RTA Announces Newest Board Member Alexandra Holt

February 21, 2019

CHICAGO – The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) announces the appointment of Alexandra Holt as its newest board member, representing the City of Chicago. Director Holt replaces Director Anthony Anderson, whose term had expired.

“We are pleased that Mayor Emanuel has appointed Director Holt to the RTA Board,” said RTA Chairman Kirk Dillard.  “Her professional experience, both in the public and private sectors, is outstanding.  Her financial acumen and experience in the most senior levels of municipal government, practice of law and a world renowned public institution will add another important and relevant voice to our Board.”

Director Holt is currently the Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration at the Art Institute of Chicago. Previously, she served as the City of Chicago’s Budget Director from May 2011 through July 2017.  She oversaw development and management of a $9.8 billion operating budget, the City’s multi-year $400 million capital budget, and $1.5 billion grants program. Prior to her appointment as Budget Director, Ms. Holt was a lawyer at the firm of Baker McKenzie where she specialized in real estate, finance, and infrastructure transactions.

Prior to her time at Baker McKenzie, she served in various capacities in the Mayor’s Office and the Office of Budget and Management, overseeing citywide cost containment and revenue enhancement initiatives. She began her career at the Department of Environment where she managed Chicago’s inspection and enforcement programs of municipal, federal, and state air quality and waste handling statutes.   

From 2011 to 2017, she was a board member of the Chicago Development Fund, a trustee of the Chicago Labor Management Cooperation Committee, and a member of the Deferred Compensation Committee, which oversees the City’s $3 billion employee deferred compensation plan.  She recently served on the Metra Board of Directors, the northern Illinois commuter rail service, and on the board of the Chicago Environmental Fund.

Holt received a Juris Doctorate and Masters of Public Policy from the University of Chicago and earned a Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Texas at Austin.