NOACA Announces New Executive Director Cleveland—After a nationwide search, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) has selected a new executive director to succeed the retiring Howard R. Maier. Grace Gallucci will begin serving as the agency’s executive director starting July 1, 2012. Gallucci returns to Ohio after serving for the past five years as senior deputy executive director of finance and performance management, and as deputy executive director of research, analysis and policy development for the Chicago Regional Transportation Authority. She previously held leadership positions with the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA), eventually serving as Office of Management and Budget executive director before leaving for Chicago in 2007. "With her experience in finance, strategic planning, and fiscal analysis at the Chicago and Cleveland transit authorities, Grace Gallucci should transition nicely into the leadership role at NOACA," says Howard R. Maier. "As a former resident and director in northeast Ohio, she knows our regional partners and transportation systems, and understands our economic climate and the planning work of NOACA. She brings expertise in accounting and finance, long-range planning and managing people—skills that have been fine-tuned through experience. I know that Grace will capably handle the responsibilities and challenges of the planning environment we face at NOACA." Gallucci has served on the boards of numerous transit associations and planning organizations. She has also received several awards, including the Distinguished Alumni Award from CSU’s Levin College and the “40 under 40” award from Crain’s Cleveland Business. She has a master’s degree in urban studies from Cleveland State University and a master’s in public administration from the University of Dayton. She taught graduate level courses in public finance and economics, and budgeting and policy analysis at CSU’s Levin College of Urban Affairs while working in Cleveland. She also taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "Northeast Ohio is a wonderful region. It is very exciting to be a part of the growth and revitalization of one of America’s truly great cities. I look forward to returning and applying my skills and experience to build upon the outstanding work of Howard Maier and the NOACA Board. I am eager to serve in the capacity of executive director, but more importantly, I am eager to serve my community" says Gallucci. Ed Jerse, NOACA Governing Board president, said, "I’d like to thank Howard Maier for his 23 years of excellent service to NOACA. We look forward to a new era for NOACA with Grace Gallucci. She comes to us with impressive credentials and extensive experience in the Cleveland area. We are confident she will be a strong leader for the agency." For more information, call NOACA at 216-241-2414.