Mayor Whitmire appoints Elizabeth Brock as Metro's first Hispanic female chair

Mayor John Whitmire on Tuesday announced CenterPoint Energy executive Elizabeth Brock would lead the Metropolitan Transit Authority's board of directors. If approved, Brock would be the first Hispanic woman to lead the transit agency. "She brings a 'customer first' mindset, which is exactly the thinking our community deserves," Whitmire said in a release announcing the choice. "Safety and reliability are key for all who depend on or commute alongside public transportation. I am confident that Elizabeth will use her results-driven expertise to drive Metro to deliver a user-friendly and fiscally responsible transit system to all. She understands that my priority is providing mobility options for all Houstonians."

Brock's appointment as Metro chair is pending approval of the City Council, as well as Metro's board, which typically accepts the mayor's choice. She replaces Sanjay Ramabhadran, who served as Metro chairman for two years and as a board member for nearly eight, during which the agency started work on the first projects of its $7.5 billion long-range plan. Brock, who was supportive of Whitmire and his predecessor former Mayor Sylvester Turner, is vice president of energy solutions and business services at CenterPoint Energy. The public-facing role has made her a common fixture on well-heeled city boards, such as Houston First Corporation, the Houston Women’s Commission and Evolve Houston, which aimed to electrify transportation options in the city.