Sandra L. Otto, P.E.
Division Director,
Western Federal Lands Highway Division
In July 2015, Sandra Otto became Director for FHWA in the Western Federal Lands Highway Division. She is responsible with her staff of 200 transportation professionals for administering the Federal Lands Highway Program in six states in the Pacific Northwest, including delivery of $170 million/year in Federal and tribal lands projects. Prior to this appointment she was FHWA's Division Administrator in Arkansas.
Ms. Otto joined the Federal Highway Administration in 1987 as Assistant/Area Engineer in the Arizona Division and was later promoted to Project Development Specialist for the Environmental Operations Division in FHWA headquarters office. While in Washington, she received an Academic Studies Scholarship to pursue studies in public policy and environmental management at The George Washington University, where she obtained her MPA. She later served as Senior Staff Assistant to the Environmental Operations Chief, Program Team Leader in the Colorado Division, and Assistant Division Administrator in the Arkansas Division.
Prior to joining FHWA, Ms. Otto held a range of engineering positions with T.A.M.S., Entranco Engineers, the City of Seattle Light Department and the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Sandra Otto is a graduate of Montana State University with a BS in Civil Engineering and holds a current Professional Engineering registration in Washington State.
She is a member of Pi Alpha Alpha, the National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration. She is an ASCE Fellow and has held leadership positions with ASCE technical committees from 1999 to 2014. Ms. Otto has received numerous performance and honor awards within FHWA, including the Secretary's "Find the Good and Praise It" and Partnering for Excellence Awards and the Administrator's Superior Achievement Award. Sandra and the Arkansas Division were honored with the Administrator's Organizational Excellence Award in 2013.