Board & Committees
The HRTPO is managed by a governing board of elected officials representing local jurisdictions. The Board is supported by three advisory committees and the two transportation disadvantaged boards in the region. Each fulfills an important role in the transportation planning process within Heartland Region. Public notifications are made for all regular and special business meetings of the board and committees. All meetings are conducted in an open public forum with an opportunity for public comment.
The HRTPO Board is a legislative body with the power to:
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Develop and adopt plans
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Recommend priorities for improvements to the transportation systems in the six-county region
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Program and administer federal and state planning grants
The Board receives recommendations from several advisory committees as it approves plans. These committees ensure the Board considers many points of view during the transportation
Governing Board
The HRTPO is managed by a governing board of elected officials who are ultimately responsible for implementing the transportation planning process in DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee Counties. Representation is based on the population of each county. All meetings are conducted in an open public forum with an opportunity for public comment.
2026 Board Chair
Don Elwell
Highlands County
2026 Board Vice Chair
Commissioner
Jerod Gross
DeSoto County
Commissioner
Arlene Tuck
Highlands County
Commissioner
Don Elwell
Highlands County
Council Member
Harrison Havery
City of Sebring
Commissioner
Kevin Roberts
Highlands County
Commissioner
Tim Wells
Hardee County
Commissioner
Terry Burroughs
Okeechobee County
Commissioner
Chris Campbell
Highlands County
Commissioner
Jerod Gross
DeSoto County
Council Member
James Barnard
City of Avon Park
Commissioner
Mitchell Wills
Hendry County
Commissioner
Scott Kirouac
Highlands County
District Secretary
Jamie Driggers, P.E..
FDOT
Citizens Advisory Committee
The Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) is made up of citizen representatives appointed by the HRTPO Board. This committee ensures the public has the opportunity to review and evaluate all proposed transportation plans and programs. This committee provides their opinions, concerns, and recommendations to the HRTPO Board on behalf of their communities.
Vacant
Representing
City of Sebring
Vacant
Representing
Glades County
Vacant
Representing
Hardee County
Ray Royce
Representing
Highlands County
Vacant
Representing
Okeechobee County
Vacant
Representing
DeSoto County
Vacant
Representing
Glades County
Dave Torbett
Representing
Hendry County
Elizabeth Silva
Representing
Highlands County
Leah Suarez
Representing
Okeechobee County
Vacant
Representing
DeSoto County
Donna Doubleday
Representing
Hardee County
Keitha Daniels
Representing
Hendry County
Michelle Gresham
Representing
Highlands County
Technical Advisory Committee
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is made up of technically qualified representatives of cities, counties, and agencies responsible for planning, maintaining, controlling, developing and improving the transportation system within the Heartland region.
Beth Carsten
City of Arcadia
Larry Tibbs
City of Moore Haven
John Osborne
DeSoto County
Shane Parker
Hendry County
Stef Matthes
Okeechobee County
Jennifer Codo-Salisbury
Central Florida Regional Planning Council
Jason Atkinson
City of Avon Park
Stephen Kramer
City of Sebring
Paul Carlisle
Glades County
Cyndie Kramer
Highlands County
Dana Riddell
Town of Lake Placid
Rebekah Harp
Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council
Travis Reese
City of Clewiston
Kyle Long
City of Wauchula
Christopher Simpron
Hardee County
Leah Sauls
Highlands County
Willie Hills
Representative of School Boards
Kim Barselou
City of LaBelle
Mike Giardullo
DeSoto County
Todd Miller
Hardee County
Justin Nelson
Okeechobee County
Andrew Bennet
Sebring Airport Authority
Transportation Disadvantaged
Local Coordinating
Boards
The HRTPO operates at the local level to provide staff to the Local Coordinating Boards, procures and recommends a Community Transportation Coordinator to the Commission, and coordinates and conducts transportation planning at the local level.
Local Coordinating Boards are comprised of elected officials, agency representatives, and users and advocates of the transportation disadvantaged coordinated system. Members identify local service needs, provide information, advice, and direction to the community transportation coordinator on the coordination of services to be provided through the Coordinated Transportation System, and serve as an advisory body to the Commission regarding a particular service area.
DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, & Okeechobee Counties
Commissioner
Don Elwell
Highlands County
Commissioner
Arlene Tuck
Highlands County
Donna Fain
Agency for Persons with Disabilities
Bill Stephenson
Citizen Advocate
Pa Houa Lee-Yang
Community Action Agency
Kathleen Border
Disabled Representative
Christina Martin
Division of Blind Services
Mark Bukowski
Public Education Community
Commissioner
Judy Schaefer
Desoto County
Commissioner
Frank DeCarlo
Okeechobee County
Ann Martin
CareerSource Board
Citizen Advocate User Representative
Joan Cecil
Department of Elder Affairs
Debbie Slade
Elderly Representative
Pam Crain
Medical Community Representative
Ingra Gardner
Veterans Services
Commissioner
Tim Wells
Hardee County
Michael Stahler
Agency for Health Care Admin.
Dara Palmieri
Children at Risk Representative
Felix Collazo
Comm. Transportation Coordinator
Richard Cavallaro
Dept. of Children and Families
Dale Hanson
FDOT Representative
Sandy Mansfield
Private Transportation Industry Rep.
Transportation Disadvantaged
Local Coordinating
Boards
The HRTPO operates at the local level to provide staff to the Local Coordinating Boards, procures and recommends a Community Transportation Coordinator to the Commission, and coordinates and conducts transportation planning at the local level.
Local Coordinating Boards are comprised of elected officials, agency representatives, and users and advocates of the transportation disadvantaged coordinated system. Members identify local service needs, provide information, advice, and direction to the community transportation coordinator on the coordination of services to be provided through the Coordinated Transportation System, and serve as an advisory body to the Commission regarding a particular service area.
Glades & Hendry Counties
Commissioner
Emma Byrd
Hendry County
Daphne Myers
Private Operator
Tressa Duncan
Public Education Community
LeighAnn Bellamy
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation or Division of Blind Services
Maricela Morado
Department of Elder Affairs
Pa Houa Lee-Yang
Community Action Agency
Edwin Melendez
Children at Risk Representative
Commissioner
Hattie Taylor
Glades County
Local Medical Community
Mary Bartoshuk
Elderly Representative
Lisa Sands
Disabled Representative
Aaron Stitt
Department of Children and Families
Vacant
Citizen Advocate Representative
Michael Stahler
Agency for Healthcare Administration
Marisa Shivers
Veterans Service Office
Carmen Henry
Regional CareerSource Board
Donna Fain
Agency for Persons with Disabilities
Dale Hanson
Department of Transportation
Timmi Finnerty
Community Transportation Coordinator
Vacant
Citizen Advocate User Representative