Community Transit veterans Roland Behee and Melissa Cauley will play key roles on the agency’s executive leadership team following appointments announced Tuesday by CEO Ric Ilgenfritz. Behee will serve as chief operating officer and Cauley as chief planning and development officer.

“Roland Behee and Melissa Cauley’s deep and proven knowledge and dedication to public transportation and the communities of Snohomish County make them unparalleled choices for these key roles in which they will advance system expansions that make our services even more transformative,” Ilgenfritz said in a press release.

Behee has served Community Transit for 25 years and Cauley for 16 years. Both have successfully executed their now-permanently appointed roles on an acting basis for the last six months. Their accomplishments include preparations to open the new Swift Orange bus rapid transit line in spring and to implement transformative network expansions when Sound Transit’s Link light rail extension to Lynnwood opens in September 2024.

Behee — a lifelong Everett resident who previously led the agency’s planning and development department — brings deep knowledge of the agency’s service territory and customers’ needs, the agency said. Recent leadership accomplishments have included standing up new security and sustainability initiatives while providing executive leadership to the agency’s work to evaluate and procure contracted transit services.

“We have so many committed and amazing employees in Operations,” Behee said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with them and excited to help lead implementation of the transit system improvements we are bringing to Snohomish County.”

Cauley’s recent successes at Community Transit include leading the agency’s design and construction activities, planning efforts supporting the Community Transit Board’s adoption of Transit Changes in 2024 and Beyond service expansion that will get underway next year, and major improvements to long-range planning and data collection and reporting.

“I am honored to serve our agency leading the amazing planning and development team and to work alongside a talented and dedicated executive leadership team,” Cauley said. “Our work makes a difference in the quality of life for our community, and I am so happy to be a part of that work.”