Alva previously supervised bus operations across her native Southern California — including six years at Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) — and held leadership roles at Montebello Bus Lines, Sacramento Regional Transit and San Antonio’s VIA Metropolitan Transit.

Alva is a vocal advocate for creating a more equitable, diverse and inclusive transportation industry. She serves as president of Latinos In Transit and sits on the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Diversity & Inclusion Council; the Transportation Research Board’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee; and the APTA Bylaws Taskforce. Alva also serves as vice chair for both the California Transportation Association’s Inclusive Diversity Equity Association (IDEA) Task Force and the Leadership APTA Committee.