Staff Directory

Meet our Team:

  • Megan Owens, Executive Director
  • Deb Freer, Assistant Director
  • Joel Batterman, Campaigns Manager
  • Za’Nyia Kelly, Engagement Manager
  • Petra Mihalko, Design Specialist (part-time)
  • Lukas Lasecki, Engagement Specialist (part-time)
  • Theresa De Benedetti, Communications Intern (part-time)

Megan Owens, Executive Director

Megan on Channel 7's Flashpoint program
  • Plans, manages, guides, and oversees all TRU’s work.
  • Transit expert frequently quoted in area media and on conference panels.
  • Served on Advisory Councils for the RTA, SEMCOG, Oakland County Transit, and M-1 Rail.
  • 25 years experience in progressive advocacy, including with the Public Interest Research Groups.
  • Training from University of Michigan and Leadership Detroit.

Deborah Freer, Assistant Director

  • Leads TRU’s event planning, membership engagement, and fundraising.
  • Project Manager for the Michigan Towards Equitable Electric Mobility cohort.
  • Community Outreach Coordinator for the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority for several years.
  • Degree in Urban Planning from Eastern Michigan University.

Joel Batterman, Campaigns Manager

  • Manages TRU’s volunteer team and activism.
  • Leads TRU’s Detroit bus advocacy and Transportation Civic Academy.
  • Previously led Motor City Freedom Riders and Transit Riders of the United States Together (TRUST), a national network of transit advocates
  • PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Michigan

Za’Nyia Kelly, Engagement Manager

Za'Nyia on a bus, looking at the camera
  • Advancing the understanding of transit within the Detroit Region and the mobility needs of residents.
  • Native Detroiter with 17 years of experience in climate and environmental advocacy as well as racial justice activism.
  • Dedicated to advocating for the improved health and well-being of underserved communities both locally and globally.

Petra Mihalko, Design Specialist (part-time)

  • Designs TRU reports, fact sheets, outreach materials, and most graphical assets.
  • Resident of Ann Arbor from Downriver.
  • Former Intern for the City of Detroit and U-M Bus Driver.
  • Studying Urban Technology and German at the University of Michigan.

Lukas Lasecki, Engagement Specialist (part-time)

  • Organizes & supports TRU’s volunteer efforts.
  • Daily SMART bus rider from Farmington.
  • Avid public transit enthusiast and local bus expert.
  • Studying Political Science at Oakland Community College.

Theresa De Benedetti, Communications Intern (part-time)

Theresa looking at the camera.
  • Student journalist at Wayne State University.
  • Studying journalism with a concentration in print and online media with a minor in graphic design at Wayne State University.
  • Former breaking news reporter and news editor for The South End.