A graduate of James Madison University with a Master’s in Public Administration, Avery began his career in public service as Town Manager for a small municipality in the Shenandoah Valley. He was introduced to the public transportation industry through the City of Harrisonburg Department of Public Transportation (HDPT), where he served as Outreach and Communications Coordinator in 2013. In 2014, he served as HDPT’s Transit Superintendent, overseeing transit and paratransit operations. He was a member of the CTAV Board of Directors from 2014-2020 and joined the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) in 2020 as a Statewide Programs Manager where he oversees the Commonwealth’s Intercity Bus Program, The Virginia Breeze Bus Lines. He also is responsible for procurement of rolling stock public transportation vehicles and provides technical assistance and oversight with federal and state grant programs for several transit partners including the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority, Suffolk Transit and Hampton Roads Transit.