Denise Bakar

Denise Bakar
Communications Manager, HASS COE
denise.bakar@dot.gov

Denise is the Communications Manager at the USDOT Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE). She leads strategic communications and partnerships, developing engagement strategies that help build collaborations and coalitions critical to the HASS mission of serving as a USDOT-wide expert resource on the safety implications of highly automated systems. Denise also serves as the Communications Manager for the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Interagency Working Group, which was established by Congress and is spearheading efforts to develop a national strategy for AAM. Previously, Denise was a manager at Deloitte, where she developed and led the execution of high-visibility brand and organizational change strategies for big technology companies invested in autonomous mobility. Denise also led communications and developed program strategies for the Federal Highway Administration Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory and the CARMA Program, where she implemented an integrated approach that generated triple-digit growth in engagements and partnerships. She has developed global marketing strategies for luxury car brands, nonprofit organizations, professional athletes, and media personalities. Denise received an MBA from the George Washington University, an M.A. in Strategic Communication from American University, and a B.A. from the University of Virginia.