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Sarah Watterson

President, Brightline West

Sarah Watterson is the President of Brightline West Trains, responsible for overseeing all aspects of development and delivery of a high-speed rail system connecting Southern California to Las Vegas.12 She is a highly accomplished business leader with extensive experience in infrastructure development, real estate, and finance.

Key points about Sarah Watterson's career and background:

  1. Current roles:

    • President of Brightline West Trains (since August 2019)3
    • Chief Development Officer at Florida East Coast Industries (since May 2019)3
    • Board Member of Hope for Prisoners (since 2023)3
  2. Previous experience:

    • CEO and Board of Directors at Drive Shack Inc. (2016-2018)3
    • Managing Director at Fortress Investment Group (2011-2017)3
    • Owner Representative for Milwaukee Bucks Inc. and Aston Villa Football Club3
    • Analyst at Goldman Sachs (2009-2011)3
  3. Education:

    • Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics from Cornell University, graduated summa cum laude13
  4. Notable achievements:

    • Led the acquisition and restructuring of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA team1
    • Developed the 725,000 SF Fiserv Forum arena1
    • Managed a 10+ million square foot industrial portfolio and 1.5+ million square feet of transit-oriented development real estate at Florida East Coast Industries1

Sarah Watterson is known for her expertise in large-scale infrastructure projects, real estate development, and financial management. Her diverse experience across various industries has positioned her as a leader in the transportation and real estate sectors.2

Highlights

May 2 · linkedin

Full speed ahead! Excited to announce that we are selecting Siemens Mobility, the same manufacturer behind the iconic Brightline Trains in Florida, to build train sets for the Brightline West Trains rail system between Las Vegas and Southern California.

Our vehicles will be the first fully electric, high-speed trainsets built in America! They will be capable of traveling at speeds of up to 220 MPH—allowing for the trip to be made in less than two hours. 

Read more: https://lnkd.in/gsXskYnb

Full speed ahead! Excited to announce that we are selecting Siemens Mobility, the same manufacturer
Apr 22 · linkedin

Today, Brightline West Trains officially broke ground on the nation's first true high-speed rail system that will connect Las Vegas to Southern California. The 218-mile system will be constructed in the middle of the I-15 and is based on Brightline Trains vision to connect city pairs that are too short to fly and too far to drive.   “This is a historic project and a proud moment where we break ground on America’s first high-speed rail system and lay the foundation for a new industry,” said Wesley Edens, Brightline’s founder. “Today is long overdue, but the blueprint we’ve created with Brightline will allow us to repeat this model in other city pairs around the country.”

Thank you to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Governor Lombardo, elected officials from Nevada and California and to the skilled union workforce that will now get this monumental project underway.

Related Questions

What are Sarah Watterson's key achievements at Brightline West Trains?
How did Sarah Watterson's role at Fortress Investment Group prepare her for her current position?
What challenges has Sarah Watterson faced in developing the high-speed rail system in the western United States?
How has Sarah Watterson's experience at Goldman Sachs influenced her career path?
What is the significance of Sarah Watterson's involvement with Hope for Prisoners?
Sarah Watterson
Sarah Watterson, photo 1
Sarah Watterson, photo 2
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Experience

President at Brightline West Trains
CEO and Board of Directors at Drive Shack Inc., Managing Director at Fortress Investment Group

Education

Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics, Summa Cum Laude from Cornell University

Location

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States