Release Date: January 3,2024

METRO RTA Announces New Legal and Government Affairs Officer Position, Welcomes Gert Wilms

January 3, 2024, AKRON — METRO RTA announces Gert Wilms as its new Legal and Government Affairs Officer. In this key role, Gert Wilms will oversee legal and government affairs matters, providing strategic guidance and support for our compliance with local and federal regulations, as well as assist with the development and implementation of public policies and programs to help local communities and generate support for the strategic goals of METRO.

“We are excited to welcome Gert Wilms to our team,” said CEO Dawn Distler. “With our continued efforts to develop and enhance public transportation throughout our region, Gert's exceptional abilities and leadership will play a vital role in keeping our community thriving and moving forward."

Gert Wilms has a wealth of experience and knowledge from her time as a prosecutor for over twenty years, as an advocate for the Battered Women's Shelter of Summit County, and most recently as Mayor Horrigan's Chief of Staff, where she was a founding member of the Akron Pride Festival and oversaw strategic initiatives and special projects out of the Mayor's office.

“I’m looking forward to this opportunity to enhance METRO’s partnerships in the communities we serve,” said Wilms. “With my years of experience in the public sector, my goal is to enhance policies and programs from the inside out.”

METRO RTA is the public transportation provider in Summit County. METRO enhances the quality of life for our community by providing innovative transportation solutions that are safe, equitable, dependable, cost-effective, and customer-focused, now and into the future.