Happening Now
2026 Spring Council Business Meeting
Date
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Location
Open Gov Hub 1100 13th Street NW, Suite 800 Washington DC 20005
The 2026 Spring Council Business Meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 22nd from 8:00a to 4:00p. Lunch will be provided (attendees are responsible for their own breakfast).
Open Gov Hub
1100 13th Street NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
United States
AGENDA
8a Doors Open
8:00 – 9:00a Coffee, “Good Morning!” Council mixer.
9:00a Call to order and establishment of a Quorum.
9:05a Minutes of Rail Nation San Antonio Business Meeting (10/05/2025)
9:10a Association Chairwoman Meredith Richards’ Welcoming Remarks.
9:25a President and CEO Jim Mathews’ “State of the Association” Report.
10:10a End of Year Financial Report (Jim Mathews; Alex Bedenko)
10:30a Memorial to John DeLora, (founding member since 1973)
10:40a Public Board of Directors Meeting (1 hr)
11:45a LUNCH
1:00p Update on Fall 2025 Rail Nation in Toledo, OH (Stu Nicholson)
1:10p First Call for Proposals for Location of the Fall 2027 meeting. (Joe Aiello)
1:15p Report on Governance Reforms: Board and Council Actions on Bylaws (Anthony Lanzilotti and Chris Nadelbach)
1:30p Initiation of voting for Candidates At-large.
1:50p Officer and Board of Directors Candidates Address the Council
3:00p Amtrak Presentation
- Opening Remarks
- Elaine Clegg, Amtrak Board of Directors
- What we’re doing to improve customer experience
- James Keenan, Sr. Manager, Customer Service
- Major Projects Update
- Kyle Anderson, Director of Communications
- What’s coming for LD
- Azita Kaovasia, AVP Major Programs (LD Procurement)
- Peter Roberts, Long Distance Service Line
4:00p Suspension of Board Meeting until Adjournment at the end of Online Balloting at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, Monday, May 4.
"It is an honor to be recognized by the Rail Passengers Association for my efforts to strengthen and expand America’s passenger rail. Golden spikes were once used by railroads to mark the completion of important rail projects, so I am truly grateful to receive the Golden Spike Award as a way to mark the end of a career that I’ve spent fighting to invest in our country’s rail system. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it has been my priority to bolster funding for Amtrak, increase and expand routes, look to the future by supporting high-speed projects, and improve safety, culminating in $66 billion in new funding in the Bipartisan infrastructure Law."
Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
March 30, 2022, on receiving the Association's Golden Spike Award for his years of dedication and commitment to passenger rail.