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Executive Team

Darren M. Kettle


Chief Executive Officer

Darren Kettle

Darren Kettle is Chief Executive Officer of Metrolink, Southern California’s regional passenger rail service that provides a safe, easy, affordable, and stress-free alternative to car travel for the more than 18 million residents of the six-county mega-region. He became the Metrolink CEO in September 2021.

Kettle has more than 30 years of experience with local and regional government agencies. Before joining Metrolink, Kettle was the Executive Director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) for 14 years. Previously, Kettle was with the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) from 2000 through 2007. Early in his SANBAG tenure, Kettle was Director of Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs for both SANBAG and the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC).

Kettle has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master’s in Public Administration from California State University, San Bernardino.

 

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Lisa Bahr


Chief Customer Experience Officer

Lisa Bahr

Lisa Bahr is the Chief Customer Experience Officer (CXO) at Metrolink. As CXO, Bahr focuses on meeting the needs of current and future rail passengers, increasing regional mobility, expanding transit equity, and elevating consumer voices. She plays a central role in the organization's evolution from a commuter-centric model to a progressive regional rail system, serving a diverse spectrum of passengers.

Bahr is a strategic leader with over a decade of experience in the transit industry and has overseen marketing and communications, customer experience, and stakeholder engagement for various organizations. She prioritizes people and strives to improve the day-to-day customer experience for all Southern Californians while helping Metrolink prepare to provide world-class support for an array of upcoming international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the "car-free" 2028 Olympics and Paralympics.

Before joining Metrolink, Bahr served as an executive at Cubic Transportation Systems, where she drove the growth of the company's customer experience function, delivering industry-leading technology and service solutions for public transit agencies around the world. During her tenure at Cubic, she led multiple corporate brand updates, launched innovative products and solutions in global markets, and implemented strategic communications strategies that resulted in new business worth over $3 billion.

Bahr is passionate about equity and inclusion and serves on the Board of Women's Transportation Seminar's (WTS) Los Angeles chapter.  

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Frank Castellon


Chief Safety, Security & Compliance Officer

Arun Chakladar

Frank Castellon became the Chief Safety, Security & Compliance Officer for Metrolink in May 2022. Castellon oversees programs that continuously improve safety protocols for the agency and promote a proactive safety culture resulting in safer transit operations for all.

Castellon has nearly 20 years of experience in passenger rail, light rail and bus transit safety and security having previously worked with the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District (TriMet) in Portland, Phoenix Valley Metro, LA Metro and Bombardier Transportation North American.

Castellon earned a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety and Health from Columbia Southern University where he is currently completing a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership.

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Elisa Cunningham


Chief Technology Officer

Elisa Cunningham

Elisa Cunningham joined Metrolink in September 2022 as its Chief Technology Officer with responsibility and oversight of the agency’s digital strategy. Cunningham directs staff and teams in the agency’s Information Technology, Fare Collections and Positive Train Control (PTC) systems divisions.

Cunningham brings over 30 years of experience in technology and leadership of multidisciplinary teams enabling business transformation and deploying new technologies in public and private organizations across various industries including Aerospace & Defense, Gas & Utilities, State & Local Government and Public Transit. She has held leadership roles at the County of Riverside, City of Dallas, L3Harris, EDS, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

She has been the assistant Vice President of Technology at Dallas area rapid Transit, where she implemented an agency-wide Enterprise Asset Management program, Data Science/Intelligence, Governance models, and Web/Mobile product development to enhance business operations and customer strategies.

Cunningham has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Louisiana State University, and an MBA with an Information Systems concentration from the University of Redlands. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Denver focusing on Strategy and Innovation.

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Roxanne Randolph


Interim Chief People Officer

Roxanne Randolph

Roxanne Randolph joined Metrolink in November 2001. As the Interim Chief People Officer, she is responsible for the overall planning, management and administration of all HR programs while working collaboratively with the Executive Leadership Team, coworkers, other agency partners and members of the public.

Randolph has over 30 years of public sector Human Resources experience. She began her career in Human Resources at the Southern California Rapid Transit District (“RTD”) before it merged with the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (“LACTC”) and became LA Metro, one of Metrolink’s member agencies.

Randolph earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, with an emphasis in Organization Behavior from Stanford University.

 

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Don Del Rio


General Counsel

Donald Del RioDon Del Rio joined Metrolink in early 2012 as its first in-house General Counsel. He brings over 20 years of legal experience from both private and public corporation as well as public agency environments, which includes San Diego Data Processing Corporation, Security Escrow & Trust, Inc., DVI Financial Services, Inc., and Bell Atlantic Corporation.

Del Rio established a new legal department for Metrolink and provides daily advice and counsel to the CEO, senior staff, and Board of Directors. This includes areas of governance, a wide range of contractual and transactional matters affecting operations and procurement, assisting Human Resources staff, and litigation management.

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame, and Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis.

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Don Filippi


Chief Operating Officer

Don Filippi

Don Filippi is responsible for the overall operations and efficiency of Metrolink's rail services. His primary focus includes developing and implementing strategic initiatives to optimize systemwide operations, ensuring the highest standards of safety, reliability, and organizational effectiveness.

Filippi is pivotal in driving operational excellence, overseeing aspects such as service delivery, infrastructure management, and stakeholder collaboration. His leadership is instrumental in shaping and executing Metrolink's operational strategies to meet the evolving transportation needs in Southern California.

With more than 29 years of experience, Filippi has served as both the chief safety officer and chief operating officer for the North County Transit District in Oceanside, California, five years at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), rising to the position of superintendent overseeing transit operations and safety, and 15 years with Union Pacific Railroad, starting as a conductor and rising to manager of operations.

Filippi studied criminal justice at Lane College in Eugene, Oregon, and business development at the University of California, San Diego.

 

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Justin Fornelli


Chief, Program Delivery

Justin FornelliJustin Fornelli is Chief of Program Delivery for Metrolink. Fornelli directs staff and teams of consultants on the delivery of Metrolink’s capital programs including rehabilitation, new capital expansion and third-party projects. He oversees Metrolink’s long term planning for the Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) Program, Metrolink’s 10-year, $10 billion plan to re-build the region’s rail infrastructure to allow for more frequent service prior to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Fornelli serves as representative of Metrolink’s operational and engineering interests on large third-party projects, such as the Foothill Gold Line Phase 2B Extension, Link US Project and California High Speed Rail project.

Fornelli has more than 20-years’ experience in freight and passenger rail having previously served as Director of Transit and Rail Programs for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), one of Metrolink’s member agencies.  He also was Chief Rail Engineer for North County Transit District (NCTD) in San Diego County and Senior Supervising Engineer to the Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) for Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Fornelli is a California Profession Civil Engineer and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Davis.

Fornelli is married and has two sons, who he enjoys coaching in football, soccer and baseball.

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Arnold Hackett


Chief Financial Officer

Arnold Hacket

Arnold Hackett is Chief Financial Officer of Metrolink. As CFO, Arnold is responsible for budgets and financial analysis, contracts and procurement, payroll, grants, accounts receivable and payable.

Hackett, who was previously the Interim Chief Executive Officer for Metrolink, joined the agency in May 2019. He has more than 30 years’ experience in private technology industry at Xerox Corporation; he has served as Vice President and General Manager of Alliance and Partnership Management, positions in research, engineering, strategy development, technical project/program management, business development and global process / performance improvement initiatives.

Arnold holds a BS from UCLA, an MS in Computer Science from CSULB, an MBA from USC, and is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

 

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Paul Hubler


Chief Strategy Officer

Paul Hubler

Paul Hubler is Chief Strategy Officer for Metrolink, providing executive oversight and leadership to the Planning and Development, Government and Community Relations, Sustainability, and Railroad Services departments. He is responsible for overseeing strategic planning, legislative programs and regulatory strategies and funding major implementation initiatives. He joined Metrolink in early 2022. 

Hubler has more than 25 years of experience in transportation policy and legislative and public affairs. Prior to joining Metrolink, Hubler was the Director of Government and Community Relations for the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments for 14 years, responsible for securing grant funding for the Alameda Corridor-East rail infrastructure construction program in Los Angeles County. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff to a Southern California member of the U.S. House of Representatives and as legislative aide to a California State Senator.

Hubler has a Bachelor’s Degree from Pitzer College in Claremont, California and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of La Verne. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Mobility 21, Southern California’s regional transportation advocacy coalition.

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Elisabeth Lazuardi


Senior Manager, Audit

Elisabeth Lazuardi

Elisabeth Lazuardi is Senior Manager, Audit at Metrolink responsible for overseeing and managing the Internal Audit team to conduct audits in accordance with Board of Directors-approved Annual Audit Plan and in compliance with auditing standards. Lazuardi ensures the completion of the annual agency-wide risk assessment, coordination of external audits and monitoring of corrective actions from the past audits.

Lazuardi has 13 years’ public accounting firm experience including at PKF in Glendale, Calif. and Hutchinson & Bloodgood, LLP.

Lazuardi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Accounting degree from USC.

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Noelia Rodriguez


Chief of Staff

Noelia Rodriguez

As Chief of Staff, Noelia Rodriguez serves as a top advisor to the CEO, driving excellence in performance and reporting for Metrolink.

An accomplished executive, Rodriguez has worked in several prominent roles including Communications Director for First Lady Laura Bush, Deputy Mayor for Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, and President and CEO of LA 2000, the Host Committee for the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles. She’s held C-suite positions at the Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). She started her career at Southern California Edison, as a spokesperson, public relations and advertising manager in corporate communications.

Rodriguez was selected to be a Resident Fellow at Harvard University’s prestigious Institute of Politics then recruited to be the Director of The Kennedy School’s, John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum. She was also Vice President of Corporate Communications at Univision Communications - the country's largest provider of Spanish-language content.

She is a standing member of the planning committee for the biennial Leadership California Goes to DC Women’s Program and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles.

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