People News: ASLRRA, MBTA

ASLRRA SVP, Law and General Counsel Sarah Yurasko (pictured far left) has been sworn in as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar; she is shown here at the Supreme Court with her sponsoring attorney Susan Warshaw Ebner of ASLRRA member Stinson (ASLRRA Photograph). MBTA Deputy Director of Administration Katie Kalugin (pictured far right) has earned the WTS 2024 Claire Barrett Member of the Year Award. (MBTA Customer and Employee Experience Department Photograph).

Sarah Yurasko, Senior Vice President, Law and General Counsel for the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), has been admitted to the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. Also, WTS International and its Boston Chapter have selected as member of the year Katie Kalugin, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Deputy Director of Administration.

ASLRRA

ASLRRA’s Sarah Yurasko on June 20 was sworn in as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, which means she is now allowed to practice law before the Court. Yurasko, who is also President of the League of Railway Women, participated in an in-person admission ceremony at the Court and was able to witness some case rulings, according to ASLRRA.

Yurasko’s work at the Association includes advising on all legal matters and representing the short line industry nationally on policy matters. Prior to ASLRRA, she served as Assistant General Counsel for the Association of American Railroads, focusing on safety law issues. Yurasko previously worked at Amtrak on high-speed rail planning and policy development. She started her career as a trial attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel at the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). While at the FRA, Yurasko completed the Executive Potential Program through the Graduate School USA, a leadership development program that provides training and developmental experiences for high potential employees. She earned a JD from American University’s Washington College of Law and an MA in International Affairs from American University’s School of International Service. She also has a BA in French and a BFA in Theatre Arts from Southern Methodist University.

Yurasko will be participating at the 2024 Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail Conference, to be held Nov. 5-6 in Chicago.

Separately, two new railroad members were recently selected to serve on the ASLRRA Board of Directors, representing the Eastern Region.

MBTA

MBTA’s Katie Kalugin (she/they) has received the 2024 Claire Barrett Member of the Year Award from the Women in Transportation Seminar (WTS), an association for the professional advancement of women in transportation. She is the recipient of both the international and Boston chapter versions of this award and was honored June 25 during the WTS-Boston Annual Awards and Scholarship Banquet.

“The Claire Barrett Member of the Year Award acknowledges a WTS member who has made extraordinary contributions to the success of the organization,” according to WTS. “Selection is based on a commitment to the goals and growth of WTS, promoting the reputation of WTS within the transportation industry, and efforts by the award’s nominee to revitalize or expand the Chapter or any of its functions.”

Kalugin was recently named Operations Planning, Scheduling, & Strategy (OPSS) Deputy Director of Administration at MBTA and plans to focus on improving and streamlining departmental operations. Prior to this role, Kalugin was the transit agency’s Deputy Director of Policy Development, responsible for the creation and coordination of rider-focused policies and initiatives, as well as Transit Equity Programs Specialist, focused on increasing access to the Authority’s free/reduced fare programs for those with disabilities, seniors, students, and young people with low income. Kalugin is Co-Chair for MBTA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Employee Advisory Council and on the Steering Committee for the MBTA/MassDOT LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG).

Kalugin has been an active WTS member since being selected as one of the Emerging Professionals in 2020 and again in 2021, and helped shape the DEI Committee’s goals toward inclusion during this time. Kalugin joined the WTS-Boston Board as a Director-at-Large in 2022 and was the Board Liaison for the Transportation YOU and Professional Development Committees in their first year and the Board Liaison for the Professional Development and DEI Committees in their second year. Kalugin continues to be an active member of the DEI Committee.

“WTS has been key to my professional development; through events, networking opportunities, and conferences, I’ve learned more about the transportation industry, formed connections, and gained leadership skills along the way,” Kalugin said. “I am grateful for the support of my chapter and humbled by the awards.”  

“The Women in Transportation Seminar has been an incredible resource for women to network, learn from, and support one another in the transportation industry for decades,” Transportation Secretary CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt said. “We are grateful to WTS for showcasing the contributions of Katie Kalugin by honoring her with the 2024 Claire Barrett Member of the Year. Katie has served the MBTA diligently since 2019, and continues to take on new challenges in the MBTA’s Operations Planning, Scheduling, and Strategy Department, while still finding the time to enthusiastically support the women of the WTS Boston chapter, including serving on the chapter’s DEI council.”

“I am proud to celebrate Katie’s achievement and sincerely congratulate them on receiving the WTS Claire Barrett Member of the Year Award—to win both the international and local chapter versions of this award demonstrate Katie’s remarkable contributions to the success of both WTS and the MBTA and making both organizations better through their work,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “Katie’s career has been dedicated to improving many aspects at the T for both riders and their peers, from working on affordable fares for all riders and rider-focused policies to co-chairing our DEI Employee Advisory Council and serving on the Steering Committee for the MBTA/MassDOT LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group. Thank you, Katie, for the positive impact you’ve brought to the T throughout your career and to WTS.”

“WTS-Boston is proud to honor Katie for their impact on our organization and their commitment to enhance equity and inclusion in the transportation industry,” WTS-Boston President Gina Solman said. “Katie’s authentic leadership approach helps individuals recognize and achieve their full potential, as demonstrated by their work guiding committees as a board liaison and for their ongoing role in the WTS-Boston DEI committee. Katie’s involvement underscores how an individual can be a key driver of positive change.”

In a related development, MBTA Chief of Integrated Transit Programs Desiree Patrice has earned the COMTO-Boston 2024 Women Making Transportation History Award.