The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has named Nikki Brandon as the organization’s new Chief Human Resources Officer. Brandon has more than 30 years of experience working in the field. Before joining COTA, she was the Director of Human Resources for the City of Columbus, which employs nearly 9,000 people. She has held various HR positions with the city since 1993.

“Nikki is a perfect fit for COTA because she truly believes our employees are most important to the success of an organization,” said COTA Deputy CEO Monica Tellez-Fowler. “She has a long record of implementing initiatives that empower and improve the lives of employees – from learning and development opportunities to benefits and wellness programs. Nikki’s leadership will further enhance COTA’s function as a people-first organization.”

As Chief Human Resources Officer, Brandon will lead the development, management and oversight of all personnel programs including recruitment, retention, training and development, organizational design and employee and labor relations.

“It is a true honor to be entrusted with the responsibility of COTA’s most valued assets – its people,” Brandon said. “COTA is dedicated to equity, diversity and inclusion for our customers and those values begin with our employees. It is important for members of Team COTA to know they are heard, respected, and appreciated as we work to retain our excellent talent and recruit more frontline employees.”

Brandon earned a Bachelor of Arts & Science from The Ohio State University and completed academic programs at Havard Business School and the African American Leadership Academy in Columbus. She resides in Gahanna.