Executive Staff

Melia Howard, a lifelong Detroiter, serves as the CEO of the Detroit Transportation Corporation (DTC) and General Manager of the Detroit People Mover. DTC is the owner-operator of the Detroit People Mover automated transit system; Howard’s leadership with DTC began January 1, 2026.

Following her successful tenure as only the second woman to serve as Deputy Mayor in the City of Detroit’s history, Howard’s passion for Detroit’s future, combined with her professional expertise, makes her a vital force in redefining the city’s public transportation network to create opportunities and to meet the needs of residents and visitors.

Under her management as Deputy Mayor, she concurrently served as Mayor Michael E. Duggan’s advisor on large-scale developments, building support for many of the city’s marquee projects – such as the University of Michigan Center for Innovation (UMCI), the Fisher Body 21 building, as well as various affordable housing projects, ensuring that the community had a voice in the process and a role in shaping multiple community benefits agreements.

With established experience in public administration, facilitating major projects and civic engagement, Howard cites several major accomplishments in her career. Howard remains active in the program she spearheaded, “Saturdays in the D”, bringing together University of Michigan (U-M) and Ally Financial as partners. Each year, 100 high school students and 100 adults have access to educational and experiential opportunities at U-M – Ann Arbor in fields such as robotics and climate change.

Howard’s roots in neighborhood engagement continue to run deep: Prior to becoming Deputy Mayor, she spent over five years with the city as Director of Community Relations and Department of Neighborhoods Manager for District 5. Her background includes serving as Regional Field Director for the Michigan Democratic Party’s One Campaign for Michigan. Melia Howard is a graduate of Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography.

Ernest Latham is a dedicated transit leader with more than 35 years of experience advancing public transportation systems and strengthening community connectivity. A lifelong Detroit resident and passionate advocate for transit, he is committed to expanding access, improving rider experience, and positioning transit as a driver of meaningful economic growth.

In his role as Deputy General Manager, Ernest focuses on delivering safe, reliable, and efficient service while championing innovation across the organization. He plays a key role in advancing automated transit technologies and works collaboratively with city, state, federal and international partners to align resources, meet evolving system requirements, and support long-term infrastructure development. His leadership is grounded in continuous improvement and a forward-thinking approach to operations, helping position the Detroit People Mover as a leader in automated transit.

Ernest is deeply committed to creating a clean, accessible, and enjoyable experience for every rider. He believes that strong partnerships and shared vision are essential to building sustainable transit systems that serve both communities and businesses.

Outside of his professional work, Ernest is a proud family man and lifelong learner. He enjoys exploring new technologies, staying active with sports, gardening, cooking, and music—interests that fuel his curiosity and help shape his well-rounded leadership style.

Chief Cliff Powell is a dynamic, law enforcement executive and public safety professional with nearly thirty years of progressive experience in municipal, university, and private sector environments. Known for his servant-leadership style, ethical decision-making, and commitment to excellence, he has built a career focused on protecting communities, strengthening organizations, and developing high-performing teams. His professional strengths include strategic planning, emergency management, policy development, and stakeholder engagement.

Chief Powell began his career in 1994 with the University of Detroit Mercy as a campus security officer. He joined the Detroit Police Department in 1996. For over two decades, Chief Powell had an honorable career, serving in the Tenth, Twelfth, and Fourth Precincts. He worked in a variety of capacities including patrol, community relations, school liaison officer, investigations, administration, and fiscal operations. His broad range of experience provided him with valuable expertise in frontline policing, crime prevention, labor relations, payroll administration, and community engagement. In 2017, Chief Powell returned to the University of Detroit Mercy. He served as Executive Lieutenant with the University of Detroit Mercy Department of Public Safety, where he directed patrol operations and supervised more than 40 officers across four campuses. In this role, he managed staffing, scheduling, payroll, recruitment, and officer development while also overseeing major events, campus safety initiatives, and emergency preparedness programs. He played a key role in advancing departmental professionalism and operational efficiency. In April 2025, he briefly served with the City of Sylvan Lake Police Department, continuing his commitment to public service and community-based policing. In December 2025, he took the reign of Chief of Police for the Detroit Transportation Corporation. His in new role, Chief Powell looks to bring his transformational leadership style to elevate the DTC to new heights.

Chief Powell holds a Master of Arts in Ethical Leadership from University of Detroit Mercy and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Safety Administration from Siena Heights University. He is an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., as well as several professional associations and charitable causes. He is widely respected for his compassion, integrity, professionalism, and ability to inspire others. Married for 22 years and the proud father of three adult children, Chief Powell enjoys fishing, history, and exercising in his spare time.

Jela Ellefson is a community and real estate development professional with over 20 years of experience tackling complex urban challenges across the U.S. Originally from Slovakia, she earned a bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Detroit Mercy before obtaining a master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Southern California. Today, her career stands at the intersection of finance, large-scale infrastructure, and equitable community focus.

Currently, Jela serves as the Deputy Director of Special Projects at the Detroit Transportation Corporation. In this role, she leads project delivery for the $40 million Michigan Central Multimodal Facility. This position builds directly on her previous work at the Michigan Central Innovation District, where she developed district-wide strategies for Ford Motor Company’s $1 billion investment to create a thriving 30-acre tech and culture hub.

Throughout her career, Jela has established a proven track record of securing funds and managing operations for vital community assets. As Vice President of Social Capital at the CDFI Cinnaire, she secured $6 million in grant funding to support low-income homeownership and neighborhood revitalization. Prior to that, as Community Development Director at the Eastern Market Partnership, she funded and managed district-wide planning and land acquisition programs to ensure the growth of the nation's longest-operating public market.

As a recognized thought leader and an alumna of the inaugural 2011 Detroit Revitalization Fellows cohort, Jela bridges the gap between corporate tech interests and public municipal goals. In 2016, she completed non-profit leadership development through the Ford Motor Company International Fellowship of 92nd Street Y. She provides a practical roadmap for using public-private partnerships, philanthropic capital, and infrastructure grants to solve complex funding gaps. Ultimately, she approaches placemaking through an operational lens, ensuring that modern mobility solutions enhance rather than erase authentic local culture.

Sarah Pressprich Gryniewicz is Chief of Staff at the Detroit People Mover, where she brings over fifteen years of transit leadership experience to the work of keeping Detroit moving. A Detroit resident, her career spans Michigan's transit ecosystem — from the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, SMART Bus, to May Mobility, where she advised government partners on autonomous vehicle strategy and led go-to-market planning for transit systems nationwide. Throughout, her focus has been consistent: building the organizational capacity and community trust that make transit actually work.

Sarah came to this work through an unlikely detour. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bénin, West Africa, she became fascinated the role of infrastructure in a community. That curiosity has shaped everything since: she approaches transit not as a technical puzzle but as a question of place, freedom of movement, and unlocking shared prosperity. She holds a BA in Economics and History from the University of Michigan and a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University.

As an ENO Transit Executive Seminar alumna, Sarah is as comfortable presenting to a board as she is talking with a rider at the platform. She joined People Mover because she believes well-run public systems are essential to urban life and Detroit's continued momentum.

Tony Vinson is a seasoned transit executive with more than 26 years of experience in public transportation operations, service planning, and strategic leadership. Throughout his career, he has developed a reputation for improving system performance, enhancing customer experience, and delivering reliable, high-quality transit service. He is passionate about public transportation and the important role it plays in connecting communities, supporting economic growth, and improving everyday quality of life. His expertise spans operations management, service delivery, workforce development, and the use of data-driven strategies to optimize transit systems.

Tony currently serves as Director of Service Operations and Development at the Detroit Transportation Corporation, where he oversees the daily operations and long-term service planning for the Detroit People Mover. In this role, he is responsible for ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient service while advancing initiatives that modernize operations and improve the rider experience.

Tony holds both a Master of Science in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Geography from Central Michigan University. His undergraduate studies included concentration in land use planning and geographic information sciences. Prior to his current position, he held senior leadership roles with the Detroit Department of Transportation and the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation. Through these roles, he has led major service improvements, strengthened operational accountability, and fostered collaboration across departments and stakeholders. Tony remains dedicated to advancing reliable, customer-focused transit service throughout the Detroit region by fostering innovation, strengthening operational performance, and supporting initiatives that improve mobility, accessibility, and the overall rider experience for all transit serves.

Buddah brings more than 15 years of experience in transit operations and maintenance leadership, with an extensive background in fleet management, safety and regulatory compliance, workforce leadership, and improving overall service reliability. Throughout his career, he has led maintenance operations for large transit fleets and teams and has also played a key role in electric and zero-emission fleet initiatives.

Civil Engineer and senior Construction Management leader with 30+ years of experience overseeing Civil, MEP, Facilities, Transit, and Public-Sector Capital Projects across major agencies including the Detroit Transportation Corporation, Chicago Department of Water Management, and the Illinois State Tollway Authority, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and the San Francisco Municipal Railway. Proven ability to manage multimillion-dollar infrastructure programs from concept through close-out, integrating engineering expertise, field leadership, and owner-focused project delivery.

Recognized for driving high-risk, high-visibility projects to successful completion through budget control, contract administration, technical troubleshooting, and stakeholder coordination. Brings deep hands-on knowledge of MEP systems, facility operations, preventive maintenance, and public-sector procurement, supported by a strong foundation in safety compliance, quality assurance, and team leadership.

A trusted advisor to owners, contractors, and design teams, known for integrity, operational discipline, and the ability to unify diverse teams around schedule, safety, and performance goals. Currently leading station renovation and capital improvement initiatives for the Detroit People Mover system.

Karen Foster is a Finance professional with 19 years of progressive experience in public transit and governmental finance.

She is currently serving as Finance Director at Detroit Transportation Corporation since 2022, where she has led financial operations, budgeting, and compliance efforts.

Ms. Foster previously spent four years with the City of Detroit and 11 years with SMART in a range of financial roles, including Supervisory Accountant, Accounts Payable & Grant Accounting Manager, Financial Analyst, and Capital Grants Accountant.

She is skilled in building financial processes and documentation, with the constant goal of ensuring Federal Transit Administration (FTA) compliance and driving continuous improvement across finance functions.

In complex and challenging public transit environments, she strategically approaches budgeting, cost allocation, and financial grant management.

Ms. Foster is a Detroit native and alumnus of Cass Technical High and Eastern Michigan University.  She embodies a passion for strengthening public infrastructure through sound financial stewardship.

MICHELE POLLOCK is a seasoned Procurement Director with 18 years of public sector experience, including 13 years with the City of Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, 4 years with SMART, and 1 year with the Detroit People Mover. I Bring deep expertise in strategic sourcing, contract management, and vendor relations, along with a strong understanding of regulatory frameworks and procurement processes.

Driven by a commitment to excellence in public procurement, I consistently follow established procurement processes and adhere to state, local, and federal guidelines. I uphold the core principles of transparency, competition, integrity, and best value, ensuring that all procurement activities are conducted ethically and in the best interest of the organization and community.

I actively support departmental and leadership operations by collaborating with cross-functional teams and aligning procurement strategies with organizational goals. I am known for a dependable and solutions-oriented approach, I contribute to efficient operations while strengthening accountability and long-term value.

Leeya Sutter is a seasoned Human Resources executive with more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience across public and private sector organizations. She has extensive expertise in employee and labor relations, HR operations, compliance, recruiting, benefits administration, and workforce strategy within union and non-union environments. Throughout her career, Leeya has been recognized for her professionalism, strong business acumen, and ability to navigate complex workplace matters with integrity and sound judgment.

Currently serving as Director of Human Resources for the Detroit Transportation Corporation, Leeya leads all aspects of HR operations supporting the Detroit People Mover and Detroit Transit Police. She has successfully overseen labor relations for multiple bargaining units, implemented HRIS and payroll systems, strengthened employee engagement initiatives, and guided organizations through periods of operational change and workforce challenges. Prior to her current role, she held senior HR leadership positions with SMART and Medstar Ambulance, where she played a key role in labor negotiations, policy development, organizational planning, and employee retention efforts.

Leeya holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Development from Oakland University and is known for her collaborative leadership style, hands-on approach, and commitment to building strong workplace cultures that support both employees and organizational success.

Mike is an accomplished facilities and maintenance professional with more than 13 years of experience managing facility operations, construction projects, preventive maintenance programs, and building infrastructure. For the past three years, he has served with the Detroit Transportation Corporation (DTC), where he has played a key role in maintaining and improving facilities that support the Detroit People Mover system. Throughout his career, he has developed a strong reputation for leadership, problem-solving, and ensuring facilities operate safely, efficiently, and in compliance with applicable regulations.

Prior to joining DTC, Mike spent 10 years working as a skilled tradesman plumber, gaining extensive hands-on experience with building systems, preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and complex repair projects. His technical background provides a practical understanding of facility operations and enables him to effectively bridge the gap between frontline maintenance activities and long-term strategic planning.

As a Facilities Director, Mike combines technical expertise with strong leadership skills to oversee facility maintenance, capital improvement projects, contractor management, budgeting, and operational planning. He is committed to fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement while ensuring DTC facilities remain reliable, well-maintained, and capable of supporting the organization's mission and service goals.

I am a seasoned Supply Chain Manager with over 30 years of experience in logistics, supply chain management, and freight transportation. A native of Detroit, I graduated from St. Benedictine High School and earned an associate's degree in business from Michigan State University. Currently, I serve at the Detroit Transportation Corporation, where I contribute significantly to supply chain and procurement initiatives for the Detroit People Mover system.

My career began in 1996 as the Michigan Operations Manager for Pony Express Delivery Services, and I later held the position of Regional Sales Manager for Con-Way Trucking in the Northeastern U.S., based in Washington D.C. In 2008, I relocated to Atlanta, GA, where I worked with various third-party logistics companies in operations management until late 2025. In 2026, I joined the DTC team as a Supply Chain Manager.

I pride myself on being reliable and results-driven, approaching tasks with careful consideration while balancing independence and teamwork. My organizational skills and commitment enable me to thrive in fast-paced environments. Whether pursuing new opportunities or enhancing existing ones, I am motivated by a strong sense of progress and purpose.