Key Roles at U.S. Department of Transportation Now Filled After Senate Confirmations
Key Roles at U.S. Department of Transportation Now Filled After Senate Confirmations
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Transportation has filled multiple key Department positions after the U.S. Senate confirmed several of its leaders in recent weeks.
They include:
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Dr. Steven Cliff
- Maritime Administrator Rear Admiral Ann Phillips USN (Ret.)
- General Counsel John Putnam
- Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy Christopher Coes
- Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs Carol “Annie” Petsonk
- Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer Victoria Wassmer
- Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs Mohsin Syed
“As the Department of Transportation continues its implementation of President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this distinguished group of public servants will help deliver on our opportunity to build a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable transportation system for all Americans,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Their expertise, integrity, and commitment will serve the American people well as we modernize our transportation infrastructure for generations to come.”
NHTSA Administrator Steven Cliff came to NHTSA in 2021 as the Administration’s Deputy Administrator. Before his tenure at the U.S. Department of Transportation, Administrator Cliff served as Deputy Executive Officer at the California Air Resources Board, where he oversaw the organization’s climate program. He previously served as Assistant Director for Sustainability at the California Department of Transportation and was affiliated with the Air Quality Research Center at the University of California, Davis. Cliff received his bachelor’s degree and doctorate in chemistry from the University of California, San Diego.
Administrator Ann Phillips served for over 30 years as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy where she held the rank of Rear Admiral. In addition to her military service, Phillips also served as Special Assistant to the Governor of Virginia for Coastal Adaptation and Protection from 2018 to 2021, where she coordinated equitable strategies to address rising waters and climate impact for federal, maritime, and other coastal infrastructure assets in the state. Admiral Phillips holds a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a masters of business administration from the College of William and Mary.
General Counsel John Putnam came to USDOT after working as an attorney in Denver and Washington, DC, where he represented state departments of transportation, local governments, transportation agencies, and private entities on a range of transportation, energy, and environmental issues. He also served as Director of Environmental Programs for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and as Chair and Member of the Regional Air Quality Council in Denver. He received his bachelor’s degree from Williams College and a law degree from the University of Chicago.
Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy Christopher Coes came to USDOT from Smart Growth America (SGA), where he served as Vice President for Land Use and Development. Before his time at SGA, Coes worked as a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute Metropolitan Policy Program and as a Professor at the Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis at the George Washington University. Coes also served as the Deputy Director and Senior Advisor for the Transportation for America campaign. He received his bachelor’s degree and master’s in government from St. John’s University.
Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs Annie Petsonk came to the Department after serving in several other leadership roles in government, including in the Office of the United States Trade Representative in the Executive Office of the President and the Department of Justice. Petsonk has also served at the United Nations and as international counsel for the Environmental Defense Fund. She has worked as an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Law School and is a recognized expert on international aviation and climate change. Petsonk received her bachelor’s degree from Colorado College and law degree from Harvard Law School.
Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer Victoria Wassmer returned to the Department of Transportation from Ernst & Young’s government and public sector practice. She brings experience as the Assistant Administrator for Finance and Management at the FAA, where she directed the agency’s $16.4 billion budget and led a workforce of over 3,000 employees. She also served as the acting FAA acting Deputy Administrator. Wassmer holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Bryn Mawr College and a master’s degree in Public Policy from Harvard University.
Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs Mohsin Syed came to the Department of Transportation after six years on Capitol Hill, including serving as the Majority Chief Counsel for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Minority Staff Director for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security. He previously worked in the Department of Transportation’s Office of the General Counsel, as an attorney in private practice, and as an intelligence officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency. He holds both his bachelor's degree and Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia.
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