Karen Philbrick is the executive director of the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at San José State University. MTI leads three competitively selected multi-university consortia: the California State University Transportation Consortium, the Mineta Consortium for Transportation Mobility, and the Climate Change and Extreme Events Training and Research Program.

She has been appointed four times by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation (Secretaries LaHood, Foxx, Chao, and most recently Buttigieg) to sit on the USDOT Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS). Dr. Philbrick also has the privilege of serving as the President of the Research and Education Division (RED) of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), where she also sits on the ARTBA Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Dr. Phillbrick is part of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Committees on “Transit Safety and Security” and “Passenger Rail Transportation”. She currently co-chairs the TCRP F-29 panel “Mental Health, Wellness, and Resilience for Transit System Workers”.

With an eye toward seamless and equitable transportation for all, Karen also serves the industry through elected positions on the boards of APTA, the International Transportation Learning Center, and NASA's Academic Mission Services Science and Technology Council. She was an appointed advisor to APTA’s Mobility Recovery and Restoration Task Force.

Committed to recruiting, retaining, and advancing women in transportation, Dr. Philbrick also serves on the Women in Transportation Seminar (WTS) International Board. A frequently invited keynote speaker, she has delivered federal congressional briefings and invited testimony to the California Senate and Assembly Transportation Committees.

Dr. Philbrick has received many prestigious awards for leadership excellence and outstanding contributions to her field. She holds a PhD from the University of Denver and advanced degrees from Columbia University.