Mary McKeller is a native of Brevard, NC, who moved back to the area after earning a master’s of arts in Rhetoric and Philosophy of Communication from Duquesne University. During her studies, she pursued her passion for community building through courses on urban communication, communication ethics, and event planning.

Before joining GoRail as Communications Specialist, Mary worked in the chamber world, where she honed her skills in public relations, advocacy, and fostering connections between local businesses and communities. She is excited to leverage her expertise to advocate for freight rail innovation and collaborate with industry leaders to enrich the country’s flourishing rail networks.

Jackie Leggett is the Staff Accountant at GoRail, responsible for preparing Journal Entries, Payroll, Taxes and other duties as required.  Works with outside Accountant  in preparing monthly financials. Her work supports GoRail’s mission by maintaining sound Accounting Practices.

Bonnie Carter leads finance, administration, and development at GoRail, ensuring organizational efficiency and strategic growth. As part of her development role, she plans and executes donor events that celebrate the vital support of the rail suppliers and contractors who champion GoRail’s mission. She also oversees human resources, fostering a positive workplace culture and providing the support that helps keep the GoRail team connected and thriving.

Brett Sebastian joined GoRail in August 2019 and oversees its operations in the Central United States and Pennsylvania. Brett has worked in public policy in Washington D.C., Austin, and Oklahoma City where he has acted as an advocate for the infrastructure, healthcare, and construction industries.
A former journalist who covered several state sessions of the Oklahoma Legislature, Brett has previously worked on Senate, Attorney General, and Gubernatorial campaigns in Texas. He is a Texas native and received a B.S. in Geography from Texas A&M University before earning a J.D. from South Texas College of Law.

With a decade of experience working in the rail industry, Nate covers the Western United States and parts of New England for GoRail. His background in local, state, and federal government makes him an effective transportation and public policy leader.

He served as a legislative aide in the Massachusetts State Senate before working in Boston’s Trial Court system. At the age of 24, Kaplan ran for the office of state representative in his hometown in Central Massachusetts and after a landslide victory, he became the youngest candidate in that district’s history to receive a major party nomination. Kaplan’s passion for politics continued to thrive after he relocated to Los Angeles. He founded a 501c3 nonprofit, SeePolitical, to educate the electorate by producing and distributing unbiased animations to heighten civic awareness and explain the electoral process.

Kaplan received a master’s degree in public policy at the University of Southern California while working as a communications director, legislative director, and district director for the Los Angeles City Council, where he worked on issues of transportation, social policy, economic development, land use, public safety, sustainable cities, affordable housing, and policies to improve the quality of life for communities in California.

As a seasoned public affairs professional, Kaplan is often invited to guest lecture and moderate panels on a host of transportation related topics. He resides in Colorado.

Betsy Cantwell is Vice President at GoRail, where she leads the organization’s advocacy and communications strategy to build public and political support for freight rail. Her work spans earned media, digital campaigns, grassroots mobilization, and message development—aimed at making freight rail policy accessible and compelling to the communities it impacts most.

Betsy oversees Rail Champions, GoRail’s grassroots program empowering citizen advocates to speak up on federal rail issues, and drives engagement through regular programming for local leaders—including webinars and events that highlight rail’s role in economic development, safety, and sustainability.

Since joining GoRail in 2015, Betsy has played a key role in evolving the organization’s communications and expanding its reach across local and national audiences. Before that, she served as assistant director of public affairs at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. Her career has included a wide range of communications work, from media relations and publication design to event management and video production.

She holds a B.A. in political communication and an M.A. in global communication from George Washington University. After many years living in the DMV region, Betsy now resides in her home state of New Jersey with her husband and two sons, where they enjoy exploring the outdoors and playing with trains.

Russ McGurk is the immediate past president of GoRail, which he co-founded in 2004. McGurk has worked on grassroots campaigns for the freight rail industry since 1997. With over 30 years of management, policy and communications experience on Capitol Hill, in state government and on political campaigns, he believes deeply in the value of constituent input to creating sound public policy. A Rhode Island native, he lives in Washington, DC with his wife and family.

Emily Traiforos joined GoRail in March 2006 and oversees its operations in the Upper Midwest and Northeast. Prior to GoRail, she worked in the Strategic Planning and Development Office at an international non-profit in Washington, D.C. Traiforos has volunteered and worked on several political campaigns, interned in the U.S. Senate, and holds a B.S. in political science from Arizona State University.

Christy Sammon is a seasoned governmental relations expert with over 15 years of experience in advocacy, public affairs, and strategic fundraising. Before joining GoRail, she served as Federal Legislative Affairs Director for two national trade associations. Sammon also spent many years as a professional fundraiser, leading campaigns for clients in higher education and the non-profit sector, as well as political candidates at every level. A native of Georgia, Christy earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of West Georgia. She and her husband, Tom, have two adult sons. Outside of work, Christy enjoys spending time with family, traveling, following politics, watching college football and professional golf.

Michael Gaynor serves as President of GoRail. He brings nearly three decades of political experience to his position, having served as a congressional staffer, political consultant, and public relations director to a national non-profit. Gaynor has taught campaign schools across the nation and consulted for numerous congressional and statewide campaigns, levies, and local municipal elections. He has assisted clients in the business, transportation, agriculture, and environmental sectors. Gaynor and his wife, Elizabeth, have two sons, Nathaniel and Collin, and live in Columbus, Ohio.