Virtual Coffee and Conversation with DAS Hutcheson
By Katie Kraft, WTS-DC
October 2021
On October 5, a group of local transportation professionals gathered virtually over Zoom for WTS-DC’s Coffee Chat with Deputy Assistant Secretary for Safety Policy Robin Hutcheson. Attendees participated in a lively round of introductions and listened to DAS Hutcheson talk on a variety of topics ranging from the current administration’s safety policy priorities to the American Jobs Plan and the impact of COVID.
DAS Hutcheson is a “Day 1” appointee of the Biden-Harris Administration. Prior to her current role, she served as the Director of Public Works for the City of Minneapolis, where she focused on leveraging public right-of-way investments for broader equity, environmental, and economic outcomes. She also served as the Transportation Director for Salt Lake City, Utah, working to improve all modes of transportation. Her private sector experience includes work in cities throughout the western United States, in London and France, and for the European Union Commission on Sustainability. She spent seven years on the Board of Directors of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), most recently as President of the Board. She was the founder and inaugural President of the Salt Lake City Chapter of WTS and participated with WTS Minnesota.
In her remarks, DAS Hutcheson outlined the pending infrastructure bill’s comprehensive investment in safety, from programs intended to support local government efforts to increase street safety to funds for improving data collection and grade crossings. She also spoke about her work leading the COVID response for the Office of the Secretary and current efforts to incorporate “lessons learned” from the pandemic.
DAS Hutcheson actively engaged the attendees in the conversation. She responded to multiple questions on a variety of topics, including how she became involved with safety, how to encourage equity and safety as priorities, how to influence decision-making even when you are not the decision-maker, and what publications she reads to stay informed and generate ideas. She encouraged attendees to have confidence in their strengths, build diverse teams, and seize professional opportunities.
WTS-DC is grateful to DAS Hutcheson for sharing her time and insight with WTS-DC members and friends. Thank you DAS Hutcheson for your support of WTS-DC and women in transportation!