Carrin Patman has a spectrum of experience that has helped prepare her for new her role as chairwoman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County board of directors, which she accepted in March.

Patman served on the METRO board from 2010 until early 2014 and led the Government and Public Affairs Committee.

Raised in Austin, Carrin Patman graduated from Duke University in 1978. After attending The University of Texas School of Law, Patman began practicing trial law 33 years ago at a law firm in Austin now known as Bracewell.

Patman was the first woman elected to Bracewell’s seven‐member management committee and is the only woman to have been elected twice to serve on that committee.

The experience as a trial lawyer helped Patman learn how to approach and resolve both sides of an issue. Since 2003, Carrin has regularly earned the annual distinction of Texas Super Lawyer in civil litigation defense.

She has spoken at continuing legal-education seminars on a variety of topics and served as director for The Ultimate Trial Notebook, a course on all aspects of trial preparation presented at the State Bar of Texas Convention on June 24, 2004.

In 2014, she was named a fellow in Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative, a yearlong program designed to enhance leadership skills of professionals who want to apply their talents to social problems and focus on community and public service.

Suitably, one focus of Patman’s fellowship was transportation—including urban transit—and infrastructure.

Why did you accept the role?

I believe I, along with this excellent board, can make a real difference in the lives of citizens in the Houston region. Providing first-rate transportation is a vital mission. Transportation provides access to the necessities of life as well as to everything else Houston has to offer. Our region is growing significantly; we need to improve transportation not just for today but for the future. And I am delighted and honored to come back as chair, since I already have good relationships with METRO staff, with many of METRO’s constituents and with other board members from my prior board service.

What has METRO done right, and what will you do to improve it?

The reimagining of the bus system over the past few years was a really important step forward. Of course, as always happens with significant changes, some gaps need to be filled, and improvements need to be made. The launch [of a new bus network] last August was just the beginning of a five-year plan to improve bus service. The completion, or near completion, of two new rail lines and the expansion of a third were also significant achievements.

It’s now time to focus on a comprehensive regional transit plan with the input and involvement of all stakeholders and governmental entities and then to implement it. The more we can bring all the players to the table to focus on improving the transit plan for the region, the sooner we can work to improve mobility in the region. That means building coalitions to improve transportation. We also need to significantly enhance the transit ridership experience, and we will be rolling out and building on a number of initiatives to improve the ridership experience for all of METRO’s riders.  

What are some challenges you will encounter as the new chairwoman of METRO?

There are many different people with varying—and often inconsistent—opinions and thoughts about what METRO should be doing and how METRO can best move forward. I’ve already heard from a number of folks. And I’m very glad to have their thoughts and insights. My challenge will be forging consensus and making significant progress based on that consensus.

What do you anticipate will be the most fun part of your role?

I love working with people, thrive on challenge, enjoy working with diverse constituencies to find consensus and find it very rewarding to make a difference in the lives of our citizens. I’m deeply honored to have been entrusted with this role.