Paula Hammond, former secretary of Transportation for the State of Washington, has been named senior vice president and national transportation market leader at Parsons Brinckerhoff.
In her new position, which will begin in September, Hammond will be responsible for working with transportation agencies across the nation, including the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), and will continue her involvement with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS), the Transportation Research Board, and other key national transportation organizations. Her focus includes advancing transportation policy and programs at a national level. Based in Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Seattle office, she will also be available to provide strategic advice to clients in a wide variety of areas.
Hammond comes to Parsons Brinckerhoff after a 34-year career with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). She was appointed secretary of transportation by Gov. Christine Gregoire in 2007 and served in the position until March.
As WSDOT secretary, she was responsible for all aspects of administration of an agency with 6,800 employees and an annual operating budget of $1.3 billion. Under her direction, WSDOT was responsible for 20,000 lane-miles of state highways and tunnels, an inventory of 3,500 bridges, operation of the Northwest Cascades passenger rail service, as well as the Washington State Ferries, the nation’s largest ferry system. During her tenure Hammond championed Washington’s performance management and reporting practices as well as the transformation of the current infrastructure to an integrated 21st century transportation system. Under her leadership, WSDOT delivered a $16.5 billion transportation capital program, the largest in Washington’s history, including the replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct with the world’s largest-diameter bored tunnel, as well as I-405 and SR 520 Corridor improvements.
Hammond has been a national figure on transportation issues, serving as an advisory committee member for the USDOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems Program and as a leader of numerous committees of AASHTO, including Chair of the Standing Committee on Highways, the High Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Leadership Group, and Sustainable Transportation Steering Committee. She also served as Chair of the States for Passenger Rail Coalition and was a member of the Executive Committee of the Transportation Research Board.
Hammond received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and Woman of the Year award in 2011 from the Puget Sound chapter of WTS. She was named a top ten public works leader of the Year by the American Public Works Association, in 2012 and was the recipient of the Washington State American Public Works Association Roy Morse Award in 2011.
Hammond is a graduate of Oregon State University (OSU) with a B.S. degree in civil engineering and was inducted into the OSU Engineering Academy of Distinguished Engineers in 2008. She is a registered professional engineer in the state of Washington.
