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Red Kite Project Awarded Five-Year Contract Extension with SEPTA to Deliver Advanced Resilience and Customer Service Training

Charlotte DiBartolomeo — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 19:06:35 GMT

A pair of southbound SEPTA route 23 buses near Buttonwood Street. Photo: Pi.1415926535 / Wikimedia Commons.

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Red Kite Consulting, Inc., doing business as Red Kite Project, has officially been awarded a new five-year contract with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Effective October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031, the agreement extends a 16-year partnership focused on building employee resilience, mitigating workplace trauma, and improving customer service across the transit network.

Red Kite Project specializes in developing trauma-informed, resilience-building programs for high-risk, high-pressure industries. Since beginning its work with SEPTA in 2010, Red Kite Project has trained over 11,000 transit professionals, first responders, and managers nationwide. The organization’s curriculum addresses the root causes of employee burnout, equips workers to manage chronic urban trauma, and provides practical tools for de-escalating high-conflict situations.

Under the newly awarded contract, Red Kite Project will continue providing specialized social skills and crisis intervention instruction tailored to SEPTA’s operational divisions. The comprehensive training program covers:

New Bus and Rail Hires: Five-day on-boarding courses focusing on crisis de-escalation, professional identity, and customer service skills on their second day of hire.
Frontline Personnel: Advanced communication, threat assessment, and situational awareness training for experienced bus and rail operators, cashiers, and maintenance custodians.
Operations Supervisors and Managers: Leadership and conflict resolution workshops incorporating Johns Hopkins’ Psychological First Aid (RAPID method) to support employees during critical incidents and foster psychological safety.

Previous evaluations of Red Kite Project’s program at SEPTA demonstrated significant improvements in key operational metrics, including a 38% reduction in non-consecutive sick days/turn-ins, a 30.6% drop in overall days out, a 28% reduction in customer complaints, and a 15% decrease in rule violations. Recognized by the Mineta Transportation Institute as a national best practice for transit safety and assault reduction, Red Kite Project remains committed to fostering safe, resilient work communities for frontline transit employees.

Improve Employee Safety and Performance

Charlotte DiBartolomeo — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Red Kite Project CEO Charlotte DiBartolomeo explores how trauma and burnout affect operator safety in Metro Magazine.

Why Trauma and Burnout May Be the Cause of Operator Accidents and What You Can Do About It

How stress, unresolved trauma, and chronic burnout can impact operator performance, and the steps agencies can take to improve safety and well-being.

Read the article at Metro Magazine

Leadership Love Conference in Portland, Oregon

Ying Zhang — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Charlotte DiBartolomeo, CEO of Red Kite Project, presented at the Bureau’s Leadership Love Conference in Portland, Oregon, last week, thanks to the marvelous Carl Smith. She spoke on “Repairing Relationships and Transforming Conflict in an Era of Polycrisis.”

The event brought together many kind and thoughtful leaders who shared their stories and listened to one another with empathy rather than judgment. Charlotte emphasized that this is how safe and resilient communities are built and how they thrive.

She posed a series of reflective questions to the audience: “What if we had the vision to see beyond the singular identity of ‘the other’ to experience each other in the fullness of our humanity? What if we had the heart to listen for the suffering buried beneath the anger of ‘the other?’ What if we had the courage to be vulnerable with each other and meet each other with empathy and compassion rather than judgment? Those are the relationships worth cultivating. That’s how we rebuild civil society to solve our collective problems TOGETHER.”

Seattle Transit Is Fighting Back

Sammy Stone — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

The federally sponsored Mineta Transportation Institute thinks Red Kite Project should be part of that fight.

Crime on public transportation has been a growing concern across the country, and Seattle is no exception. With thefts and assaults rising in transit hubs, agencies are under pressure to find effective, fast-acting solutions.

In a recent Seattle Times article, Red Kite was suggested to be part of the city’s new wave of crime-prevention efforts. Our approach to training transit professionals blends cutting-edge de-escalation techniques with a deep understanding of human needs: think violence prevention tools that actually work and community engagement that earns trust.

Our work around the country has shown results. Fewer incidents. Safer stations. More confident riders. With real-time monitoring systems, strategic partnerships, and public safety workshops, we've proven again and again that Red Kite Project can help transit systems turn the tide. Even so, we're just part of a complex issue that requires comprehensive solutions.

If you're in transit, safety planning, or just curious how communities are taking back their public spaces, this is worth a read.

👉 Check out the full article from the Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/how-seattle-area-transit-is-pushing-back-against-crime/

A busy transit station in Seattle, showcasing the importance of public transportation safety

Resolve conflict effectively- talk

Zach Stone — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Workplace conflicts cost U.S. businesses $359 billion annually in lost productivity. Everyone has conflict, even you.

Anu Smalley Johanna Rothman Lonnie Weaver-Johnson, CST® and I will be talking conflict on Friday May 30th, and getting into detail about how to resolve conflict at work and at home.

Learn how to prepare for difficult conversations about conflict. This session will help you build the skills and confidence to step into tough discussions. Join us!

https://lnkd.in/g_5aHvxx

#conflict #TheAgileNetwork #communication #teams

Leading Change and Transforming Conflict

Zach Stone — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Spotting Conflict Before it Sparks and Change Making for Agile Ninjas were two very cool panel talks with some amazing speakers that I did in the past two months.

Thanks to Anu Smalley Johanna Rothman Diana Larsen Charlotte DiBartolomeo, M.A.C.T. Lonnie Weaver-Johnson, CST® for making these discussions so impactful.

https://lnkd.in/g377C9JM - Spotting Conflict

https://lnkd.in/gei_5WaD - Change Making

Check these out, and tell me what you think!

If you like them, consider joining The Agile Network.

#conflict #change #changemanagement #agile

What does a 15th century blackmailer have to teach us about emotional intelligence?

Zach Stone — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to understand, manage, and use emotions effectively—both your own and those of others. It involves five key skills: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills, and motivation. Think of it as the “human” side of intelligence that helps you navigate relationships and communication.

In business, EQ is a game-changer. Why? Because success isn’t just about technical skills or IQ; it’s about how well you connect with people. Leaders with high EQ inspire teams, handle conflicts gracefully, and foster collaboration. Employees with strong EQ can adapt to change, respond constructively to feedback, and build meaningful relationships.

Beyond individual growth, emotional intelligence fuels a healthier workplace culture, improves customer interactions, and can even drive better decision-making under pressure. Simply put, EQ is the secret ingredient that transforms a workplace from good to great.

More Than Half the US Population Exposed to Lead: Mental Health Crisis

Zach Stone — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 05:00:00 GMT

This study suggests that exposure to leaded gasoline in the U.S. significantly impacted mental health and personality traits, particularly for those born between 1966 and 1986. By 2015, lead exposure was estimated to have caused 151 million excess mental health disorders and increased the population’s overall vulnerability to mental illness by 0.13 standard deviations. Specific effects included higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms, more ADHD symptoms, increased neuroticism, and reduced conscientiousness. The findings highlight the long-term consequences of lead exposure on public health, suggesting its impact on mental health and personality may be greater than previously thought.

https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.14072

Zach Stone - featured expert on The Agile Network talking about AI and embracing our humanity

Zach Stone — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 05:00:00 GMT

Zach was featured during the artificial intelligence micro conference yesterday talking about how to beef up behavior science skills to avoid being replaced by AI.

Artificial Intelligence is great at pattern recognition but not good at processing and empathizing with human emotion. It also struggles to manage human complexity. In the age of robotic customer service that drives us crazy, we can embrace the messiness that is human emotion and organizational systems complexity.

Talk summary:

”When Large Language Models can parrot the scrum guide and AI scrum masters can provide real time metrics, it’s well past time to diversify your tool kit.

The hardest part of the job has always been the ‘human side’ of the work and this is the part AI will have the hardest time taking over.

Join me on Monday to talk about how agilists can avoid being replaced by AI, and thrive by leaning into concepts like systems thinking and behavioral science.”

Keynote at the Filmore in Minneapolis

Charlotte DiBartolomeo — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 05:00:00 GMT

I was honored to keynote Metro Transit’s Leadership Summit this week, which focused on building resilient teams in an era of poly-crises and uncertainty. What a great turnout at the Iconic Fillmore Theater in Minneapolis! Our Metro Transit leaders explored new ways to overcome burnout and build more resilient work communities. We know that individual resilience can only be sustained for so long. True resilience is a team sport! Building authentic, supportive relationships is key to having great employee experiences.