2026 Summit Speaker Bios - Publish - Flipbook - Page 2
Alex Swogger – Senior Manager of Talent & Engagement at Central Ohio
Transit Authority (COTA)
Alex Swogger is the Senior Manager of Talent & Engagement at the Central
Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), where she leads strategic recruitment,
employee engagement, and organizational culture initiatives. Since
beginning her career in 2012, Alex has built a diverse background in logistics,
healthcare, human services, and public transit, bringing a people‑centered
approach to every environment she supports.
Alex is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in
sociology and holds multiple professional credentials, including HCI’s
Strategic Talent Acquisition and Strategic HR Leadership certiûcations. She
was honored with the Arthur P. Miller Culture Steward Award in 2015 for her
commitment to fostering positive workplace culture.
Known for her extroverted, collaborative style, Alex thrives on building relationships and creating
meaningful connections across teams. Outside of work, she’s a dedicated mom to two young children, an
early‑morning gym regular, and an active friend who keeps a large social circle close with monthly dinners.
She loves yoga, her dog, and her husband 4 in no particular order.
Alicia Walker – Chief Operating Officer at Central Ohio Transit Authority
(COTA)
Alicia Walker joined COTA as the Chief Operating Ofûcer in December
2025, bringing more than 20 years of leadership experience in public
transit,
multimodal
transportation,
and
large-scale
operational
management to the agency.
At COTA, Walker oversees all aspects of service operations and customer
care, including transportation and vehicle maintenance for COTA’s
ûxed-route, Mainstream, COTA//Plus, and future rapid transit initiatives. Her
insights, feedback, and guidance will provide the vision and strategy for
COTA’s executive leadership team to ensure safe, reliable, and accessible
mobility services for customers across Central Ohio.
Before joining COTA, Walker served as general manager and acting COO at
Trinity Metro in Fort Worth, Texas. There, she led all operations, including
bus, paratransit, on-demand and maintenance, while also playing a key role in labor relations and
modernization initiatives. Previous experiences include leadership roles at Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Los
Angeles Metro, and GTrans in Gardena, Calif. Walker is professionally afûliated with the American Public
Transportation Association, Women’s Transportation Seminar, Conference of Minority Transportation
Ofûcials and Latinos in Transit.
