About me
As an unabashed change agent, Lynsey Heffernan has spent her career working to improve life outcomes for people of the Massachusetts. Lynsey is the Chief of Policy and Strategic Planning for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) working to help the agency create a plan forward after years of crisis and decades of underinvestment. Lynsey is responsible for a team working on matters of rider-focused policy, including fares, civil rights and service policy, and teams focused on mid- and long-range planning for the MBTA. In addition, her planning responsibilities includes the creation of a strategic plan for authority and the development of the Capital Investment Plan totaling $9.8B over five years.
Previously, she served at the State Coordinator of the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI) for the Department of Youth Services working in a multi-systemic approach to increase opportunities for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. She began her career as a juvenile public defender for seven years. A trained facilitator, Lynsey is passionate about promoting equitable reforms within government and social service systems. Lynsey received her B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross in Chemistry, her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, and a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. When not working or spending time with her three children, Lynsey enjoys gardening and traveling to new places both near and far.
