The Monroe County Transportation Authority, aka Pocono Pony, announces that its longtime Executive Director, Margaret A. Howarth, will step down and a management team has been appointed as of July 1.

The MCTA board of directors has promoted Richard Schlameuss to chief executive officer and Iris Rivera to the chief operating officer. Joan Davidge, Chief Financial Officer, will continue in that role.

Howarth, who has been with MCTA since 2000 and its executive director for 21 years, will reduce her work hours for the next year as she prepares to retire. As the Executive Director Emeritus, Howarth will support the new management team and assist with upcoming projects.

“The MCTA board of directors is extraordinarily grateful to Peggy (Howarth) for her years of exceptional service. Peggy has led the authority through significant growth, changes, and challenges with an amazing level of competence and consideration for the community she served,” said Rick Mutchler, MCTA board of directors president.

“Our board of directors is excited to offer support to Richard Schlameuss, Iris Rivera, and Joan Davidge as they transition the authority into a new generation of leadership in their newly formed roles as CEO, COO, and CFO, respectively. As a board, we feel fortunate to have Rich and his team prepared and willing to help guide the MCTA through the opportunities and challenges ahead.”

MCTA provides Fixed Route, Shared Ride, Flex, and PonyPlus microtransit services to Monroe County. In fiscal year 2022-23, which ended June 30, MCTA provided more than 250,000 trips (unaudited) across all services. MCTA employs 82 people, including drivers, mechanics, and administrative staff.

“I appreciate the board placing trust in me to perform the duties of Chief Executive Officer. I look forward to working with the board, staff, and community to keep Monroe County moving,” Schlameuss said.

Schlameuss has served as the assistant executive director for the authority since 2008. A West Virginia University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in political science, he served as executive director of Christian Help in Morgantown, West Virginia, and the Pocono Health Communities Alliance (now the Pocono Mountains United Way), as well as other organizations in Boston, Massachusetts, and Charleston, West Virginia. Schlameuss is an elected, volunteer member of the East Stroudsburg Area School District Board of Education and serves as its board president. He also volunteers as a board member of the Pocono Mountains United Way and the Monroe County Planning Commission.

Rivera recently marked 18 years with MCTA, where she began in 2005 as an executive office assistant. She was promoted to bilingual executive office analyst in 2011. Previously, Rivera was employed for 15 years in various roles with federal and state agencies, focusing on analytics and linguistics. She is studying information technology/cyber security at Northampton Community College, based in Bethlehem.

Davidge has served as CFO for the authority since 2001. She received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Alvernia College in Reading. Davidge heads the Finance Committee for the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association in Harrisburg. She has served on the Pocono Chamber Leadership Board and is a Pocono Leadership graduate.

Howarth has been in the business of moving people for more than four decades. Before her leadership role at MCTA, she spent 16 years in the airline industry. She was also a human resources/risk manager for Telluride Ski & Golf Resort in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. She has a bachelor’s degree from Colorado Christian University, Grand Junction, Colorado, and a master’s degree from Kutztown University, Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Howarth looks forward to more time with Tim Burke, her longtime partner, and two hounds, Yazhi and Brave. She is also a Penn State Extension Master Gardener and assists home gardeners by volunteering at the Monroe County Gardeners Hotline, speaking to groups, writing articles, and working in her own growing garden.

“MCTA is proud of its 44-year history of serving the people of Monroe County by providing a variety of safe and reliable public-transit options year-round,” Schlameuss said. “We thank Peggy (Howarth) for her enthusiasm and strong work ethic that has made Pocono Pony what it is today. We plan to build on that as we accept Pocono Pony’s reins and steer the service into the future.”

For information, call MCTA at 570-839-6282 or visit gomcta.com. Download the mySTOP app for Fixed Route and/or the PonyPlus app for microtransit services. Stay informed by following MCTA on Facebook and Instagram.