OneRail Coalition's Canby to step down

The OneRail Coalition yesterday announced executive changes, including the stepping down of longtime Director Anne Canby.

Canby has led the coalition since it began in 2009. Deputy Director Devon Barnhart will succeed Canby as director, and Liz Hill will become deputy director.

Over the years, Canby used her position to bring together a range of stakeholders in support of the U.S. freight- and passenger-rail industry, said OneRail Chair and American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association President Chuck Baker in a press release.

“Her expertise in transportation policy, practical experience in managing significant transportation systems, deep connections with industry as well as local, state and federal government, and perhaps most importantly her relentless optimism and drive for improvements to the nation’s transportation system have been tremendous assets to OneRail and our mission,” Baker said.

Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose praised Canby for her contributions.

“Throughout her career, and most recently as founder of OneRail, Anne has laid the foundation for a second rail revolution,” Bose said. “Anne’s knowledge and dedication are truly remarkable, and serve as an example to others. She has been a mentor to many of us in transportation, and we wish her the best.”

The coalition has established itself as a “credible resource for rail policy,” Canby said.

“We have helped to raise the profile of rail’s many benefits through a variety of activities and brought the various segments of the rail industry together for the first time. It has been wonderful getting know and work with people from all segments of the industry,” she said.

Under the leadership of Barnhart and Hill, OneRail will “have the right team at the right time to do even more to raise awareness of the many economic, environmental, and safety benefits of freight and passenger rail and to advocate for policies that support the rail industry and the good paying jobs it provides,” Canby said.

A lawyer and civil engineer, Barnhart joined OneRail as deputy director in 2019. Prior to that role, she served as the subcommittee staff director for the Transportation and Safety Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee.

Barnhart previously was director of government affairs and outreach for Smart Growth America, and before that was a legislative assistant in the Senate and legislative counsel for a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Hill most recently served as staff director for the Rail, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I). Previously, she split her time between working for current T&I Chair Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) as director of Pacific Northwest policy and professional staff for the rail subcommittee. Prior to the T&I Committee, Hill was a legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)