WASHINGTON — Following the surprise resignation of former Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator Shailen Bhatt, Kristin White, the agency’s deputy administrator, has picked up the reins as acting administrator, according to a Sept. 18 statement released by FHWA.
White joined the agency as chief counsel in July 2024 and moved into the role of deputy administrator in May 2024. According to FHWA’s statement, White has helped lead the agency to oversee key FHWA programs and new initiatives created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“I am honored and humbled to lead the Federal Highway Administration at this pivotal time as we deliver on the promise of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” White said.
“I am passionately committed to serving alongside the incredible leaders and public servants at FHWA to promote our mission of a world-class system that is safe, efficient, equitable and sustainable for all,” she said. “The dedicated public servants of FHWA are working tirelessly each and every day to improve the lives of the American people.”
Before joining the FHWA, White served as COO for the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), a nonprofit founded by Congress to advance safety and mobility through transportation technology and innovation. She was also the co-founder and executive director of Minnesota’s Office of Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV-X), a tech startup and idea incubator within government that research and deploys transformational technology and policy.
She began her career as a Fulbright Fellow with the State Department in Japan. White holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Olaf College, a law degree from Hamline University School of Law and global arbitration certification from Queen Mary University of London.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been in publishing for more than 30 years. You name it, Linda has written about it. She has served as an editor for a group of national do-it-yourself publications and has coordinated the real estate section of Arkansas’ only statewide newspaper, in addition to working on a variety of niche publications ranging from bridal magazines to high-school sports previews and everything in between. She is also an experienced photographer and copy editor who enjoys telling the stories of the “Knights of the Highway,” as she calls our nation’s truck drivers.
