The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials hosted its 2022 AASHTO Executive Institute April 25-28 in Washington D.C.
[Above photo by AASHTO]
Thirty-two senior state department of transportation executives from around the country attended the four-day program to examine emerging transportation policies and discuss critical transportation issues.
The AEI – formerly the National Transportation Advanced Leadership Institute – focuses on growing participant knowledge and awareness for national transportation issues and trends while building and developing relationships with peers, industry contacts, plus federal administration and Congressional leaders.
Sessions over the four-day AEI course included how to create a culture for success, understanding and fulfilling federal transportation obligations, plus how diversity and inclusion initiatives can make state DOTs better.
Notable speakers at the program included Pete Buttigieg, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Polly Trottenberg, USDOT’s deputy secretary.
They discussed the agency’s priorities and partnership goals while recognizing the crucial role played by state DOTs on implementation of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in November 2021.
Program attendees also received leadership advice from Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., the current chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Rep. DeFazio provided reflection on his 36-year career in the U.S. House of Representatives – he announced in December 2021 is not seeking re-election – including his longtime advocacy for transportation.
Four state DOT CEOs also made presentations to the group:
- Shawn Wilson, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and AASHTO 2021-2022 president.
- Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation and a former AASHTO president.
- Everett Lott, director of the District of Columbia Department of Transportation.
- Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation.