High-Speed Rail introduces new executive leadership team as CEO cites reorganization progress

The California High-Speed Rail Authority introduced a new executive leadership team at its July board meeting as CEO Ian (first name on the record) said the reorganization at the executive level is "mostly complete." The CEO said the leadership changes are intended to help the authority build faster and reach population centers sooner. New leadership introduced to the board included Mark Tolleson, named chief of staff; Jamie Matalka, chief financial officer; Jane Brown, chief of legislation; Peter Whitby, chief of external affairs; Emily Morrison, chief of contract administration; Ed Fan, chief of construction; the recently appointed chief of planning and engineering (10 days on the job at the meeting); Ramank Bhati, director of risk management and project controls; and Bassem Aldem, statewide regional director. Tom Filanz is serving as acting chief counsel and Patty Nysonger is chief information officer. At the meeting Ian said the new team draws on public- and private-sector experience and that the hires will help implement the authority's vision. "The new leadership's coming from both public service sector and private sector," he said. Board members welcomed the hires and the CEO's effort to recruit the team. Board members asked about coordination across procurement, construction and engineering functions; procurement chief Emily Morrison said procurement works "very hand in hand" with engineering and construction to sequence work and that the authority is setting up tools such as multiple-award task-order contracts to speed small-business participation. No formal board action was required to introduce the staff; the CEO said one or two positions remain to be filled.