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Department of Transportation Announces Key Personnel Changes

Thursday, October 10, 2019

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today announced several personnel changes. The Department is glad to have a deep bench of talented team members committed to public service, and to continuing to deliver on the Administration’s priorities.

In the Office of the Secretary (OST):


Matt Sturges, Deputy Chief of Staff, will be leaving the Department to return to his home state and city of Columbus, Ohio. Prior to his service in the Secretary’s office, Sturges was Deputy Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the longtime Staff Director of the House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. We wish him well in his next endeavor.

Bobby Fraser, Director of Government and Public Affairs for the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), has been leading the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Office of Communications on a temporary detail while we search for a new Assistant Administrator. Fraser will join the Secretary’s office as a Senior Policy Advisor.

  • We expect to make a personnel announcement soon related to the FAA’s Office of Communications.

Wiley Deck, Director of Government Affairs for FMCSA, will join the Secretary’s Office as a Senior Policy Advisor. Deck has been with the Department since July 2017, and formerly served as Chief of Staff to Congressman John Mica of Florida during his time chairing the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

In the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA):

Mala Parker, Acting Deputy Administrator, has been named Deputy Administrator. Parker joined the Department as Associate Administrator for Highway Policy and External Affairs. She has been serving in the Acting Deputy Administrator role since July 2019.

Alex Etchen, Senior Advisor to the Secretary, will be taking on a new role as FHWA’s Associate Administrator for Highway Policy and External Affairs. Etchen joined the Department as a Senior Advisor for Policy in the Undersecretary’s office in July 2018.

In the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):

Ray Martinez, Administrator of FMCSA and a New Jersey native, will take the opportunity to move closer to home and oversee the major DOT construction project taking place at the Volpe Center in Massachusetts. We are grateful for Martinez’s service and glad that he will keep serving the Department in this capacity, while also meeting his long-held wishes to be located closer to his family.

Jim Mullen, Chief Counsel, will move to the Deputy Administrator’s role at FMCSA. As Chief Counsel, Mullen has a strong track record of engaging with all relevant government and industry stakeholders on significant rulemakings that FMCSA is undertaking. Mullen has been with the Department since June 2018.

Alan Hanson, Deputy Administrator, will take on the Chief Counsel’s role. As a former Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice, and Deputy Chief of Staff at DOT, Hanson has been closely involved in many rulemakings and will continue to use his legal background ensure that the important work FMCSA has been doing continues apace. Hanson formerly served as Chief of Staff to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby. 

In the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA):

Ben Kochman, Senior Governmental Affairs Officer in OST, will now serve as Director of Government Affairs for PHMSA, as Bobby Fraser transitions to the Secretary’s office. Kochman joined the Department from House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Kay Granger’s staff in October 2018.

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