Board of Directors
JTA Board of Directors
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority's governing body is comprised of seven members. Three members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate, three members are appointed by Jacksonville's Mayor and confirmed by the City Council, and the seventh member is the District Two Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Members serve a four-year term with the exception of the FDOT Secretary who serves the length of his/her employment in that position and can be re-appointed for an additional four years. The board members of the JTA are not entitled to compensation but are reimbursed for travel and other expenses actually incurred in their duties as provided by law.
Aundra Wallace
Vice Chair
Aundra Wallace is president of the JAXUSA Partnership, the private, nonprofit regional economic development arm of JAX Chamber overseeing efforts of the seven counties of Northeast Florida. He directs a staff of 14 in the areas of business development, international investment, workforce development, research and marketing. JAXUSA’s mission is to be a catalyst for economic growth and maximize the region’s unique resources to aggressively recruit jobs and capital investment. Mayor Lenny Curry appointed him in February 2022.
Prior to joining JAXUSA Partnership in October 2018, Mr. Wallace served as CEO of the City of Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority (DIA). In this role, he spearheaded a diversified portfolio of infrastructure improvement projects, led economic development initiatives, invested in real estate development projects, managed the Downtown Development Design Review Board and oversaw the City’s Public Parking Division.
He holds a Master of Public Administration from Clark Atlanta University and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Georgia Southern University. He is a Certified Housing Development Finance Professional and a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional.
Patricia Gillum Sams
Secretary
Patricia Gillum Sams was formerly manager of the Emerging Workforce Strategic department at JEA. She managed projects and programs that promoted employee engagement and branded the JEA as an employer of choice in the community.
Additionally, she is President & CEO of The Legacy Group L-A-M, LLC. Sams also serves as Founder/CEO of The Legacy League, Inc., a leadership development program designed to mentor and empower young professional women of color to positively impact their communities.
Sams has served on numerous boards and has held countless leadership roles in organizations such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Jack & Jill of America, Inc., and the Jacksonville Chapter of The Links, Inc. She was also in the Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2021 and earned her Bachelor of Science in Communications with an emphasis on Broadcast from Florida State University.
Megan Hayward
Treasurer
Megan Hayward joins the JTA Board of Directors after being appointed by Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and approved by the Jacksonville City Council in October 2023.
Megan's entrepreneurial spirit and passion for innovation sparked her desire to transform the outdated processes of temporary staffing. She launched her own staffing agency at the age of 24, then driven by the belief that the industry was ready for a revolution. She created a software platform to allow for a modern approach to an antiquated industry.
Undeterred by the challenges of founding and running a business, Megan's commitment to her vision led her to not only succeed with her own agency but also to contribute to the establishment of another staffing company.
Megan and her husband are part of the ownership group for the Jacksonville Icemen, the Community First Igloo, the Savannah Ghost Pirates, and the Allen Americans.
Megan is also a member of the Women's Center of Jacksonville board and a member of the DuBlasé Foundation board.
Greg Evans, P.E.
Board Member
Greg Evans was appointed as the Florida Department of Transportation District Two Secretary on February 6, 2012. Mr. Evans is responsible for the day-to-day administrative, planning, production and operations activities for District Two, which encompasses 18 counties, covers nearly 12,000 square miles in North Central Florida, and maintains 8,200 lane miles of roadway and over 1,200 bridges. The area is also served by two deep-water ports and three major rail lines.
Evans has over 21 years of experience in the management and operations of public infrastructure. He is an alumnus of Southern Institute of Technology, with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Technology.
Evans joined the Board in 2012 as an Ex-Officio Member representing the Florida Department of Transportation, District Two.
Max Glober
Glober is the Vice President of Marketing at First Coast Energy, LLP. Active in his community, he previously served as a member of the Jacksonville Historical Preservation Commission. Glober earned his bachelor’s degree in government from the College of William and Mary and his master’s degree in business administration and juris doctor from the University of South Carolina.
Donald Horner III
Horner is the Vice President of Investor Relations for Intrepid Capital Management. A veteran of the United States Navy, he is a Trustee for the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association and a fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Horner earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the United States Naval Academy and his master’s degree in business administration from Jacksonville University.
Rahman K. Johnson, Ph.D.
Council Liaison
Rahman K. Ross-Johnson was elected in 2023 to represent District 14 on the Jacksonville City Council. He was a professor of journalism and communications at Edward Waters University, where he was honored as Professor of the Year.
Dr. Johnson was born and raised in Jacksonville. He graduated with honors from Jean Ribault High School, holds degrees from Edward Waters University and Seton Hall University, and holds a Ph.D. in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University.
Media and entertainment have always been at the forefront of Dr. Johnson’s career. He is an actor with hundreds of stage and film credits and has worked as a radio and television personality and news anchor for stations nationwide.
Since childhood, Dr. Johnson’s family made sure that community engagement and public service were a part of daily life. He has served on the Jacksonville Civil Rights Task Force, the Downtown Development Authority LaVilla Gateway Project Steering Committee, Mimi and Lee Adams Environmental Board, the Thurgood Marshall Achievers Society Board, the Guardian Schools Board, and the Sickle Cell Disease Association Board.
Currently, Dr. Johnson is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., SAG/AFTRA, The Urban League, the National Association of Black Journalists, the American Association of University Professors, and The United Nations Association of the United States. He also served as a Stakeholder for the Jacksonville Insight Process under Mayor Ed Austin and was an organizer of the Jacksonville Community Council Forum for the Future.
Dr. Johnson has appeared in media worldwide. He was featured in EBONY Magazine as an outstanding young leader, quoted in USA Today and the London Times, hosted and produced an award-winning daily show on Nickelodeon, and was named one of 10 to watch during the decade by The Florida Times-Union newspaper. He has received countless awards for journalism, teaching, and acting during his more than 30-year career.
Dr. Johnson currently serves on the Land Use and Zoning and Rules Committees. He is also on the Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees and the council liaison to the Joint Planning Committee and the Safety & Crime Reduction Commission.
After the death of his mother, Dr. Johnson curated and published a collection of poems. His book Living, Loving, Letting Go was named book of the year by the American Library Association. He continues to perform and lecture, spreading a message of self-actualization and cultural understanding.