Karina Ricks is a Partner at Cityfi, where she draws on her international, city, federal, and private sector experience to unite government, community, and companies in advancing equity, safety, climate preservation, and economic growth. Her expertise spans transportation, mobility, infrastructure, urban design, and economic development.

Karina's previous roles include Associate Administrator for Innovation at the Federal Transit Administration, founding Director of Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, and Director of Transportation Planning for Washington, DC. She has led initiatives like Universal Basic Mobility, integrated mobility payment systems, and the nation's first Mobility as a Service system, MovePGH. Karina has led both system and organizational transformations to modernize processes, better deliver projects and develop strategic roadmaps for planning, capacity building, and project funding. She is an experienced policymaker at both the municipal and federal levels. She brings entrepreneurial solutions to leverage public private partnerships for the public good. 

Karina is rooted in a commitment to authentic collaboration, human centered design, and continuous learning.

Karina is a Fulbright Scholar, holds a Master’s Degree in City and Regional Planning from Cornell University and a pre-law degree from the James Madison College of Michigan State University. She has served as a strategic advisor to the World Bank and international observer with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).