ACES Mobility Coalition Selects Joshua Schank as New Executive Director

Veteran transportation innovator to lead coalition as it pushes nationwide expansion of shared autonomous mobility.

WASHINGTON, DC – February 11, 2026 — The ACES Mobility Coalition today announced the appointment of Joshua Schank, Ph.D., as its new Executive Director, and will lead the coalition as it accelerates efforts to increase the deployment of shared autonomous mobility solutions across the United States.

Schank was selected unanimously by the ACES Board of Directors following a national search. He brings nearly three decades of leadership in public transportation, policy, innovation, and technology. The Board cited his proven ability to translate bold vision into real-world outcomes and declared its confidence that Schank will advance the Coalition’s mission through effective collaboration, policy leadership, and execution.

“Joshua brings a rare combination of strategic thinking, deep policy expertise, and hands-on experience delivering transportation initiatives,” said Greer Johnson Gillis, Senior Vice President and Chief Infrastructure & Development Officer, Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) and President of the ACES Mobility Coalition’s Board of Directors. “The Board selected him because we are confident in his ability to build consensus, advance policy, and help communities move pilots to permanent, scalable shared autonomous mobility solutions.”

Schank serves as a Partner at InfraStrategies LLC, where he leads a practice focused on innovation, strategic planning, and technology. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Transportation Studies at UCLA and a Research Associate at the Mineta Transportation Institute. He will retain all these positions as he takes on new duties as the ACES Mobility Coalition Executive Director.

Prior to joining InfraStrategies, Schank was the first-ever Chief Innovation Officer at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), where he founded and led the Office of Extraordinary Innovation. In that role, he helped shape Metro’s long-term strategic vision and spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives including the Vision 2028 Strategic Plan, Metro Micro, Mobility on Demand, Metro’s Traffic Reduction Study, Better Bus, major public-private partnerships, and innovative first- and last-mile solutions designed to improve mobility, equity, and environmental outcomes across one of the nation’s largest transit systems.

Earlier in his career, Schank served as President and CEO of the Eno Center for Transportation, a leading Washington, DC transportation think-tank, where he elevated the organization’s national profile and strengthened its role as a trusted, bipartisan source of transportation policy research and leadership development. He also led transportation research at the Bipartisan Policy Center and served as Transportation Policy Advisor to Senator Hillary Clinton during the authorization of SAFETEA-LU, contributing directly to landmark federal transportation policy. Schank holds a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from Columbia University and a Master of City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“ACES represents the future of transportation and a tremendous potential opportunity for public transit riders and agencies,” said Schank. “I’m honored by the Board’s confidence and excited to work with the Coalition’s members to help make shared autonomous mobility a permanent, and integrated part of public transportation solutions that improve access, safety, sustainability, and quality of life.”

As Executive Director, Schank will lead ACES’ strategic direction, policy engagement, and member collaboration, with a focus on scaling shared autonomous mobility as a core component of public transportation systems nationwide. His leadership comes at a critical moment as cities and regions look to transition successful pilots into permanent services that solve first- and last-mile challenges and expand equitable transportation access for all.

Schank succeeds Scott Belcher, President & CEO of SFB Consulting, LLC, who cofounded the ACES Mobility Coalition and played a central role in shaping its mission and trajectory. The Coalition emerged after years of conversations Belcher held across the autonomous transit ecosystem, bringing together public agencies, technology providers, and policy leaders around a shared vision for advancing shared autonomous mobility.

ACES Mobility Coalition Board President Greer Johnson Gillis honored Belcher’s role saying, “Scott’s efforts laid a strong foundation for the Coalition’s long-term impact and ensured that our organization will stand as a lasting legacy of his commitment to advancing innovative transportation solutions.”

• Click here for a headshot of Joshua Schank.

About the ACES Mobility Coalition

The ACES Mobility Coalition is a public sector-led alliance of government agencies, private companies, and academic organizations working to advance shared autonomous mobility. Through collaboration, policy development, and advocacy, ACES supports the deployment of technologies and systems that improve mobility, safety, sustainability, and access for all.

For additional information, visit www.acesmobility.org.