M.J. Maynard is the Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC), the only agency nationwide that is responsible for public transportation, traffic management, roadway and construction funding, and regional and transportation planning – all under one roof.

Recognizing that mobility shapes our communities and economies, M.J. proudly leads the RTC as connector of the region’s business sector, its more than 2.3 million residents and 40-plus million annual visitors. She is passionate about building and sustaining a transportation system with a robust roadway network and efficient public transit that connects the Las Vegas Valley, improves air quality, and creates economic opportunities for people and businesses. M.J. recognizes that deploying the latest transportation advancements is imperative to moving Southern Nevada forward. Her embrace of technology has made the RTC one of the most technologically advanced transportation agencies in the country – from self-driving cars to sustainable infrastructure planning and funding to the future of public transportation.

During her 16-year history with agency, she has launched multiple groundbreaking initiatives, including on-demand mobility options; the rideRTC smartphone app; the largest transit service expansion in the agency’s history; bike share and e-bike program expansion; On Board, the region’s mobility plan; a traffic signal technology pilot that responds to real-time incidents; and the state’s first hydrogen fuel cell electric buses.

M.J. worked in Las Vegas’ hospitality industry for more than 25 years prior to joining the RTC, where she served as Vice President for Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for more than a decade. In this role, she oversaw a culturally diverse staff of more than 750 employees and was responsible for managing a multi-million-dollar annual budget that included capital expansion projects.

Considered a national leader and trusted voice of the transportation industry, M.J. serves on numerous national and local industry boards, including the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) 25-member executive committee and as vice chair of its board of directors. She also serves on the board of directors for Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) International, an organization dedicated to attracting, sustaining, connecting and advancing women in transportation. M.J. is a board member of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Council, an organization that works to protect the HFC bus market via legislation and regulation.

Active in the community, M.J. serves on several nonprofit boards, including Workforce Connections, Southern Nevada’s workforce development agency; Three Square, a community food bank serving four counties in Southern Nevada; and the Advisory Council of the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, also known as the Mob Museum.

M.J. completed a full term as a member of the board of directors for Hope for Prisoners, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering men, women and young adults to transition from the criminal justice system and successfully reenter society as contributing members of the community. She previously served as chair for the Henderson District Public Libraries Board of Trustees and as a board member of the Henderson Chamber Foundation.

M.J.’s recognitions include Vegas Inc.’s “Women Inspiring Nevada” award in 2022, Nevada Business magazine’s “Women to Watch” in 2021, and the National Association of Women Business Owners’ Southern Nevada chapter’s 2021 Women of Distinction Award in the Glass Ceiling category. The Henderson Development Association and the City of Henderson honored her as the 2013 O’Callaghan Public Sector Person of the Year for transportation enhancements and partnerships that support economic development in Henderson. Additionally, the Safe Community Partnership program recognized M.J. in 2010 as the “Safe Communities Angel of the Year.”

M.J. holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She and her late husband, Rich, have one son, Quinn.