Executive Staff
In 2017 Joi Taylor Dean was named CEO of the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The executive staff manages all necessary functions of the Authority including but not limited to; engineering, finance, human resources, auditing, procurement, toll collection (manual and electronic) and maintenance.
Joi Taylor Dean
Chief Executive Officer
Joi Taylor Dean
Chief Executive Officer
Joi Taylor Dean currently serves as the CEO for the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“RMTA”), a regional transportation authority that operates and maintains critical transportation infrastructure in the Richmond Metropolitan area. As CEO, Ms. Dean is responsible for developing and directing the Authority’s long-range planning and development activities, including financial management systems, legislation, planning and design work, and construction activities. She also leads the organization’s regional partnerships with the regional local governments, civic and special interest groups.
Prior to her current position, Ms. Dean served as the RMTA’s Chief of Staff where she worked closely with the CEO providing input and was responsible for all facets of the Authority including developing policy related to RMTA operations, managing RMTA public relations, tracking and monitoring state and federal legislation, and conferring with RMTA legal counsel as necessary on a range of issues.
Ms. Dean’s other career highlights include:
Founder and President of the Dean Strategy Group, a company that provided management and consulting services in the areas of political consulting, strategic communications, business development, government affairs, grass roots advocacy, and coalition building. Ms. Dean used her diverse background with linkages to government, the political arena, the legal community, and the nonprofit world to develop and manage relationships and achieve results for her clients.
A decade of experience in the legal and political arena where she served as a Special Assistant to New Jersey Attorney General, Peter Harvey, and worked as a liaison between the Attorney General and federal, state and local elected officials as well as religious organizations and community based organizations.
Additionally, Ms. Dean served as a Legal Specialist in the Consumer Fraud Prosecution, Antitrust, and Affirmative Litigation sections of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office Division of Law where she worked on cases to protect the finances of the citizens of New Jersey by helping to identify and prosecute consumer and mortgage fraud and preventing business monopolies.
An active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first sorority founded for African American women, Ms. Dean has served as the Business Manager for the North Atlantic Region, as a member of the North Atlantic Standards Evaluation Team and as the New Jersey State Coordinator for AKA Connection.
Ms. Dean holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Political Science from Hampton University and a Juris Doctor from William and Mary Law School.
Shannon N. Marshall
Chief of Staff
Shannon N. Marshall
Chief of Staff
Shannon N. Marshall serves as chief of staff for the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority with input and responsibility for all facets of the organization. She prioritizes strategic initiatives, leads cross-functional projects, and facilitates collaboration across teams to achieve organizational goals.
Before joining RMTA, Ms. Marshall served as partner and chief of staff for the Government Communications line of business at ICF Next. In this dual role, she provided strategic guidance to federal agency clients and operational oversight to internal teams. She played a critical role in aligning executive leadership priorities, advancing enterprise communications strategies, and driving organizational effectiveness across a complex matrixed environment.
Ms. Marshall’s commitment to public service and passion for transportation is rooted in her tenure at the Virginia Department of Transportation, where she provided leadership as the director of communications. At VDOT, she served as a trusted advisor, led an award-winning in-house communications team, and directed high-profile outreach efforts on major infrastructure projects – all while reinforcing public trust in one of the Commonwealth’s most visible agencies.
Ms. Marshall holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and a Master of Science degree in Strategic Public Relations from Virginia Commonwealth University and is Accredited in Public Relations, reflecting her dedication to professional ethics and lifelong learning.
Paula Watson
Procurement/Internal Audit Manager
Paula Watson
Procurement/Internal Audit Manager
Paula Watson joined the RMTA in February 1995 as the Internal Auditor. Her position evolved to include Procurement Management in 2015. Ms. Watson is responsible for internal audits, communications with customers, management of procurements and contracts, and various other duties for the Authority.
Ms. Watson received a B.A. in Business Administration with a minor in Finance from Virginia Commonwealth University and is a Certified Contracting Associate with the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Capital Area Purchasing Association, and the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association where she serves on the Lost Revenue Task Force. She brings 30+ years of audit and tolling experience to the RMTA.
Sheryl B. Johnson
Director of Human Resources
Sheryl B. Johnson
Director of Human Resources
Sheryl B. Johnson joined the RMTA in February 2001 as human resources manager. She transitioned to director of human resources in July 2014. Johnson is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all human resources activities of the Authority, including policy and program development, recruitment, performance management, employee relations, compensation, and benefits management.
Ms. Johnson received a B.A. in Foreign Language (Interdisciplinary Major Program) from the University of Virginia, and holds the Professional in Human Resources designation (PHR). Johnson is a member of the National Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR). Ms. Johnson brings 20+ years of professional human resources experience to the RMTA.
Fahad Khan
Director of Operations
Fahad Khan
Director of Operations
Fahad Khan, P.Eng., serves as the Chief Engineer at the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority (RMTA), where he is responsible for the planning, design, maintenance, and operational oversight of the Authority’s transportation infrastructure. In this role, Mr. Khan leads RMTA’s efforts to modernize its tolling system and transportation assets, ensuring that the Authority remains aligned with evolving technologies and operational best practices. His work supports RMTA’s long-term strategic goals and emphasizes resilience, innovation, and operational excellence across all engineering portfolios.
Prior to joining RMTA, Mr. Khan held senior engineering and policy leadership roles across multiple jurisdictions in both the United States and Canada. He brings over a decade of experience at the intersection of transportation engineering, public policy, and emerging mobility technologies.
Most recently, Mr. Khan served as the Program Manager for Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV) at the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), where he led the development of Virginia’s CAV Strategic Plan. He was responsible for advancing statewide readiness for automated vehicles, managing infrastructure upgrade projects along major corridors and guiding trials of new transportation technology with various research partners. His work included shaping legislative frameworks in coordination with the Governor’s Office.
Before his tenure at VDOT, Mr. Khan played a pivotal role in advancing next-generation mobility systems in Ontario, Canada. As a Senior Project Engineer with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, he led several major Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) deployments. Including cross-border coordination with U.S. agencies on advanced traveler information systems, and deployment of 5G-connected vehicle networks on North America’s busiest highways: Highway 401.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Khan led the City of Toronto’s Automated Vehicles Program, where he helped create North America’s first municipal AV Tactical Plan and led Ontario’s first mixed-traffic automated transit shuttle trial. He also helped establish Toronto’s first Transportation Innovation Zone and partnered with the University of Toronto to launch the Centre for Automated and Transformative Transportation Systems.
Mr. Khan holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Master of Engineering in Engineering and Public Policy from McMaster University.
Steve Owen
Director of Finance
Steve Owen
Director of Finance
Steven joined RMTA in February 2023 as the Director of Finance. Steven is responsible for planning, organizing and directing all of the accounting and finance related activities of the Authority. This includes annual budget preparation, preparing the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, annual financial audit and monthly financial reporting.
Mr. Owen received a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice from Elmira College, an A.A.S. degree in Accounting from Middlesex County College and attended Virginia Commonwealth University taking additional accounting coursework. Mr. Owen is a certified public accountant (CPA). Mr. Owen brings 25+ years of accounting and finance experience to the RMTA.
Committee