Russell Arnold named Sound Transit’s Chief Customer Experience Officer

New position will provide leadership, advocacy on initiatives to enhance customer experience

Russell L. Arnold has joined Sound Transit as Chief Customer Experience Officer, a new position focusing on agency decisions that impact the daily experience of Sound Transit riders.

“As we serve more people throughout our region every day, it is critical that we consider the way our passengers interact with and experience our system at every stage of our projects – from the earliest plans to the moment a rider sets foot on a Sound Transit train or bus,” said Chief Executive Officer Peter Rogoff. “As our first Customer Experience Officer, Russ will be empowered to work across the agency to make sure we remain focused on our customers in everything we do.”

Arnold will report directly to Rogoff. He is tasked with identifying ways to improve the customer experience for future passengers as the agency designs and builds the expansion of the system. He will also work collaboratively with agency departments to resolve existing issues and enhance the experience of our current riders.

Arnold comes to Sound Transit from six years of management-level experience at transit agencies around the country, most recently serving as Director of Marketing and Communications with the San Mateo County Transit District. Earlier in his career, Arnold worked in marketing at the University of Oregon and The Ohio State University.

“I am excited to be joining Sound Transit at a time of unprecedented growth,” Arnold said. “As the agency grows, we will have thousands of new customers to serve. As we build new facilities, buy new vehicles and expand information options we want to plan for them to have the best experiences possible.”

Arnold earned a master’s in marketing and communication from Franklin University and a bachelor’s in visual communications from Ohio Dominican College.