AECOM appoints new executive of transportation strategy, growth and key accounts for the Americas

AECOM has appointed Jannet Walker-Ford as the senior vice president for transportation strategy, growth and key accounts for the Design and Consulting Services Americas (DCSA) business.

Walker-Ford’s two decades of experience in the industry, including transportation systems and technology, aviation, transit, railway, tolling and procurement models, will help guide AECOM’s engagement with key clients in this critical market.

“As the transportation industry in the Americas continues to evolve, we are always seeking new and innovative ways to better serve the needs of our clients, which is why we’re looking to bring on key talent like Jannet to our growing business,” said Michael Renshaw, AECOM’s interim transportation business line leader, DCSA. “Jannet’s deep and broad experience across so many aspects of transportation, coupled with her background in client engagement and strategic marketing, will help enable our continued growth and our ability to deliver for our clients.”

Walker-Ford joins AECOM from Cubic Corporation where she served as vice president leading strategy and government affairs as well as the former general manager and vice president for the Eastern Region, North America. Her prior experience also includes deputy CEO/executive vice president at Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and executive positions at Parsons, CH2M, Hill International and Booz Allen Hamilton.

“I am thrilled to join the AECOM transportation team at such an exciting time in our industry,” said Walker-Ford. “I am looking forward to contributing to what is already an industry-leading transportation team to build even stronger strategic relationships with our transportation clients in surface, transit, aviation and port industries.”

Walker-Ford’s addition to AECOM’s transportation team follows the company’s previous announcement that former chairman and CEO of New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority, Tom Prendergast, joined AECOM’s national transportation team as head of Transit.

“Both Jannet and Tom will contribute their expertise and industry insight to focus our transportation business on growth while also ensuring we’re ready with the transportation solutions our clients need for today and tomorrow,” Renshaw said.

Walker-Ford was recently elected to serve as the vice chair of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) International Board and is also the vice chair of the WTS Foundation board. She is a Jacksonville University Board Trustee, American Public Transportation Foundation chair and chair and ENO Transportation Advisor for the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.

Walker Ford was recently recognized at the National Women of Color’s STEM Conference as a Technology All-Star, the 2019 Transportation Diversity Council – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Honoree for Services to the Transportation Industry and the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials’ Women Who Move the Nation Honorees.

She received her bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Memphis and a Master of Science degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan University.