News Digest

DOT 8-07
Friday, January 12, 2007

Two Annapolis Residents Recognized for Community Service. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Maria Cino, as part of the department's Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday celebration, on January 11 presented the President's Volunteer Community Service Awards to individuals and groups that have exemplified the ideals of Dr. King through acts of community service. Deputy Secretary Cino recognized Eugene Peterson, a compliance officer with the department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, for outstanding employee volunteer service for his work in education in Anne Arundel County, MD. The Reverend Mamie Alethia Williams received the award for outstanding citizen volunteer services for her work in housing in Annapolis and Washington, D.C. Representatives of the Federal Aviation (Administration's) Garrett A. Morgan (Technology and Transportation Futures Program) Volunteer Committee and the U.S. Department of Transportation's Volunteer Committee both received awards for group volunteer service. The Garrett A. Morgan committee is kicking-off “First Aviation (Transportation) Club: Where Dreams Take Flight,” partnering with local (high) schools (and colleges) in the Washington, D.C. area to promote technology and transportation-related curricula for disadvantaged youth. The department's Volunteer Committee was recognized for more than two decades of supporting volunteer community service activities. The DOT Committee just completed orientation for its "Everybody Wins" Program for 2007, a weekly mentoring and reading initiative at Anthony Bowen Elementary School in Washington, DC. In 2006, its 17 members contributed more than 587 volunteer hours. Contact Kim Riddle: 202-366-4570.

Brecht-Clark Named to Key DOT Research Position. Dr. Jan Brecht-Clark has been named Associate Administrator for Research, Development and Technology at the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). Dr. Brecht-Clark joins RITA after serving as Deputy Director for Compliance at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Prior to joining TSA, she was Director of Aviation and Transportation Security on the White House Homeland Security Council, and previously served as Director of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Office of Aviation Security Policy and Planning and Deputy Director of FAA's Office of Aviation Research. Contact Paul Feenstra: (202) 366-4792.

Row Chosen to Lead Intelligent Transportation Systems Program. Shelley J. Row has been chosen as Director of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Since 2003, Row has served as Associate Executive Director for Technical Programs at the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). Prior to joining ITE, she served as Director of Transportation Operations at the Federal Highway Administration, and previously served in several roles in the ITS Joint Program Office. Contact Paul Feenstra: (202) 366-4792.

Dillingham Named Director of Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Dr. Steve Dillingham has been named Director of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics at the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration.  Dr. Dillingham has an extensive background in research and statistics.  His previous government service includes serving as the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and directing research and planning for the Department of Justice's U.S. Trustee Program.  He also served as Chief Administrator of the American Prosecutors Research Institute.  Recently, he has been Chief Counsel for the Vice Chairman of the Merit Systems Protection Board.  He holds graduate degrees in government (PhD, MPA), law (JD, LLM) and business (MBA).  Contact Paul Feenstra: (202) 366-4792.

FHWA Signs Historic Agreement with Israel. Engineers from the Federal Highway Administration will share road building techniques and best practices with their Israeli counterparts through a growing international training and information exchange partnership. In a ceremony yesterday, Israel became the second Middle Eastern nation to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation with the FHWA. Administrator J. Richard Capka signed an agreement in the agency's Washington, D.C., headquarters with representatives of the Israel National Roads Company, their nation's equivalent of the FHWA. The Memorandum of Cooperation promotes technology exchange activities on road building materials, design and cost-control. Contact Doug Hecox: 202-366-0660.