Darrell E. Johnson is the Chief Executive Officer of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), a dynamic agency of 1,400 dedicated professionals. With a focus on enhancing mobility and sustainability for more than 3 million county residents, Johnson leads a comprehensive portfolio of multimodal projects, initiatives, and services.

Guided by OCTA’s 17-member Board of Directors, Mr. Johnson oversees an annual budget exceeding $1.7 billion. His role encompasses strategic oversight of the planning, financing, and implementation of Orange County’s freeway, street, and rail development, in addition to managing countywide transit and commuter-rail services, paratransit service, express lanes, active transportation, and environmental programs.

Since his appointment as CEO in 2013, Mr. Johnson has championed innovative financing methods to optimize the impact of Measure M, a voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements. He has led a drive toward a more sustainable and equitable transportation network, marked by pioneering environmental mitigation and water-quality initiatives, and a zero-emission fleet transition.

Mr. Johnson continues to reshape Orange County’s transit system. With a focus on efficiency, passenger experience, and alignment with market demands, he has ushered in reforms including a redesigned bus system, free fares for youth and community college students, and the advancement of community-based and special-event transit services.

On a broader scale, Mr. Johnson represents OCTA on matters of local, state, and national policy pertaining to successful transportation program planning, financing, and delivery. He sits on the boards of the Self-Help Counties Coalition, Mobility 21, and the Orange County Business Council.

Mr. Johnson lives in Rancho Santa Margarita and is married with two children.

Jennifer L. Bergener is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the Orange County Transportation Authority.

As Deputy CEO, Bergener works directly with CEO Darrell E. Johnson in advancing efforts to fulfill OCTA’s mission of keeping Orange County moving with a balanced and sustainable transportation system. She also helps oversee the agency’s more than 1,300 employees and an annual budget of $1.4 billion.

Bergener is a transportation industry veteran with diversified experience in programming, finance, project development and delivery, as well as government affairs. She began her career at Amtrak where she provided project development and cost controls and she also worked at the San Mateo County Transit District as a grant and program writer.

For the past 18 years, Bergener has been at OCTA serving in roles with increasing responsibility, primarily in rail planning, project and program delivery and new transit services development. She also served as the Managing Director for LOSSAN, which is the managing agency for the state-supported, Amtrak-operated Pacific Surfliner intercity passenger rail service.

Bergener is married with three sons and lives in Villa Park.