HART Logo

Executive Management

The HART executive management team are individuals who demonstrate integrity, diligence, and know-how. Through their leadership and expertise, they guide HART in achieving the vision of introducing a better way to move people in O‘ahu.

Meet our Executive Team

Lori Kahikina

Lori M.K. Kahikina, P.E.

Executive Director and CEO

Lori Kahikina is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART). Ms. Kahikina is a proud graduate of Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawaii. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and has a license in Civil Engineering.

At HART, Ms. Kahikina is responsible for the design and construction of the Honolulu Rail Transit Project, which is the nation’s first automated commuter rail system.

Before joining HART, Ms. Kahikina was the Director of Environmental Services with the City and County of Honolulu where she was responsible for administering the design and construction of the City’s waste water and solid waste programs, including the completion of a federally mandated consent decree waste water program of over $5 billion.

Exec_Rick-Keene-1

Rick Keene

Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer

Rick Keene has over 30 years of financial and leadership experience. Rick currently serves as the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART). Before joining HART, Rick spent three years as part of City Administration primarily serving as a liaison between the City and County of Honolulu and HART.

Previously, Rick was the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of The Queen’s Health Systems, with system-wide financial and information technology responsibility.  Prior to joining Queen’s, Rick was Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of Bank of Hawaii Corporation.

Before moving to Hawaii, Rick held leadership positions with the Prudential Bank and Trust Company and Bank South Corporation, both in Atlanta, Georgia. He began his career with Ernst & Young in Virginia and is a graduate of Virginia Tech.

Rick currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Kalihi-Palama Health Center and Navian Hawaii.

Nate Meddings

Nate Meddings

Project Director

Nate Meddings is the Project Director and former Director of Project Controls at HART. Mr. Meddings specializes in complex, pioneering project management. He has held key positions in the delivery of Arizona’s first transit systems, including light-rail and streetcar, and first-ever Public-Private Partnership (P3).

Mr. Meddings holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Management and is a Certified Construction Manager and Project Management Professional. Before program management, he started his career in construction field services, giving him a fundamental understanding of construction operations and a unique perspective in supporting program delivery.

Vance Tsuda

Vance Tsuda

Deputy Project Director

Vance Tsuda is born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. He studied at the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. In 2015 he joined HART as an Electrical Engineer where he performed duties in the planning, design, and construction phases related to the Core Systems Contractor. Over the years at HART his role evolved in being involved with interface between the Core Systems Contractor and the Fixed Facility Contractor, as well as being the assistant project manager in HART’s attempt at a Public-Private Partnership for the City Center Guideway and Stations segment of the project. Propelled by the success in his previous positions, Vance was promoted to Deputy Project Director assisting in the overall management of project execution.

Huy Huynh - Headshot - edited - 400x400

Huy Huynh, P.E.

Director of Core Systems

Mr. Huy Huynh, P.E. currently holds a position as HART’s Director of Core Systems. Mr. Huynh is leading the Core Systems work at HART and has assisted HART at various stages of building the first fully automated (driverless) metro rail system in the U.S., including the development of Operating System’s technical specifications, procurement, design, fabrication, construction, testing/commissioning, operational readiness, and contract management. Before relocating to Honolulu to work on the Skyline system, Mr. Huynh worked on numerous transit systems in the U.S. with specialization in implementation of fully automated transit systems.

Mr. Huynh is a licensed Professional Engineer and earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Trevor Johnson

Trevor L. Johnson

Director of Quality Assurance and Quality Controls

Trevor L. Johnson has over two decades of experience dedicated to safety, quality, leadership, and people development. Mr. Johnson brings a mindset of first-pass quality, continuous learning, and a commitment to ensuring a culture of systematic problem solving and “genchi genbutsu,” go and see! Before joining HART, he worked at the Boeing Co., dedicating over 24 years to manufacturing production, fabrication, quality, and delivery of aerospace products. He held the position of Director of Quality for the 747/767/767-2C airplane programs prior to joining HART. Mr. Johnson has a Lean Systems Certification and People Side of Lean Executive Leadership Institute Certification from the University of Kentucky. Mr. Johnson also received an Aerospace Industry Manufacturing Seminar Certification from the University of Washington, Foster School of Business, in Seattle, WA.

Mr. Johnson received a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a Human Resource Management emphasis from City University of Seattle. He is a resident of Kailua.

Krista Lunzer

Krista Lunzer

Director of Transit Property Acquisition and Relocation

With over 26 years of experience, Krista Lunzer has served in leadership roles for various government agency land acquisition and relocation programs across the country. She provides a thorough understanding of the federal law that governs HART’s land acquisition and relocation program: the Uniform Relocation and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended (URA). Before joining HART, Ms. Lunzer served as project manager on a variety of programs across the country, including in Warwick, Rhode Island; Alexandria, Louisiana; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Additionally, Ms. Lunzer served as the URA compliance auditor for programs implemented by the City of Phoenix and Los Angeles World Airports.

Ms. Lunzer earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. She is a licensed real estate salesperson in the State of Minnesota.

Exec_Joey-Manahan

Joey Manahan

Director of Government Relations and Public Involvement

Joey Manahan served as a member of the Honolulu City Council from 2012 to 2021 and as a member of the Hawaii State House of Representatives from 2006 to 2012. Mr. Manahan has held several leadership positions during his combined 14 years of service in elected office for the City and the State most notably, the Chair of the Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee and Vice Speaker of the Hawai‘i State House of Representatives. During his tenure at the Honolulu City Council, Mr. Manahan served as the President of the Hawai‘i State Association of Counties’ (HSAC), whose members consist of the four island counties of the State of Hawai‘i – Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and Hawai’i counties. HSAC advocates for county programs and services and represents the State of Hawaii’s county governments before the Hawaii State Legislature, administrative agencies, and before the U.S. Congress. Mr. Manahan also served as Chair of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (OMPO) policy committee from 2015 to 2016.

Matthew Scanlon

Matthew Scanlon

Director of Design and Construction

Matthew Scanlon is a licensed professional engineer with over 20 years of experience in capital program project management, construction management of complex rail systems, civil and systems design, regulatory agency coordination, permitting, safety certification, and rail integration testing. He was previously employed by HART from March 2012 to July 2015 as a Project Manager for the Kamehameha Highway Guideway. Mr. Scanlon is a licensed Professional Engineer, P.E., and holds a Civil Engineering degree from the University of Utah. He is a resident of Waikiki.

Dave Goeres

Dave Goeres, P.E., WSO-CSSD, PTSCTP

Director of Safety & Security

Dave Goeres has over 30 years of safety, security, and emergency management experience. Prior to serving HART, Mr. Goeres was the first Chief Safety and Security Officer (CSSO) for the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) – focusing on integrating safety into the Authority’s daily operational and construction efforts – and to continue to build the safety culture of UTA. In this role, he effectively worked with the Federal Transit Administration, Federal Railroad Administration and State Safety Oversight Agency regulatory requirements and Project Management Oversight Consultant on completing projects. Mr. Goeres led the safety certification effort for the $2.5 billion FrontLines 2015 rail expansion program for the UTA.

In addition, Mr. Goeres has successfully led certified efforts for new projects at transit agencies to include gaining approvals for the Safety and Security Certification Verification Report (SSCVR). He also managed projects to develop Safety and Security Management and Certification Plans, Threat and Vulnerability Assessments, and conducted Safety and Security Assessments and Gap Analysis reports.

Mr. Goeres earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Alabama, and a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the U.S. Army War College. Mr. Goeres is a registered professional engineer in two states, and certified by the World Safety Organization as a Certified Safety and Security Director (WSO-CSSD).

Mr. Goeres has completed the USDOT’s TSI Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program (PTSCTP).

23-0322 - Jonathan Heilman - 400x400

Jonathan Heilman

Deputy Director of Construction Claims

Jonathan Heilman is the Deputy Director of Claims at HART. Jonathan has over 15 years of litigation experience handling large loss property and casualty claims. Previously, Jonathan served as in-house counsel for Chubb Insurance where he handled subrogation claims throughout the Midwest. Prior to joining Chubb Insurance, Jonathan worked at a law firm in Chicago where he handled insurance defense matters.

Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Indiana University Bloomington and received his J.D. degree at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. Jonathan is a resident of Kailua.

Dean Matro

Dean Matro

Deputy Director of Procurement and Contract Administration

Dean Matro is a graduate of Aiea High School, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Washington, and a Master of Science degree in Contract Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

At HART, Mr. Matro is responsible for the overall direction and supervision of the Procurement and Contract Administration Division, ensuring all procurements follow all applicable state and federal procurement regulations and statutes, and that contract requirements of all parties are met.

Mr. Matro has over 30 years in procurement, contract administration, and program management, both in private and government sectors. Prior to joining HART, he was a Corporate Contract Manager for Hawaii Health System Corporation (HHSC), the “safety net” for long-term care in the State of Hawaii.

HART Weekly eBlast

Our weekly newsletter will keep you up-to-date about the project, news, construction, and information on upcoming events.

Sign up for our weekly eBlast

Project Status

The Overall Construction and Design Project Progress is based on the Estimate at Completion for the 2022 Recovery Plan scope to Ka‘ākaukukui (Civic Center) Station and the March 2031 Operational Readiness date.

Segment 1 Rail Now Open

For information on rail fares, schedules, safety, and operational questions, visit the Department of Transportation Services website. Skyline Hotline: 808-848-5555

Skip to content