Staff

In addition to serving as the industry spokesperson, LaGasse guides TLPA's government relations program, oversees industry legal affairs, directs TLPA's meetings and Annual Convention & Trade Show, and serves as the lead staff person for the Taxicab and the Limousine & Sedan Divisions of the association. He works with TLPA's Board of Directors to determine the focus of the association, develops and recommends policies and programs to the Board for approval, and takes responsibility for their implementation.

As Chief Executive Officer, LaGasse holds primary accountability for the accomplishments and fiscal integrity of the organization. During his tenure, TLPA's membership and attendance at yearly meetings has nearly tripled, the Trade Show has expanded by over 600%, and the association's annual budget has grown by over 1,000%.

Prior to joining the TLPA in 1978, he was an account executive with Executive Consultants Inc., a multiple association management firm. He is a second-generation association executive who received his degree in Business Administration from George Mason University.

Harold Morgan
Executive Vice President
Harold Morgan has been in the transportation industry since 1977 and with TLPA since 1994. Morgan manages all research and member education activities and serves as the lead staff contact for TLPA's Paratransit & Contracting Division. In this role, he prepares and writes three annual Division Fact Books, coordinates the Transportation Management Institute seminars, serves as a contributing writer to various TLPA publications, fields membership research inquiries, and oversees the association's Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Foundation.

Morgan serves as second in command of the office and acts as a liaison to government agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. He is active on the Transportation Research Board's Paratransit Committee and serves on the National Program Review Board for the Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) of the Federal Transit Administration and serves on the national steering committees for the National Resource Center for Human Service Transportation Coordination and the National Center on Senior Transportation.

Prior to joining TLPA in 1994, he was responsible for the implementation, management and operation of the Public Private Transportation Network (PPTN), a multi-million dollar technical assistance program funded by the Federal Transit Administration. From 1978-1985 Morgan was the Director of Research for the American Bus Association.

He received his BA degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA and his MBA from American University in Washington DC.

Michelle A. Hariston, CMP
Manager of Meetings
Michelle joined the TLPA as a Manager of Meetings in April 2012. She manages TLPA meetings and events, is the contact person for all exhibit and sponsorship activities and is responsible for maintaining and developing industry vendor relations, creating and developing meeting/event marketing and promotional materials and writes for various TLPA publications.

Prior to joining the TLPA, Michelle was Associate Director, Operations with The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). She is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati.

She has 20+ years of experience in event, meeting planning, program management and marketing communications.

Leah New
Manager of Communications
Leah New, who designs, edits and produces our quarterly full-color magazine, Transportation Leader, along with our four full-color, bi-monthly newsletters, Dispatch, Taxicab, Paratransit, and Limousine is our Manager of Communications. In addition, she creates a variety of promotional materials. She also helps update our website and oversees our public relations efforts.

Her Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design is from East Tennessee State University. In a design studio, she produced ads for magazines such as Psychology Today, and designs for direct mailings. She later worked for a four-color printing company, before working for a corporation, where she gained experience in publishing for government clients. Most recently, she worked as a consultant and assistant graphics software trainer for Editorial Experts Inc., before joining the TLPA staff in 2006.

Ayesha Plaskett
Office Assistant
Ayesha Plaskett joined the TLPA staff in 2006. Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, she plays a vital role in managing the office by answering and directing phone inquiries, processing membership payments, maintaining the membership database, processing meeting and seminar registrations and administering mailings.

Consultants

Kenneth Butler, Special Counsel
Butler is the senior principal of Capital Partnerships, Inc in Fairfax, VA. He serves as TLPA's special counsel on Paratransit and Contracting issues before the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Arthur Herold, General Counsel
Herold is a partner in the law firm of Webster, Chamberlain & Bean in Washington DC and serves as TLPA's general counsel and specialist on Independent Contractor issues.

Kathy Kolander, Meetings and Convention Consultant
Since 1992, Kolander has served as TLPA's liaison and primary contact with hotels and event suppliers. She plays a major role in the logistical planning and operation of our meetings & conventions.