Stewart Mader works with transit agencies and policy makers to build better transit, and contributes to numerous media outlets on transit policy. He founded the VaxTransit initiative, advising transit agencies on supporting COVID-19 vaccine access, and building public awareness of more than 580 agencies in the US and Canada providing access to vaccines.
Stewart previously served as the public face of NJ Transit, where he streamlined customer experience with a redesigned website, real-time updates on social media, contactless fare payment, and a performance dashboard for 270 million annual passenger trips. He also profiled frontline transit workers and the vital work they do to keep transit running.
Stewart helped the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey establish the PATH Riders Council for the agency’s 80 million annual rail transit riders, and he served as the council’s chair and chief spokesperson.
Stewart created the Transit Standards project, and the New York & New Jersey Subway Map to elevate the importance of design and wayfinding to the transit experience. He writes about transit policy for Mass Transit, Mobility Lab, New York Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, The Architect’s Newspaper, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Network.
He previously worked as a senior executive in Silicon Valley and Wall Street. As Global Head of Digital Strategy, Mader streamlined customer experience at Fitch Ratings to accelerate its market intelligence and e-learning businesses. He transformed CFA Institute with a digital-first learning approach, and built a social media presence named #1 in finance by Association Trends. CQ Roll Call named @CFAInstitute one of 100 Association Twitter Handles You Should Follow.
Stewart wrote the book Wikipatterns drawing on his experience as Chief Evangelist for Atlassian, and as a digital strategy consultant to global organizations including Airbus, ICANN, SAP, Thales, and World Bank-International Finance Corporation.
Earlier in his career, Stewart led instructional design at Brown University, Emerson College, Long Island University, and University of Hartford. PBS stations aired “Skysight” and “Seeing the Scientific Light”, two NASA Space Grant-funded films he wrote, directed, and edited.
Stewart earned his bachelor’s degree with distinction in chemistry from the University of Hartford, and master’s degree in education from the University at Albany.
- New England Transit Map
Comprehensive rail and bus rapid transit map for New England, with connections to New York and Canada. - How COVID-19 Response Shapes Transit’s Future
Six ways to build a better future with transit, based on COVID-19 best practices from fifteen urban, rural, and tribal transit providers. - VaxTransit: Connecting Communities to Vaccines
580+ US & Canada transit providers offer free rides and clinics to connect communities to COVID-19 vaccines. - Transit Standards: Branding, Design & Graphics
Public transit branding, design and wayfinding knowledge base, with 30+ global transit agency graphics standards manuals. - New York & New Jersey Subway Map
New York Subway Map with New Jersey transit connections that shows how transit bridges city and state boundaries.