Getting to know Helena Williams

At some point in the near-future, Helena Williams will no longer be the Interim CEO and Executive Director of the MTA. When that will be, though, is anyone’s guess. Gov. David Paterson and the State Senate are far too concerned with other events to worry about something that actually impacts the lives of millions of New Yorkers, and so in the meantime, Williams will hold down her interim position as well as her job as the president of the Long Island Rail Road.

We don’t know much about Williams beyond her accomplishments. She arrived quietly after Elliot Sander stepped down. Today, though, we can gain some insight into her work and life. Diane Vacca at Women’s Voice for Change interviewed Williams. While the talk, by the end, strays away from transit and into a discussion on Williams’ love of cooking and her daughter, it is an interesting glimpse into the life of the woman in charge of the MTA nonetheless.