Organizational Overview
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is an independent governmental agency created by the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act (70-ILCS-3605).
CTA began operating on Oct. 1, 1947, after it acquired the properties of the Chicago Rapid Transit Company and the Chicago Surface Lines. On Oct. 1, 1952, CTA became the predominant operator of Chicago transit when it purchased the Chicago Motor Coach system.
Governance & Oversight
The CTA is one of three public transit operators in the Chicago area, collaborating closely with Metra regional rail and Pace Suburban Bus to deliver frequent, safe, affordable and integrated service across the region. All three operators are overseen by the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), which was created by the Illinois General Assembly and Governor JB Pritzker in 2026 to make transit across northeastern Illinois work for riders as one regional transit system. NITA sets regional fares, service standards, and schedules across CTA, Metra, and Pace; plans and funds transit investment; and oversees system performance and finances.
The governing arm of CTA is the Chicago Transit Board. The board consists of seven members, three appointed by the Mayor of Chicago, two by the Governor of Illinois, and two by the Cook County Board President. Four members of the CTA Board also serve on the NITA Board.
CTA’s day-to-day operations are directed by Nora Leerhsen, acting president.
Nora Leerhsen
Acting President, Chicago Transit Authority
Nora Leerhsen is the acting president of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and the first woman to lead the agency in its history. The CTA is one of the nation's largest public transit systems, providing more than one million rides each day across the City of Chicago and more than 30 surrounding suburbs.
Since her appointment in February 2025, Nora has led the CTA to record ridership gains and significant reductions in crime. She has reshaped how the agency works with elected officials, employees, and riders, and refocused the CTA on four core principles: being people-driven, performance-focused, centered in welcoming places, and rooted in dynamic partnerships. At a pivotal moment for transit in the region, she is helping to reimagine the role the CTA plays in Chicago's future.
Under Nora's leadership, the CTA launched the Frequent Network, which expanded service on 23 bus routes to deliver scheduled service every 10 minutes or better and brought the highest levels of scheduled bus service since 2010. In partnership with the Chicago Police Department, she introduced a targeted, data-driven approach to safety built on rider reports. That approach has included an expansion of security resources across the system, anti-smoking enforcement, and other targeted deployments. She also launched the Safe Ride Specialist pilot, a first-of-its-kind approach that brings social services directly to riders.
Nora joined the CTA in 2014 and brings 12 years of transit experience. She has overseen every major area of CTA operations, including service delivery, capital planning, hiring, employee programming, and legal and communications strategy. During the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery, she was a key agency leader and led the creation of the CTA's on-site employee vaccination program.
Nora began her 20-year career in public service as a Teach For America teacher in Philadelphia and Compton, California. After moving to Chicago, she taught in Chicago Public Schools and worked as a college counselor before going to law school.
She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a master's degree in social science from the University of Chicago, a master's degree in education from Chestnut Hill College, and a bachelor's degree from The George Washington University.
Organizational Chart
View Administrative Org. Chart (.pdf)
See also