Jennifer Mitchell, director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), was named Woman of the Year by the Central Virginia Chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS). In a ceremony held at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia on Thursday August 11, Mitchell will be honored for her leadership in transportation throughout her distinguished career.
In her most recent role as Director of DRPT, Mitchell has contributed to the development of a number of significant transportation initiatives that have historic implications for transportation in the Commonwealth. Under her strategic leadership, passenger rail service to Roanoke is underway to begin in 2017; the Smart Scale prioritization process was created, leveling the playing field for transportation projects to compete for funding; the Richmond to D.C. Tier II EIS was initiated – a giant leap towards connecting the northeast and southeast corridors with high speed rail; and the Commonwealth was selected for a $165 million federal grant to unlock Northern Virginia through the Atlantic Gateway project.
The WTS Woman of the Year award is bestowed upon a woman who not only has made outstanding contributions to the transportation industry through her efforts and achievements, but also one who is successful in advancing women and minorities in the industry by providing programs and opportunities, and one who supports other women and their achievements in the field, thereby increasing the credibility of all women in transportation.
“I can think of no one who is more deserving of this award than Jennifer,” Virginia Secretary of Transportation Aubrey L. Layne stated. “Her knowledge and expertise have given her success in her own right, and I have personally witnessed her dedication to inspire and advance fellow women in the transportation field. She has been and continues to be an integral part of the McAuliffe administration’s transportation team.”
The Women’s Transportation Seminar is an international organization dedicated to building the future of transportation through the global advancement of women. With more than 5,000 members—including women and men—WTS is helping women find opportunity and recognition in the transportation industry.
