“From the Mail Room to the Board Room” – Will County Metra Appointee has Deep Ties to Agency

Will County Executive appoints Brian Shanahan to Metra Board of Directors

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant has appointed local labor leader and lifelong Will County resident Brian Shanahan to serve on the Metra Board of Directors, bringing a wealth of railroad, transit, and economic development experience to the transit agency’s leadership team.

“Serving on the Metra Board of Directors is a tremendous honor and a culmination of a lifelong commitment to regional transit,” said Director Shanahan. “Transit is absolutely pivotal for both residents to have access to opportunities and for stable, long-term, good-paying career opportunities. My goal on the board will be to promote interconnectivity and create the level of transit access that Will County residents deserve.”

Shanahan currently serves as the Railroad Coordinator for the International Association of Machinists, where he has served in a variety of leadership roles since 2016. He has also served in a variety of public leadership roles over the years, including a member of the Will Kankakee Regional Development Authority, Illinois High-Speed Railway Commission, Chicago Access/Michigan East Program, and the Peoria to Chicago High-Speed Rail Passenger Project.

“Brian Shanahan’s direct experience in Metra and our regional rail network will make him an invaluable member of the Metra Board,” said County Executive Bertino-Tarrant. “Improving the regional transit system is a top priority for residents and our county’s economic development strategy. I appreciate Brian’s enthusiasm to grow ridership and create a transit system that works for residents.”

Shanahan started his career at Metra as a clerical employee in 2008, where he gained a deep familiarity with the agency and an understanding of how critical the workforce is to keep the transit system operating. His role included mailroom, janitorial, payroll, storehouse, and track tower duties, where he balanced working with staff at the front-end and back-end of operations.

“Working on the front-lines and within the union has been an eye-opening experience for understanding the inner-workings of Metra and perspective on how our transit system can meet the needs of the public,” added Shanahan. “We have a great challenge before us as we aim to improve and expand transit, but we are more than capable of getting it done if we break down barriers and work together. Residents want a regional system that provides connections and we need to make that happen.”

After years of serving in leadership roles with the Transportation Communications Union/IAM, Shanahan took an unpaid leave of absence to serve in a union leadership role in 2016. After serving in Assistant National Representative, National Representative, and National Vice President roles, he became Railroad Coordinator with the International Association of Machinists in March 2024. His union leadership roles have allowed him to gain further perspective on collective bargaining, agency finance, employee relations, and high-level advocacy for transit in Illinois.

Shanahan’s appointment was approved at the June meeting of the Will County Board. He began service on the Metra Board of Directors in July.