Becca Nagorsky has long had a passion for public transit. It started while earning a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from New York University. Then, after moving to Jerusalem, while working on the detailed design and implementation of the city’s first light rail transit project. Now, the 37-year-old director’s focus is planning and building new transit for the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA) with Metrolinx.

Nagorsky has already left her mark on a number of Metrolinx’s priority projects, from the Union Station Revitalization, to planning new subway and light rail transit (LRT) lines. She’s also been involved in evaluating new regional rail projects and large-scale project prioritization work. Throughout, Nagorsky has been committed to elevating the level of planning analysis at Metrolinx.

“I love helping to make sure that Metrolinx is doing really smart and incisive analysis and evaluation of projects,” said Nagorsky. “We are advancing the best possible transit for the region.”

Of all the Metrolinx projects she has worked on, Nagorsky is proudest of leading the team that analyzed potential new rail stations, integrating the City of Toronto’s SmartTrack proposal with GO Expansion.

“It was important to understand different options for integrating SmartTrack and GO, beyond just the question of whether a particular new station adds value, to evaluating whether this package of improvements, including multiple new stations make sense,” said Nagorsky.

The analysis she and her team did on the new stations was comprehensive, innovative, and commanded the respect and confidence of her peers. It’s been recognized across the rail and transportation planning industries as the highest standard of modern transportation analysis as well.

Having made such an impact, Nagorsky was recently chosen by Progressive Railroading to be a “Rising Star” of 2018, an award that recognizes individuals under the age of 40 who are up-and-coming leaders in the rail industry.

“Becca raises the bar for others, leading through her creativity, constant dedication to excellence and powerful vision for transportation,” Leslie Woo, the chief planning officer for Metrolinx, said. “This premier global recognition is most deserving.”

With GO Expansion now underway, including 8 new stations in the City of Toronto, there is a direct connection between the work of her team and infrastructure that will improve the quality of life for millions of Torontonians for generations to come.