Kayla Dixon, Graduate Assistant – Transit
The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission is pleased to announce that Kayla Dixon, a Master of Public Administration student at James Madison University, has joined our team as a summer intern. This partnership with JMU’s Public Administration program brings fresh perspectives and academic expertise to support our ongoing regional planning initiatives.
Kayla previously served as an intern in the City of Harrisonburg’s City Manager’s Office, where she collaborated with diverse community stakeholders and helped develop equitable engagement strategies for local government officials.
During her CSPDC summer internship, Kayla will focus on an engagement project with CSPDC’s transit team, applying her strong background in community relations and stakeholder engagement.
Looking ahead to fall 2025, Kayla will transition to a graduate assistantship role, expanding her work beyond transit to include projects with CSPDC’s community development and transportation teams. This extended partnership will allow her to contribute to a broader range of regional planning initiatives while gaining hands-on experience in public administration.
“Kayla’s academic background, combined with her practical experience in local government and community engagement, makes her an ideal addition to our team,” noted Paula Melester, Director of Transportation. “We look forward to the fresh insights she’ll bring to our transit and community development work.”
The internship and graduate assistantship represent CSPDC’s ongoing commitment to fostering the next generation of public administration professionals while enhancing our capacity to serve the Central Shenandoah region.