Board of Directors
We’re looking for dedicated community members to join our Board of Directors
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Board of Directors’ Collective Responsibilities
Meet Member Needs
SFTR exists to fulfill a mission. Every board decision should be guided by how its actions will help better achieve its mission and have a greater impact.
Establish policies and organizational goals
Support the Executive Director to lead the organization, achieve its goals and fulfill its mission.
Support Staff
Support the staff with expertise and skills when they are sought. Board members’ expertise and knowledge provide the organization with valuable support.
Strategic Development
Acting as a team, board members adopt strategies that guide the future direction of the organization and monitor implementation of those plans.
Political Positions
Where appropriate, the board will vote on what major stances the organization will take.
Donations Management
Ensure that the organization has adequate financial resources and that funds are responsibly spent.
Work Alongside Our Current Board
REANNA TONG, Chair
THEA SELBY, Co-Vice Chair
Thea Selby (she/her) has developed an expertise in and philosophy of “people-centered outreach” as chair and co-chair of the largest transit advocacy organization in the Bay Area, San Francisco Transit Riders. Co-founder of regional coalition Voices for Public Transportation, Thea has been working closely with CBOs and organized labor across nine counties in pursuit of a transformational, equity-infused transportation measure now slated for 2024. Thea is co-founder and principal at Next Steps Marketing, where she combines her expertise in communications and logistics, deep relationships with people in government and transportation, and passion for infrastructure to help make things work better for people.
In addition to Thea’s communications, outreach and engagement work with clients like MTC, BART, SFCTA, and Alameda CTC, she has governed large infrastructure projects as CA High Speed Rail Authority Board member, overseeing the Fresno-Bakersfield EIR/EIS process, and as CCSF Trustee, oversees their $845M multi-campus bond projects. Thea’s combined professional and community work allow her to see issues and challenges from agency, advocacy and public viewpoints.
STEVE PEPPLE, Co-Vice Chair
Steve Pepple (he/they) is a long-time advocate for equitable, livable, sustainable cities, especially fostering creative ways to engage people in inclusive, participatory methods of envisioning better cities and communities.
Steve is the co-founder of Vibemap and a designer and technologist working at the intersection of people, data, and civic life. He consults for governments, startups, and nonprofits to design, prototype, and connect people with better city experiences.
His writing and portfolio are at stevepepple.info
PETER STRAUS, Secretary
Peter Straus had a long career at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, primarily as Manager of Service Planning, retiring in 2009. At SFMTA he worked extensively with community organizations and residents, helping guide SFMTA and its predecessors through two rounds of service restructuring that significantly increased crosstown service, expansion of the electric trolley coach network, the opening of the Market Street subway, and the planning and development of the F-Market Street streetcar, the T-Third rail line, the Central Subway, and the Van Ness BRT projects, among numerous other endeavors.
After leaving SFMTA, he has been mostly involved in efforts to secure adequate funding for transit in San Francisco, and worked with Dave Snyder when he founded San Francisco Transit Riders; he has served on its Board ever since. He co-founded what became the San Francisco Transit Justice Coalition that supported numerous ballot campaigns, and whose efforts led SFMTA to establish its Transit Equity Strategy. He also co-founded Voices for Public Transportation, a coalition that is now 50-organizations strong and is committed to securing a regional transit funding measure based on progressive revenue sources for the 2024 ballot.
Peter grew up in New York City, largely on the New York subway. He has lived (and raised a family) in the Duboce Triangle/Lower Haight area of San Francisco, coming west after receiving his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1971. He is also an avid Giants fan, and founded San Francisco Little League’s Challenger program for kids with disabilities.
MIKE ARTUKOVICH, Treasurer
Mike (he/him) grew up in Los Angeles County when your transit options were either a car or a long ride in traffic on the Metro bus network. Rail in LA was a dream at that time. It wasn’t until he moved to the Bay Area almost three decades ago that he discovered the magic of truly effective public transit. As a result, Mike believes the value of public transit should never be underestimated. This has driven him to be an advocate for equitable transit access along with increased transit availability, affordability, efficiency, and safety in San Francisco and across the Bay.
Mike brings over 20 years of finance and accounting experience to the organization. He’s dedicated the last half dozen years of his career to the world of non-profits and cherishes his role as the Treasure for San Francisco Transit Riders. He also serves as the Finance and Operations Manager with the Value Reporting Foundation. Mike holds a Bachelor of Science from Santa Clara University, where he was very thankful for Caltrain and VTA service.
DOMINIQUE MONIÉ, Director
Dominique Monié (she/her) moved to San Francisco in early 2017 and immediately fell in love with public transit and never needing to drive (bonus that it’s better for the planet too!) She has a family member who relies on public transit to get around due to a disability and understands the critical role equitable public transit plays in giving people access to opportunity. In pre-pandemic times, Dominique was a regular N Judah rider, except when the 7X could get her to work faster.
Dominique manages the team of Technical Program Managers supporting LinkedIn Talent Solutions. She is also the San Francisco office lead for the employee green team, a group of employees interested in environmental sustainability. She has always been passionate about conservation, the environment and sustainability and has a Master’s of Environmental Science and Management from UC Santa Barbara.
SERENA WALES, Director
Serena Wales is a lifelong transit rider, and having lived in cities across the world, has seen how convenient, affordable, and sustainable transit enables great, inclusive cities. In their day job, Serena is a civic technologist with a focus on tools that enable communication. They are currently a senior engineering manager at Twilio.
Previously, they were a cofounder and CTO of Textizen, a platform for connecting public institutions with the people they serve, and a fellow at Code for America, where they worked with the city of New Orleans to help provide residents with accurate and up-to-date information about their neighborhoods. Serena graduated from Wellesley College with degrees in Media Arts & Sciences and History.
NATASHA OPFELL, Director
Dominique manages the team of Technical Program Managers supporting LinkedIn Talent Solutions. She is also the San Francisco office lead for the employee green team, a group of employees interested in environmental sustainability. She has always been passionate about conservation, the environment and sustainability and has a Master’s of Environmental Science and Management from UC Santa Barbara.
MARK SAWCHUK, Director
Mark (he/him) has been a transit nerd since 1998, when he moved from automobile-dependent Los Angeles to the transit-rich city of Paris for a year-long study abroad program and fell in love with the freedom and environmental benefits offered by a robust public transportation system. Since moving to the Bay Area in 2004, he has been an enthusiastic transit rider and advocate. Mark became a member of San Francisco Transit Riders in 2018; has been a member of the Transit Planning Working Group since its inception in 2023; and became Co-Chair of the Planning Working Group in 2024. He has also served as a member of the Muni Capacity Study Working Group since 2023.
Mark trained as a historian and his worked with nonprofits in various capacities for most of his career. He received his Ph.D. in history at the University of California at Berkeley in 2011, and taught there as a lecturer for five years. You will frequently find him riding the 24-Divisadero, 48-Quintara/24th Street, and J-Church, as well as BART, Caltrain, and ferries.
For questions about our Board of Directors, contact executiveboard@sftransitriders.org
Contact us
San Francisco Transit Riders
P.O. Box 193341, San Francisco, CA 94119
© 2018 San Francisco Transit Riders, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit
Tax ID 47-4568771