An Inspiring Profession: How Colston’s Transportation Career Honors Rosa Parks

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Rosa Parks needs no introduction. Her fearless, valiant actions redefined American society and echoed out throughout the world. WTS-LA honors her extraordinary fortitude each year with the WTS-LA Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award, recognizing a woman who demonstrates outstanding strength of character, selflessness, and dedication to leveling the playing field. And this year, WTS-LA recognizes Metro Strategic and Organizational Planning Senior Director Marion Jane Colston, a woman who embodies the courage and the resilience of Rosa Parks—and has for more than 30+ years in transportation.

Today, as Metro’s Strategic & Organizational Planning Senior Director, she leads a team of talented and dedicated professionals who populate Metro with the most talented and qualified diverse candidates. But she also does quite a lot more. For example, Colston oversees several vital Metro programs like the Transportation Gateway Program, an innovative blueprint that introduces young people to careers in transportation. She also leads the Next Generation Workforce Development Program, where she works with internal and external stakeholders to build a diverse, inclusive culture through summer high school internships, college internships, and entry-level training opportunities for college graduates. But that’s not all.

Colston directs and recruits for Metro’s Entry Level Trainee Program (ELTP). The ELTP establishes a pipeline for recent college graduates to gain entry-level work experience. It also exposes them to real assignments, projects, and technical skills related to their degree programs. That would be more than enough for most. But it’s not enough for Colston. In addition, she also oversees Metro’s Transportation Career Academy Program, (TCAP), which is celebrating 25 years of offering internships to 11th and 12th grade high school students. The TCAP program provides Los Angeles County high school juniors and seniors with a paid, 7-week summer internship, often their first job. And participants usually return for a second year, gaining invaluable paid experience and exposure that prepares them profoundly for the college application process as well as real world work. These programs are vital, profoundly valuable, and life changing. And it’s easy to see a common theme running through them all. Colston believes devoutly in not only creating an equitable, fair work environment, but she also acts decisively to ensure that diverse groups of young people have unimpeded access to those work environments. She breaks down barriers and makes young people aware of what’s possible for them in transportation. But that’s only part of her story.

Colston joined Metro in 1995. And she’s served in various leadership roles in her tenure there. Before joining Metro, she served as the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Chief Officer of Quality Assurance, Subway-Elevated. In fact, she entered the transportation industry with SEPTA, beginning as a Transportation Management Trainee. Advancing quickly—she received three promotions in seven years. Prior to joining SEPTA and LA Metro, Colston held the following positions: social worker, high school teacher, college academic counselor, contract liaison for PA Dept. of Aging, and now as an experienced, respected, and valued transportation professional. However, no matter where she worked or what she did, one thing never changed about her or her work. She always championed equality and access, particularly for youth and emerging professionals.

Outside of work, the story is very much the same. Colston devotes significant time to numerous organizations and associations, including WTS-LA, where she has presented at several WTS-LA college outreach programs. Metro also named her one of its FY20 Service Excellence Awardees for Teamwork. She’s a graduate and current member of the 2019 African American Board Leadership Institute Program. And she sits on three Transportation Research Board Subcommittees. She also previously served as president of the Southern California Regional Chapter of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials. And that is most certainly a short list of her volunteer efforts. But to those who know her, this is not surprising in the least.

Marion Jane Colston has built a powerful legacy of professional advancement that is fundamentally tied to promoting and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion. For this reason and many more, WTS-LA proudly names her the 2021 WTS-LA Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award winner.