Release date: July 31, 2008
Contact: David Payne at 404-727-0996 or dpayne2@emory.edu

Transportation and Parking Operations Head Named

Lisa Underwood will join Emory University Aug. 1 as its new associate vice president in charge of transportation services and parking facilities. Underwood previously directed the same services during a period of increased ridership at Washington University in St. Louis.

"As commuters look for creative ways to get to Emory, Lisa's extensive background in transportation services will be invaluable," says Bob Hascall, vice president of Campus Services at Emory. "Emory's Cliff shuttle system carries thousands of travelers each month and is a service that our employees and students rely on daily."

"I am excited about joining Emory as it makes such significant investment in providing efficient transportation options for faculty, staff and students," says Underwood. "My goal is to ensure that these services are provided most effectively so that commuters to Emory have viable transportation alternatives."

Emory is the largest private employer in metro Atlanta not served with direct access to the interstate system or MARTA rail. More than 21,000 faculty and staff, 12,000 students and additional visitors travel to Emory's Clifton Road campus each day.

To improve access and the quality of life in the Clifton community, Emory is committed to providing transportation alternatives to single occupancy vehicles for its commuters. In her new position with Emory, Underwood will oversee all transportation programs, many of which are new to Emory in the past two years, and are becoming increasingly popular. Included among these are extensive vanpool, carpool, bicycle, pedestrian, Zipcar and transit commuter programs through MARTA.

Emory transports thousands of faculty, staff and students each day via its shuttle system ("Cliff"). The shuttle provides extensive campus service, regular service to off-campus locations and three satellite Park-n-Ride sites to transport commuters to campus. Emory's shuttle fleet is the largest private fleet in metro Atlanta, and is 100 percent alternatively fueled.

Emory's goal is for 25 percent of its workforce to be registered as alternative commuters by 2015.

Emory's parking services is starting a period of transition, particularly as it relates to Emory's new health sciences redevelopment project. Several parking decks will be removed and expanded as Emory's new hospital and clinic are developed.

Underwood also will serve as a leader for the Clifton Corridor Transportation Management Association (CCTMA), which promotes alternative transportation for the numerous institutional employers located on or near Clifton Road. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) and the Veteran's Administration Hospital are among other participating entities in the CCTMA.

Underwood has 20 years of experience in parking and transportation services and holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Iowa.

Emory University (www.emory.edu) is known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate experience, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities. Perennially ranked as one of the country's top 20 national universities by U.S. News & World Report, Emory encompasses nine academic divisions as well as the Carlos Museum, The Carter Center, the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, Georgia’s largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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