Mayor Kelly Appoints 9 Members To CARTA Board Of Directors

Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly on Tuesday announced nine appointments to the board of the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) "in an effort to drive the transit agency toward the city’s One Chattanooga vision and speed the technological advances on which the city’s future depends."

Chattanooga City Council confirmed the appointments during their meeting Tuesday afternoon. They include eight new members and one reappointment, bringing the board of directors to its full, 11-member complement.

Mayor Kelly said, "With decades of leadership in sectors ranging from governmental affairs and city planning to workforce development and information technology, the revitalized board brings the skills and expertise needed to lay the groundwork for an expanded, next-generation public transit system for the Chattanooga-Hamilton County region.

“These new appointments come at a pivotal time for Chattanooga, as the city continues to grow and a strong, integrated public transit system becomes increasingly critical for our community.

That’s why I couldn’t be more grateful to have this talented, dedicated group guiding CARTA’s future. Together with the CARTA team, we can build the smartest transportation system in the country – one that provides reliable, practical, and affordable mobility options that open up opportunity for every neighborhood.”

New board members Charita Allen, Stephen Culp, Corey Evatt, Evann Freeman, Bill Nye, Johan de Nysschen, Daniela Peterson, and Arcie Reeves will assume their roles effective immediately. They will join LeAndrea Sanderfur, whose reappointment by Mayor Kelly was confirmed Tuesday after serving on the board since 2019, Jenny Park, whose term expires in 2024, and Board treasurer Patricia McKoy, whose position is appointed by Hamilton County.

The new appointments will replace eight previous CARTA board members, whose five-year terms had expired. Per the board’s charter, board members may serve beyond their term limits, until replacements have been appointed.

“I want to thank all of the outgoing board members for their years of service to our community,” Kelly continued. “CARTA made great strides under their leadership, including launching one of the largest electric bus fleets in the country, and I’m grateful for all they did to pave the way for a more sustainable public transit system for our city.”

The nine appointed members confirmed by City Council include:

Charita Allen

Charita Allen has more than 20 years of economic and community development experience, currently serving as Director of Workforce Development for the state of Tennessee. Prior to joining the state, she served as the Deputy Administrator for Economic Development with the city of Chattanooga.

Ms. Allen is a native Tennessean and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. After graduation, she spent years in Miami, Florida, where she served as the Vice President for Economic Development and Urban Initiatives at the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County’s Official Economic Development Partnership. In collaboration with more than nineteen municipalities, she designed, oversaw, and directed targeted industry economic development activities throughout Miami-Dade County, with a special focus on Urban Initiatives, Florida Enterprise Zones, and other designated areas for redevelopment.

Her success in economic de­velopment stems from her background working for major corporations in market­ing, business development, and real estate.

Stephen Culp

Stephen Culp is a business and civic entrepreneur.

A former U.S. Navy Reserve Officer, U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer, and NCAA Division I athlete, Mr. Culp is also co-founder of Delegator, ProDiligence, Smart Furniture, Chattanooga Renaissance Funds I & II, and the non-profit ventures Causeway and CF Smackdown.

Locally, Mr. Culp has served as a board director to over a dozen organizations, including the Trust for Public Land, River City Company, and the Chamber of Commerce. He earned a J.D. from Stanford Law School, a graduate fellowship from the Stanford Center on Conflict and Negotiation, and a B.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Mr. Culp is also a multi-patented product designer, black belt, Marshall Fellow, Spirit of Innovation keynote speaker, and alum of Leadership Tennessee and Harvard Business School’s Young American Leaders Program.

Most importantly, Mr. Culp is a husband and father of three beloved children.

Johan de Nysschen

Until his retirement in 2022, Johan de Nysschen was a member of the boards of Volkswagen North American Region (NAR), Volkswagen of America, Inc and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen de Mexico. He is currently active on boards for the University of Tennessee College of Engineering and Computer Studies and The Falcon Group, and is a director at Guident. He is also a special advisor at Chattanooga 2.0.

He brings an extensive 42 years of automotive experience from the Volkswagen Group, Nissan and General Motors. During his time as COO for Volkswagen North America, he oversaw many aspects of production and logistics for half a dozen product model lines.

De Nysschen has an MBA in marketing and finance from the University of Pretoria and a bachelor's degree in commerce and economics from Nelson Mandela University.

A classic car collector, performance car and motorcycle enthusiast, he lives in Chattanooga with his wife Anna.

Corey Evatt

Corey Evatt is a lifelong Chattanoogan and alum of Central High School. A Senior Analyst for Global Operations at a telecommunications company, he deeply values the power created from the opportunity to connect with one another. His passions for sustainability and localism led him to found the nonprofit ChattaVegan in 2016, and his drive to make public transportation more accessible and desirable led to the creation of ChattaTransit in 2022. His fiancée and kids are his world, and if they’re not in their neighborhood park, they're probably enjoying a meal at one of their favorite vegan restaurants.

Mr. Evatt loves spending time outdoors and often pairs CARTA with his adventures. He firmly believes everyone deserves the right to move freely throughout their city, and that public transit is crucial to meeting basic needs, fostering community, and growing small businesses. Evatt aims to make a CARTA rider out of every Chattanoogan.

Evann Freeman

Evann Freeman joined EPB as Director of Government Relations in December of 2019. Freeman leads EPB’s government relations efforts.

Mr. Freeman has spent the past decade as a government relations professional, most recently for the U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander. At EPB, he works closely with local, state, and federal stakeholders, as well as local entrepreneurs and area businesses.

Bill Nye

Bill Nye was employed by CARTA at the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway from 1981 until retirement in 2021, where he served as Porter/Oiler, Conductor, Maintenance, and Hoist Operator.

Born and raised in Chattanooga and an alum of Tyner High School, Mr. Nye feels very blessed to have grown up here. He is passionate about local history and all things rail transit or steam trains, and enjoys long drives in his vintage vehicles.

Mr. Nye has been an ATU Local 1212 union member since he was 19 and continues to be active even in retirement. During his many years of service he was privileged to have worked in the positions of Union Steward, Recording Secretary, and Vice President of ATU Local 1212, and he continues to represent both union members and management of CARTA as Chairman of the joint CARTA/ATU pension fund.

He is looking forward to continuing his long standing relationship with CARTA.

Daniela Peterson

Daniela Peterson joined the Trust for Public Land in 2018. As a brown, immigrant social worker from Chile, Peterson’s experiences have given her a comprehensive understanding of community dynamics, especially relating to disenfranchised populations. With over 18 years of experience working with nonprofits, city government, juvenile detention, and public schools, Peterson has adeptly cultivated both neighborhood and institutional partnerships that bring residents, community leaders, and faith-based organizations to the forefront of the planning process.

Ms. Peterson has presented at national placemaking convenings, and has received recognition for her work locally. including Footprint Foundation’s Footprint Award (2019), La Paz Chattanooga’s Latino Leadership Award (2017), a feature on the Benwood Foundation blog, and the Roger Fellowship. She serves on the Board of La Paz Chattanooga, Arts Build and Community Foundation.

She lives with her husband Paul, and dog Willow.

Arcie D. Reeves

Arcie D. Reeves is active in her community with participation in local organizations, including the Chattanooga Chambers MidTown Counsel. She is passionate about improving housing opportunities for individuals, with an emphasis on ensuring that there is equal access to current and future economic developments in the Tennessee Valley.

Ms. Reeves is an avid gardener and volunteers within the community with several initiatives. Currently she works as a Program Manager for a federal agency and has an experienced background in human resources. She is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee and a graduate of University of Chattanooga.

LeAndrea Sanderfur

LeAndrea Sanderfur is a Chattanooga native, a retired educator and a community volunteer. A passionate and frequent user of public transit, she is an advocate for individuals with disabilities and for accessible public transportation for all.

Ms. Sanderfur earned her B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Middle Tennessee State University, and M.Ed. from Kennesaw State University. As a certified educator, Sanderfur shared her passion for mathematics and learning in inclusive classrooms for over 15 years. Since retiring and returning to Chattanooga in 2016, Ms. Sanderfur has worked alongside many advocates in Chattanooga to make our city a great place for individuals with disabilities to live, work, play and commute.

Ms. Sanderfur has served on the CARTA Care-a-Van Advisory Board for six years, and has served on the CARTA Board of Directors since 2019. In addition to her acts of service, she enjoys going to the theater, volunteering, shopping and sports.