NEW YORK — The AP reported that New York Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio named Polly Trottenberg to run the city's Department of Transportation.

Since January 2013, Trottenberg has served as the under secretary for policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation and replaces Janette Sadik-Khan, who served six years as commissioner under outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg. For the full story, click here.

Additionally, WTS International congratulated Bill de Blasio, New York City’s new mayor, on his choice of Trottenberg for DOT Commissioner.

“WTS recognizes Mayor de Blasio’s decision to appoint another woman to NYC’s Transportation Commissioner post. Appointments such as these impact the future of the industry as they help attract more women to the transportation field and leadership roles in the public sector,” Marcia Ferranto, president/CEO of WTS International, said. “It’s important for young women and men in the field to be able to look up and see women in leadership roles. Workforce development strategies that advance women help grow a more gender-diverse industry and close the growing gap between the thousands of jobs that will be open in transportation over the next several years and the number of qualified professionals to fill them.”

In addition to Trottenberg’s depth and breadth of experience in the public sector on both the federal and local levels and her accomplishments as a policy expert, she is also a valued member of WTS International, where she has served in key roles on strategic committees, the WTS Executive Women’s Roundtable, and as a speaker at the organization’s international annual conference, according to WTS.

“Throughout her career, Polly Trottenberg has been a champion for the advancement of women; she joined WTS in an effort to identify how to get more women into c-level positions and on executive boards and has been instrumental in WTS International’s Leadership Development Program as well as workforce development initiatives within the industry,” Ferranto added. “She’s a role model for transportation professionals both within and outside the field.”