Ursula Barrera-Richards, J.D., NamedTARTA’s Chief Human Resources Officer
Ursula Barrera-Richards, J.D., NamedTARTA’s Chief Human Resources Officer
The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) is proud to announce the
addition of Ursula Barrera-Richards, J.D., as its new Chief Human Resources Officer.
Barrera-Richards has nearly two decades of experience in the public and non-profit
sectors and comes to TARTA from the Zepf Center, where she served as Chief Human
Resources and Compliance Officer. Prior to that, she oversaw human resources
operations and contract negotiations as the Human Resources and Labor Relations
Director for the Lucas County Auditor’s Office.
“We are so thrilled to welcome Ursula to TARTA, and her considerable expertise and
leadership skills will serve us well as we continue to grow this team,” said TARTA CEO
Laura Koprowski. “The improvements TARTA has made in recent years will mean
nothing if we fail to build on them to create a more efficient and dependable service
for the people who depend on it every day. Ursula’s tremendous skill set will help us
do just that.
“I am so impressed by Ursula’s history of strengthening human resources
relationships and cultures everywhere she has been. She is also very active in our
community, which makes her a perfect fit. We are proud to serve northwest Ohio, and
I cannot wait to see where we can take public transit in this region with team
members like Ursula leading the way.”
Barrera-Richards began her career as congressional aide to U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur
before working for the State of Ohio. As an aide to Sen. Teresa Fedor in the Ohio
legislature, she helped craft the message and build the network in support of SB 235,
which made human trafficking a stand-alone felony in the state.
“The tenets that drive public transit mirror my own, so it’s a privilege for me to join a
team of individuals dedicated to connecting people to the places that matter in their
lives,” said Barrera-Richards. “Economic development, social equity and
environmental factors are all deeply rooted in mobility and the ability of not just the
few, but everyone to reach important destinations.
“Having been in healthcare over the last decade, I am accustomed to workforce
challenges and have worked tirelessly to balance a positive agency culture with a
culture of accountability and transparency that is customer-focused. Our staff is
reflective of the greater Toledo Area and we are deeply invested in recruiting and
retaining mission-driven team members who care about our community. I appreciate
this opportunity to grow the ranks of an already exceptional team at TARTA.”
Barrera-Richards is a graduate of Bowsher High School, the University of Toledo, and
Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law. She studied at the Cornell Institute for
Public Affairs and served clerkships with the United Autoworkers International Union
in Detroit, the Ohio State Troopers Union in Columbus, and the Ohio Attorney
General’s Office.
As TARTA’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Barrera-Richards will captain the team
overseeing hiring and all other aspects of workforce management in the agency, in
addition to fostering a positive workplace culture. The strategies she develops will
help Team TARTA grow as it continues to put together the tools necessary to
maintain and expand on the system growth and customer-focused improvements of
the last three years.
