William A. Thomas, AICP
RTC Executive Director
Phone: (775) 332-2141
Bill was appointed executive director and began service in April 2020. He brings an extensive background in planning and development that he’s garnered through years of working in high-level positions in both the public and private sectors. Before joining the RTC, Bill was the Assistant City Manager at the City of Reno. During his tenure at the City of Reno, he was responsible for oversight of the Community Development, Parks Recreation and Community Services, Public Works, Economic Development, and Redevelopment functions.
Previously, Bill operated his own planning consulting firm where he assisted both private and public entity clients with infrastructure planning and delivery. His position as the Director of Entitlements for a large West Coast-based attached home builder provided him with perspective on the private/public interactions that are such an important part of local government service. Bill was also Vice President of a Nevada-based civil engineering firm where he gained experience in the land development industry.
Bill has been a resident of Washoe County for more than 40 years. He received his formal education from Pennsylvania State University where he studied Urban and Regional Planning. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and has practiced professionally in Nevada, California, and Wyoming in both the public and private sectors.
Dale Keller, P.E.
RTC Director of Engineering
Phone: (775) 335-1827
Dale Keller joined the RTC in July 2019 and was promoted to Director of Engineering in July 2022. He has over 15 years of experience leading major transportation improvement projects including the design and management of major interstate, expressway, and arterial projects. Prior to the RTC, Dale worked for the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) where he was the project manager for Project Neon; the state’s largest public works project in Nevada history.
Dale is a Nevada native. He holds a Professional Engineer (P.E.) certification, is a registered Civil Engineer in Nevada, and is a University of Nevada, Reno graduate.
Jim Gee
RTC Director of Public Transportation and Operations
Phone: (775) 335-0020
Jim Gee has worked for the Regional Transportation of Washoe County since 2019. He served as Manager of Service Planning and Innovation for nearly four years before taking the Director of Public Transportation and Operations job. He has 30 years of transit experience and has previously served as a General Manager, a Director of Planning, and also has experience overseeing public transit marketing, information technology, and procurement.
Jim graduated from the University of Toledo where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geography and planning with a specialization in transportation. He has also served at the University of Toledo as an Adjunct Professor in the past.
Prior to coming to the RTC, Jim worked for the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) in Ohio for 25 years, including 16 years as the agency’s Chief Executive Officer.
Christian Schonlau
RTC Director of Finance/CFO
Phone: (775) 332-9511
Christian Schonlau joined the RTC in April 2022 as the Director of Finance, CFO. He is a finance professional with 10 years of experience working in government finance and has a diverse background in local funding, grants, accounting, budgeting, and regulatory operations. Christian most recently served as CFO for the Board of Pharmacy for the State of Nevada. Previously, he held the position of CFO for the Nevada Attorney General’s Office and also worked in the Governor’s Finance Office.
Christian oversees the accounting, budgeting, auditing, federal grant compliance, risk management, procurement, and financial planning functions of the RTC.
Christian is a lifelong Reno resident. He has a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Nevada, Reno. He is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association.
Laura Freed
RTC Director of Administrative Services
Phone: (775) 332-9520
Laura Freed joined RTC Washoe in March 2023 as Director of Administrative Services, which provides human resources, information technology, communications, safety/security, and administrative support and services to the agency. She has over 20 years in government administration, budgeting, and regulatory oversight. Laura most recently served as the Director of the State of Nevada Department of Administration. Previous to that, she served in various management and analysis capacities with the State of Nevada, including the Governor’s Finance Office, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Legislative Counsel Bureau.
Laura has a Bachelor of Science in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Washington.
Adam Spear
RTC Director of Legal Services
Phone: (775) 332-2158
Adam Spear joined the RTC in October 2017 as the Director of Legal Services. Adam has represented government entities in Nevada since 2007, developing a focus on federal and state transportation law and regional transportation issues. Most recently, he served as General Counsel for the Tahoe Transportation District at Lake Tahoe. He has a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. Adam serves as RTC’s in-house counsel and manages its legal programs and activities, and advises management, staff, and the RTC Board of Commissioners. He is licensed to practice law in Nevada and California (inactive).
