Gov. Pritzker announces appointments to Northern Illinois Transit Authority
Image credit: NITA
Governor JB Pritzker appointed Bashir Qaasim, Nedra Sims Fears, Nirali Shah, Rosa Ortiz, and Vanessa Uribe to serve on the newly established Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Board. The Governor also reappointed Neema Jha to serve on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Board. All appointments are subject to approval by the Illinois State Senate.
“The newly created NITA Board is charged with delivering transformative reform and investments for our public transit system that serves more than 1.3 million daily riders,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “My board members will play a critical role in modernizing Illinois’ transit systems so we can continue to strengthen operations, make necessary upgrades, and better connect communities across our state. I am proud to appoint highly qualified, dedicated Illinoisans who will help advance this important work.”
Created under the historic transit reform package signed by Governor Pritzker in December 2025, NITA will replace the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and will oversee CTA, Metra, and Pace. The new authority is charged with improving regional coordination, integrating fares and service, strengthening public safety and accessibility, and ensuring public resources are used effectively. The law paired these governance reforms with significant new operating and capital funding for public transportation in northeastern Illinois and across the state, averting potentially devastating service cuts without raising broad based state taxes on Illinois taxpayers – all while laying the foundation for a world–class transit system that better serves riders.
Illinois leads the nation in permanently solving transit’s funding challenges and NITA serves as a blueprint for other legacy large systems across the country. Together, the Governor’s slate of appointees bring experience spanning transit governance, urban planning, technology, economic development, and organizational leadership. Their appointments will help ensure NITA begins its work with a strong understanding of both the region’s transportation needs and the communities the system serves.
Unlike the old RTA Board, many NITA Board members will also serve on the Boards of CTA, Metra, or Pace, including three of the Governor’s appointees. These cross-appointments will serve as full members of each board and will promote cooperation and alignment between NITA and the Service Boards.
The new NITA Board will hold its first meeting in September to formally kick off critical aspects of the transition process, ranging from setting up new governance structures, advancing regional equitable fare programs, to developing a first true regional operating and capital budget that can deliver for the taxpayers and grow transit ridership and the regional economy across the six-county region.
Source: NITA
