COTA’s Board of Trustees Elects New Leadership, Welcomes Four New Members to the Board
The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) Board of Trustees unanimously elected two new leaders and welcomed four new members during the board’s annual meeting on May 21. Trustees elected Sean Mentel as chair and Trudy Bartley as vice chair. Jay Deis, Mallory Donaldson, Stephen Sayre, and Matt Starr have also been sworn in to COTA’s 13-member board.
Mentel is a partner at Kooperman, Mentel, Crossley, Yaross, Ltd. Mentel was appointed to COTA’s board in 2021 before being elected vice chair in 2023. A native of Columbus, he continues a lifelong commitment to public service. He serves as chairman of the board for the Aquinas Scholarship Endowment Fund and is a member of the appointed board of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
“The opportunity to serve as Chair of COTA’s Board of Trustees is both an honor and a tremendous responsibility,” said Mentel. “I’m proud to work alongside such a committed and visionary board as we advance COTA’s mission and modernize our region’s transit system. With initiatives like LinkUS, we are building a more connected future for all Central Ohioans, one that meets the evolving needs of every resident and every community.”
Bartley, a native of Columbus, is an Assistant Vice President of Government Affairs for The Ohio State University. She was first appointed to COTA’s board in 2014 and served as chair from 2018 to 2020. In 2019, she was honored among Women Who Move the Nation by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials. Bartley has also served on boards for The United Way of Central Ohio, ADAMH, The Neighborhood Design Center, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Economic Development Institute, and Gateway Film Center.
“It’s an honor to continue serving a community and an organization that mean so much to me,” said Bartley. “As Vice Chair, I’m proud to stand with a dynamic team of leaders who share a bold vision for expanding equitable, inclusive, and accessible mobility across Central Ohio. Together, we’re advancing COTA’s mission and shaping a future where every resident has the opportunity to thrive.”
COTA President/CEO Monica Téllez-Fowler welcomed the new leadership and new trustees during the May Board of Trustees meeting.
“I’m deeply grateful for the dedication and vision of our new board leadership, who will be instrumental as we continue to transform public transportation across Central Ohio,” said Monica Téllez-Fowler, COTA President/CEO. “We also warmly welcome our newest board members, whose diverse expertise — from business and development to nonprofits and public service — reflects the dynamic partnerships that power COTA’s progress. Together, we are committed to building an inclusive, connected, and forward-thinking transit system for our region.”
Jay Deis
Deis is the president of Hilliard-based Forsee Power North America. Before joining Forsee Power, Deis was the president of Eissmann Group Automotive North America. He served nine years as a noncommissioned Ohio Army National Guard officer. Deis earned an MBA from the University of Toledo and a BS in business from Wright State University.
Mallory Donaldson
Donaldson is the chief program officer of advocacy, public policy and influence at The Center for Healthy Families. Her commitment to service extends to her role as executive director of operations for the Archie and Bonita Griffin Foundation Fund, the board of directors for YWCA USA, and the Resource Development Committee for CelebrateOne. She also formerly served as COTA’s community relations manager and holds a Bachelor of Arts in international studies in education from The Ohio State University.
Stephen Sayre
Sayre serves as deputy chief of staff for Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther’s office. He has served in Mayor Ginther’s office since 2016. Sayre serves on the board of the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio, the Columbus Region Green Fund and MORPC. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from The Ohio State University.
Matt Starr
Starr is executive vice president of commercial real estate and leasing at Crawford Hoying. He has previously worked as the director of real estate equities at Nationwide Realty Investors. His commitment to service includes serving as the district council chair at ULI Columbus. Starr earned an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and a BBA in finance from Saginaw Valley State University.
