In late June, Governor Gavin Newsom (D) named Dina El-Tawansy (above) as the new director of the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans. She replaces Tony Tavares, who retired in May after a 35-year career at Caltrans.
[Above photo by Caltrans]
El-Tawansy brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the role, having held multiple positions at Caltrans since 1998.
While much of her three-decade Caltrans career has been in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, she also served as acting assistant divisions chief for project and program management at the agency’s headquarters in Sacramento and as deputy district director of operations and maintenance in Caltrans District 12, which covers Orange County.
Prior to her appointment as Caltrans director – a position to which she was officially sworn in for on July 1 – El-Tawansy served as the director of Caltrans’ Bay Area District 4; the first woman to ever hold that position.
El-Tawansy holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from California Polytechnic State University-Pomona and a Master of Science in construction management from California State University-Long Beach.
“Dina brings strong leadership history, extensive transportation expertise and nearly three decades of impressive Caltrans credentials to the helm of the most complex transportation network in the nation,” said Toks Omishakin, secretary of the California State Transportation Agency, which oversees Caltrans, in a statement.
“Dina’s proven, people-focused record will enable a vital, seamless integration into this role as she and her team of 22,000 continue to prioritize improved lives for all Californians,” he added.
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