JACKSONVILLE, FL. — October 11, 2023 – The JTA announced two new members of their Board of Directors, former JEA Diversity Program Manager Patricia Gillum Sams, and Temporary Assistance Guru CEO Megan Hayward.
Sams and Hayward were appointed by City of Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan at the beginning of her term as Mayor. The Mayor appoints three JTA Board members who are confirmed by the Jacksonville City Council.
“I am pleased to welcome Patricia Gillum Sams and Megan Hayward to the JTA Board of Directors,” said JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. “Both Patricia and Megan come to the Board with years of experience in their fields and will be invaluable additions. I am confident they will help move the JTA forward in continuing to provide mobility solutions in Northeast Florida.”
Patricia Gillum Sams
Sams managed projects and programs that promoted employee engagement, fostering a culture of inclusion and branding JEA as an employer of choice in the community. Sams retired from JEA in 2021.
Additionally, she is President & CEO of The Legacy Group L-A-M, LLC, a consulting firm dedicated to corporate and organizational Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Sams also serves as Founder/CEO of The Legacy League, Inc., a leadership development program designed to mentor and empower young professional women of color to positively impact their communities.
Sams has served on numerous boards and has held countless leadership roles in organizations such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Jack & Jill of America, Inc., and the Jacksonville Chapter of The Links, Inc. She was also in the Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2021 and earned her Bachelor of Science in Communications with an emphasis on Broadcast from Florida State University.
Megan Hayward
Hayward has extensive experience in the temporary staffing industry, launching her own staffing agency at the age of 24, which focused on assisting local organizations fill employment vacancies. Hayward has also held other leadership roles at staffing agencies across the country.
Additionally, she is part of the ownership group for the Jacksonville Iceman, the Community First Igloo, the Savannah Ghost Pirates, and the Allen Americans. Megan also serves as a board member with the Women’s Resource Center of Jacksonville and the DuBlasé Foundation.
Megan earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication from the University of North Florida.
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About the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is an independent state agency serving Jacksonville, Florida and Northeast Florida with multi-modal responsibilities. The JTA provides varied mass public transit services, and is a builder of roads, bridges and other infrastructure to enhance mobility in Jacksonville. Public transportation services include BRT and regular bus service, paratransit, the St. Johns River Ferry, Skyway APM, and other mobility and on-demand services in Duval, Clay, Baker, Nassau and St. Johns counties. To learn more, visit www.jtafla.com.
About the JTA Board of Directors
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority's governing body is comprised of seven members. Three members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate, three members are appointed by Jacksonville's Mayor and confirmed by the City Council, and the seventh member is the District Two Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Members serve a four-year term with the exception of the FDOT Secretary who serves the length of his/her employment in that position and can be re-appointed for an additional four years. The board members of the JTA are not entitled to compensation but are reimbursed for travel and other expenses actually incurred in their duties as provided by law.
Current Board Members:
- Chair Debbie Buckland
- Vice Chair Ray Driver, Jr.
- Secretary Patricia Gillum Sams
- Treasurer Aundra Wallace
- Immediate Past Chair Ari Jolly
- Megan Hayward
- Greg Evans, P.E. (ex officio board member and FDOT District Two Secretary)