Women Make History During Transit Board Meeting

Foothill Transit’s Executive Board June meeting was one for the history books.

For the first time in the agency's 24-year history, the five members of the Foothill Transit's Executive Board were all women, transit officials said.

Sitting on the dais on June 29 were Diamond Bar Councilwoman Carol Herrera, Pasadena Councilwoman Margaret McAustin, Pomona Councilwoman Paula Lantz, Board Chair Patricia Wallach and Covina Councilwoman Peggy Delach.

Though it is only a temporary roster, the moment was noted for the minutes and was the talk of the night, officials said. Delach was sitting in for Glendora Councilman Doug Tessitor as an alternate at the June meeting.

“I'm honored just to be able to sit on this board with these other ladies,” said Delach, who has served previous terms as the Executive Board Chair and Vice Chair.  “Goes to show what we can all do together.  I'm just thrilled to have been here.”

"I am so happy to be the first presenter today," said speaker LaShawn Gillespie, herself a trailblazer as the first woman at Foothill Transit to serve as Director of Planning.  "Congratulations and thank you."

“I just want to thank all those women who went before us,” Lantz said.  “Laying the foundation and mentoring us so that we could be here in this capacity.  In my own city, the City of Pomona, women are a four to three majority.  This is a great day and we really have come a long way, baby.”

McAustin, who is serving as the first Pasadena representative on the agency’s Executive Board, pointed out their meeting was taking place on the 40th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark education amendment that states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

“I think a lot of women directly benefited from Title IX,” said McAustin.  “And it paved the way for women to hold positions of leadership.”

Executive Board Chair Patricia Wallach presided over the meeting accepted repeated congratulations.

“I felt energized,” Wallach said.  “If you look at the makeup of the board and women on this board and the positions that they hold, I think it's just wonderful to see where women have gone and where we're going.”