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Yesterday, New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced it appointed Helena Williams president of MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) — the commuter railroad’s first-ever female president. Taking office on June 18, she will succeed Acting President Raymond Kenny, who has overseen the agency since September 2006, when former President James Dermody retired.

Williams is no stranger to MTA. Following stints in the New York City Mayor’s Office of Municipal Labor Relations and as a private-practice lawyer, she joined MTA in 1985 as labor counsel. She later served as chief of staff for Long Island Bus, then began a five-year stint as president of the bus company in 1993. Most recently senior counsel for Cablevision, Williams previously served as deputy county executive for Nassau County.

She plans to place an increased focus on customer safety and service reliability, and determine how LIRR can better meet future transportation demand.