The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the appointment of 24 members to the Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE) under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

Appointees to the Advisory Committee are drawn from academia, the private sector, and the transportation industry.

They include experts in community engagement, transportation planning, design, research, policy, advocacy, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA).

The group will hold its first meeting in the fall.

Origin of ACTE

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg re-established the ACTE to provide independent advice and recommendations about issues of civil rights and various contexts of transportation equity.

The ACTE was originally initiated during the tenure of USDOT Secretary Anthony Foxx.

The ACTE will operate in accordance with the provisions of the FACA and the rules and regulations issued in the implementation of that Act. It will complement the work of the internal DOT Equity Council, which guides and oversees the process for institutionalizing equity across the Department’s policies and programs.

"We are grateful to the distinguished members of the ACTE, and I look forward to working with them as we continue our efforts to bring better infrastructure—and the jobs and opportunities that come with it—to every community across the country,” said Buttigieg.  

ACTE's Role in Equity Action Plan and Strategic Plan

The ACTE will play a role in USDOT’s efforts to implement its Equity Action Plan and Strategic Plan. 

The main objectives of the Committee are to provide advice and recommendations to inform the Department about efforts to: 

• Help inform the Secretary on promising practices to institutionalize equity into agency programs, policies, regulations, and activities; 

• Strengthen and establish partnerships with underserved communities who have been underrepresented in the Department’s outreach and engagement; 

• Offer a forum for coordination and the exchange of information on equity concerns raised in local and regional transportation decisions; and 

• Provide added strength, objectivity, and confidence to management’s decision-making process. 

Newly Appointed Members

The Department received and reviewed more than 240 applications for membership to the ACTE. The newly appointed members—who will each serve two-year terms—include:  

• Anthony Foxx, Professor of Practice, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (Chair) 

• Stephanie Gidigbi-Jenkins, Partner, North Star Strategies; Vice President, Communities First Infrastructure Alliance (Vice Chair)

• Shoshana Akins, Manager, Public Participation Planning, Delaware Valley Region Planning Commission

• Charles Brown, Founder, Equitable Cities.

• Flora Castillo, President, Pivot Strategies.

• Clarence Daniel-Angapak, Community Development Division Director, Association of Village Council Presidents

• Veronica Davis, Deputy Director, Houston Public Works; Director, Transportation and Drainage Operations, City of Houston

• Destiny (Thomas) Deguzman, Founder and CEO, Thrivance Group 

• Yochai Eisenberg, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois-Chicago

• Icema Gibbs, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and DEI, JetBlue

• Priya Sarathy Jones, Deputy Executive Director, Fines, and Fees Justice Center

• Vince Malone, Chief of Staff and Administration, WeGO Public Trust/Nashville MTA

• Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, Sustainable Communities Program Director, GreenLatinos

• Diana Mendes, Corporate President for Infrastructure and Mobility Equity, HNTB

• Roger Millar, Secretary, Washington State Department of Transportation

• Prashanthi Raman, Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Cruise

• Azikiwe Rich, Executive Director of Performance Management, NYC Department of Transportation

• Oliver Sellers-Garcia, Green New Deal Director and Senior Advisor to Mayor Michelle Wu, City of Boston

• Tunya Smith, Director, Office of Civil Rights, North Carolina Department of Transportation

• Camille C. Williams, Director, Social Responsibility, Transportation Diversity Council

• Phil Washington, CEO, Denver International Airport

• Eboni Wimbush, President and CEO, Airport Minority Advisory Council

• Gregory Winfree, Agency Director, Texas A&M University Transportation Institute

• Jing Zhang, Transportation Planner, Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization