Leadership

Raymond Suarez is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA). Suarez was previously the Chief Operating Officer at DCTA, and he was responsible for developing, organizing, and directing the implementation and operation of the agency’s transportation and maintenance services and functions for the A-train and bus system. Suarez is a proven transit operations and technology leader with more than 30 years of experience in the public and private sector. Prior to DCTA, he served as Chief Administrative Officer for the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), in which he oversaw aspects of TRE contracts, safety, operations, maintenance, and capital programs. During his tenure, Suarez developed the agency’s annual budget, managed the TRE’s long range capital investment program and state of good repair model, and worked with the regional transit agencies to ensure adherence to annual authorizations. He also worked with regional partners to develop a 10-year cash flow for TRE, DCTA and Trinity Metro in support of the new regional operations and maintenance solicitation. Prior to the TRE, Suarez served in multiple leadership roles within the transit and technology industries, including Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Reactrix Systems, General Dynamics, Superconducting Supercollider and Trans Industries, Vultron Inc.; and provided consulting services for various companies throughout his career. Suarez holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Texas Wesleyan University.

Marisa Perry is the Chief Financial Officer/Vice President of Finance for the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) and is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating activities and operations to ensure a fiscally sound governmental organization that meets or exceeds all legal and ethical requirements and generally accepted financial management principles. She oversees accounting, financial reporting, debt and treasury, procurement and regulatory compliance, budget, human resources, grants administration, and risk management for the agency. Perry has 13 years of experience in the public and private sector. She is a certified public accountant in the state of Texas and a member of various industry organizations including the Texas Society of CPAs, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), and the Government Finance Officers Association of Texas (GFOAT). She also serves as a member of the Scholarship Committee of the GFOAT and enjoys participating as a member of DCTA’s Wellness Committee. Prior to DCTA, Perry was a financial services manager at the Town of Addison where she oversaw the accounting, financial reporting, and utility billing functions; as well as an audit associate at KPMG, LLP, one of the Big Four public accounting firms. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Science Degree in Accounting, both from Texas A&M University. Outside of work, she volunteers with M.E.N.D. (Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death), a non-profit organization that supports families who have suffered the loss of a baby, and serves on its advisory board. Marisa and her husband Brandon live in Colleyville with their three children.