Genfare employee Sara Edney is an engineer and product manager with nearly two decades in technical product development and in leading large-scale transportation projects. She’s focused on supporting her customers in the public transit space, where, she says, it’s all about collaboration and communication.
Keep reading to learn more about Sara’s background, including her seven patents, her take on the future of AI in transit, and her goal of sailing the world (when she’s got a bit more time on her hands).
Q: You’ve got your name on seven patents! How did you get into product development?
A: I have an electrical engineering degree, started my career in software development, and then moved to systems engineering and program management. It seems like, regardless of where I start at a company, I end up as a product developer. It’s what I really enjoy doing. And yes, I’m named as a contributor on seven patents for safety products in the rail transportation industry.
Q: How did you make your way to transit?
A: After working in communications and taking time off when my children were little, it was time to get back in the workforce. I got the opportunity to work at a startup company that wanted to bring updated technology to train control. Being David to the CBTC Goliaths was enticing and I love the idea of making public transportation affordable, safer, and easier to use. I have continued this mission at Genfare.
Q: What have your roles been at Genfare?
A: I came to Genfare as a program manager, overseeing projects like the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority project, where I helped to upgrade and modernize that agency’s fare collection systems. Now, as a product manager, I enjoy developing quality products using the best technology, making sure they work well, are easy to use, and can be easily deployed.
Genfare Link is my current focus. Genfare Link is a full fare collection solution that agencies can use to manage all hardware and software in their system. We have worked to make it easy to deploy and to use. I work to champion the needs of all our customers – both internal and external – and to build usable and essential products.
It’s not just a fare collection platform – Genfare Link gives our customers a lot of flexibility and growth opportunities and makes it easier for us to support them. And the subscription-based model is not a hard sell. People understand it. It’s really the way of the future.
Q: What drew you to Genfare?
A: A major reason that I joined Genfare was the diversity. I saw that there were women in leadership positions. I thought, “Yes, this is where I want to be!” And I love it. I’m able to assist with product development, learn new technologies, and have autonomy in my role. People follow my leadership, and I can see my footprint on the products, which I really enjoy. I also like the breadth of experience that you get in a smaller company than you do with a larger company.
Q: What has been your proudest moment as a Genfare colleague thus far?
A: I was on a panel last year and I heard the industry moderator say, “We know that Genfare is not just a hardware company anymore.” And it was a really cool moment. It means that the industry is starting to recognize that we’re transitioning from a hardware-only company to a company with quality software, and I’m really proud to be a part of that.
Q: You want to help make public transit more cutting edge. Why and how so?
A: We’re going from hardware to software in all aspects of our life. It’s time to do this in public transit and bring it up to speed with other industries and other technologies. Agencies should have all their information at their fingertips, with the ability to quickly parse it, and get a deep understanding of their riders’ needs. It is so important, because public transit is the backbone of America. It’s how people get to work, get to school, and meet their friends. But the U.S. is behind many other countries. I believe it is time to make the investment in this country and prioritize mobility.
Q: As a self-described tech nerd, what’s your prediction for AI in transit?
A: I predict that our entire lives are going to be changed by AI in the next two years. At Genfare, this means new tools that improve agencies’ abilities to understand data and make decisions that are meaningful and measurable. AI will give us insights from trip planning to bridging language barriers to optimizing routes to autonomous vehicles to things that we have not considered yet. I’m very committed to understanding these tools and utilizing them, because it’s already amazing and will soon change the way we live and work.
Q: You’ve also got a busy personal life. Tell us more!
A: I am navigating raising 5 young adults with my partner, John. Between us, we have two 20-year-olds in college, and three teenagers in high school. I have a son at Embry Riddle in Florida, a daughter who is a high school junior, and a son who is a freshman. John’s eldest son is at University of Iowa and his younger son is a high school junior. I’ve always found that I take on a lot, both professionally and personally, so time management and prioritizing what is important is key in my life.
Q: What is the philosophy that drives you?
A: There’s been a really nice change, especially since Gen X, in the way people communicate with each other, and how they set expectations. There’s a whole movement that says you need to set your goals and concentrate on them. Kids and family being first always, I try to make sure that those priorities are right, and that I don’t say yes to too many things. Sometimes that means facing hard decisions. I still probably overdo it a little bit, but I’ve also tried to make sure that one of my priorities is to strive for happiness, to strive for fulfillment, to strive for a life well lived. I’m a big fan of therapy and saying what I mean and meaning what I say, and that has served me well.
Q: You’re analytical, but you also say emotions are a guide. How so?
A: My kids sometimes call me a hippie, but I think of emotions as guideposts. It’s really beneficial to understand and feel your feelings so that you can determine where you need to go in life. It’s definitely not an idea that we were taught growing up, but it’s a commitment I made to myself in my early 40s.
Q: What is your biggest hobby?
A: Sailing is my passion and has been for a long time. My retirement plan is to sail for five to 10 years, just as many places as we can go. Our new boat is a 33-foot Hunter, and it’s our learning boat. It’s got enough room that all the kids can come, and we try to live on it for at least eight or 10 days a month in the summer. Next year we’re planning on sailing across Lake Michigan. We have to learn the ropes – literally. We need to get really good at this before we commit to ocean sailing. We’ve also got a water dog who can’t swim, but that’s a whole other story!
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