NARP Names Carolyn Stagger Cokley New Customer Advisory Committee Director

For Immediate Release (#16-18)

Contact: Robert Brady – (202) 680-4951

Cokley to Establish and Build Connections between Rail Agencies across America

Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) named Carolyn Stagger Cokley as the new Customer Advisory Committee Director for the organization. In the role, she will oversee the operations of the Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee (ACAC), and on behalf of NARP, create and maintain advisory committees for other rail service agencies and service providers across the United States.

“We are happy to welcome Carolyn to our NARP team,” said Jim Mathews, President and CEO of NARP. “This is a new position that Carolyn will be filling, and with her experience, we are excited to see what networks she will establish in order to help our Association build relationships and services with rail transit agencies so they can provide great experiences for their passengers.”

As the Customer Advisory Committee Director, Cokley will oversee the ACAC, which was created in 1997 as a group of volunteers to help Amtrak understand and meet the needs of its riders throughout the country. For the past two decades, members of ACAC have been providing new and innovative ideas for how Amtrak can assist seniors and people with mobility issues, how to improve food options, and even proposed the idea of the Quiet Car, which has been a dramatic success. As Cokley works with the ACAC, she will also work with other rail transit agencies to establish similar committees in an effort to increase customer service.

“After a few years away from the railroad industry, it feels like I am coming home in this new role with NARP,” said Cokley, who has more than 15 years of experience as a human capital management professional, accomplished administrator, meeting facilitator and event manager “I’m looking forward to building new relationships and help further connect the national rail network for the better.”

In Cokley’s most recent position as a federal contractor with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, she provided administrator and program management support in the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer. Previously, she worked for Amtrak as an Employee Engagement and Recognition Programs manager. During her tenure with Amtrak, Cokley’s responsibilities included managing the annual Employee Appreciation Day events, the Employee Service Awards program and the Educational Assistance Program. For more than a decade, Cokley also chaired the 30-person employee selection committee for Amtrak’s Presidents Service & Safety Awards (PSSA) program and managed the planning and execution of the annual PSSA event.

About the National Association of Railroad Passengers

NARP is the only national organization speaking for the nearly 40 million users of passenger trains and rail transit. We have worked since 1967 to expand the quality and quantity of passenger rail in the U.S. Our mission is to work towards a modern, customer-focused national passenger train network that provides a travel choice Americans want. Our work is supported by more than 28,000 individual members nationwide.

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