Margaret O’Meara, a VP of WSP |Parsons Brinckerhoff, was honored by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) with its 2016 Women Who Move the Nation award.

COMTO is the nation’s only advocacy organization for minority professionals and businesses in the transportation industry. In observance of women’s history month, the organization hosted its fifth annual Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation awards breakfast on March 16 in Washington, D.C.

In announcing the award, COMTO cited O’Meara’s “status and role in the transportation industry [as] an inspiration to all women, particularly women of color.” O’Meara’s “professional achievements and pioneering spirit have opened career paths for women across the country,” according to COMTO.

A 30-year transportation professional who has worked in both the public and private sectors, O’Meara, who is based in Boston, is client services leader for WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Northeast Region. She has full responsibility and accountability for client relationship management, strategic planning and business development within a 10-state region.

Previously, O’Meara served as assistant commissioner of the Massachusetts Highway Department and as the agency’s District 3 highway director in Central Massachusetts, and construction manager statewide. O’Meara began her career in transit for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, where she served as one of the first women office engineers and then in various financial and project management positions for the agency.

In addition to COMTO, O’Meara is active in the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS), the Alliance of Women’s Business and Professional Organizations, and the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA). She was named the WTS International Woman of the Year in 2012, WTS National Member of the Year in 1999 and CMAA Person of the Year in 1998. She is a graduate of Northeastern University with a bachelor of science in business administration.