Chief Transportation Officer- Houston-Galveston Area Council

Mackenzie Eason & Associates has been retained by the Houston‑Galveston Area Council (H‑GAC) to recruit the next Chief Transportation Officer. Reporting to the Executive Director and working with the Transportation Policy Council (TPC), the new officer will lead, develop the vision and long‑term plan, and work with the TPC and staff to effectively lead transportation policy and capital projects in the region.

The Houston‑Galveston Area Council (H‑GAC) presents a rare and exciting opportunity for an experienced and visionary leader to serve as the Chief Transportation Officer. As the leader of one of the nation’s largest and most dynamic Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), you will shape the future of transportation for over 7 million residents across an expansive and diverse region. This role requires a strategic thinker, a collaborative leader, and an innovator capable of addressing the region’s unique transportation challenges and opportunities.

H‑GAC serves a 12,500‑square‑mile region, encompassing 13 counties and over 7 million residents. The organization operates as a voluntary planning and problem‑solving forum for local governments and manages regional programs focused on transportation, air quality, economic development, workforce development, community and environmental planning, emergency preparedness, disaster recovery, and more. The MPO housed within H‑GAC oversees the planning and programming of billions of dollars in transportation investments annually, including the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).

It works closely with stakeholders such as the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), local transit agencies, and the TPC.

As the federally designated MPO for the eight‑county Houston‑Galveston metropolitan region, H‑GAC is responsible for regional transportation planning. The MPO’s primary functions include developing the RTP, a long‑range blueprint for transportation investments, and the TIP, a short‑term plan detailing projects approved for federal funding over the next four years. The region also includes significant ports, petrochemical facilities, rail networks, airports, and an extensive maritime shipping network.

The eight counties are Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller.

• North Houston Highway Improvement Project
  : planned reconstruction of Interstate 45 north, between downtown Houston and the North Sam Houston Tollway, estimated to cost over $13 billion.
• 2045 Regional Transportation Plan Update
  : ongoing effort guiding major investments through 2045, addressing the needs of over 7.2 million people. The plan includes more than 750 unique projects sponsored by 63 entities with a recommended investment of approximately $120 billion.
• Safety Action Plan
  : development of a regional safety action plan and 11 local safety action plans to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, aligned with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program and the National Roadway Safety Strategy.

The TPC serves as the policy‑making body for the MPO, providing guidance and approval for regional transportation plans and programs. It comprises local elected officials, representatives from transportation agencies, and other stakeholders.

As Chief Transportation Officer, you will lead the metropolitan planning and analysis division, overseeing the transportation department and the Data Analytics & Research department. You will direct a team of over 120 employees supported by an annual operating budget of more than $40 million. The division’s scope includes regional multimodal planning, subregional planning, project development and programming, administration & finance, MPO programs, air quality, and a newly established Project Delivery division.

Your responsibilities also encompass oversight of the Department of Data Analytics and Research and close collaboration with the Department of Community and…