Laura Brelsford

Assistant General Manager, System-Wide Accessibility, MBTA

Laura joined the MBTA in 2007 as part of the newly formed Department of System-Wide Accessibility. Since that time, she has worked to advance the MBTA’s mission of becoming the global model for accessible public transportation. She and the dedicated SWA team have spearheaded a number of major accessibility initiatives including the development of an internal monitoring program, a first-ever training for front-line staff responding to customers with disabilities during emergencies, and the development of the Plan for Accessible Transit Infrastructure—a roadmap for making the system fully accessible. Her top priority, however, is to ensure that people with disabilities, employees as well as riders, have a voice in decision-making. As a full-time wheelchair user, Laura leverages the MBTA’s accessibility on a regular basis and (when not quarantining) can frequently be spotted on the Red Line. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College.