Sacramento Transportation Authority Announces New Executive Director

March 21, 2016 |

The Sacramento Transportation Authority (STA) announced today that a new Executive Director has been hired to lead the multi-jurisdictional agency. 

Jeffrey Spencer has started as the new Executive Director replacing Brian Williams who retired earlier this year. Spencer comes to the STA from the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Program Manager for the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington DC. 

Jeffrey Spencer. 

In that capacity, Spencer was the Team Leader for the Federal Transit Administration ITS Office where he oversaw a staff of transportation engineers. Previously, Spencer worked as the Trucking/Maritime Specialist at Caltrans and has also served as Adjunct Faculty at San Jose State University.

 

“Sacramento is one of the most livable cities in the country and an important part of being a sustainable community is having an efficient and integrated transportation network,” Spencer said. “This is an exciting time to be joining the STA and I am looking forward to this new venture as the STA works to improve infrastructure and strengthen transportation options for Sacramento County residents.”

 

The STA also announced that Folsom City Councilmember Kerri Howell is the new Chair of the Authority and will serve a one-year term. Howell replaced Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Hansen. 

“Jeffrey’s extensive experience working in various facets of transportation including planning, policy, budgetary as well as program management is a huge asset for STA,” Howell said. “His leadership will be instrumental as the Sacramento region grows and transportation funding and infrastructure improvement projects become an even bigger necessity.”

Spencer joins the STA at a crucial juncture as the authority's board of directors are considering asking Sacramento County voters to approve a 1/2 cent sales tax in increase. As part of their efforts, the STA has embarked a public relations campaign dubbed SacramentoGo about past successes from Measure A, the County’s half-cent transportation sales tax, as well as gauge voter sentiment about a potential supplemental transportation sales tax. 

The STA Board is expected to consider placing a new Transportation Expenditure Plan and sales tax measure on the November ballot in the coming weeks.

Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis and Councilmember Pat Hume are on the STA's board of directors. Hume came out in support of the STA's proposed countywide sales tax increase during the March 9 meeting of the Elk Grove City Council meeting.