In college and looking for extra income, Christine Kuennen applied for a job in the Transit Information Center. With experience in telemarketing, she got the job, quickly moved into a trainer role, then became a supervisor in the Transit Control Center where she took on special projects that opened new doors.  

Those first few years were a sign of what was to come.  

Over the next three decades, Christine continually looked for opportunities to excel and take on additional responsibilities, relishing chances to be on the front end of new initiatives even when it meant going outside her comfort zone. 

After 33 years of service, she retired in April 2025 as the director of Bus Transportation. During her tenure, she also led the Metro Mobility program, initiated programs that directly engage operators in outreach and workforce development, championed wellness-focused training, and played a leading role in the opening of the METRO Green Line.  

A mother of five, Christine retired from service not only proud of her accomplishments but for the way she used her lived experience to help make transit a more welcoming place for working mothers like her. “I was very much a forerunner,” she said. 

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