PRESS INQUIRIES
Katy Feinberg
[email protected]
The Partnership for New York City today announced Natalia Quintero as the Senior Vice President of Innovation, responsible for leading the Transit Innovation Partnership (TIP) with the MTA and developing other public-private initiatives that use technology to improve public services.
Natalia was the founding director of the Transit Tech Lab – created by the Partnership and the MTA to leverage private sector innovation and expertise to modernize the New York region’s transportation system. Through the Lab model she helped establish, Natalia has worked with transit executives to shape the way transit agencies strategically use technology to modernize planning, operations and the customer experience.
In her new role, Natalia will expand the Lab’s “challenge” model in transit and other public sector applications. This will involve working with government agency experts to identify problems and then reaching out globally to find possible solutions from the private and non-governmental sectors.
Natalia succeeds Rachel Haot, who formerly served as Chief Digital Officer for both New York City and state, who is relocating to California with her family. Rachel will continue to advise the Partnership on innovation opportunities.
“We thank Rachel for her success in helping the MTA and other regional transportation agencies explore and adopt new technologies and systems, which have been particularly important to adapting services during the pandemic. We are excited that Natalia will build on this groundwork as we look to help public agencies tap into the resources of business and research institutions in order to continue the improvement of public services,” said Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City.
The Partnership is currently recruiting to fill the role of Director of Innovation Programs. Interested applicants can view the post and apply here.
More about the Transit Innovation Partnership:
Since its launch in 2018, TIP has helped integrate new technologies to improve service and the customer experience within the New York metro region transit network, including the design and execution of the:
- Transit Tech Lab, which has deployed 22 technology pilots and proofs-of-concept focused on accessibility, subway signaling, bus network optimization, predictive maintenance, curb management and more.
- COVID-19 Response Challenge to make public transit safer and more responsive amid the coronavirus pandemic, which fielded nearly 200 applications and tested technologies including ventilation, disinfection and micromobility.
- Essential Connector App, built by Transit Tech Lab graduate AxonVibe, facilitating over 173,000 journeys for essential workers.
- Redesigns of New York City bus routes to reflect essential worker locations and reduce journey times and non-revenue miles, facilitated by Transit Tech Lab graduate Remix.
- New “MTA Live Subway Map,” an award-winning dynamic digital map that displays train locations, departure times, service changes, routes, and elevator and escalator statuses, built pro bono by Brooklyn-based design firm Work & Co.
- Modernization of the External Partners Program, which has accelerated the MTA’s real estate development review process by 30%, supported by pro bono consultation from advisory firm West Monroe.
TIP also expanded its mission to include the NYC Department of Transportation, NJ TRANSIT and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The result is a new focus on a more integrated, advanced and user-friendly transit network.