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Staff

Alex Beckmann

Alex Beckmann

Alex Beckmann is TTD’s Legislative Representative. He oversees the organization’s policy efforts and priorities on rail and motorcoach issues.

Prior to joining TTD, Alex was a Senior Policy Advisor for Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García, handling the Congressman's work on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Additionally, he served as Legislative Director for Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Dan Lipinski.

Alex graduated from Davidson College in 2014 with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Economics. He is originally from Westchester County, New York.


Legislative Representative alexb@ttd.org

Samantha Brown

Samantha Brown

Samantha Brown is TTD’s Communications Director.

Prior to joining TTD, Samantha was the Communications Director for the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association (NRLCA). Before that, she was the Communications Director for Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and previously served in various other communications roles in his office. She completed a year-long communications fellowship at TTD from 2015 to 2016, which introduced her to the AFL-CIO labor union family.

A proud native South Carolinian, Samantha received a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina in 2013 and a Master's in Legislative Affairs from the George Washington University in 2018.


Communications Director samanthab@ttd.org

Julio Ceron

Julio Ceron

Julio Ceron is TTD's PAC Director and Legislative Assistant. Before joining TTD, Julio worked for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as a finance assistant, fundraising for the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm in support of Democratic senators and senatorial candidates. He also worked as a legislative aide to his Montgomery County councilmember, serving the residents of the district where he grew up. Julio interned at the Democratic National Committee and on a gubernatorial campaign in Maryland.

Born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, Julio holds a B.A. in Government & Politics and Economics from the University of Maryland.


Political and legislative assistant Julio Ceron

Matthew Colvin

Matthew Colvin

Matthew Colvin is TTD’s Chief of Staff.

Prior to joining TTD, Matthew was the Senior Policy Advisor to Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), covering all issues related to her appointment as Vice-Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He has also served as the lead advocate for federal infrastructure policy at the National League of Cities, and covered transportation and infrastructure policy as the Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Albio Sires (D-NJ) and as a Legislative Aide to Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

Matthew received his B.A. in Political Science and Environmental Studies from the University of San Diego in 2007, and a Master of Policy Management from Georgetown University in 2017.


Chief of Staff Matthew Colvin

Lianne Endo

Lianne Endo

Lianne Endo is TTD’s Legislative Representative. She oversees the organization’s policy efforts and priorities on aviation, maritime, water resources, and domestic content.

Prior to joining TTD, Lianne was a federal lobbyist representing labor unions in the building trades, transportation coalitions, and local governments. Additionally, she spent several years as a key staffer for Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and worked on the senator’s successful 2014 reelection campaign.

Lianne graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a B.S. in Environmental Science, Policy and Management and has a minor in Political Science. She is originally from the island of Oahu in Hawaii


Legislative Representative Lianne Endo

Samantha Fazenbaker

Samantha Fazenbaker

As TTD’s Legislative Assistant, Samantha Fazenbaker assists TTD’s President, Greg Regan, and Secretary-Treasurer, Shari Semelsberger. She maintains TTD’s legislative calendar

Prior to joining TTD, Samantha worked for the University of Texas System Office of Federal Relations and interned with Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-CA).

Samantha holds a B.S. in Political Science and a Master's in Political Science with a concentration in Applied American Politics and Policy from Florida State University. She is originally from Fort Lauderdale, FL.


Legislative Assistant Samantha Fazenbaker

Tori Mandato

Tori Mandato

Tori Mandato is TTD's Communications Assistant.

Prior to joining TTD, Tori was the Operations Coordinator of Restaurant Associates at the Kennedy Center.

Tori graduated from the George Washington University in 2022 with a B.A. in Political Communication and a minor in History. She is originally from South Bound Brook, New Jersey.


Communications Assistant torim@ttd.org

Brooke Payne

Brooke Payne

As TTD’s Administrative Assistant, Brooke supports the TTD staff with the daily administrative and clerical duties of the office. Brooke handles TTD's databases, assists with TTD's PAC and handles much of TTD’s document preparation and distribution. She has worked at TTD since 1999.

Both of her parents worked in the labor movement. Originally from Oregon, Brooke attended the University of Oregon.


Administrative Assistant brookep@ttd.org

Christy Smith

Christy Smith

Christy Smith manages TTD's regulatory portfolio, filing federal regulatory comments on behalf of our affiliated unions across all modes of transportation.

Prior to joining TTD, Christy worked at Bloomberg Law in the regulatory monitoring unit. She also worked at the Government Accountability Office on the Defense and Contracting teams.

Christy holds a BA from Tulane University in Homeland Security and Gender Studies and is working to complete her master’s in Homeland Security, also from Tulane. Originally a music major, Christy got her interest in unions from their excellent history of protest music.


Regulatory Analyst christys@ttd.org