NCTD Appoints Dover as Chief of Staff, Rodriguez as Director of Administration
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
Mary Dover, Chief of Staff, NCTD (left); and Suheil Rodriguez, Director of Administration, NCTD (right). (NCTD photos)
North County Transit District (NCTD) announced May 10 that it has appointed Mary Dover as Chief of Staff and Suheil Rodriguez as Director of Administration.
These roles, the agency says, “will be integral to furthering The District’s mission and vision by supporting communities within NCTD’s service area, the Board of Directors, elected officials, stakeholders, and staff.”
As Chief of Staff, Dover will serve as a strategic advisor to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and NCTD’s Board of Directors, “helping guide and implement The District’s priorities,” according to the agency. She will continue to be responsible for NCTD’s intergovernmental relations and will also assume responsibility for the administrative team.
Dover has been with NCTD since 2022, serving as the agency’s Government Affairs Officer. “She has been instrumental in working with our local, state and federal partners to advocate for funding support on The District’s current and long-range projects such as the San Dieguito Double Track Phase 2 project, zero emission bus transition, SPRINTER double tracking, and several other initiatives,” NCTD said.
Prior to coming to NCTD, Dover worked for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein in her San Diego District Office. There, she provided the Senator with policy recommendations on a variety of issues, including transportation and infrastructure, and helped facilitate stakeholder appropriations requests, including $10 million to help stabilize the Del Mar Bluffs from erosion. Dover sits on the California Transit Association’s State Legislative Committee and is a graduate of San Diego State University.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to continue my work with NCTD in this new capacity,” said Dover. “I’m committed to promoting organizational effectiveness to advance The District’s mission and eager to support our efforts to enhance the rider experience.”
Rodriguez has been with NCTD since 2006, serving in many capacities, most recently as Manager of Administration. Her continued work on policy and procedure, quality assurance and quality control have “ensured that the agency is pushing forward at every step,” NCTD said. Additionally, Rodriguez’s work as the Clerk of the Board has been “instrumental in building relationships and bringing critical stakeholders to the table to help further the vision of the communities The District serves.” She is directly responsible for assisting with managing agency memorandums of understanding, as well as helping forge agreements with all NCTD business partners. Rodriguez is a member of the American Society of Administrative Professionals and a graduate of Berkeley College, NY.
“It’s a privilege to step into this role and collaborate with the Executive Team to advance important initiatives for The District that will ultimately benefit our riding community,” said Rodriguez.
“As The District pushes forward on critical initiatives—including key infrastructure projects such as rail capacity enhancing projects and the transition of our rail and bus fleet to 100% zero emission—we are fortunate to have world-class members of our team to fill these critical roles,” said NCTD CEO Shawn Donaghy. “The agency will continue to benefit from the key relationships that Mary and Suheil have established and will help shape NCTD’s next phase.”
