In 2016, the WRA appointed Tom R. Skancke to the position of Executive Director. Skancke previously served as the Executive Director of the Western High Speed Rail Alliance (WHSRA), the organization that evolved into the WRA, but took a hiatus to become the President and CEO of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA), the regional economic development authority in Las Vegas. One of the country’s foremost transportation policy experts, Skancke has also served on numerous policy making bodies, including the National Surface Transportation Revenue Study Commission, the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), and several other boards and commissions throughout the western United States. Skancke is the CEO and Chief Transformational Strategist at the TSC2 Group and serves on the advisory board of the U.S. Rail Development Corporation.