Statement from DART Board on the Termination of President & CEO Nadine S. Lee

The DART Board of Directors has made the decision to move in a new leadership direction with our President & CEO, effective immediately.

On March 24, 2026, the DART Board agreed not to extend Mrs. Lee's current contract beyond September 30, 2026, as initially requested in writing by Mrs. Lee on March 13, 2026. On March 16, 2026, Board Chair Randall Bryant met with Mrs. Lee to discuss options that would be mutually beneficial to conclude her employment prior to September 30, 2026. This was an attempt to amicably transition Mrs. Lee out of her position early enough to afford an incoming President & CEO ample time in their new role to craft an FY27 Budget, enhance our service plan, and be prepared for the 90th State of Texas Legislative Session.

During the week of March 16th, those discussions between Chair Bryant and Mrs. Lee continued and also included DART Board members Gary Slagel and Mark Enoch.

On March 24, 2026, the full Board unanimously granted Chair Bryant the authority for a period of seven business days to negotiate a separation agreement with Mrs. Lee under certain conditions.

Those additional discussions and proposals between DART and Mrs. Lee over the past seven business days did not reach any consensus under the conditions approved by the board. Therefore, in the best interests of the agency, we have made the decision to terminate Mrs. Lee at this time.

We are confident that this decision allows DART the ability to move forward with clarity, renewed focus, and a strong sense of accountability as we continue to serve our region and plan for its future.

Temporarily, the Board has appointed Gene Gamez as the agency's Acting President & CEO. Mr. Gamez has been employed at DART for over 26 years, currently serves as the General Counsel, and has the confidence of the Board to navigate our organization through this period.

The Board will continue to move forward with an interim leadership plan and has begun a national search process for our new President & CEO. We invite our riders, residents, member cities, and stakeholders to engage with us throughout this process.