Leslie Caceda

Principal Program Specialist of Transportation Technology, Atlanta Regional Commission

Atlanta

Leslie is Principal Program Specialist of Transportation Technology at the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) where she maintains and develops web and mobile applications and where she works on policy to prepare our region for upcoming transportation technology needs and breakthroughs. She joined ARC in 2014 after having worked in nonprofit advocacy centered around transportation and community development.

Leslie earned her Masters from Georgia Institute of Technology’sSchool of City and Regional planning in 2011 and her undergraduate degree in philosophy at Wesleyan College in 2007. While at Georgia Tech she focused on environmental planning and geographic information systems (GIS) and she was part of a studio team which won State and National awards for their work on the Community Action Plan for the Redevelopment of Fort McPherson under the guidance of Professor and former City of Atlanta Planning Commissioner, Michael Dobbins.

Leslie’s role at ARC is a unique one in that she works both as a planner and developer. To craft this knowledge, ARC sent Leslie to General Assembly’s Web Development Immersive for 3 months. Since graduating from WDI’s 7th Atlanta cohort she has leveraged and expanded on what she has learned to meet the growing needs of ARC and regional partners.

In spring of 2016, Leslie and her partner won a grant from the Atlanta Cycling Festival to form BEAM (Bicycle Electronics And Makers). BEAM built Bicycle Laser Tag using Arduino boards for an Atlanta Cycling Festival event and will be hosting maker workshops for women in 2017. Leslie also serves on the board of Atlanta Pride Committee which organizes the Southeast’s largest Pride Festival and year-round programming to advance unity, visibility, and wellness among persons with widely diverse gender and sexual identities.