At the 2026 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., several current and former state department of transportation chief executives along with industry leaders shared several key “lessons learned” during their careers in the infrastructure sector.
[Above photo by AASHTO]
“First of all, don’t try to be like us: Be who you are and follow your own path,” stressed Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation. “It is important to learn from others but not change who you are. Follow your instincts.”
Second, make sure you focus on the “why,” the purpose behind the transportation projects you will work on.
“Focus on how those projects are going to benefit the people and the environment,” Braceras said. “Focusing on this ‘why’ gives you and those around you the sense of doing things that makes a difference. That is so rewarding and you need to communicate that to the people you work with – that sense of purpose.”
Third, relationships are key to everything – and they are based on trust that comes from accountability.
“You must be investing in relationships every single day – keep paying it forward every single day,” he stressed. “That also means accepting responsibility – the buck stops with you every single time. Because you cannot build an organization based on innovation if people think they will be blamed for mistakes. Give credit to others, but when things go south, take responsibility.”
Braceras emphasized that people watch actions more than words, especially in terms of allocating responsibility. “You need to give them the mission, the parameters, the training, and the tools – but they want to do the ‘how,’” he added. “Make a decision and move on – you must be willing to make decisions and make mistakes and then don’t hide them – learn from them so you do not make the same mistake twice.”
Tracy Larkin Thomason, director of the Nevada Department of Transportation, emphasized that relationships are critical especially for the times when things go south.
“Walk around and talk to people, so when they really need things, you can make a call to someone,” she said. “Technology is a great tool, but without relationships, it will fail. If you take care of your people, they take care of you.”
Kirk Steudle – president of the Steudle Executive Group and the former director of the Michigan Department of Transportation – pointed out that part of “taking care of your people” also means keeping your eye on the big picture for them.
“Don’t miss the larger issue amid all the small details,” he emphasized. “Understand how transportation fits into the ecosystem of society – its impact is much bigger than the specs you are developing for asphalt.”
He also echoed a point made by Utah DOT’s Braceras that you need to allow your team to solve the issues they will face.
“People want to figure it out – so don’t give them the answer. Introduce the issue then just listen to them,” he explained. “No one has a corner on intelligence. Understand the vision and be flexible in how you get there. Make a decision and don’t get stuck on analysis. The buzzwords may change, but the mission stays the same.”
Katie Zimmerman, founding president and current executive vice president of Applied Pavement Technology Inc., boiled her leadership lessons down into three key points: Surround yourself with people who share your vision and values; Keep a long-term perspective and, by extension, form long-term relationships with people, and; Walk the walk by doing what you say and modeling the behaviors you are looking for.
“Empathy and kindness never go out of style,” Zimmerman added. “They help create an environment where people can test their skills. It provides an opportunity for learning.”
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