Leslie S. Richards is a nationally recognized transportation leader with a proven track record of public service and innovation. She has led two of the largest transportation agencies in the United States, serving as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and CEO/General Manager of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Throughout her career, Richards has prioritized accessibility, sustainability, and collaboration—driving billions of dollars in investment to improve mobility and strengthen communities.

She is known for her ability to bring diverse stakeholders together, build consensus, and turn complex challenges into actionable solutions. Richards currently serves as a Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania, where she bridges academic research with real-world policy and infrastructure needs.

In October 2025, she launched the Transportation Initiative at Penn (TRIP), a university-wide effort to co-create innovative, scalable transportation solutions by connecting scholars, students, public agencies, and private partners. Housed within the Penn Institute for Urban Research, TRIP is poised to become a national model for applied impact and cross-sector collaboration in the transportation field.

State Senator Ram Villivalam has been a member of the Illinois Senate since 2019, representing the 8th Senate District, and is the first South-Asian American legislator in the Illinois General Assembly. Currently, he serves as the Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, is vice-chair of the Public Safety and Infrastructure Appropriations Committee and is a member of the Education, Labor, Licensed Actives and Health and Human Services Appropriations committees.

In 2025, Senator Villivalam spearheaded Senate Bill 2111 – a comprehensive measure providing the necessary reforms and a transformational $1.5 billion investment needed into Illinois’ public transit systems to ensure every resident, no matter where they live, can get to where they need to go, when they need it.

He has and will continue to be focused on issues such as public transportation, income equality, workers’ rights, reducing gun violence, providing a quality education to children regardless of the ZIP code they reside in, and advancing immigrant, LGBTQ, and women's rights.