Profile: Sophia Mohr
Meet Sophia Mohr. Chief Innovation Officer at COTA.
Name: Sophia Mohr
Job: Chief Innovation Officer at the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)
City: Columbus
Hometown: Columbus
Q: What do you do at COTA?
I am the first Chief Innovation Officer for the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), which provides mobility services to a region of more than 1.2 million residents. In 2019, COTA provided more than 19 million passenger trips through fixed-route, on-demand and paratransit service. In the past few years, COTA has worked to become the region’s mobility solutions integrator, recognizing that it takes multiple forms of transportation to move people in our communities.
My role as Chief Innovation Officer is to research, gather, analyze and utilize data to ensure our resources are providing the best service to our customers and the community. It is also to ensure that as an organization, we are moving forward and executing COTA’s 5-year strategic plan. The Columbus region is expected to grow to 3 million residents by 2050, so my team is focused on thinking outside the box, and developing innovative mobility solutions to Central Ohio so we can support the growth and changing needs of the area.
Q: What’s a problem that you are working to solve?
Currently COTA is focused on becoming a data-driven organization. Our challenges are short and long-term and we have to tackle them at the same time. For example, COVID-19 demonstrated how we use data to adjust our service and respond to our customer and community needs right now, and also to prepare for the future. COTA is facing the challenge head-on to provide safe and secure transportation during an unprecedented time.
While we are using data to put our transit vehicles in neighborhoods where people are transit-dependent, COTA is also conducting studies of our major traffic corridors to determine future modes of transportation, partnering with Columbus Traffic Management to reduce congestion and reroute traffic during accidents and pilot mobility lanes where buses, scooters and bikes can move freely through rush hour.
Q: What’s a lesson you’ve learned that has helped shaped your work?
I once read that “authenticity trumps charisma every day.” I think society often makes you feel that you have act or behave a certain way to become a leader. However, once you realize you need to bring your own unique skills and strengths to the table, that’s how you succeed and that’s how you can bring the biggest impact to your initiatives and create connection with the team. Authenticity matters.
Q: What’s a trend in technology or innovation that you believe doesn’t get enough attention?
I think we don’t focus enough of the conversation on the people who need to use the technology or innovation. For example, I think we don’t discuss the digital divide as often as we should. Many cities have neighborhoods where broadband internet is not readily available and this pandemic has brought that to light, as more people need to work from home and children are learning at home.
The digital divide puts people at a disadvantage at an early age. Children struggle to stay ahead in learning and the lack of internet access cause them to lag behind throughout their education. This makes them ill-equipped for college, or getting a job out of high school. We should be talking about the digital divide like we talk about economic divisions.
COTA is working hard to even the playing field. For the past 3 years, all COTA buses and microtransit vehicles have free Wi-Fi access, as well as most of our transit centers. This summer COTA also launched Wi-Fi by COTA, a project to provide pop-up Wi-Fi hotspots in neighborhoods were internet is not easily accessible.
That venture led to a partnership with Columbus City Schools and the Center of Science and Industry (COSI). Columbus City Schools announced the fall term would be completely remote learning. COTA and COSI responded to this news by partnering to provide Wi-Fi access and science experiences for five weeks leading up to the start of the school year. We host curbside events at schools where children are receiving daily lunch and breakfast pickups. Kids get meals, a science experiment, and can use Wi-Fi by COTA to download STEM lessons they can do at home. Our goal is to engage their minds and show them that learning can still happen outside the classroom.
Q: What’s one moonshot idea that could help make Ohio a world leader in technology and innovation?
We would absolutely be the world leader if we can improve education for future students. Innovative educational solutions through technology is the key. Currently, this is especially noteworthy considering the effect that the pandemic will have on our children. The pandemic has created more awareness of how the education infrastructure needs to be modernized and restructured.
Q: What’s a recent book, podcast or news story that you found interesting?
I absolutely love any book or podcast by Malcolm Gladwell. His books always make you pause and see things in a different way. He really dives deep into a topic and brings together in way like no other. I recently listened to his book “Talking to Strangers” about how we read and interact with people, which is very powerful considering the current climate and how easy it is to miscommunicate.
Q: What's your favorite place in Ohio?
This may sound boring, but I have learned to appreciate my own backyard! In 2020, I have spent more time in my backyard than all the years I have lived in my house due to the pandemic
Q: What makes Ohio special to you?
When my parents immigrated to the United States, they decided to move to Ohio. Ohio is a very special place to my family. Even though I was not born here, I am proud to call Columbus my hometown and grateful for the opportunities to go to The Ohio State University and raise my family here.
Connect with Sophia on LinkedIn.