November 2020 Member of the Month: Xavier Harmony

Meet Xavier Harmony

What is your name?

Xavier Harmony

Where do your work?

Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation

What is your title?

Northern Virginia Transit Programs Manager

What is your preferred way to get around the District?

Metrorail

What is your favorite part of being a YPT-DC member?

Meeting so many people are as passionate and nerdy about transportation as I am! I also love the opportunity to help people with their careers (connecting people to each other, offering advice) much as others did for me when I first joined YPT.

What inspired you to pursue a career in transportation?

As a civil engineer who was very interested in infrastructure I sort of fell into transportation accidentally. At first I just saw transportation as an opportunity to design and build some of society's most vital infrastructure. Working in the field I soon realized transportation is more than just infrastructure; it's an issue that affects people every day, a tool for equity, and an opportunity to shape and improve communities.

Describe a job or project that you are most proud of:

In 2019 Virginia was changing transit agency funding allocation to be more performance based. With so many different types of transit systems in the state, it was a challenge to develop policies that worked for everyone. I was involved in evaluating policy alternatives to establish how different metrics and measures impact transit agencies in different ways. My work resulted in funding recommendations that are in place today.

What is the best professional advice that you've received?

Don't undervalue your mental health. If you're in a job and your mental health is being negatively impacted you don't need to stick it out. It's ok to change jobs to prioritize your mental health. It can make a big difference to your quality of life.

Share a non-transportation fun fact about you!

I'm originally from Australia and love to travel having visited 20 countries so far!