Category: Local Organizer
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC helps the Bay Area’s nearly eight million residents — and countless visitors — get around.
As a Metropolitan Planning Organization, MTC supports the region’s network of streets, roads, highways, public transit systems, airports and other transportation resources, including the movement of goods through ports and freight rail lines. MTC touches it all, with a focus on building a better transportation system that works for everyone while supporting a resilient economy and environment.
MTC works with cities and counties to establish short- and long-term goals and provides resources to help them reach these goals. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, making safer streets that work for everybody and making sure all residents have equal access to transportation resources are just a few of these goals.
Youth Participants
Alexander Hirji is a sophomore at Northeastern University in Boston, studying Public Policy, Political Science, and Economics. Alexander currently works with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency on the Potrero Yard Modernization Project, and previously he has served on the San Francisco Youth Commission, where he worked to speed up and improve bus lines used by youth and students across San Francisco, he started and served on the SFMTA’s Youth Transportation Advisory Board, where he worked to make Muni free for all youth 18 and under to improve transit accessibility, and he has served on the San Francisco County Transportation Authority’s Sales Tax Expenditure Advisory Committee.
I am a recent graduate from University and currently work in Finance within the utilities sector. Through a combination of academic studies and experience working towards the energy transition, I developed an interest in alternative transportation and renewable energy sourcing. I look forward to better understanding the intersection between all things that lead to a more efficient world of getting around.
Jaylene is currently a public service trainee in the HR department at SFMTA. She has recently finished her first year of college at San Jose State, and is currently studying Business Admin with a concentration in Management Information Systems. As an everyday commuter that uses public transportation on a daily basis, she became interested in public transportation. Therefore, this innovation challenge has helped her learn more about the industry, and is excited about the opportunities that may come by being a part of this challenge.
I studied computer science and business at UC Berkeley, and have been an avid transit enthusiast for many years! My favorite form of transit is the ferry.
I recently finished my sophomore year at Cornell University, where I’m majoring in urban and regional studies. I’ve had the opportunity to work in multiple planning contexts, including projects focused on transportation, open space, and housing. Last summer, I worked with Slum Dwellers International in Kenya to engage in settlement-upgrading initiatives. At Cornell, I am also minoring in computer science, and interested in how technology can be used to improve urban life and the planning process. In particular, I enjoy working on projects with transportation data to derive new insights and understand systems better.
I am currently working towards earning my Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from the University of San Francisco (USF) with a focus in civil engineering along with acquiring my Geographic Information Systems certification. Most recently, I have authored an extensive research paper on the differences between warm mix and hot mix asphalt, focusing on the usability of the asphalt and the greenhouse gas emissions each type of asphalt produces. My passion for engineering, excitement about the transportation industry, and my desire to work hard and learn has led me to participate in the IYAI challenge.