Executive Director
Matthew Welbes serves as Executive Director of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in Washington, D.C., directing the daily operations of the agency in support of public transportation services in communities across the United States. He supports the FTA Administrator in providing leadership and establishing direction on public transportation policies, budgets, and strategic priorities. He guides the management of the agency's annual budget of over $12 billion and the 550 people who work with FTA's stakeholders.
Prior to joining the Office of the Administrator as a Senior Advisor in 2001, Mr. Welbes worked in FTA's Office of Budget & Policy. His work there included development of agency policies, legislation, budgets to Congress, investment studies, and performance measures for public transportation benchmarking. During 2007-8 he served as FTA's Acting Associate Administrator for Research, Technology & Innovation and in 2001-2 as the Acting Director of FTA's Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Office. He began his federal career as a Presidential Management Fellow in 1992, working in the Office of Management and Budget, Office of the Secretary of Transportation, and the FTA.
He has a M.P.A. from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. In 2000 he received a German Marshall Fund fellowship to study transportation, environmental, and land use policies in Europe. He has been recognized with the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Service for long-term accomplishments and commitment to excellence in public service and he has received the Secretary of Transportation’s gold medal for Outstanding Service.
He lives with his wife, Lora, and their daughter in Arlington, Virginia.