Rising Stars: Jeffrey Brauner, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Jeffrey Brauner, 27

Principal transportation planner
Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

Job description: Conducts operational and financial data analysis; develops and plans new initiatives; manages projects and grants; and coordinates marketing and support business development in support of New York New Jersey Rail LLC (NYNJR), a short line of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ).

Education: Bachelor of Arts in political science and Master of Public Administration, University at Albany, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy

Nomination quote: "Jeffrey has led the Port Rail Program's efforts to develop the tools necessary for data-driven decision-making. He has done so while also managing capital and procurement projects critical to the success of the port authority's freight-rail plans. He also is working with an informal group focused on innovating and improving how the authority uses and shares its data. In addition to his work, Jeffrey plays a leadership role in local professional groups such as the New York City chapter of Young Professionals in Transportation." — Patrick Thrasher, PANYNJ

How has your career path unfolded so far? My first experience in transportation came as a legislative intern in Washington, D.C., for the BlueGreen Alliance, analyzing federal transportation policy. Next, I spent a summer interning for the Port Authority at John F. Kennedy International Airport, working in airport operations. This experience led me back to the Port Authority the following year as a leadership fellow. Before rejoining the Port Authority, I spent my last year of graduate school working for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, where I honed the analytical skills that I now use on a regular basis.

Why did you go into railroading? I was always interested in transportation, especially railroads. I had never thought of transportation as a potential career path until I started graduate school, where I realized that I could take the skills I was developing in the classroom and apply them at a place such as the Port Authority to improve the ways in which people and goods move.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of so far? Over the last two years, I have developed a comprehensive operations database that tracks NYNJR's marine division, including tugboat moves, car-float moves and rail-car moves, as well as other related factors, such as weather. With that data, I use Tableau (data-visualization software) to develop intuitive dashboards to analyze NYNJR's performance.

What is a fun fact about you? In college, I played trumpet in a ska band called The Knee Benders.

Do you have any hobbies? I like to run, and plan on running the New York City Marathon in 2019. I also enjoy traveling with my wife. She has been to all 50 states, so I have some catching up to do.

Who has inspired you most in your career? My family has always supported me and pushed me to continue taking the next step in my career. Professionally, I have been fortunate to work with individuals who constantly challenge me to be a better version of myself. I would not be where I am today without the guidance of Matt Masters, Patrick Thrasher, Don Hutton, Beth Siegel, Peter Carbonaro, Nate Kimball or Carl Mas.

What do you hope to be doing or learning in five years? I hope to be leading a team of individuals taking on a new challenge within the port or railroad realm of the Port Authority. While we as an agency are more known for our bus terminal and airports, I have friends who are the driving force behind Gateway and major PATH projects that are critical to the New York/New Jersey region.