Rinaldi named president of Metro-North

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has appointed Catherine Rinaldi president of MTA Metro-North Railroad.

She has served as the railroad's acting president since July 2017. Before that, she was Metro-North's executive vice president.

Rinaldi succeeds former Metro-North President Joseph Giulietti, who retired in August 2017.

"Cathy is the best person to continue to push forward the progress that Metro-North has made in renewing the railroad and enhancing the confidence of its customers," said MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota in a press release. "She brings 15 years of dedicated service to the MTA, a disarmingly calm management style, a razor-sharp intellect and an uncanny ability to break problems down into their component parts to quickly find a practical solution."

From 2003 to 2007, Rinaldi served as the MTA's general counsel. She later served as MTA Long Island Rail Road's general counsel. In 2011, Rinaldi became chief of staff for the MTA, a position she held until 2015.

Rinaldi is the first woman to serve as Metro-North's president, MTA officials said.