. 

Jonathan Gaul, Deputy Operations Division Chief, City of Atlanta Department of Law, is a Deputy Division Chief with the City of Atlanta, working with the City’s Department of Transportation (“ATLDOT”) on all issues, including but not limited to federal funding, capital project programs, regulatory compliance and intergovernmental relationships. He supports the planning, coordination, and implementation needed to move  ATLDOT projects forward, including the referendum-approved Transportation Special Local Option Sales Tax projects, from concept to construction. As part of his work with ATLDOT, Jonathan works with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (“MARTA”) attorneys on its More MARTA sales tax-funded program for Atlanta-specific projects. Jonathan is an experienced public sector attorney, having assisted private parties and governmental agencies on procurement, compliance, and contract matters.