Melissa Boyles and Mike Pal, Valley Metro

PHOENIX, AZ—Valley Metro has welcomed two new members to its executive leadership team: Melissa Boyles, chief of staff, and Mike Pal, chief transportation officer.

Boyles has 25 years of transportation industry experience. She has served in program management, civil rights program development and compliance, and in national roles developing diversity, equity and inclusion and social equity programs. In this role, she will assist the CEO and coordinate with internal team members and city partners to further initiatives important to the organization and the future of transit in the Valley.

Pal has nearly 30 years of experience managing large-scale public transit operations. He began his career with the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority as a bus driver and advanced to serve in leadership roles responsible for the delivery of bus, BRT and paratransit service. Most recently, he was deputy chief operating officer for Metro Transit in Minneapolis. For Valley Metro, he will lead teams tasked with the development and delivery of bus, light rail, streetcar and demand-responsive services, including paratransit.